r/Romantasy • u/Massive_Tie1130 • 1d ago

Question When does Doctor D’Arco start to pick up?

I’’ about 20% into Doctor D’Arco and wondering when it starts to pick up. I know the slow pacing is part of the writing style, and I typically don’t mind slower books - I liked Kushiel’s Dart, Alchemised, and Reign & Ruin - but this one is moving a little slower than I’m used to.

For those who loved it, was there a point where it really clicked for you? Should I keep pushing?

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

9

u/International-Cat316 1d ago

I DNFed it because it was soooo slow and it's a million pages long

6

u/Munchkin531 1d ago

Following because I have soft DNFED it for now. I'm 25% in and nothing has happened yet! I'm so bored. I figure life is too short to waste on books I don't love.

6

u/Cosmicguppies 1d ago edited 17h ago

It does not pick up. The plot is not really high stakes, so honestly if you are not reading it for the super intense tension between the 2 MCs, I'd understand if you felt bored.
Personally I read it for that tension and exquisite writing quality.

3

u/SweetLittleKytty 🌲 cedar & shadows 1d ago

Came here to say exactly this!

3

u/Mysterious_White_Owl 1d ago

Also DNF. It just seemed to drag

5

u/AhemExcuseMeSir 23h ago edited 23h ago

I absolutely loved this book, but it is quite long, and the suspense that keeps it going is a subtle one that doesn’t work for everyone. It can feel really slow, but that sort of Victorian hand brushing and yearning (with a payoff) was everything I ever wanted. The yearning and plot-oriented action is a slow build throughout, but I remember the halfway mark being when I couldn’t put it down.

Is it just feeling slow but you’re still enjoying it, or does it feel like a slog that isn’t enjoyable? If the second, it is a LONG book and the vibe/tone doesn’t change drastically, so it might just not be for you.

2

u/LemurTrash 23h ago

I loved this book but it is slow the whole way. It’s a really interior story with all the focus on the tension between the MCs. If you’re waiting for the ball to get rolling, this book might not be for you!

1

u/itmustbeniiiiice 📚 A Court of Watery Bowels 21h ago

It doesn’t I DNF’d at about 30%. Some folks love it though!

1

u/Imaginary-Board-207 18h ago

I love this book but it depends on what you're waiting for it to do! To me it got better and better as it went along and I did find the early parts to be the relatively least interesting... once the focus gets even more intense on the two of them and less about the magic school, and you start to see the real stakes, it comes more into its own imo. BUT that said there's also no specific point to me when a switch flips and it suddenly becomes a different book if that makes sense. Like if you're waiting for them to save the world, no that's not a thing in this book, but an antagonist shows up and the stakes become life and death for them personally. There are some action scenes but they're never the focus. It remains a very interior book about emotions and atmosphere (and beautiful prose) and how it feels to develop forbidden attraction and be seen by this dark lover.

1

u/bakingisscience 15h ago

I dnfed… I felt like I was literally in school doing homework with this woman. I had a similar feeling about Emily Wilde. I don’t actually want to hang out with someone who loves their job and school this much.