The Dog Roses: Resolution is a bold, blood-soaked dive into a myth-soaked world of ancient Ériu, dripping with power struggles, family betrayals, and queens who rule with both sword and seduction. It’s the second book in Millar’s Dog Roses series, and it doesn’t pull any punches. At the heart of it are two sisters, Brighid and Danu, daughters of legendary rulers who were meant to lead with wisdom but fell into tyranny and chaos. When their father sends their brothers to clean up the mess, all hell breaks loose. You’ve got ancient gods, cunning assassins, ruthless politics, and enough battle scenes to make a Roman general blush.

Millar’s writing punches hard right out of the gate. Chapter 1 left a powerful impression. Aoife storms into the Great Hall, a spear in hand with a child’s severed head mounted on its tip, demanding accountability. It’s a harrowing and unforgettable entrance, one that immediately grips the reader and sets the tone for the intensity that follows. It was brutal, but there was a righteous fury there, too. Aoife doesn’t come off as just a warrior; she’s grief incarnate. Millar writes these women not just as strong, but deeply human. They rage, they love, they crumble. Even when I didn’t agree with what they were doing, I understood why.

Then there’s the slow unraveling of power between Brighid and Danu. That sibling dynamic is pure gold. It’s petty, painful, political, and believable. Their kingdom starts off strong, but the infighting is like a slow poison. When Brighid retreats to Caher Conri and Danu digs in at Ráth Na Conall, you know the gods are rolling their eyes. But still, there’s a vulnerability there. Danu breaking down in front of her children reminded me that even tyrants can be broken mothers. And Brighid’s slow descent, especially when Báine pulls away, is just tragic. She’s not evil, she’s just… lost. And Millar gives her that space to unravel.

This book is loaded with action and not just sword fights. The tension hums constantly. Whether it’s Tisiphone gliding through a hall like a ghost with knives in her hair or Lonán calling kings cowards to their faces with that glorious, gruff “I’m too old for this” attitude, there’s never a dull moment. Daráine shaving her head and quietly outwitting men twice her age was one of my favorite low-key power moves. Every scene at the council table crackled with unspoken threats and old grudges. It felt like reading Game of Thrones but set in mythic Ireland, and it worked.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s violent, earthy, and unrelenting. But if you’re into Celtic fantasy that doesn’t tiptoe around darkness, The Dog Roses: Resolution will grip you and not let go. I’d recommend it to fans of Bernard Cornwell, lovers of Irish mythology, or anyone craving epic family drama with bite.

Pages: 422 | ASIN : B0D1WCM2NH