Not Sure Where To Stand On This

What did you love best about The Golden Dynasty?

The story had its moments, but the amount of (imo) unforgivable acts of violence against women in this book was a little much.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Anti-climatic: as throughout the book, the MC forgave her man for his unforgivable acts with no throwdown or huge show of love. wah wah waaaaaaaaah

What does Tillie Hooper bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is really good.

Any additional comments?

(Mild Spoilers) I don't know what to think about this book. I did listen to it all in two days, but I'm not sure if it's because I liked it or because of the incredulity of the characters and story line. Speaking of story line, I think Kristen is a Game of Thrones fan. This is almost exactly like Kaleesi's story right down to the traveling horde and the treatment of their women.I really wish the author would pick an age for her main characters. I read "Wildest Dreams" as well and in both books the MC's language usage sounds like a teenager (really cool, eek, dork, etc). In one moment the queen sounds like a sophisticated, well educated, bad ass and in the next moment, she's a sniveling teenager.Also, I would really be interested in what message the author is trying to send to women? "So he raped you repeatedly and forced you to be his wife......it is their way". "He said horrible things to you, locked you in your room, and refused to let you see anyone........you should just forgive him because he felt bad about it after you left him." "You will do everything I tell you to do and you have no say over your body or life." FUCK THAT. I'm sorry but in both of her books the men should grovel, suffer, at the very least, say they were sorry. In this book, he doesn't even really apologize. The ending of this book was really weak and made me hate the main character for her feelings of guilt over not letting him off the hook sooner. I don't think I will be listening to anymore of her books. I can't stand the amount of women hating going on by a woman author.

49 people found this helpful

Just Wrong

I couldn’t get through this book because the protagonist states that she was raped 7 times by her husband- Minutes later she is enjoying sex with him and having orgasms. I was shocked because rape is not a subject to be taken lightly. It is a brutal and violent invasion that leaves behind emotional and physical scars that I don’t think the author is aware of. It was difficult for me to comprehend why she would put this in her book and treat it like it’s just a minor snag. I can’t imagine someone who was victimized in such a way reading the heroine’s reaction to being raped, It is insensitivity nearly to the point of cruelty. This book is not my idea of romance and the impropriety was staggering... I won’t be reading anything else by this author.

18 people found this helpful

Rape is not sexy.

I really like this author and the first book in the series really flirted with assault which wasn't great but I ignored it. Full disclosure I'm only 2 hours into this book but the protagonist is undisputedly raped multiple times by the main love interest. I can't in good conscience continue to read this book. When we romanticize rape and pretend it's sexy we perpetuate rape culture. Going to return this book and I'm probably done with this author as well. It's a shame.

18 people found this helpful

Rape as a form of entertainment for men is sick

It's one thing to write a rape scene as a means to explain why characters have issue. It quite another to write in a rape scene and chalk it up as cultural norm.... then have a women fall in love with the rapid is sick

16 people found this helpful

Rape is not ok

I loved The first book of the series, which was my first book back Kristen Ashley. I made myself finish this. I kept hoping that it would get better, but it didn't. I understand that she's writing about a make-believe culture. However in this culture men hunt and then rape their wives to claim them. After their claimed they continue to rape them. This book portrays the women falling in love with their rapists. This book normalizes everything that we should teach our daughters is not OK. Even after being physically struck by their husbands, these women just suck it up and enjoy sex with them. This absolutely turned my stomach.

13 people found this helpful

How has Kristen Ashley managed to avoid being sued?

3 points to make here:

1) This book is a complete and total rip-off of Game of Thrones. From the nomadic tribe of warriors obsessed with their horses, to the blonde "queen," white tiger cub named Ghost, Valerian steel blades, sneaky eunuchs, this is a cheesy, millenialized version of a major success. The only unique parts were the cringe-worthy Wife Hunt and the inter-dimensional travel.

