Is Arrow of Fortune Worth Your Time?
Information:
- Goodreads: 4.51 out of 180
- My Rating: 2.5
- Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
- Series: Raiders of the Arcana, book 3
- Age Category: Adult
Summary:
This is the third book in the Raiders of the Arcana series. This series is essentially following Adam and Ellie, an American boy who rebelled against his rich family and a woman seeking her own autonomy in England, as they travel across the world to work towards saving ancient relics from the villains of this world who would use them for their own personal gain (usually to the detriment of others). Once again, we are following Adam, Ellie, Constance, and Neil to India full of intrigue, mystery, a hero’s hidden past, and lush Indian history. Ellie and Adam are working through their nontraditional love for one another while Constance and Neil may (or may not) have something going on with them as well. How super cute.
This is an ARC provided by Netgalley.
Review:
I started this series absolutely in love with it. There’s even a post here about how much I fell in love with the first book, Empire of Shadows. It was sold to me as ‘for the girlies who loved the Mummy.’ And, honestly, it absolutely provided that. The second one was okay. There is one complaint I have that I know is absolutely a ‘me’ problem – to the extent that it doesn’t affect my score other than in my enjoyment aspect because I know this is very much so personal preference. I don’t like. books that are following this one couple and then introduces another that we follow during the series as well. I tend to feel as if the couples almost always follow the same formula and it just feels like I’m watching the same thing twice. That’s not entirely the issue with this one, it’s just not my preference.
With this third book, I’m not sure what I was fully expecting. I was excited to pick it up, even with the fact that I didn’t entirely enjoy the second. While reading this one, it’s clear that there’s a formula being followed nearly exactly. That’s fine for cozy reads. But I would caution people to read these a decent time apart to take that into account. The characters start by traveling somewhere and finding out there’s a relic for them to go after because the bad guys – who are always the same people – are also after it and they can’t allow that to happen. They run into the bad guys, the bad guys have a chance to kill em, they end up not doing so because Ellie and Adam having something to do with their plans ( though no one knows what that is, not even the bad guy himself), they end up rescuing the relic, and onto the next place. Throughout that, Ellie struggles with how her nontraditional life fits into Adam’s life and doesn’t communicate about it (another trope I hate) while Constance does whatever her little heart desires and flusters the hell out of Neil.
It’s not a bad story. It’s well written, the characters are good, they all have chemistry – to an extent – and the mystery is always interesting as well. Granted, I could be looking at this as an undereducated white lady, but it seems like the cultures and history within these books are well researched and treated with respect. Adam and Ellie have sweet moments throughout this, such as when they were discussing fully having sex with one another instead of Adam creatively going about it. It’s closed door, but you do get to see some of these conversations. Ellie had asked if Adam could locate contraceptives that she had learned about and he was down to do that. Two points about that before I carry on: I love that Ellie is the one who asked rather than Adam bringing it up or pushing for it. They truly go with whatever Ellie is comfortable with and at her pace and I love that. But, Adam makes sure Ellie is fully knowledgable about that option, too. He makes sure she knows that contraceptives, especially during this time period, are not foolproof and there would still be a possibility that she gets pregnant. He then goes further to reassure her that he doesn’t care that she doesn’t want children. He chose her and he’s happy with that, however it looks. And it truly does seem that way – this man appeared to be perfectly happy never fully having sex with her as long as he got to be with her. Love that.
Ellie, however, is struggling. She wants more time with Adam but can’t share a room because they aren’t married. Constance tells her she could just pretend like her and Adam are married. Then they get all the benefits of it without the legal ties. I have a few complaints and/or questions about this, though. I will admit that I could be confused or looking at it wrong. But, still. Ellie disagrees with marriage because it’s used as part of the system that hold women down and removes their autonomy. I get that and I can stand behind that. But how is she not, in a certain way, still putting herself in that system by pretending to be married? Maybe I’m silly. But would she be kicked out or arrested if she just said no, I’m rooming with Adam and we’re spending time together? We saw her stand on her beliefs to the point of being arrested before and I’m just confused about this stance. Also, it’s getting tiring with her wrestling with a decision that impacts Adam as well yet refusing to have that conversation because she’s worried about how he’ll react or what he’ll think. He’s shown nothing but kindness and understanding and has proven that he is more than willing to go with whatever she needs him to do. Why would this be any different? Spoiler alert: it isn’t.
This book is good. It’s not a bad read in the slightest. It’s just very much so not to my preference. I do feel as if it would be difficult to have this kind of story not become formulaic, but I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t enjoy the lack of communication or my lack of understanding why certain characters had to make certain decisions. I don’t think I’m going to continue, but I do still love the first book.