And I Darken (And I Darken, #1)

by Kiersten White

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way.

Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets.

Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point.

The first of an epic new trilogy starring the ultimate anti-princess who does not have a gentle heart. Lada knows how to wield a sword, and she'll stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive.

• ISBN10: 0552573744
• ISBN13: 9780552573740
• Publish Date: 7 July 2016 (first published 28 June 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UK
• Imprint: Corgi Childrens
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 496
• Language: English

Reviews

[katie]

I accidentally deleted my review? Pasting from what I have on Scintillating Reads.

Let me start off by saying that THIS IS THE GREATEST BOOK EVER. Some people might not agree with me on this. Those people are wrong.

And I Darken is the (very aptly named) story of Lada Dragwlya, the most Primary Slytherin* character I have ever read. Her fierce possessiveness over the people and places (although you can argue that she views Wallachia as a person as well as a place) she loves is … everything. Lada isn’t like me, nor is she someone I want to be, but she is herself- fierce, dark, and wonderful- and I love that.

Watching her interact with the people she loves, mainly Radu and Mehmed, is truly heart wrenching, because the people around her are not Slytherins (like, at all). Radu, for example, I would sort as a Hufflepuff Primary, Ravenclaw Secondary. Their relationship as they try to understand and help each other pulls at my heartstrings, and I cannot wait to see how it evolves as the series continues.

This review has been sitting in my drafts folder for almost a week because I was trying to be eloquent and articulate about how much I love this book and why, but after talking to several authors this weekend (thank you Barnes and Noble!), I’ve decided that the best way to review this book is to reiterate the most simple sentence:

THIS IS THE GREATEST BOOK EVER.

I expected to like this book when I started it (although I think everyone does that. I mean, why would you pick something up that you weren’t expecting to enjoy?), but what I did not expect was to be blown away by how amazing it is. I cannot possibly say it enough times, so for anyone in the back who missed it, AND I DARKEN IS THE GREATEST BOOK EVER.

What are you doing still reading this? Go pre-order your copy now so that you too can enjoy THE GREATEST BOOK EVER!!!


Well Wishes & Candy Fishes,

Kait

*The magical people over at Sorting Hat Chats uses a number of fantastic ways to sort people and characters into Hogwarts Houses.

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

It took me far too long to read AND I DARKEN considering that I've liked several of Kiersten White's other books and enjoyed them... and I'd say this is by far the most popular! It was not what I thought it would be... it's certainly darker and more brutal than I was ready for, a far cry from the worlds I'm accustomed to seeing her weave. I liked it.

I will warn that this is NOT historically accurate, and OwnVoices reviewers have found Kiersten White's depiction very offensive. I approached it on the side of fiction and did not discover the OwnVoices reviews until after finishing the book but I want to make you guys aware that there are aspects of the depiction of Romania that have hurt others and are not correct.

Still, if you're looking for an interesting villain origin story with two compelling POVs and memorable characters, AND I DARKEN is a good read!

[Brittany]

“

[Veronica 🦦]

B-/C+ | Enjoyable as this novel is with characters that will both annoy you and endear themselves to you and set in an interesting time period, it is hampered down by historical inaccuracies and wasted opportunities all for the sake of drama. Aside from Lada, there are no major other female characters. The other female characters that are present are either presented as nothing more than one-dimensional beings. Mehmed’s characterization is, unfortunately, another thing that pulls this story down as it completely erases the more ruthless side of him. I can’t speak about the Muslim representation here because I am not Muslim myself, so for any thoughts on how Islam was presented here, please seek out #ownvoices bloggers to get more.

Find my complete review on my blog, moon & coffee.

[inlibrisveritas]

4.5 Stars!

I love Lada and her strength, but mostly I love her because she is a force until herself. A touch crazy, more than a little cruel...and a refreshing change in the sea of your typical YA females.

[Jennifer | Pushing Pages]

I really enjoyed this book, but I'm giving it a 3 because I think the slow start still clings to me when I try to give it 4. White gives each of her characters - particularly Lada and Ragdu - such complexity and dimension. They aren't just the hard-ass sister and crybaby brother. Their lives are shaped by the world around them, and they continue to act and respond in ways that make sense for who they are.

Lada

This is the second piece of fiction with a young girl at the forefront of it, and I find it funny she had a similar struggle with her father as Kate did from This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (which is another novel I incidentally mentioned in my last review). They both desired to please domineering and strong fathers who accepted them but never seemed grateful for their efforts.

"You do not get angry at the mud for clinging to your shoe. You wipe it off and never look at it again."

