Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 412pgs
The Story
In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
The Review
A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!
After reading the glowing reviews and hearing all about the comparison to one of my favourite series at the moment, George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series, I just knew on a whim that I would HAVE to read this book based on those small assumptions. However, even though I have read the author's previous work in the past and quite enjoyed it as well (she's under a different name of Michelle Rowen by the way), but unfortunately for this book I could not connect with it no matter how hard I tried to.
While I enjoyed certain elements of the book including the action scenes and some interesting character dialogue, but what failed to capture my full attention was the character development on a whole, which was not developed in the way I would've liked. With other elements feeling somehow forced such as the romantic plots and the actions some of the characters takes (under no great reasons for doing a certain action if you get my meaning), and I often found myself confused and not enjoying the world of Morgan Rhodes because of all that. But there are some redeemable factors in this book here and there, but there still wasn't enough to keep me very invested in the story as sad as it is.
Overall, while I couldn't necessarily connect with this book but I'm sure - based on what others have said on Goodreads about it - that many other reaeders will enjoy this kind of storyline and the idea the author has put down in order to entertain you all. With plenty of interesting mythologies, complex characters and with some devious political setups throughout the book, and even a nice little touch of the Game of Thrones series, I think many will love this book regardless of my opinion since this book was in simpler terms . . . just not me.
While I enjoyed certain elements of the book including the action scenes and some interesting character dialogue, but what failed to capture my full attention was the character development on a whole, which was not developed in the way I would've liked. With other elements feeling somehow forced such as the romantic plots and the actions some of the characters takes (under no great reasons for doing a certain action if you get my meaning), and I often found myself confused and not enjoying the world of Morgan Rhodes because of all that. But there are some redeemable factors in this book here and there, but there still wasn't enough to keep me very invested in the story as sad as it is.
Overall, while I couldn't necessarily connect with this book but I'm sure - based on what others have said on Goodreads about it - that many other reaeders will enjoy this kind of storyline and the idea the author has put down in order to entertain you all. With plenty of interesting mythologies, complex characters and with some devious political setups throughout the book, and even a nice little touch of the Game of Thrones series, I think many will love this book regardless of my opinion since this book was in simpler terms . . . just not me.
The Rating
2 1/2 / 5 stars
