“What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginable distant times? One thing I do know: they won’t want the brutal reality of conquest and sl“What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginable distant times? One thing I do know: they won’t want the brutal reality of conquest and slavery. They won’t want to be told about the massacres of men and boys, the enslavement of women and girls. They won’t want to know we were living in a rape camp. No, they’ll go for something softer. A love story, perhaps? I just hope they manage to work out who the lovers were.”
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If I had to describe this book in two words, I’d pick…hauntingly beautiful. It’s dark and bloody and gritty, while simultaneously being evocative and atmospheric and heart-breaking. AND I LOVED IT. This was what I wanted from The Song of Achilles. (I know, I know. I’m one of the few people who didn’t like it, but I wasn’t a fan of how Patroclus was portrayed there.)
“Men carve meaning into women’s faces; messages addressed to other men. In Achilles’ compound, the message had been: Look at her. My prize awarded by the army, proof that I am what I’ve always claimed to be: the greatest of the Greeks. Here in Agamemnon’s compound, it was: Look at her. Achilles’ prize. I took her away from him just as I can take your prize away from you. I can take everything you have.”
This was also what I wanted from Circe, where it was truly told through Briseis’ eyes, rather than having her be stuck on an island, while finding out what’s going on in the world solely when visitors decided to drop by for a visit. I was also interested by the sheer lack of mythological involvement here. There are references to the gods here and there, from Apollo to Thetis, but for the most part, this is about the human condition in warfare. This made the novel a lot more realistic and added to the poignancy, in my opinion. At the end of the day, this novel is a retelling of The Iliad told – primarily – through Briseis’ eyes. Once the queen of a Trojan city, she was captured and given to Achilles as a prize for his successes on the battlefield.
“This is what free people never understand. A slave isn’t a person who’s being treated as a thing. A slave is a thing, as much in her own estimation as in anybody else’s.”
From then on, we see her anger at the treatment of the other women in the camp, her grief at how many she loved were slaughtered in battle, her confusion when the men treated her as less than human and worse than their animals, her disbelief when – every once in a while – someone would show her an act of mercy. Women were treated HORRENDOUSLY here, from strenuous labour to constant rape to even some of them coming to love their captors. This was certainly an emotionally-heavy read.
“And I do what countless women before me have been forced to do. I spread my legs for the man who killed my husband and my brothers.”
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But what I love most is that Pat Barker didn’t gloss over any of it and she most certainly didn’t romanticise any of it. You know what’s happening is horrible and you can see that these “fierce young women” are bravely fighting for their survival, doing whatever they must, in order to see another day. I’m in awe of their strength. You see the men struggling with battle wounds and the plague (while they expect the women to patch up their wounds and ailments), when they put the women through much worse and perpetual hardships, and yet none of them stop to recognise the irony. Oh, how women are taken for granted and for the “weaker sex”, they definitely can endure a lot more than their male counterparts. The abuse and the trauma that they go through … it’s hard to even fathom having to live in conditions such as those.
“At that time, he was probably the most beautiful man alive, as he was certainly the most violent, but that’s the problem. How do you separate a tiger’s beauty from its ferocity? Or a cheetah’s elegance from the speed of its attack? Achilles was like that – the beauty and the terror were two sides of a single coin.”
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In addition, I should probably mention that Achilles’ perspective does come in later, which moulds him into a more three-dimensional character, rather than seeing him as solely Briseis’ oppressor. It’d be pretty hard to truly retell the Iliad from only Briseis’ eyes because she wasn’t involved in all of the politics and warfare…and at the end of the day, the Iliad is primarily a war epic.
“Great Achilles. Brilliant Achilles, shining Achilles, godlike Achilles…How the epithets pile up. We never called him any of those things; we called him ‘the butcher’.”
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I’ve always been fascinated by the legendary Achilles. I even consider him to be one of my favourite Greek heroes. However, I must admit that I enjoyed the not-so-savoury light that Pat Barker paints him in. He has no interest in sex. He has no interest in peace. He has no interest in politics. He has no interest in anything besides pride and bloodshed…doesn’t that remind you of a certain war god that no one can stand (coughArescough)??? xD
“He’d become Achilles. Isn’t that love’s highest aim? Not the interchange of two free minds, but a single, fused identity? I remember seeing them on the beach the night I’d followed Patroclus down to the sea. This was what I’d glimpsed then.”
We don’t know what kind of love Achilles and Patroclus shared. In fact, two camps of classical historians have been debating it for ages. It could be the love story in which cousins - who happened to be closer than brothers - share. It could be the love story in which only two soulmates could possibly share. It could be both. Regardless, this book captures their bond so poignantly and subtly that no matter which group you fall under, you’ll be satisfied.
“Now, he can see what he’s been trying to do: to bargain with grief. Behind all this frenetic activity there’s been the hope that if he keeps his promises there’ll be no more pain. But he’s beginning to understand that grief doesn’t strike bargains. There’s no way of avoiding the agony – or even of getting through it faster. It’s got him in its claws and it won’t let go until he’s learnt every lesson it has to teach.”
