Twin Kingdoms Romance Bundle

Let me begin this review by stating that I don´t often read romances. I occassionally read books that feature romance, but it´s usually not the main focus of the story. I´ve never read books that feature non-standard pairings either. To navigate the sea of love can be perilous enough in a world with only two genders. Add two more and things are bound to get interesting. But I decided to give this duology a try based on the strength of the first books preview.

And I´m glad that I took that leap of faith.

The first book, "Thief of Songs" follows Amet Emendexte-ilye, "a sharp blade of a man in black silk". A poet and composer of noble blood from the kingdom´s western mountainous region, Amet has travelled to the capital in the east to set the record straight with the royal composer, Dancer on the Cusp of Twilight, for having the temerity to pass Amet´s work off as mere folk music.

The beautiful hermaphrodite Dancer on the Cusp of Twilight on the other hand, is intrigued by the handsome, mysterious stranger...
Little does Amet know that their meeting will set in motion events that will make him question everything he thought he knew about the east, and see his fate intertwined with not only Dancer but with Dancer´s neuter companion Always Falling.

The second book, "Cantor for Pearls" follow Amet and Always Falling as they travell to the sea-side home of Always Fallings family ,summoned by the news of the impending death of an important member of it´s kin. And what kin it is. But not everyone is happy about the family reunion. Can Amet help Always Falling heal the rifts in it´s family and navigate the shifting currents of a culture even more alien than the already alien culture of the east?

The strenght of these two books are two-fold. Ever since I came across this author in 2013 I have been impressed by the strenght of her world-building, and these books are no exception. Hogarth embarks upon a world-building tour-de force and skillfully weaves together the political, cultural and sociological implications of her world-building choices into a splendidly beautiful silken fabric.

And on this fabric she displays her second strength and paints with her calligraphers brush the most exquisite prose and beautiful character interactions. Every character she paints feel like a believable product of the society they grew up in and the intimate moments, both sexual and otherwise, are depicted in a tasteful and well-measured fashion. There simply are no "cringe" moments to be found.

To read these books was a pure delight, and I can only hope that other prospective readers decide to make the same leap of faith that I did.
I daresay most who do will not be disappointed.

/Patrik the Swede