2) You can't start a series with a book that has a sex scene or 2, but is definitely not classified as a romance novel, and then have a sequel that is a full-on romance novel with sex scenes at the beginning and end of every chapter! At least the first book had a storyline and explanations about the universe it's based in.

3) I find the fact that a significant amount of the sex scenes in this book are rape scenes extremely disturbing.

All in all I'm pretty disappointed that I wasted a credit on this garbage.

13 people found this helpful

Violence against women is never good

Would you ever listen to anything by Kristen Ashley again?

I love this series, but was disturbed by this particular book in the series. When a book starts out with a "Hunt" for wives and they wives are claimed by rape . . . . not a positive way to start. When the new wife falls into, what I can only call Stockholm Syndrome ..... not a good way to follow up rape.

If I could strip away the extreme violence committed against women in this book I would have given it all 5 stars across the board. I will continue to read this series, but I am not a fan of this particular book.

What about Tillie Hooper’s performance did you like?

She has a wonderful voice that conveys the emotion and atmosphere perfectly.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

See above comments about listening to a Kristen Ashley book again.

7 people found this helpful

Ummmm, Errrr. well....

Where does The Golden Dynasty rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Enjoyed the story but simply could not hear, "errr, ummm, well, I mean, cool, one more time or I was going to blow a gasket! Such a shame that the author decided to make the leading lady sound like an idiot rather than the majestic character she could have been.

What other book might you compare The Golden Dynasty to and why?

None

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Nothing, as she only can only work with what she is given.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

nope

Any additional comments?

Steamy sex is all great and fine, but really... 3 - 5 climaxes in one night....really!

13 people found this helpful

Tried to trudge through this

Got through Wildest Dreams because I found it got better the further I read, so I decided to give to this one a shot... Won't be finishing it. After being smacked in the face by her husband and then submitting to being raped by him... Yeah, I'm done.

24 people found this helpful

Stockholm Syndrome: A Romance?

First, this book needs Trigger Warnings for rape and domestic abuse. (Ask me how I know)

I suppose this is meant as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast? Sort of? Except it neither minimizes the brutality of rape and imprisonment a la Disney, nor does it delve deeply into the dark imagery a la Angela Carter. Instead, it attempts to do both.

Let me back up for a second.

This is my 5th Kristen Ashley book set in “Fantasyland.” I began with The Rising series and I’m going through the Fantasyland series while I wait for the final installment of the former to be released. I’m familiar with the hyper-patriarchal society that the author has created, and I usually ignore all the things that make my skin crawl because the world-building is phenomenal and the stories are engaging.

I can look past the foundational assumptions that:

1. Men may treat women like property so long as the men are attractive, good in bed, and protect and pamper their women.
2. Men never apologize and arguments only end when the woman gives in so that the man can say, I won’t do it again. But he will never admit that he was wrong
3. As long as the man has good(ish) intentions, he may disregard his wife’s wishes, make decisions about his wife’s life and body without discussing it with her, and maybe - if he’s in a good mood - even do something she asks of him, and she should be grateful for his magnanimity.

I get that some people get off in this dynamic but I’m not one of them. But I can overlook it.

What I have trouble with is the highly dangerous concept that a man can hunt and rape a woman bloody, and a few days later she’s loving the orgasms he gives her. I have trouble with the concept that a woman should stay in an abusive relationship because “he won’t do it again.” I have trouble with a woman shamed into taking the blame for a man’s violent temper because she’s not sleeping with him. I have trouble with that same woman teaching other women how to cope with their own abusive husbands so that they can be happy in that relationship. I have trouble with the concept that a man should be able to imprison his wife so she cannot leave him because he loves her too much to lose her. These are... not entertainment.

I finished the book. Again, it’s a vivid world. It’s like a car wreck, hard to look away, hoping the people miraculously made it out unscathed. And...

Despite the abuse, she’s in love with him. He’s in love with her. He resurrects her broken spirit and they live happily ever after.

No.

5 people found this helpful