The Game of Love and Death / Martha Brockenbrough

3/5

Overall, I enjoyed The Game of Love and Death. Flora and Henry are well-developed, and watching the way the characters intertwined was very interesting. 

The novel is enjoyable, and the reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because to receive a higher rating from me, I need an intense plot with higher stakes, and I need more than just a romance plot. I give books high ratings when they leave me freaking out and screaming inside, and I just didn't feel that kind of engagement with The Game of Love and Death. Its only plot is the relationship between Henry and Flora-- it is a very good relationship, realistic and relatable, and I would have absolutely adored it if that hadn't been the only focus of the book.

This book was very ambitious in trying to personify Love and Death. I love books that do that, where abstract ideas or emotions are made into characters, but the thing is that since everyone has a different opinion of what something abstract means, oftentimes these characters don't match up with what a reader wants. I don't mind when these characters don't match up with what I would imagine, and I'm always eager to see how the author interprets them. The problem I had with Love and Death is that I was very excited to have a book focused on these two characters, and they weren't developed or explored as fully as I would have liked. I think I had imagined a novel set in a fantasy world, with more of a focus on powers or magic, but that huge potential for the supernatural was pushed aside to make room for Flora and Henry. Not necessarily in a bad way, it just wasn't what I was expecting or what I wanted from this novel.

I liked reading about the human characters though. Flora is strong (which I love), Henry's struggles are engaging, and Ethan's plot is especially heartbreaking (in the best way). Even little Annabel is entertaining. I do recommend giving The Game of Love and Death a try. If you love romance, this is a very good romantic book and will most likely be a new favorite. But if you're looking for something more intense and fast-paced, then maybe pass this one up.