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When Patroclus died, you could see how much it affected the entire Greek camp. Patroclus was the one shining beacon there…the one person who showed the slave women kindness, the one person who was friendly with all of the soldiers, the one mediator who kept peace between Agamemnon and Achilles. His death hit them all with a profound sense of loss that couldn’t be replaced, but in a way, they were all united in their mourning of him.
“The defeated go down in history and disappear, and their stories die with them.”
Ultimately, we all know how the story ends. The siege of Troy occurs. The Trojans are defeated as the Greeks emerge victorious. Achilles goes to meet Patroclus in the afterlife. But Briseis lives. It was time for her to seize control of her own life. It’s amazing how true the quote above is though. How much do we actually know about Trojan culture? Not a lot, as there are very few surviving sources. Dead men tell no tales and the defeated are forgotten throughout history. The Greeks won, and it’s the Greeks we remember today.
“What I came away with was a sense of Helen seizing control of her own story. She was so isolated in that city, so powerless – even at my age I could see that – and those tapestries were a way of saying: I’m here. Me. A person, not just an object to be looked at and fought over.”
Despite everything that Briseis went through, she realised that the war wasn’t about her, or even Helen of Sparta, the woman whose face “launched a thousand ships.” It didn’t matter that Helen was taken by Paris. It didn’t matter that Agamemnon and Achilles fought over Briseis. It didn’t matter that Patroclus was slain by Hector. At the end of the day, the Trojan war was over and SHE was the one left standing … and her story had yet to begin.
“Yes, the death of young men in battle is a tragedy – I’d lost four brothers, I didn’t need anybody to tell me that. A tragedy worthy of any number of laments – but theirs is not the worst fate. I looked at Andromache, who’d have to live the rest of her amputated life as a slave, and I thought: We need a new song.”
I was ten years of age when I first read the Iliad and I’ve been re-reading it over and over as I’ve grown up ever since. It’s quite honestly my favourite piece of literature of all time. So, it takes A LOT for me to love a retelling of the Iliad because I have such high expectations when it comes to retellings of it. But Pat Barker truly did the epic justice. Every few moments, I was writing down memorable lines because so much of it struck a chord with me. This was such a well-written novel and I highly recommend it…not only to fans of the classics, not only to those interested in gender studies, but to everyone. It’s a genuinely wonderful book and I’d be first in queue if Pat Barker ever decided to tackle another classic from a female perspective.
“We’re going to survive – our songs, our stories. They’ll never be able to forget us. Decades after the last man who fought Troy is dead, their sons will remember the songs their Trojan mothers sang to them. We’ll be in their dreams – and in their worst nightmares too.”
“If Attia got through the day without murdering someone, she would consider it a good day. Or she might just be sorely disappointed.”
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I don’t ev“If Attia got through the day without murdering someone, she would consider it a good day. Or she might just be sorely disappointed.”
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I don’t even know where to begin with my love for this book. ALL THE STARS. I award this brilliant novelALL THE STARS. Five is not nearly enough!!!
I love anything and everything about Ancient Rome, having even studied it myself at university. It’s such a fascinating part of history that it always draws me in whenever it’s featured in a book (for others, see: Sisters of Sword and Song, Dark Shores and The Valiant).
However, I’ll be the first one to admit that Ancient Rome was an extremely misogynistic society. So, I LOVE the twist here, where – in this book – the legendary warrior, Spartacus, is a WOMAN. I love me some fierce and fighty females!!!
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I’d also like to mention that I completely didn’t mind some of the historical inaccuracies? And I’ll be the first to normally nit-pick at them, but Ancient Mediterranean History includes so much guesswork that WHO’S TO SAY that this didn’t actually happen??? For example, this book also included some events at Pompeii (FINALLY, I mean why don’t Ancient Roman books ever mention Pompeii?! Untapped potential, if you ask me!). So, if this book is meant to take place during 79 AD (aka the year of Mount Vesuvius’ eruption) and Spartacus lived from 111 BC to 71 BC … how do we know that someone LIKE him (or her, in this case) wasn’t actually there??? That’s the beauty of alternate history. WE DON’T.
“It's a dance, Attia. Not a fight.” “We can fix that," Attia said earnestly. “You're not being helpful at all.”
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This book was SO EPIC. It was also a dual-POV, so let’s begin with the star of the show, the belle of the ball…Attia. Attia was a Thracian princess, daughter of a war-lord, and the last of her kind (or is she? hehehe). She’d been trained as a warrior since childhood, as her father’s only heir, and boy, could she kick ARSE. When the Romans came and conquered Thrace, they took her as a spoil of war and she definitely did not come quietly. She fought every step of the way, just cutting through men like they were bloody sheets of paper. We stan a queen.
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But despite what a great fighter she was, she also had a loving heart. She was so protective and sweet to those she cared about, especially a six-year old Roman child, who she wanted to hate on principle, but just couldn’t bring herself to do so. More often than not, she put herself in harm’s way in order to care for this innocent, little girl. It was just so, so cute and ahhhh, I can’t. I cry. :(((
He flinched and pulled away. “Gods, you might just take my hands off after all. Aren't women supposed to be gentle?” “Aren't men supposed to be fearless? Hold still.”
