The Betrothed
⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆ ☆
The Betrothed (The Betrothed, Book 1) by Kiera Cass
Haunted by the ghost of Eadlyn. 👻
In my opinion: I believe it’s more important for characters to be likable, rather than relatable. Likable characters are unique and fully fleshed-out individuals with quirks and traits that feel real. When authors aim for relatability, they often end up creating bland, gray, emotionless blank slates. This lets readers project themselves onto the character and fool themselves into thinking the main character is just like them. That’s not good character development.
This problem plagued the end of The Selection series, and sadly, it continues here. For more on this, see my review of The Crown.
Bottom line: Hollis is boring and bland. I don’t care about her. Delia Grace is easily the standout character, simply because she's the most developed. In just one chapter, you learn more about Delia than you do about Hollis throughout the entire book. Delia has personality, depth, and drive. Hollis? She’s a blank slate with no nuance or memorable qualities besides being the main character.
This highlights another trend carried over from The Selection: a main character without a clear goal or purpose.
That said, I have to give credit where it’s due. Kiera Cass is surprisingly good at world-building. While her worlds aren’t original, they are effective. 👍
I quickly stopped caring about the romance because it felt dull, incomplete, and left too many questions unanswered. The most interesting part was the political maneuvering: how relationships, betrothals, and love triangles shift the balance of power among countries. The ending only intensified that aspect.
Speaking of the ending, it’s The Betrothed’s saving grace. (That I liked it probably says more about me than the book 😈.) So not to spoiling anything, I’ll just say the book ends on a tragedy. But in terms of character development, it's the best thing that could've happened. Hollis has finally faced a defining moment unique to her, one that should shape her for years to come (should). More importantly, she now has real motivation and purpose going into the next book.
