The Impossible Contract (Chronicles of Ghadid, #2)

by K. A. Doore

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Impossible Contract through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Impossible Contract is the second novel in K.A. Doore’s Chronicles of Ghadid series. And it is just as bright and brilliant as the first novel – if not more so. Set in a fantasy world full of assassins, lose spirits, and magic, this series is one to spark your imagination.
Thana is the daughter of the Serpent, though she wants to become known for something more than her parentage. So when she is given the opportunity to take upon a contract of her own – her very first – she doesn’t even hesitate. Even though it is going to be the most difficult contract known to her guild.
One thing is for certain, whether she completes or fails this contract, she’s going to become a legend. And that is worth all the risk in the world to Thana. Now she can pave her own path and create a name for herself.
The Chronicles of Ghadid is described as being perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Sarah J. Maas, and S.A. Chakraborty. Being a particular fan of the latter, I can’t agree with this recommendation enough. It is a lush and brilliant world – one that gives ample time for us to fall in love with its characters.

“In the next few moments, they'd either become legends in her family's history or cautionary tales of future. Despite the tension of the moment, she couldn't help but feel a spark of jealousy. If they succeeded – and they would, they had to – all the credit would go to Amastan.”

The Impossible Contract was nothing like what I expected – it was a hundred times better. When I’m reading the next novel in a series, I tend to avoid the description of the novel – weird, I know. Because of that, I was sort of expecting this tale to be more about Amastan. So I was delighted to learn that it was going to be about Thana and her first contract ever.
I immediately latched on to Thana and her dominant personality. This is a girl who knew what she wanted out of life, and she wasn’t afraid to take the risks required to get there. Yet her determination only made her read as more human, rather than less. It’s clear that K.A. Doore excels at writing dynamic characters.
Speaking of, there are two other characters of interest in this novel. First, there’s the obvious: Thana’s contract. The man she’s been hired to kill. He was also nothing like what I expected, but I imagine I’m not the only one in that boat.
Then there was the love interest. Oh, how I adored her character. She was everything that Thana was not, and was the perfect complement to her character. I would happily read about these two all day, every day, given the opportunity.
Okay, now it’s time to talk about the plot. Wow. The Impossible Contract left me shook. I knew that it was probably going to up the ante from The Perfect Assassin, but there was no way I could predict everything that K.A. Doore through at us in this novel. It was amazing, breathtaking, and harrowing to read it as it all unfolded.
If I could have one wish; it’d be that I could read The Impossible Contract for the first time all over again. I wish I had savored it more, for it was as intense as it was brilliant. I actively enjoyed trying to read between the lines; trying to see what K.A. Doore was just shy of telling us. That made the read much more exciting, for obvious reasons.
While I am sad that I’ve already finished The Impossible Contract, I do have some good news! There’s already a title and cover for the next book in The Chronicles of Ghadid. The Unconquered City. And wow, that title is giving me the chills. Anyone else?

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