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Attia also comes to care for Rome’s Gladiator champion, Xanthus (the other POV, btw). Initially, Attia was given to Xanthus as a gift for all of his wins in the arena, but Xanthus wanted none of that. He respected whatever she wanted and never pressured her into doing anything that she didn’t want to. She slept on the bed, while he slept on the floor. She served as nursemaid to a child, while he provided bloody entertainment in the arena. For the longest time, they operated as two ships passing in the night…until their bond evolved into something more. AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
“I’ll come back for you,” he said. “I’ll wait.”
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I think that the best part about the two of them is that, at the end of the day, they were, more or less, equals. They were both slaves, stolen from their homeland, Attia from Thrace and Xanthus (his true name being Gareth) from Britannia, and forced into bondage, living each day with only the desire for freedom and vengeance for those that they had lost. Xanthus was so loyal and sweet, as was Attia, and they were phenomenal fighters, making them a perfectly balanced pair. Neither were superior to the other in any regard. They were just SO CUTE together. <333
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I also adored the little found family that seemed to form: Attia, Sabina, and Lucretia, Xanthus, the Gladiators, and the Maedi, and even the little children, Rory and Balius. AHH. MY BABIES. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. WHY, WHY, WHY IS IT OVER? IT CAN’T BE OVER!
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This book was amazing and I loved every moment of it! My not wanting to put it down – even for a second – led me to completing it in one sitting. Now, I’m regretting that decision though, because there’s no more left for me to read or look forward to. Le sigh.
I’m so sad that Tor Teen cancelled the sequel, when this is arguably one of the best books that they’ve published in recent years. I’m sad we’ll never get to see the slave revolt that Spartacus – aka Attia – is destined to lead. It would’ve been brilliant to see, depicted by this author. Regardless, I HIGHLYrecommend this book and hope that you’ll join me in suffering, while we wait for the sequel that seems unlikely to be coming anytime soon. :P
"This was more than an unexpected turn. It was an unchecked slide into hell."
4.5 stars!!! As always, I think that it’s important to point out that M
"This was more than an unexpected turn. It was an unchecked slide into hell."
4.5 stars!!! As always, I think that it’s important to point out that Mary E. Pearson is the most underrated author in YA fantasy. And for the life of me, I can’t understand why that is! Her world-building, character development, and plot progression abilities are superb! This was supposed to be a buddy read with Diana, but she went POOF, so...¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’d also like to make note that although this is technically a separate series from the Remnant Chronicles, as is the case with the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology, it would be beneficial to read the Remnant Chronicles first (hence, why I’m glad that I re-read the Kiss of Deception and finally finished the remainder of the trilogy beforehand). Thus, you shan’t be spoiled about the past events that are referenced in this book. Also, you’ll have a connection to the familiar faces (Lia, Rafe, etc.) that pop up all over this book…much to my sheer delight!!! It’s very strange seeing Lia (aka one of the absolute best YA protagonists) referred to as “the Queen” and “Her Majesty”, having watched her grow and mature over the course of the Remnant Chronicles. But I love it!!! <3
This book is over 500 pages, but I flew through it SO QUICKLY. I would’ve finished it in one sitting, rather than two, had I not also been reading other books simultaneously, ugh. Mary E. Pearson’s writing just hooks you in! Once she gets her claws into you, you shan’t want to stop reading!!! Unlike the Remnant Chronicles, Dance of Thieves is told from only two POV’s, not three. I’m, personally, a fan of multiple POV’s in this world because the plot gets SO INTENSE that it really helps you to get more invested in the story as you see every angle of the characters’ decision-making. And it helps that the male characters in this world are SO swoon-worthy!!! ;)
If you’re not a fan of romance-heavy books, it might interest you to know that unlike the Remnant Chronicles, which were very political-heavy books, a great deal of the plot in this novel is dependent upon the romance. This would’ve been a full 5-star read for me, had it not been for the teeny-weeny amount of instalove in the beginning. As the novel progressed, I did come to love the romance between Kazi and Jase, but initially, their feelings for each other were a bit too sudden and not entirely believable. But not to worry! Like me, I think that you’ll be fully shipping them by the book’s conclusion! :D They were so cute and sweet as a couple, disagreed over everything, and held many secrets from one another, but that only made the story infinitely more addicting! And also, you’ll be reeling from the cliffhanger during the last two pages (I seriously thought that for once I’d have a nice and neat ending), so fair warning. Why must you do this to us, Mary E. Pearson???! How am I to wait an ENTIRE YEAR???! Sniffle, sniffle… :(
[image] As for the plot, the gist of it is that Kazi, a former street thief (known by the name of Ten because she still has all of her fingers, having never been caught by the Komizar for her thievery) and a current member of Queen Lia of Venda’s Rahtan is sent to locate General Illarium, who is responsible for the deaths of Lia’s father and brother, and has reportedly sought refuge in Hell’s Mouth. This area, although unrecognised as such, is under the control of the Ballenger family, as the capital of the unofficial “First Kingdom.” Jase, the new Patrei of the Ballenger family, finds himself literally abducted and shackled to Kazi by labour traders, and the plot takes off from there! Jase brings Kazi back to his family as a prisoner, but Kazi isn’t completely opposed to her current situation though, because that’s exactly where she needs to be, in order to conduct her own secret mission for Queen Lia. Betrayals and secrets run amok in this novel and I was riveted from beginning to end!
