Reviewed by inlibrisveritas on
Elice is like her mother was in so many ways, and it was fantastic seeing that her caring nature had passed down to her daughter...especially now that we have seen what has become of Ilyenna under the influence of the Winter. She has become hard and unyielding, and her humanity is in a constant struggle to maintain itself. But Elice has that same fire and love for life that her mother did, and while there is a certain amount of nativity in Elice there is also a tremendous amount of strength. Amber's main characters always have an inner strength and a will to do what needs to be done, and that is one of the biggest draws for me when it comes to her writing. I need characters that can rescue themselves but also know when to ask for help. I loved the friendship she cultivates with Adar, and how easy he is to talk to and the respect they both have for each other even though they are from vastly different lives
The other major pull for me is her world building. She has a unique way of describing things just so. She doesn't need a long paragraph to tell you how the lights hit ice, instead she can give you two and you'll be able to see it casting light on your own walls. In Daughter of Winter we get to see a new area farther north, where the winter is constant and unforgiving, and where the Winter fairies have complete and total reign over everything. In this closer view we see how Winter is crumbling slowly in the way the world around the fairies begins to falter, and it begins to give away to a much larger problem that has been growing under the veil of constant war.
This is the second to last novel and the series and I'm really sad to see it coming closer to a close. It's been a real treat to delve into a fantasy series were good and evil, don't exist in such black and white terms. There is a ton of build up in tensions as the fairy queen's war begins to tear apart the world they are fighting so hard to control. I desperately want to see how Elice fairs in the warmer lands, and if she comes into contact with Nelay at all...and speaking of Nelay I can't wait to see how the change has settled with her now that it has been a few years.
I really can't recommend this series enough! It's perfect for those who like their fantasy on the lighter side with a character focus, but don't necessarily want to give up all world building.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 21 April, 2016: Finished reading
- 21 April, 2016: Reviewed