Reviewed by booksandcats on
The Characters are fascinating. Daleina is a great heroine, not because she has more power than everyone. The heroine of this book isn0t more powerful, more graceful, more beautiful than everyone else. That's Merecot, and Sata and Fara, the Queen, the one, that dissappeard, the one that died and the Enemy . Daleina is a girl, with barely enough power to qualify for everything. She knows that she is weaker than everyone else, but still she believes, if she just works hard enough, it will be possible to get what she want. And that goal is not just to be queen, it's not just a selfish goal, but to protect her family, her home and her people. There is just a strong inner quality in her, that make me like and support her. But she is not perfect enough to be annoying. She doesn't get all her tasks done, or done properly. Not all her decisions are the right ones. She doesn't win all of her fights. But she keeps on fighting. Even when she doubts herself that she can reach her goal, she keeps on fighting. Which has the potential to be annoying, as it can make her just someone so good that it's boring again. But Sarah Beth Durst makes it work with Daleina.
For Ven I could have done with a bit more character building. I think I would like him very much over some time. I would love to hear more about his story with Fara and his life before this book.
For the secondary characters, they were great and added so much to this book, all of the other heirs and candidates. The one I liked most was Merecot. I started to like her pretty early in the book, because you could just tell, that she was different. Her snarky attitude made the chapters she was in so much fun to read! And when I found out that she is the Queen of another country now, i literally squeeled. I'm waiting nervously for what Sarah Beth Durst has in tock for her future development and I really hope, that she doesn't become an enemy to Daleina but that they work together. I have read the beginning of the second book, so I know it's about Daleina again, but I would love a book about Merecot and her whole story. Not just, how she became Queen of a country witch wasn't her home, but also the beginning of her and Delaina's friendship in the academy. I think it would be a lot of fun reading about that from her point of view. So, I'm hoping we will get her story in another book later. .
I also like the general Idea of the world that Sarah Beth Durst built. That the lands are connected to the spirits, who are needed for everything to life and to grow, but also want to kill all humans. And the build of the five Kingdoms. Aratay sounded so peaceful and idyllic (if you take away the spirits that want to kill you all the time). You could really picture the massive trees with all the bridges and houses grown into them. Plus travelling from wire to wire as Van and Delaina do often sounds like a blast and I want to do it as well. I really hope, that in future books we get to see more of Renthia and the other Kingdoms and how they are built with the different environments.
So, all in all, I would really recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy. It has fantastic characters, a lovely world that is being built, great action, that makes you want to not put the book down and just the right amount of romance. In my opinion, this book has the potential to be one of the great series of fantasy.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 20 September, 2018: Finished reading
- 20 September, 2018: Reviewed