I’d highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys high fantasy worlds, great romance, addictive plots, secret missions, and thieving characters. Mary E. Pearson’s latest book is not one that you want to miss! :D...more
The reviews put me off reading this book at first and now I’m so frustrated because I’ve been denying myself such a good book for ages!!!
This was so The reviews put me off reading this book at first and now I’m so frustrated because I’ve been denying myself such a good book for ages!!!
This was so unexpectedly good! A prim and proper finishing school girl meets a rough and ambitious street lord and I SHIP IT SO MUCH! I loved the 1920s Las Vegas-esque setting and the magic system and ahhh so good!
I can’t wait to jump into book two. If anyone fears it being a Six of Crows knockoff - as the other reviews claim - have no fear. There aren’t really any similarities AT ALL. If anything, this has some similarities to Caraval with a magical game atmosphere. ...more
I’m an absolute sucker for mermaid/siren books and faery tale retellings, but I was initially a bit apprehensive about giving this a try, considering I’m an absolute sucker for mermaid/siren books and faery tale retellings, but I was initially a bit apprehensive about giving this a try, considering the mixed reviews and hype that I’ve seen circulating around GoodReads. But just like Hans Christian Andersen’s original Little Mermaid tale, To Kill a Kingdom was wonderfully dark and I LOVED it.
This was a semi-buddy read with my sister-mermaid Kayla! :) Sorry, that this was a bit of a fail, in terms of buddy reads haha. :P
Although I simply adored this book, I will admit that nothing noteworthy occurs until the 25% mark of the novel, which means that I have to rate this a mere 4.5 stars. Until Lira’s siren song was stolen from her as punishment from her mother, I was, quite frankly, rather bored. However, once Lira and Elian meet, the plot flowed very smoothly and I was extremely invested in the characters! For a début novel, To Kill a Kingdom was exceptionally written.
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“In the pits of our souls – if I amuse myself with the notion that I have a soul – Elian and I aren’t so different. Two kingdoms that come with responsibilities we each have trouble bearing. Him, the shackles of being pinned to one land and one life. Me, trapped in the confines of my mother’s murderous legacy. And the ocean, calling out to us both. A song of freedom and longing.”
[image] Princess Lira (a play on the name Ariel backwards, minus the "e"), is the siren daughter of the terrifying and power-hungry cecaelia Sea Queen. Lira is known as the Princes’ Bane because she is notorious both on land and in the sea for targeting princes’ hearts every year for her birthday (17 in total). She’s had an awful and brutal childhood, while being taught to be as ruthless as her mother, in preparation for when she imminently becomes the Sea Queen, herself. Keeping along the lines of the well-known Little Mermaid tale, Lira is given human legs and loses her siren song, as punishment for hunting her 18th prince before her birthday, which is tradition, and is tasked with taking the Siren Killer’s heart, in order to earn her mother’s forgiveness. Her witty and snarky demeanour was quite entertaining!
[image] Prince Elian is the reluctant human heir to the throne of Midas, the city of gold, and is rumoured to have golden blood (I don’t really understand the point of this mythological allusion – aka King Midas who was able to turn anything he touched into gold – if I’m being honest. Was there a point to Christo’s inclusion of this? Or just an homage to Greek mythology?). However, Elian’s heart belongs to the sea, so he spends his days captaining the Saad, living as a pirate, and hunting the sirens who prowl the high seas, thus earning himself the moniker, the Siren Killer. His biggest goal isn’t to become King like his father, but to rid mankind of its biggest threat in the sea…the sirens. Elian was, personally, my favourite character because of how much he reminded me of Nikolai Lantsov and Alucard Emery. I simply adore the trope of princes choosing danger and adventure over politics and leisure. Also, I was completely in love with him from the minute that he rescued the, now-human, Lira (aka the not-so-much damsel in distress) in the middle of the sea!
Having loved The Odyssey, since age 10, I really liked the substitution of mermaids, in this tale, for sirens. It really added to the Greek-like atmosphere. Christo’s inclusion of Greek words throughout the novel also added to the world-building. Unfortunately, I cannot attest to the accuracy of the translations, considering that of the three languages that I do speak, Greek is not one of them (although, it is one of my mother’s five tongues :P). Regardless, it really brought a new twist to this old Danish tale, dating back to the 1830s.
Not only did I enjoy the lyrical and beautiful writing, but I also loved the action-packed fight scenes (especially the breath-taking final battle!), the vivid imagery, the vicious sea creatures, the strong characterisation, the romantic chemistry, the enemies-to-lovers trope, and most especially…the witty banter. ;)
“Elian: ‘Sacrifice.’ Lira: ‘Spending a lifetime with you would be a sacrifice.’ Elian: ‘What would you be losing?’ Lira: ‘“If I married you? ... I suppose it would be my mind.’”
