Reviewed by dragononabook on
There's a lot of depth to Crier's War, both in terms of plot, and in terms of writing. The plot is a fairly standard YA fantasy plot, but with some fresh takes that work well with the setting. It unrolled very nicely over the course of the book, with enough twists to keep it fast-paced, but also allowing for character development and exposition. There were some very well-written reveals that left me needing to put the book down, but I won't go into more detail so as not to spoil. It was well-paced and well developed, and overall a very solid foundation for the rest of the story.
The writing was descriptive without being overly so, and the dual POV, from Ayla and Crier's perspectives, offered insight into both sides of the conflict between human and Made. Their voices were very much separate and unique, something which helped mark their personalities without explicitly stating them on the page. The way this dual POV complimented the plot, with different tidbits of information in different places, helped add a lot to the story. I also really liked the extracts of historical documents, which made the world building feel a lot more realistic and complex, as well as giving background for the reader to interpret into the rest of the text.
Ayla and Crier were also very distinct characters with very distinct personalities, and were brilliant main characters to follow. They were never overpowering in their strength as characters, instead complementing each other really well, something which helped the book flow a lot. Ayla in particular was an awesome character to read about, because her character arc involved her growing as a person, and didn't diminuish her past experiences as she grew and learned. Crier's arc was slightly different, with her trying to figure out why she never fit in with her Made peers, and finding out more about her past. She was a compelling character, and the way she felt and experienced things made her a very well developed character and a compelling lead.
One thing that was particularly satisfying was the tension between Ayla and Crier. Their relationship is very much a slow burn, with them having started as enemies and slowly begun working together, and it's so satisfying going from wanting them to just admit their feelings already to actually seeing them admit their feelings. It's an intensely shippable relationship, and it developed in a very natural and honest way. It didn't take up a massive amount of the book, but the dynamic between the two was delectable and I really loved reading about the two of them and can't wait for more.
As a fantasy novel, the world building was a little shaky towards the beginning, but developed very well into an immersive world. The Made are alchemically created beings, and with their perfecting have come out on top of the humans. The way their dynamic with humans was written was a very interesting philosophical concept, especially given the backstory revealed throughout the book, and the way they toe the line between science fiction's Artificial Intelligence and magic-based beings was a very interesting read. I was particularly drawn to the topic of who controls how they are Made that was touched on in Crier's arc, and I hope that this and more about the Made is touched on in the sequel because I find it fascinating.
I really enjoyed Crier's War, and feel like it's a great addition to the speculative fiction genre and to sapphic YA. If you're looking for proper pining, a hooking plot, an expansive world and a really interesting discussion about Artificial Intelligence, I can't recommend this enough. The sequel, Iron Heart, is coming out in September and I can't wait to read it.
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First thoughts (JAN2020):
This was an absolute gem of a book.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 19 January, 2020: Finished reading
- 19 January, 2020: Reviewed