"Many a reader longing for a sense of homecoming in the realm of romantic fantasy will find it in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance."—Jacqueline Carey
"...the heart of the audiobook is Velasin's journey toward recovery and learning to trust his new husband."- AudioFile on A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
"Narrator Vikas Adam expressively reads Vel's first-person narration, bringing out Vel's sensitivity and portraying his growing strength and confidence. James Fouhey narrates the part of Cae with a maturity and stolidity that hints at his soldierly background."- Library Journal
"Stolen me? As soon to say a caged bird can be stolen by the sky."
Velasin vin Aaro never planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he's ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Vel to marry his former intended's brother instead.
Caethari Aeduria always knew he might end up in a political marriage, but his sudden betrothal to a man from Ralia, where such relationships are forbidden, comes as a shock.
With an unknown faction willing to kill to end their new alliance, Vel and Cae have no choice but to trust each other. Survival is one thing, but love—as both will learn—is quite another.
Byzantine politics, lush sexual energy, and a queer love story that is by turns sweet and sultry. Foz Meadows's A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is an exploration of gender, identity, and self-worth. It is an audiobook that will live in your heart long after you finish listening.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
July 26, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781250856340
- File size: 545207 KB
- Duration: 18:55:50
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 14, 2022
This lushly drawn fantasy romance from Meadows (A Tyranny of Queens) offers a delicate meditation on trauma, loyalty, and trust. Ralian aristocrat Velasin vin Aaro is forced into a diplomatic marriage to a young woman from the neighboring kingdom of Tithena, his family’s historic enemies. But before the marriage can take places, Velasin’s male former lover brutally rapes him. The attack brings to light Velasin’s preference for men and his family’s plans unravel—until they learn his intended has an eligible brother, and unlike conservative Ralia, Tithena has no taboos around same-sex relationships. Exiled by his homophobic father and with nowhere else to go, Velasin accepts the altered marriage offer, crossing the mountains, carrying the shame and trauma of his assault, to marry a stranger. But Caethari Aeduria is not what he expected, and a series of attacks within the Aeduria compound mean the men must find a way to trust each other if they want to survive. Meadows skillfully integrates gripping mystery and satisfying slow-burn romance. The result is sure to delight fans of CL Polk’s Kingston Cycle series and Everina Maxwell’s Winter’s Orbit. -
Vikas Adam and James Fouhey co-narrate this fantasy featuring political intrigue, magic, and an arranged marriage. Velasin, whose chapters are narrated by Adam, is raped, all but disowned by his father, and packed off to another country to marry Caethari, the son of the ruling family. Reading Caethari's chapters, Fouhey emphasizes his kindness. Velasin's arrival is followed by assassination attempts. Cae and Vel work together to find out who is behind the violence, but the heart of the audiobook is Velasin's journey toward recovery and learning to trust his new husband. Vel's breakdown as Cae saves him from a desperate act, as delivered by Fouhey, is particularly wrenching and poignant. Both narrators do their best with the sometimes overwrought prose and the abundant unfamiliar names of people and places. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine -
December 1, 2022
Meadows's (A Tyranny of Queens) latest fantasy focuses on Velasin "Vel" vin Aaro, the third son of a high-ranking family in the intensely homophobic country of Ralia. When Vel's preference for men is dramatically revealed, the envoy from neighboring Tithena arranges a marriage between Vel and Caethari "Cae" Aeduria, in the hopes of improving relations between the two countries. Although powerful forces attempt to destroy their newfound alliance, Vel finds a home in open and flexible Tithena, coming to accept himself with the patience and compassionate support of his new husband. Narrator Vikas Adam expressively reads Vel's first-person narration, bringing out Vel's sensitivity and portraying his growing strength and confidence. James Fouhey narrates the part of Cae with a maturity and stolidity that hints at his soldierly background. Trigger warnings of rape, suicidal ideation, and bodily harm appearing at the beginning of the novel should be noted, as this novel touches on weighty issues. VERDICT Recommended for readers looking for an absorbing queer fantasy, complete with intricate world-building, tantalizing mystery, and a slow-burn, tender romance.--David Faucheux
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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