HAHAHA XD
[image] This was my biggest surprise, in regards to 2018 releases, thus far! I’ve read so many mermaid-themed books, that I went into this expecting it to be kind of “meh,” but boy, was I wrong! I even, now, consider this among my favourite retellings! This is also a fast read that can easily be read in one sitting. :) I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Greek mythology, faery tale retellings, mermaids & sirens as supernatural creatures, or under-the-sea settings! To Kill a Kingdom is a captivating reimagining of a familiar and well-loved tale.
Also…and I’m not even joking…I would read the heck out of a spin-off Elian novel about his adventures on the Saad with his brilliant crew!!! :D...more
“I am not your subject or your servant, and if you want a cowering mouse for a wife, go find someone else who can turn silver to gold for you.”
[image“I am not your subject or your servant, and if you want a cowering mouse for a wife, go find someone else who can turn silver to gold for you.”
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This was a buddy read with my elvish friend, Maica! I’m so glad that we decided to read this together! <3
Confession Time: I was a bit scared going into this because I loved Uprooted so bloody much. And how on Earth could Naomi Novik possibly improve upon that pure and utter perfection, which included wizards, royals, tree people, and all sorts of other fun characters? Well, somehow, unbeknownst to me, Novik managed to do just that! Now this is a faery tale retelling. Naomi Novik might have just shoved Rosamund Hodge to the side as my favourite author, in regards to retellings!!!
Now before I get into this novel, as someone who was raised as inter-faith (half-Anglican, half-Jewish), I absolutely adored the Jewish representation in this novel!!! Do you know how rare it is, aside from World War Two or Holocaust novels? With the exception of Simon Lewis from The Mortal Instruments, I can’t even remember the last time that I came across a Jewish minor-character in a series, much less having it be a fundamental part of the story!!! From Shabbat to weddings to prayers, I loved the inclusion of Jewish culture!
However, having said that, I would like to point out that there is quite a bit of antisemitism in this novel, as well…So, fair warning, if that’s something that you don’t want to read about.
Spinning Silver is an exquisite and atmospheric, pastoral wintery tale told from the perspectives of not one, not two, but three female protagonists, in addition to a few others along the way. But not to worry, each perspective has a very distinctive voice, and I found it very easy to differentiate between them. I also found that the slow pacing of this novel definitely added to its charm, as you begin to anticipate the various storylines finally coming together.
[image] Miryem is a young Jewish woman whose father is a rather poor moneylender. He is far too generous, by not demanding borrowers to repay their debts, which is not conducive to putting food on the table. Thus, she takes up his occupation in order to save her family from cold and starvation. She is very smart and shrewd, and is more than happy to strike a good bargain!
[image] Wanda is a beautiful girl who comes from an abusive family because her father is a gambling drunkard, who does not contribute to the household at all. He treats his children more like hired help than young adolescents. She eventually finds a positon in Miryem’s household, in order to pay off her father’s debts. She also has two younger brothers, Sergey and Stepon, to feed and support, as well. She is a very strong and responsible older sister.
[image] Irina is the unattractive daughter of a Duke. Since her mother was a descendant of the Staryk (elf/fae-type creature) and because her dowry was magical, Staryk silver, she was able to be married off to the reluctant tsar, Mirnatius. She was very caring towards others and thought quite carefully when making very difficult decisions. She is a rather wonderful tsarina, who inspired loyalty in others.
As was the case with Uprooted (a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling), this is not a strict Rumpelstiltskin retelling either. In fact, I found references to various other faery tales and mythologies, which was very exciting, considering that my knowledge of Slavic folklore is virtually non-existent. It takes place in a setting comparable to Lithuania, with an unexplained magic system, as is the case with most faery tales. Explaining everything would ruin the spell that this novel shall cast on you! ;)
However, if I were being honest, my absolute favourite part of this novel was the family dynamics. There was so much emphasis put on a familial bond. It was so lovely to read about because oftentimes, I’ve found that as stories progress, family members tend to mysteriously disappear or are never actually involved. Neither of which occurs here.
I absolutely loved Spinning Silver and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys faery tale retellings, especially ones such as Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale. Naomi Novik is such an imaginative writer, with such a whimsical writing style that I would hate for you to miss it! …Although for the life of me, I can’t understand why it was released in July! :D...more
4 books in and I’m still head-over-heels for this series. I absolutely adore it! Having said that, Rachel Caine has consistently been able to wreck me4 books in and I’m still head-over-heels for this series. I absolutely adore it! Having said that, Rachel Caine has consistently been able to wreck me at the end of each instalment…and this one is no exception. I AM DISTRAUGHT!!! I can’t even…AGHHH!