Even still, Lada learns early on of her father's cowardice and chooses for her goal to be a ruler her country deserves - which is ambitious for someone 12-13 at the time.

Lada was born into a desperation to appease her father and take her place as the rightful heir to her country. She saw her father - as children often do - as a strong leader. It wasn't until his lack of affection towards her led to she and Ragdu being sent away that she saw her father for who he was. But even still - with every trait the world had given her, and she had nurtured trying to be accepted by her father - Lada was impulsive and harsh. But her innocence and heart still won out in moments of intimacy, because she was still a child-to-young-woman who wanted that companionship in some form. Whether it was through someone like Bogdan, Mehmed or her own brother.

Brogdan

I liked that the beginning of this relationship had its closeness, but it started with a funny scene of them as kids pretending to be betrothed and signing it off with a comedic kiss and blood oath that nearly scarred their palms. It's nice to see that friendship > relationship develop out of a fondness for each other, and there's no overt and repulsive romanticism of these two kids being near each other.

Radu

Radu is the most precious bean, which means he's doomed.

"Radu nodded, snuggling into her shoulder. 'Will you protect me?'
'Until the day I kill you.'"

Ragdu didn't eventually grow up more masculine or become a tough man the way his family had tried to pressure him into becoming; in everything Ragdu did he was still the young boy who would cry at the moment of discomfort and longed for closeness. And even when someone like Lada did him wrong, his tenderness always won out in the end. He went with his gut always, and he didn't let the world misshape him into their image.

Notables

White has a fairly unique writing style from that of other authors in this sphere. Some of my favorite lines feel like they're pulled more from the minds of poets or lyricists. I think Melody put it best that it's less flowery and more direct and blunt, but it still clings to you.

"[…] the first time he had every truly looked at her, and the memory of that was both a pleasure and an agony she had been nurturing ever since."

I appreciated the theme of privilege in this. Brogdan was even met with an easier time than the prince's daughter:

"People already respected him more than they did his mother the nurse. It made Lada's jaw ache, the ease with which life greeted Brogdan."

Not only is it obviously historically accurate, but it was so interesting to see someone as young as Lada have to confront that issue and realize that her goals and accolades would be constantly met with obstacles the men around her wouldn't have to experience.

This was certainly an interesting journey, and it took place during a time period that you don't see a lot of historical fiction talk about. I appreciated the bend of Lada being Vlad the Impaler, and I loved the handling of religion. We got to see all sides of it. The time of the Crusades framed Christianity as a weapon. So in that regard, that is the way Lada and her father saw it. Then there was Radu who did study Christianity, because that was what was expected of him, but upon entering the Ottoman Empire found faith in Islam. At no point was there an underlying message of Islam is peace and Christianity is death, however. The balance between Lada's skepticism, Radu's studious faith, and the characters before them in Wallachia who focused on Christianity were all allowed to believe how they believed and be their own examples of those schools of thought.

Anyway, this was a fun read. I hope others get the chance to enjoy it as well.

[Pigpen.Reads]

This book started off slow, but for good reason! The first 60ish pages were character building and background. Once that was established, the story took off.
Definitely a few plot twists I was not expecting from this book. It is very well written!

[anne]

Good

[jeannamichel]

The ending made the entire book worth it. 😣

Lada and Radu were born royalty of Wallachia. However, when their father gets into a bit of trouble with neighboring countries, he sells his children away to ensure a bargain. Lada and Radu only have each other. Navigating a world where they have to make their own futures, the two children set upon the task and find unexpected friends (and enemies) along the way. In this bold and dramatic story of Vlad the Impaler, And I Darken by Kiersten White will have you on the edge of your seat.

The tremendous amount of research done for this book is purely evident in its intricate world building. White avoids the major info dumping a lot of world building falls prey to. However, And I Darken is constantly adding new places and new people to the story. White does a fantastic job with weaving them in but it can get extremely overwhelming. What I didn't find until midway through, there is a glossary in the back of the book which definitely comes in handy when facing all the characters and settings.

Unfortunately, the beginning dragged for me. It was building this new complicated world with all these characters and so much politics that really put me off from the start. It didn't pick up until after page 100. The beginning was just too much set up and too little plot to keep me interested.

I adored White’s Paranormalcy series so I had very high expectations for this new series. The book is set in Romania, at the height of the Ottoman Empire. It is the origin story of Vlad the Impaler. I’m not too familiar with that time period or Vlad the Impaler so much of the setting and plot line was extremely new to me.

When I read the Paranormalcy series, I found the books to be hilarious, fun and light. I was expecting something similar in And I Darken. More specifically I was hoping to find White’s hilarious writing style and was greeted with absolutely none of her sass which I enjoyed in her other series. And I Darken is extremely dark (which I should have guessed, considering the title 😜). It, however, goes deep into the story reeking of politics and a coming of age story with unlikable characters.

