Half a King (Shattered Sea, #1)

by Joe Abercrombie

[Molly Freeman]

This book is definitely in the running for my favorite reads of 2020. I believe it tops the list so far, which may be an unpopular opinion given that most people gave this book 4 stars. Anyway, on to the review.

Half a King boasts fantastic character development, with characters more realistic than they are heroic. Joe Abercrombie’s style of writing astonishes me. It’s not overly flowery—rather raw and genuine, every description and section of dialogue painting a vibrant picture in the mind. I became so invested in the characters—however “evil” they were, and most sat somewhere in the middle of the scale—that when it came time for a battle, my heart clenched with fear alongside Yarvi’s.

Every character had their own flaws and personal goals, which laced my expectations with uncertainty and had me perched on the edge of my seat while I tore through the pages. No character sat untouched by the sins and greed of humanity.

The unique religious system was interwoven throughout the story, and though it clashed with my own beliefs, the made-up gods fit this harsh world well, Mother War especially.

And Yarvi. Oh, Yarvi. It was a breath of fresh air to follow a character so imperfect, so NOT the hero everyone expects. Watching his character grow and change, in good ways and bad and sometimes not at all, through all the misery thrown at him, was far more intriguing than following the typical main character. I'd definitely avoid him if a magic portal opened beneath my feet and dropped me in Gettland, but reading his story was interesting indeed.

That said, this book isn’t for everyone. Though touted as YA Fantasy, Abercrombie pulls few punches. The battles are bloody and brutal, the language what one would expect of grizzled boatmen and battle-hardened warriors, and some flaws of our cast so great, you wonder if you, as a reader, can forgive them.

Nevertheless, I heartily enjoyed every chapter, completing the novel in record time despite being a painfully slow reader. Safe to say, I learned many a writing lesson from Abercrombie’s masterful style and look forward to finishing the series.