This book picked up right after the cliffhanger in Ash and Quill, and it was full-speed ahead for the duration of the novel. There are so many plots, deceptions, manipulations, and conspiracies as our favourite characters struggle to get the upper-hand in the fight against the Archivist. Strategy is KEY in this instalment, and I LOVED it. I find it fascinating to watch the events unfold as we see the consequences of everyone’s decisions. And we finally got multiple POVs, aside from Jess’! (I was especially excited for Wolfe’s, he he)
Jess is my baby and I relate to him so much. <3 (view spoiler)[I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT BRENDAN IS GONE! I WANTED TO SEE A CRIMINAL-MASTERMIND DUO! THIS IS AWFUL! POOR BRENDAN (because he’s dead) AND POOR JESS (because he lost his twin)! :( Don’t mind me. I’ll just be crying over here… (hide spoiler)]
“Not having a book at hand was a punishment worse than death.”
Wolfe and Santi were the grumpy, but lovable, gay dads who were so protective of their kids.
“Their children – and he would always think of them as their children; he’d given up on everything else – were late returning, and that was almost certainly not good news.”
Khalila finally grew into the fantastic leader that I knew she was always destined to be. She knew exactly what everyone’s strengths were and used them to strategise quite successfully.
“Without Santi, they would not find the strength. Without Jess, no inspiration. Without Thomas, there was no real future. Without Glain, no protection. Without Morgan, no audacity. Without Wolfe, no challenge to do better, be better. Without Dario, no subtlety.”
Needless to say, I’m highly anticipating the final showdown in Book 5…and I’ll be eagerly waiting for its release in 2019! Why such a long wait?!!! WHY?!!! :(...more
“Nice things don’t happen in storybooks. Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one w“Nice things don’t happen in storybooks. Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one would read it.”
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PERFECT. This book is PERFECT. So…BUCKLE UP! ‘CAUSE YOU’RE IN FOR A WILD RIDE!
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Holly Black, you are going to be the DEATH of me! I loved the Spiderwick Chronicles as a child (so cute!), mildly enjoyed the Modern Faerie Tale series (kinda cringey, not gonna lie :-/), appreciated The Darkest Part of the Forest (so much faery tale-esque whimsy!), tolerated the Coldest Girl in Coldtown (vampires are passé, okay?), and adored the Curse Workers trilogy (a magical mafia, need I say any more?!)…but the Folk in the Air trilogy is on a WHOLE ‘NOTHER LEVEL!!! Authors’ writing obviously improve over time. That’s a given. But Holly Black practically did a 180° from her début, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale, to this release, The Cruel Prince. Both involve faeries, which Holly is known for as the Queen of the Faeries in YA literature (Yes, she predates Sarah J Maas, having practically kick-started the faerie obsession in YA in 2002), but the similarities end there. My goodness, THIS BOOK! The plot, the characters, the world, the romance, the political intrigue, the faery lore…anything you could possibly want from a novel is HERE!
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WELCOME TO FAERIE.
“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it. If I didn’t pretend not to be scared, I would hide under my owl-down coverlets in Madoc’s estate forever. I would lie there and scream until there was nothing left of me. I refuse to do that. I will not do that.”
Personally, part of my enjoyment of this book has to do with the unpredictability of the storyline itself, so I’ll be brief in terms of the plot. The prologue begins with your modern American mortal family: a mum, a dad, an older sister, and a younger set of twins. Lo and behold, a redcap faery, General Madoc, shows up, slaughters the parents, and takes the children back with him to Faerie. The older sister also happens to be Madoc’s biological daughter, making her half-faery. Fast forward a few years and the children have been reared as Gentry faery children, without truly belonging there. The older sister, Vivienne, longs to return to the mortal realm and disavow everything that makes her a faery. The twins on the other hand, Jude and Taryn, seek to find their places among their faery peers. They want to belong, despite not being faeries themselves. In fact, they are constantly bullied by Prince Cardan and his friends, Locke, Nicasia, and Valerian, but that doesn't deter them. Taryn wants to belong by marriage and Jude wants to belong by knighthood. The real question remains…just how far are they willing to go, in order to finally gain their rightful place in Faerie?
“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”
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Jude Duarte has sky-rocketed to my top 10 list of favourite protagonists. She’s definitely no Mary Sue with her swordsmanship skills and political strategising! At Holly Black’s book signing for The Wicked King, she stated that she intended for Jude to be the female version of the antihero with a tragic backstory trope, you know, with her parents being murdered before her eyes and being bullied throughout those crucial childhood development years. As a result, Jude begins to become very violent and makes some pretty unhealthy choices. She starts fighting back by challenging people to duels and then it’s all downhill from there. It’s at this point that we witness Jude’s descent from your run-of-the-mill YA protagonist to an utterly ruthlessantiheroine. Her childhood bully, Prince Cardan, even explicitly recognises how “terrifying” Jude has become. She wants what she wants and she doesn’t care what she has to do or who she has to step on in order to get it…and THAT I RESPECT!
“Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all.”
