Sakura of DOOM

Theodora Pyrene is a scholar from Athena who, through a variety of circumstances, has ended up on the planet Ivory without the fare to get back home. Eventually, Ran Cormallon, an Ivoran aristocrat or some sort of aristocratic equivalent, finds her reading fortunes in a market and hires her to be his own personal card reader for assorted complex reasons.

For further complex reasons, many people don't like Ran and attempt to get to him by trying to kill Theo.

Generally, I was confused by the plot; apparently my plot-brain has yet to return to me.

I think this is a book that I vaguely like, though I don't love. The assorted bits of Ivoran culture were interesting, but not necessarily memorable or squee-worthy. Also, the romance that came in felt like it was randomly thrown in; I had absolutely no clue that the two people were romantically attracted to each other, or even physically attracted to each other, or anything. I saw it coming, but that was more as a standard plot device than as a romance I believed in, if that makes any sense.

On the other hand, there was an excellent moment in which Theodora gets her period at the worst possible time and then has to get people to explain tampons to her (she used to have an implant, which, by the way, I want). Yay awkward moments! Also, yay for a heroine who is not insanely physical and actually gets really tired during long treks.

Links:
- kate_nepveu's review (entire trilogy, but no spoilers. Also quotes memorable menstruation section)