Most of the characters, though in depth and layered, were unlikable. Lada, a girl who—we are reminded time and time again—is ugly has a rather brilliant mind but a feral mindset. Most of the time, I questioned, despite her intelligence in strategy and politics, if she was as crazy as she was feared. Radu was a bit more likable but was less developed than Lada. He seemed to be a polar opposite of her in every way which balanced the siblings out well.

There was such a large cast of characters, it was difficult to keep everyone straight. The glossary did help. I did like some of the side characters which made reading scenes with them that much more enjoyable. A lot of characters also brought on a slew of extra questions which most did not get answered. I can only hope that the questions will be answered in the next book, As I Rise.

The writing is what had me turning pages, despite not warming up to the plot. The writing was beyond astounding. It was different from the hilarious voice used in Paranormalcy, yes, but without comparison, it was certainly gorgeous and riveting. White’s style in this book was very fluid, almost poetic.

The last 80 pages made the entire book worth reading. It was finally action packed, bringing all the non-ending discussions to a battle that I've been waiting for. It leaves the sequel entirely open for a new chapter. The ending wrapped everything up nicely into a bow.

And I Darken was, unfortunately, not the book for me. The beautiful writing paired with elaborate world building seamlessly carved a place inside my heart. However, the unlikable characters and endless talk of politics made it impossible to love. And I wanted to love this book. And I Darken by Kiersten White is a dark coming of age story that will have you checking over your shoulder at any sudden movements.

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
And I Darken was such a good surprise - reading about Lady Lada from when she was a mere child was a dark and delicious adventure.



Have you ever been filled with glee when you realise who exactly the main character in your current read is? That's what happened to me with And I Darken! Lada is Lord Vlad's daughter, and she's a princess like no other. When she was born, even the nurse who took care of her found her to be ugly. Her mother was a weak, almost invisible woman, and her father a hard, dark and mean man. When her brother was born a year after her, he was a complete opposite of Lada in every way. He was so beautiful people almost forgot to breathe when they saw him. He was not brave, however, and he was scared of everyone and everything.

And I Darken is an incredible historical tale about the Ottoman empire, Wallachia, war, political intrigue and characters that made my heart beat faster. Lada was relentless as well as ruthless, she always managed to see the strings between people, possible outcomes of actions and words, and the intricate way power surrounded her and others. Never one to back down from a challenge, Lada practiced everything boys were doing so she could be better than them in every way.

Both the history, the politics, the landscapes and the characters appealed to me in And I Darken. The overall plot will probably reach over all the books in the saga, but I still felt like I got some finished plot-lines in this one. Lada is one of the most amazing female characters I have ever had the pleasure to meet, she is both smart and strong. And when there is something she doesn't know how to do, she strives to learn - no matter what it is. A new language, combat, sword-fighting - she'll find someone to help her better herself. And one thing that amazed me was the knowledge about both Christian and Muslim religions that were shared through the characters.

Radu was rather weak in many ways, but And I Darken also showed him to be smart. He was able to blend into the background, and most of the time everyone forgot he was even there. He caught more than one secret conversation, and if he had had a bit more courage, he could have saved Lada and himself before they were sent away as captives. In a new country, Radu blossomed, while Lada took her time to adjust. Once she did, her cunning intelligence once again made me both love her and fear her at the same time.

Written in third person point of view, past tense, And I Darken includes a complex storyline and a huge cast of characters. As the characters all have very specific voices, it was very easy to tell them apart, and I loved getting to know them and see what made them tick. As soon as I finished And I Darken, I picked up Now I Rise, so stay tuned for that review as well.



She was contrary and vicious and the meanest child the nurse had ever cared for. She was also the nurse's favorite. By all rights the girl should be silent and proper, fearful and simpering. Her father was a powerless tyrant, cruel in his impotence and absent for months at a time.

But in Lada she saw a spark, a passionate, fierce glimmer that refused to hide or be dimmed. Rather than trying to stamp out that fire for the sake of Lada's future, the nurse nurtured it. It made her feel oddly hopeful.

Lada hated it when he cried, but she had hurt him. And she had tasked him with something impossible. The other boys were bigger, meaner, faster. Whatever made Lada better than them had skipped him entirely.

Lada soured at the notion that a mysterious god hovered above everyone, singling out a sultan to spread the Muslim religion to the world. She had never seen such a god, nor any evidence of him. The Ottomans were successful because they were organized, because they were wealthy, and because they were many.