One of my favourite relationships is, funnily enough, the one between Jude and her foster father, Madoc. She might inherently hate him, as he is the murderer of her parents, but she is also, slowly but surely, turning into his mirror! Of all of his children, she is only one as enthused about duels, swordsmanship, and strategy as he is. In all honesty, I looked forward to all of his interactions with her because you could see how much he genuinely does love his girls, even if two of them aren’t biologically his. When he hears of the bullying that Jude endures, he’s basically ready to kill whomever hurt her. What a great, if slightly bloodthirsty, dad! Gah! I love them SO MUCH! This is a perfectly morally grey familial bond, and I am so grateful to Holly for actually including parental figures in this trilogy. They always tend to conveniently disappear in YA literature, for some reason. *shrugs* I hope that we see just as much, if not more, scenes with the two of them in the next instalment!
“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It's disgusting, and I can't stop.”
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Cardan. Oh, Cardan. Just where do I begin? ;) When we first encounter Cardan, he is nothing more than a common bully. But then, as the novel develops and the plot thickens, we begin to see that there is MUCH MORE beneath the surface. Cardan, in comparison with Jude, is only KIND OFterrible. Jude, on the other hand, surpasses him completely. He makes the appearance of being terrifying, whereas Jude actually IS. In addition, he, like Jude, is rather tragic, as well. He has an awful home life, is perpetually drunk on wine, and is completely unable to cope with his feelings for Jude. Needless to say, their sexual tension was so hot that I’m surprised that the pages of my book didn’t catch on fire. They take the enemies-to-lovers trope to new heights, and I thought Magnus and Cleo from Falling Kingdoms had sexual magnetism! Oof! Never have I been so invested in a YA ship before. But I am ALL ABOARD for #Jardan!!! There better be more kissy-kissy scenes in the next book, or I shall confront Holly with ALL of my grievances!!!
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As is the case with most of Holly’s novels, we were blessed with quite a few cameos from her previous books! My favourite, of course, being my faery crush, Roiben. What a sexy faery…sigh. If only Kaye would let me have him. That’d be the dream! :D
“I have lied and I have betrayed and I have triumphed. If only there was someone to congratulate me.”
I’m not even going to discuss Locke and Taryn. Those pathetic wastes of space don’t even deserve the energy that I’ll use to type. They deserve each other and I hope that they’ll be completely miserable for the rest of their sorry lives!
So…I’m going to go and read The Wicked King now. And then I shall mourn the fact that I have to essentially wait two years for the finale of this AMAZING trilogy! I’m not even going to bother recommending this series. Anyone who hasn’t read it should just feel ashamed of themselves and go remedy that IMMEDIATELY!
Re-read with Lynn and Alison ... Because we can't only read the first one! AHHHHHHHH! :D
“There comes a certain point with a hope or a dream, when youRe-read with Lynn and Alison ... Because we can't only read the first one! AHHHHHHHH! :D
“There comes a certain point with a hope or a dream, when you either give it up or give up everything else. And if you choose the dream, if you keep on going, then you can never quit, because it's all you are.”
PERFECTION. COMPLETE AND UTTER PERFECTION.
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This is what I looked like on release day. In fact, I didn’t even wait for the school day to end before bolting to the bookstore in excitement. Who cares about class when you could be picking up your most anticipated release of 2018?!
And can I just say how SATISFYING it is when…not only does the aforementioned release meet your expectations…but it completely surpasses them and blows them out of the water?!!! Every time, I think, “there’s no way that Laini could top this”, and every time, I’m proven wrong! The woman is a master wordsmith and I aspire to be her apprentice one day! The writing style was obviously beautiful and magical, as Laini’s always tends to be. I also really enjoyed the witty banter from all of the characters!
This was definitely a more plot-driven novel, in comparison with the character-driven Strange the Dreamer. And whereas, the first instalment revolved around Lazlo and we spent the majority of the time in his head, this sequel was definitely Sarai’s book (although I won’t lie…I kind of missed Lazlo, as we didn’t spend quite so much time with him *sad face*). This makes sense though, seeing that Lazlo’s book is Strange the Dreamer and Sarai’s is Muse of Nightmares.
Having said that, the plot was bloody brilliant. The foreshadowing was mind-blowing and the world-building was massive with multiple worlds and dimensions. And the references to the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy!!! Everything is connected and Laini Taylor is my world-building goddess. It was just TOO GOOD!
“Those seraphim who escaped into the neighbour world Eretz managed to hold the portal closed, and they held it to this day, pouring their strength into shoring up their sky to keep the darkness at bay. A bold young queen in that distant world was even now training a legion of angels and chimaera to battle the darkness and hopefully destroy it. But that’s another story.”
I’d also like to point out that the chapter titles in this book are GLORIOUSLY HILARIOUS! For example: “Tea Break from the End of the World” or “From a Long Line of Indignant Nostrils” or “A Man Who Loves You Enough to Come Back to You Even When You’re a Biting Ghost”!!! I shall forever refer to Thyon as “Indignant Nostrils”, by the way. xD
Ruza snorted. “But I am a stupid barbarian?” “Did I say so?” “You say it with your face.” “That’s just his face,” said Calixte in a pretence of defending him. “He can’t help having indignant nostrils. Can you, Nero? You probably come from a long line of indignant nostrils. Aristocrats are issued them at birth, along with haughty eyes and judgmental cheeks.” “Judgmental cheeks?” repeated Ruza. “Can cheeks be judgmental?” “His manage.”
