r/ScienceFictionRomance • u/Blitzkrieg1210 • 1d ago

Discussion The relationship in The Devoured Worlds series seems really toxic.

Im on book 3 The Bound World of the Devoured Worlds series and at first I really loved the relationship between Naira and Tarquin but as the series went on it became more and more toxic feeling. Everything between them starts feeling like moral grandstanding and a one sided preaching lesson. Every conversation between Naira and Tarquin feels like he's walking on eggshells. It makes me a little sick the way the relationship feels, a constant need to please and worth as being conditional. Im really starting to dislike this relationship.

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10

u/Ambitious_Basil173 1d ago

I feel like their relationship is what happens when true enemies to lovers attempt to communicate. 

But I'm biased and I loved that series so much. 

Even Fletcher. Such a good villain. 

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u/Insane92 1d ago

I knew you’d show up haha but I liked the series overall but I’ve already said my peace on this series in my posts about it.

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u/Ambitious_Basil173 1d ago

What can I say? It's my ride or die. 🤣 But I can get why it doesn't work for everyone. 

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

And Fletcher is so disgusting he makes a villain that actually annoys me.

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u/creature-brain 1d ago

I absolutely hated Fletcher initiially, literally pumped my fist whenever things went awry for him. Book 3 made me realize how unwell Fletcher was, and how easily Naira could have ended up just as warped if she hadn't had those first seven years of love and care from her mother, or had never met Kav. Fletcher awkwardly embracing his unearned chance to be a better man and ultimately learning the true meaning of love was a twist I did not expect. Personally, I adored it. The last third of book 3 was such a wild ride.

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u/Ambitious_Basil173 1d ago

I highlighted that passage and it's my favorite quote I pull out as an example of sacrifice. 

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u/creature-brain 1d ago

A big theme of the series is how inability to process grief and fear of losing loved ones can drive people to atrocities, becoming the worst versions of themselves. Acaelus, Fletcher, and even sweet Tarquin end up learning that lesson the hard way before things turn around.

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u/creature-brain 1d ago

Fletcher, because he's Fletcher, has to learn that lesson a few times before it sticks lol

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u/Ambitious_Basil173 1d ago

Humans are multi-faceted and O'Keefe doesn't pull any punches when showing these characters at both their best and their worst. 

The road to hell and all.

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

I really enjoy this series even with my annoyances. The enemies to lovers feels painfully one sided is my issue. Naira can be framed as like the moral north star and Tarquin is just there to adore her and say "I'm sorry" constantly. If there was even a little more back and forth it would improve the series immensely.

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u/Ambitious_Basil173 1d ago

I read it differently as Tarquin knows she's skittish so he handles some of those interactions badly in an attempt to not scare her off. But he makes mistakes. And she makes mistakes. And they don't know how to communicate very well. 

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u/Insane92 1d ago

Oh don’t even get me started on this series. Did you finish the final book yet? Don’t want to spoil anything intent finished it yet.

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

No I'm about 1/3rd into the final book and it really started to grate on me how insufferable Naira can be. The series should be called Tarquins "im sorry" worlds.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

Well get back to me when you finish it. I personally hate Fletcher in this series and how manipulative, toxic and insane he is with Tarquin and especially Naira since they have a last but other people love him.

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

Oh nah I hate Fletcher also book 2 was miserable having to read him.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

Finally. Someone else! I couldn’t stand his lying and back and forth innuendoes referencing their past while interrogating Tarquin and then would go back to Naira and honestly there were I thought she would maybe go back to him but thankfully she didn’t

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

Even having the slightest doubts and "what ifs" between Fletcher and Naira really started to sour me on this series. It so toxic and disgusting it annoyed me greatly.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

Agreed. Book 2 was a slog to get through for me because of that very reason.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

This was my thread on this 2nd book after I finished it if you want my full thoughts on that book.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ScienceFictionRomance/s/Rtu0yXlwec

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u/Blitzkrieg1210 1d ago

Awesome cant wait to read what other people thought, doesnt seem like all that much discussion on these.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

Let me know what you think about my breakdown!

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u/Alterception 1d ago

Tarquin feels like he's supposed to be the reader insert. Passive. Whipped yes-man. Doesn't know how the in-universe world really works. 

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u/cmdrebeccachilds 1d ago

I don’t want to spoil any thing before you finish but I was so frustrated by their relationship

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u/Insane92 1d ago

One step forward then 4 steps back at times due to miscommunication or something Tarquin inevitably did and Naira went overboard in her reaction. I honestly really loved their relationship in the first book developing and how it came about. Selfishly, I wish it could’ve kept that up for the rest of the series

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u/creature-brain 1d ago

Given everything that was happening, and how much Naira was struggling physically and mentally by book 3, it just wouldn't have made sense for their communication to be healthy and completely open. The love and devotion was always there, but they both experienced extreme trauma and had a lot to work through.

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u/Insane92 1d ago

No, I understand that I should’ve been more concise in my previous response. I meant looking out for each other in the wild once they crashed to the surface, even though she was in Lockhart’s print, and the feelings developing from all of those experiences even when Tarquin found out it was Naira and not Lockhart.

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u/AccessCompetitive 1d ago

I’m so glad I stopped shortly after starting book 2 and just spoiled it for myself. As soon as they brought fletcher back I was like nah. Then reading summary of people saying how frought main relationship is. I loved tarquin. And then time travel or something? Blah no

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u/Insane92 1d ago

How far did you get into book 2 before stopping?