A classic story, with an opposing duo on a quest to return her kingdom to the rightful princess chased by evil invaders. Classic, but well written, and worth reading. Some aspects of the story are much better than others. The central element is the romance between Zethira and Alissa, and it is the best written and developed part of the story. We see the evolution of their feelings on both sides, their relationship from purely transactional to unwavering loyalty, and their inner torments, which are logical and mature. The reader can understand their fears, very serious and far from the ridiculous hesitations of certain love stories.

The progression of the two heroines, as characters and in their relationship, is well done. It's just a shame that in the first chapter, they have already been traveling together for a while and that Elissa is already madly in love with Zethira, which means that most of her progress comes down to becoming worthy of her companion in her own eyes. Zethira, whose feelings are later and must overcome her fears, benefits from better narrative treatment.

The novel's flaws lie in the plot and secondary characters.

The plot doesn't go off the beaten track, but it does its job and even indulges in some deeper topics, like the racism that mixed-race people experience, how to put an end to it, and whether Zethiras wants to fight to preserve a world that rejects. And at least we avoid the "humans are all assholes" trope: the dragons are presented as being just as intolerant, and the people she encounters, even enemies, care about bigger issues than her race.

THE big weak point is the antagonists: they are Manichean, caricatured, all (except one) have the same personality of an arrogant and cruel sycophantic minion, and they attack the heroines one by one like sentai villains. For French readers, think of the Inconnus sketch Biouman.

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