Reviewed by bookishzelda on
Kestrel and Arin have such an intense relationship! It’s amazing the chemistry that they have without ever touching. They don’t even interact that much at first. They just kind of watch one another. Their romance gives you chills and affects your heart. It’s really emotion evoking and there are only a few fictional couples that I feel this way about. It’s also a relationship that changes both of them, speaking to human nature. How there are two sides of love and a betrayal of love can harden someone and change them into someone else. You can forgive someone you love for what they have done but you can not forget. It’s one of those things that scars your heart because you do love them. Such a complicated emotion and that this book showed so many facets of it is why I loved it. Going both directions because Kestrel bought Arin and Arin betrayed Kestrel. Back and forth betrayal because they also had to think of people beyond themselves. All the feels.
I liked the political intrigue more than I thought I would. I noticed one of Arin’s strategies was quite similar to how the Americans won the Revolutionary war. Of course there are similarities to the Civil War as well and even at times I saw some David and Goliath moments. Especially with the fact that Kestrel is a warrior in the sense of strategy, rather than brute strength. It made me feel like the book was well researched and plotted out.
I loved this book but it also traumatized my soul. I need the sequel sooner rather than later. I’m sure this a book that I will periodically think about and say, when is the next one coming. Is it time yet?
So if you are someone who is afraid of books with too much hype then I say ignore that. It was excellent and definite deserves the accolades.
Audiobook
The Audio book is narrated by Justine Eyre and at first I was put off a bit by the accents but the more I listened the more I really enjoyed Justine’s narration. She did a fantastic job of capturing all the characters and I think that when I read the future books I will hear her voice for Kestrel in my head. Even Arin’s is pretty decent.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 19 March, 2014: Finished reading
- 19 March, 2014: Reviewed