Lucie V.'s Reviews > Captive Prince

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
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it was amazing
bookshelves: abduction-captive, fantasy, kindle-ebook, roman-greek-inspired, lgbtq, m-m, favorites

✅ Captive/captor
✅ Characters
✅ Morally grey MC
✅ Angst
✅ Political scheming
✅ Original concept
🆗 Simple but interesting world-building
❗️❗️ Very addictive
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings : slavery, non consensual drug use, sexual abuse, torture, and mentions of pedophilia.

4.5 stars

This book is controversial, yet I couldn't stop reading it once I started... I don't know if it makes me a bad person. 🤷

After the betrayal of his half-brother, Damen is sent as a pleasure slave to the prince of another country with which Damen’s country has had a fragile peace for the last few years. There, Damen meets cruel and clever prince Laurent, and he is forced into his world of court intrigues and sexual debauchery.

“Is there anyone at this court who isn't my enemy?"
"Not if I can help it," Laurent said.”


The world-building is quite simple, but it gave me ancient Rome vibes (or ancient Greek maybe, I am not an expert). I found original the fact that in Vere (the country where Damen was sent as a slave), the noble only have affairs with same-sex partners to make sure that they don’t sire a bastard or fall pregnant with one. They almost all have “pets” that they use as slaves in their household and for their sexual pleasure. I realize that this book "normalizes" having sex slaves, even if they are minors, and the nobility does not care about "pets" being raped or mistreated, but at the same time, it is a real page-turner (#SoConfused 😕).

The prologue was a little confusing because of all the names, and the list of characters at the beginning only made it harder because I tried to learn them all by heart, only to realize that some of them were not really important in the story. After a few pages though I was really intrigued, and even though there are explicit mentions of torture and rape (I don,t recommend this book to younger readers), I couldn’t stop reading this book. It is full of intrigue, spying, brutality, and tension.

“Laurent could inspire homicidal tendencies simply by breathing.”


Laurent is a really interesting character. He seems cold and cruel at first, but we come to realize that there is more to him, and he probably has a more vulnerable side that he keeps hidden. On the opposite, Damen is a quite predictable and ordinary character, I did not dislike him, but I was not that intrigued by him either.

“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.”


This book is more focused on the characters and their relationships, whether it's friendship, love, or hate, but there is a political aspect in the book that I liked a lot. I will definitely read the next book, and I am really curious to see if Laurent and Damen will become more than uneasy allies. The hatred and contempt between them is delicious. There is potential for an enemies-to-lovers plot, and I just LOVE this trope.

“Yes, apparently I have fucked my enemy, conspired against my future interests, and colluded in my own murder. I can’t wait to see what feats I will perform next.”



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Quotes Lucie Liked

C.S. Pacat
“Laurent could inspire homicidal tendencies simply by breathing.”
C.S. Pacat, Captive Prince


Reading Progress

February 24, 2021 – Shelved as: to-read
February 24, 2021 – Shelved
March 2, 2021 – Started Reading
March 2, 2021 – Shelved as: abduction-captive
March 2, 2021 – Shelved as: fantasy
March 2, 2021 – Shelved as: kindle-ebook
March 2, 2021 – Finished Reading
March 6, 2021 – Shelved as: roman-greek-inspired
June 14, 2021 – Shelved as: lgbtq
October 30, 2021 – Shelved as: m-m
December 6, 2021 – Shelved as: favorites

Comments Showing 1-35 of 35 (35 new)

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Paige ♠ Ohhh 🤩 Now I'm super excited to read this!


Lucie V. Paige ♠ wrote: "Ohhh 🤩 Now I'm super excited to read this!"

Some scenes are explicit, but overall it's not that bad. I hopt you will like it! 😊


message 3: by Mary (new)

Mary Rayne I've seen die hard fans of this book praise this unend and to be honest I'm so intrigued but the rape scenes makes me nervous to read about. Guess I just have to fast forward or something


Lucie V. Mary wrote: "I've seen die hard fans of this book praise this unend and to be honest I'm so intrigued but the rape scenes makes me nervous to read about. Guess I just have to fast forward or something"

The rape/sexual abuse scenes are short so you can definitely skip them. There are not too much details, most of the time the MC is not the victim, but he sees it happening to other characters.


message 5: by Mary (new)

Mary Rayne Thank God! I was worried how can I get behind the romance.


Lucie V. Mary wrote: "Thank God! I was worried how can I get behind the romance."

I am reading the second book right now, and I am not even sure if there will be a romance in this one. It's very slow, but in a good realistic way considering the fact that Damen is still Laurent's slave. Laurent and Damen go from enemies, to reluctant allies... There is potential for romance, but I don't know if/when it will happen. I am only at the 33% mark, but I really like it so far. :)

I hope you will be able to enjoy it to if you decide to give it a try! :)


Samradni Eater of Burgers I actually liked this series but I was in such a dilemma about it then I didn't even understand whether or not should I rate it. But there is nothing wrong about wanting to read it don't worry.


message 8: by Lucie (last edited Mar 02, 2021 07:39PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lucie V. Samradni wrote: "I actually liked this series but I was in such a dilemma about it then I didn't even understand whether or not should I rate it. But there is nothing wrong about wanting to read it don't worry."

