Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander – Dark Romance Book Review

Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander is a dark fantasy romance where mankind is at war with a black magic race known as The Ravens. Caught between bitter, cutthroat rivalries, Lady Galantia must do everything she can to survive once captured. 

Writing: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Darkness: 4/5
Spice: 5/5
Editing: 5/5 

Trigger warnings: On-page depictions of rape and sexual assault, mentions of sexual assault in historical tellings, noncon/dubcon interactions between FMC and MMCs, sexual assault of a child mentioned. 

Tropes: Captivity and forced proximity, fated mates, innocent/virgin FMC, love triangle. 

Feathers So Vicious is a beautifully written and smartly told dark romance story about greed, prejudice, and the unfiltered brutality of war. It’s also an incredibly sexy story of a young woman experiencing the more tantalizing parts of life for the first time. With the constant tension of captivity punctuating every scene, Liv Zander weaves a tale that never lulls. 

After being sheltered by her emotionally indifferent parents all her life, Galantria Brisden has little experience of the wider world. Being of high blood, her only journey far from home is the one shipping her off to be wed to Prince Domren. After being ambushed by Ravens, she is captured and taken to Deep Marsh Castle—which lives up to its name, being surrounded by hostile swamps on all sides. 

The inhabitants are equally hostile, with the deadly and cruel Malyr Khysal running the show and the hot-and-cold Sebian monitoring her daily routine. Not to mention Lorn—Malyr’s, er, frequent sexual partner and ever-tortured companion—who would see Galantria dead (slowly, painfully) if given the chance. 

But Galantria can’t die, because the Ravens intend to trade her life for one of their own locked deep in her father’s dungeons. 

A pawn in a dangerous game of push and pull, Galantria is caught between the worlds of the humans and Ravens. But this is not your parents’ enemies-to-lovers tale. Galantria comes to learn that the stories of “good vs evil” she was told growing up are not as simple or clean cut as she assumed them to be. Both sides of the war have suffered great losses, and at times she even comes to empathize with what she thought was her people’s mortal enemy.

The thing about Feathers So Vicious is that it has great smut, a captivating plot, and is well written to boot. This is a rare gift in the dark romance world. There is also a solid love triangle, with MMF threesomes. A girl really can’t ask for more. 

Liv Zander has built a world filled with brutal war, dark magic, haunting character backstories, all without letting it overpower the reason why we are actually all here: sex. The raunchy scenes are vicious and memorable, the group sex is kinky and fun, and every thrust is punctuated by a compelling story point. Malyr uses it as humiliation and revenge. Galantria uses it as a bargaining tool. Sebian uses it for personal redemption. Nothing is empty fluff. Everything has weight, meaning. 

And the “love triangle” is diabolical. Galantria has been starved of love her whole life and is desperate for it now. She longs for a kiss from Sebian, so much so that it makes her doubt his intentions when she doesn’t get it. She tries to find love in the pain Malyr dishes upon her, desperate for the intimacy that comes on the wings of hurt to mean something more. Each man may or may not care for her in earnest, but one thing is known: their complicated history with humans in the past makes this an impossible love.

The gendered dynamics are interesting, too. Galantria is the “innocent virgin” archetype, but she is so self-aware of her place in the world that it makes a potent statement. She knows that society values certain things from women, and if she can’t adhere to them, then she dies. She may be royalty, but she is entirely without power. She works within her cage to save herself, though, doing anything it takes to stay alive.

No one is safe from harm in this book. On one hand, it’s devastating. Whoever you end up rooting for has suffered deeply. The kind of suffering that makes you squirm. It’s equal parts heartbreaking and…refreshing. So many dark romance books focus on female suffering and male perpetuation of violence. As if toxic masculinity doesn’t hurt everyone. As if strife and war doesn’t kill without prejudice. The book goes as far as depicting the rape of one of the male characters while in captivity. That’s right: we’re equal opportunity noncon here. It’s balanced, as all things should be.

The Raven society is a counterpoint to the human one: men court women…and even share them. Sebian points out that in the animal kingdom, many men compete for the attention of a single mate. The women hold the power in the bonding dynamics. Or at least, that’s what he tells her while him and Malyr court her simultaneously. Galantria’s isolated upbringing leaves her starving for affection, so much so that she is less of a siren and more of a half-drowned sailor. She is easily manipulated, and often confused at the nature of her own feelings. Like: why does pain feel so much like love?

As the third act pulses to a close, the twists and turns start to stack up. It’s the kind of tension and build up that earns its cliffhanger, and makes me more than excited for the second book. 

Feathers So Vicious is a prime example of how dark romance can have a story with a backbone, even if the author herself makes you watch it snap. 

Feathers So Vicious vibe quotes: 

Something restless swirled around in my chest as I waited for a response. A remark on my impudence, my mulishness, my disobedience. Anything! How about my lack of a penis? She hadn’t lamented about it for months. Mother only clenched her lips. Cold. Distant. Silence. How… disappointing. – Ch 3

“If you believe death is the worst I can give you, then clearly, you haven’t experienced much of life.” – Ch 7 

“I’m not one to judge… We’re all a bit broken here.” – Ch 14 

I ran my marred, numb finger over the small of her back beneath the furs, feeling close to nothing and somehow too much at the same time. Goddess help me, she was so fucking beautiful in my eyes, drool and all. – Ch 18 

“Because you’re mine. Mine to hurt. Mine to agonize. Mine to break.” His cool, minty breath broke against my skin, sending a shudder across my heated body. “I will come for you, Galantia. May it take a year or a lifetime, I will come for you.” – Ch 19 

“My hate for you was placed into my cradle along with my name. As weary as we might grow of our names, they will follow us into the grave, will they not?” – Ch 28 

“Few of us can rely on fate anymore, giving us no other choice but to fall back on our most animalistic instincts.” He nuzzled his nose at my hairline and down along my temple. “Marriage is a human concept, sweet thing—a strong political tool for your titled lot. Malyr knows this. But as much as Malyr might be a prince, first and foremost, he’s a Raven. Who is he to keep you from me? And who am I to keep you from him?” – Ch 30 

For the first time in my life, I didn’t just watch life from within the safety of gentle hands. Malyr’s hands were rarely gentle, but they certainly never coddled. No, they shoved me straight into life, demanding I participated. And I loved it. – Ch 38 

Read more dark romance love quotes here.