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“People are our safe places. I have one: a person who’s a home and a world to me.”
BUT THE BEST PART WERE THE SEXY TIMES WITH LAZLO AND SARAI!!!Sooo steamy!!!
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“The way he looked at her, she felt like some kind of miracle, as though his dreamer’s eyes cast her in their glow of wonder.”
The novel picks up right where Strange the Dreamer left off. Laini Taylor drowned me in a gorgeous world with rich mythology and beautiful characters…and then left me in emotional turmoil. Thanks, oh so much! xD I took my time and savoured this faery tale of a story. I want more and hope that she delivers one day, especially considering the open ending that we were given. Laini’s ruined me for all other fantasy authors for the years to come and I’ll spend my days counting down to her next magical release.
“Wishes don’t just come true. They’re only the target you paint around what you want. You still have to hit the bull’s-eye yourself.”
We learn SO MUCH history about the city that fascinated Lazlo since childhood…Weep, the city that he studied meticulously, and was unknowingly a part of (AND WE FINALLY LEARN ITS TRUE NAME). Lazlo learns to use his fascinating new powers and to embrace who he truly is. He is no longer the shy and meek librarian that he once was. Sarai, Feral, Sparrow, and Ruby also finally learn about the world below the Citadel that they’ve always been kept hidden from. Minya, so broken and so wrathful, is also forced to finally face the Godspawn-hating world that she’s tried to protect them from. She also holds Sarai’s very existence in her hands, giving her even more power over the Godspawn and Lazlo. She has the ultimate bargaining tool.
“For an instant, at least, they seemed one and the same, as though all anguish exists in the same deep well, no matter what loss or misfortune leads us to it. We might be at odds, hate each other, and desired each other’s destruction, but in our despair, we are lost in the same darkness, breathing the same air as we choke on our grief.”
But despite that…every single “villain” in this duology gets a redemption arc, which RIPPED MY HEART OUT. They all had tortured pasts and were forced to do awful acts in order to empower themselves, which was so heart-breaking to witness. There was so much rage and pain and MY HEART HURTS. So, I guess, I’m now a shell of myself…
“You’re the good kind of faranji, I suppose.” “Oh yes,” she said. “Very good. I even taste good, or so I’m told.” He was focused on not falling to his death, and so he missed the mischief in her voice. “Taste,” he scoffed. “I suppose they’re cannibals. Who’s calling them barbarians now?” Calixte laughed with delighted disbelief, and it was only then, too late, that Thyon took her meaning. Oh gods. Taste. He flung back his head to look up at her, nearly losing his balance in the process. She laughed harder at the shock on his face. “Cannibals!” she repeated. “That’s good. I’m going to start calling Tzara that. My sweet cannibal. Can I tell you a secret?” She whispered the rest, wide-eyed and zestful: “I’m a cannibal, too.”
The faranji! My beloved faranji! They were amazing! Calixte and Tzara, Thyon and Ruza. Ah, their dynamics warm my heart. The sass…the humour! And to think I hated Thyon in Strange the Dreamer! His character development was honestly amazing and everything I ever wanted! My only complaint is that they had such small and insignificant roles here. I was definitely left wanting more! Eril-Fane, Azareen, and Suheyla were also highlights for me. I’m so happy with how their storylines wrapped up. It was beautiful. <3 And of course, KoraandNova’s storylines made me cry. It’s just not fair what Laini Taylor does to me. My heart cannot handle all of these emotions!!! She left me SOBBING at multiple points in the book!!!
“The gods had been dead for fifteen years, after all, but their hate had lingered, and ruled in their stead.”
This duology had so much mythology in it that Laini Taylor could’ve definitely stretched this into more than two books, and honestly, I wish that she had. But no matter. This was a fantastic and satisfying conclusion. The ending was also left open enough that it provides hope that someday, we’ll be given more stories in this brilliant world. All I want to see is a crossover of Strange the Dreamer with Daughter of Smoke and Bone! Is that too much to ask? ;)
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“You should have seen them, Thyon said. "It was surreal." As an afterthought, he added, "Though I can't believe none of them rode the dragon." "I know!" said Ruza. "What was Azareen's thinking, choosing a winged horse when she could have a dragon?" "I don't think she was really focused on which creature was best," said Tzara. "You shouldn't have to focus on it," said Ruza. "It's instinctive. Dragons are always best.”
I also heard that Laini is considering writing a Thyon and Ruza novella (much in the vein of Zuzana and Mik in Night of Cake & Puppets) about hunting for dragon eggs, which I need ASAP! :D
I swear, every time I read a Laini Taylor book, I’m like, “This one! This one’s now my favourite!” xD How do her books just keep getting better and better?!!! Needless to say, this book has replaced Days of Blood & Starlight as my favourite book of all time! <3 I can’t wait to re-read this again next year!!!
✨ Helena ✨
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Books:
best-of-2018
(10)
