YMMV / Captive Prince

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Is Kastor a sociopath willing to do anything, including kill family, in order to take the throne? Or is he a resentful unfavorite who loves his family on some level but feels their treatment of him justifies his actions, ultimately driving him to sacrifice them for a greater goal that will finally make him feel appreciated?
  • Did Jokaste betray Damen because she was trying to protect him through manipulation of Kastor's actions? Or did she do it because she simply had to pick the side in the coup that was least likely to get her killed? Was it some mixture of both?
• Angst Aversion: It's not uncommon for people to be put off reading the first book due to the sheer amount of sexual violence and abuse present. Even certain readers who enjoy the trilogy as a whole find the first book difficult to get through, and some say it's their least favourite installment due to the content.
• Angst? What Angst?: There's quite a bit of angst in the series overall, but pretty much none of it is generated from the infamous scene in the first book where Laurent forces Damen to publicly receive a blowjob from an escort. One would think that this trilogy, which later focuses considerably on sexual trauma as a part of Laurent's backstory, would depict the consequences of a sexual assault. But Damen really has no notable response other than a brief period of anger.
• Audience Awareness Advantage: Some readers are a little harsh on Damen because he doesn't realize that the Regent sexually abused Laurent until it's explicitly stated in the third book. However, Damen is described in-universe as a straightforward thinker who doesn't understand how people can do truly despicable things, so he probably wouldn't analyze the potential origins of Laurent's behavior. Especially when you consider how he failed to notice how much his own brother resented him until it was too late do anything about it. Also, being a Warrior Prince-turned-Sex Slave who's trying to survive in an enemy country, hide his identity, and return to his own nation, Damen has...quite a bit on his mind that doesn't involve inspecting every single one of Laurent's quirks.
• Base-Breaking Character: Some fans dislike Aimeric for his abrasive personality and betrayal of Laurent for the Regent; other fans find Aimeric sympathetic because he is memorable, loyal to his family, and as much a victim of the Regent's mind games as anyone else.
• Captain Obvious Aesop: Slavery is traumatizing and wrongly strips people of their free will.
• Don't Shoot the Message: Captive Prince ultimately has an anti-slavery message, with both Damen and Laurent coming to realize how immoral and damaging slavery is by the end. This is despite Damen growing up in a society where it's considered normal, and despite Laurent having originally justified it as part of his revenge mission. However, certain readers feel this is undermined by the fact that around two-thirds of the first book are dedicated to graphically depicting sexual slavery and other abuses, to the point where it can feel exploitative. Not to mention, of course, the positive depiction of a romance between a slave and his abusive master. Some find that the sequels are better in this regard.
• Ensemble Dark Horse:
  • Nicaise is one of the fandom's most beloved characters, despite only having a side role in one book. This is probably because he's the first person we see with a positive relationship with Laurent.
  • Nikandros doesn't even appear until the last book in the trilogy, yet he is quite well-liked. He's more popular than Jord, who becomes Out of Focus in Kings Rising and whose role he arguably takes—despite the fact that Jord appears in every book. This is likely due to Nikandros having a clearer and more comedic personality, as well as a closer relationship with Damen.
• Fandom-Specific Plot: The "Auguste doesn't die" alternate universe is the most common fic type in the fandom, taking cues from Damen and Laurent's in-universe fantasies about what could have been. In these stories (which are often very fluffy), the battle at Marlas either doesn't happen or is resolved peacefully, Auguste and Damen become close friends, and Damen falls for a less antagonistic Laurent once he's old enough. Another very common fic plot involves swapping Damen and Laurent's roles so that the Regent is sending Laurent to be Damen's slave.
• Growing the Beard: Many readers consider the sequels to be improvements over the first book, as they greatly tone down the more graphic content, make Damen and Laurent's romance less problematic by rendering them equals, and focus more on things like political intrigue and action than constant abuse of slaves. These traits allow for the trilogy's better qualities to shine.
• Harsher in Hindsight:
  • Laurent shows up drunk in Damen's cell after their first meeting and has him roughed up, threatening to do worse. Damen dismisses him as a dissolute sadist. Much later, several grim details are revealed: Laurent is usually The Teetotaler, he immediately recognized Damen as his brother's killer, and he expected the Regent to use Damen's identity as a weapon against him. Only after this does the reader understand just how much strain Laurent was under during that scene.
  • Despite making it clear that Damen isn't forcing anything on him, Laurent is rather confused and uncomfortable during their first sex scene. Damen himself is puzzled by Laurent's gaps in sexual awareness and odd responses to intimacy, especially since Laurent said he wasn't a virgin, but he chalks it up to Laurent's general paranoia and Control Freak tendencies. Then it's revealed that Laurent lost his virginity when he was thirteen...to his uncle. And all of his quirks surrounding physical contact become very dark.
• Hype Backlash: Captive Prince was one of the most popular pieces of gay literature in 2016, but its content and overall subject matter stirred up controversy. Some readers point out that the book's central romance isn't a very positive depiction of a gay relationship, even comparing the novel to Fifty Shades of Grey for allegedly glorifying a toxic romance. While Laurent does get better, he still spends a lot of the first novel physically, sexually and emotionally torturing Damen (his future Love Interest). Then there's the fact Damen is Laurent's slave, as in a literal slave who is held against his will, rather than it being some consensual kink thing. Many have also expressed discomfort with the descriptions of Damen and Laurent's appearances, perceiving uncomfortable racial implications. Though considering all of this is intentionally designed to make the reader uncomfortable and emphasise the importance of equality, the backlash was fairly limited
• Jerkass Woobie: Laurent, Nicaise, and Aimeric are all highly volatile but deeply traumatized young men.
• Portmanteau Couple Name: Fans occasionally use "Lamen" as the ship name for Laurent and Damen. Laurent actually creates "Lamen" as a fake name for Damen to use in-universe, which makes this funnier.
• Stoic Woobie: Laurent has endured quite a few traumatic things. As a result, he's deeply unhappy and secretly craves affection...but outwardly, he's totally aloof and composed.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: Jokaste is very important to Damen's backstory, and she's hyped up to be as smart and deadly as Laurent. However, she only gets two brief appearances—once in the first book and once in the third.

---