That's the thing! It really is addictive even though it's about sexual slaves (among other things). But I'm not worried and I am not ashamed to say that I enjoyed it 😉


Jemailyn Great review, Lucie! :)


Lucie V. Thanks Jemailyn 😊


♡ Dakota ♡ (Sarcasm is my middle name) This series is so highly addictive. For better or worse. The second book is just wow.


Lucie V. ♡ Dakota ♡ wrote: "This series is so highly addictive. For better or worse. The second book is just wow."

I KNOW!!!! I just finished the second book, and my heart was beatingt so fast for the last few chapters, I was anxious about Damen's secret being revealed, but at the same time I wanted him to be honest with Laurent! 😱😱
THAT ENDING! 😍 I have goosebumps.


♡ Dakota ♡ (Sarcasm is my middle name) I still need to read the last book. But yes that ending! That book as a whole! Talk about a pay off! I think compared to the first book it’s night and day.


Lucie V. ♡ Dakota ♡ wrote: "I still need to read the last book. But yes that ending! That book as a whole! Talk about a pay off! I think compared to the first book it’s night and day."

Yes it's a different vibe completely! The third book is more similar to the second book. Lots of politics and fighting, I loved it! :)


message 15: by Vee (new) - added it

Vee Would you compare this series to Ariana Nash bookks? she's the only MM author I have read and I really loved her books so I'm looking for something similar. :D


Lucie V. Vee wrote: "Would you compare this series to Ariana Nash bookks? she's the only MM author I have read and I really loved her books so I'm looking for something similar. :D"

It has a similar vibe yes... I am tempted to say that it is slighly less dark and angsty than some of Ariana Nash's series (like Silk & Steel or Prince's Assassin), but the character development and the slow-burn enemies to lovers in The Captive Prince are EPIC. 💙💙💙


message 17: by Vee (new) - added it

Vee OMG I am definitely reading this series then! Tysm!!! :D


Lucie V. Vee wrote: "OMG I am definitely reading this series then! Tysm!!! :D"

You're welcome. I'm sure you will love it! 😁😁


message 19: by Vee (new) - added it

Vee Lucie wrote: "Vee wrote: "OMG I am definitely reading this series then! Tysm!!! :D"

You're welcome. I'm sure you will love it! 😁😁"


I really hope so. But so far I loved mostly all the books you recommended so I am confident. :D


Lucie V. Vee wrote: "Lucie wrote: "Vee wrote: "OMG I am definitely reading this series then! Tysm!!! :D"

You're welcome. I'm sure you will love it! 😁😁"

I really hope so. But so far I loved mostly all the books you re..."


I can't wait to see what you think of it!! 😁


message 21: by Nic (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nic I LOVE THIS SERIES. 💖💖💖


Lucie V. Teya wrote: "I LOVE THIS SERIES. 💖💖💖"

It's one of my all-time favorites. 😁🖤 The character development and hate-to-love is perfect. 🖤🖤🖤


message 23: by Nic (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nic Yess, enemies to lovers is one of the best tropes and same 😊


Marti OMG one of my favorite series in the world😭💕💕 so glad you enjoyed it! Can't wait to see what you think about the rest.


Lucie V. @Marti I read the whole series over one year ago. I LOVED it. 😍😍😍😍


Lucie V. @Teya it has hate to love, captor and captive, forced proximity… all the best tropes! 😉


message 27: by Nic (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nic Yes all those too lol 😂 the best 🤌


Aliki (semi hiatus) Great review 😊 i just read this book, i really liked the extra chapter in the end, about Erasmus's training and his mini love story with the other slave Kallias. Do we get to see more of them and if they meet again? I got really invested 😂


Lucie V. Thanks 😊 ❤️
Honestly it’s been over a year and a half since I read this series so my memory might not be the best, but I don’t remember seeing more of Erasmus and Kallias in the other books… sorry. 😬


Aliki (semi hiatus) Oh noo, I guess I am the only one that got so invensted in them beacause I haven't seen anyone mentioning them 😂😂 thanks thouugh I am still excited about the seriees 🥰🥰


Lucie V. Books 2-3 are even better than book 1! 😉😁


Aliki (semi hiatus) Yayyy can't waiiit 😁 I'm currently 31% in book 2


Lucie V. Aliki wrote: "Yayyy can't waiiit 😁 I'm currently 31% in book 2"

I'm sure you will LOVE it! It's SOOOOOOOOOO good. 😍 The hate to love is EPIC.


message 34: by Ashryn (new)

Ashryn Darksoul See I hate when rape and SA is romanticized in books like Shatter Me or Haunting Adeline but I didn’t have a problem with this one in the way I expected. I think it’s disgusting to have a romanticized rapist in a canon (or even fanon) ship with the victim. Key word being romanticized, I don’t have a problem with a canon ship between SAer and victim if it’s clear that this ship is not ok and shouldn’t be a thing. But I don’t really have a problem with this book having SA or rape because in this world it is a normal thing so you can’t blame them through the lens of our moral compass or what should be our moral compass. I personally think it’s still wrong for a reader to ship it but it’s a bit of a gray area I’d say. Anyways, love your review style girly


Lucie V. @Ashryn Darksoul that is super interesting, what you said about the moral compass because the setting does make a huge difference, you're totally right. Personally, I enjoy angsty books, so SA is not a trigger for me, but I am picky and sometimes struggle too when the victim and aggressor are the ones developing a romantic relationship. That being said, this series is one of my favorites, the hate to love and slow burn is just amazing 😍


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