I kind of agree with the amazon summary. If you like Victoria Aveyard's series beginning with Glass Sword, you'll probably liked this book. Heck, that's why I originally picked up the book. I was looking for my crazy kingdom strife oppressed people some magical elements kind of storyline fix. ...I'm not going to apologize for that sentence. HEH HEH HEHHHHHHH
Anywho, an amazon summary, ""Made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir" (Bustle), Ash Princess is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.
Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.
For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.
Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.
For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.
"Sure to be one of the summer's most talked about YAs. . . . A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down." -Bustle" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
The Kaiser overthrew the country, murdered her mother, imprisoned her people, and has now trapped her inside the castle she was born to be cruelly abused day in and day out. She is the example to her people of the Kaiser's unyielding will. Theodosia (from now on, I will refer to as Theo because what is that full first name) still maintains hope that someone from her mother's personal guard will save her someday, and clings to that hope. The Kaiser holds her accountable for any moves of the rebels, and makes an example of her by whipping her, or, well lots of humiliation in front of the court.
There's a pivotal moment in the beginning of the book, that I'm going to agree with the amazon summary and not go into detail about. It's a very emotional, kind of call to arms moment. It basically inspires Theo to take down the Kaiser once and for all, from the inside.
...that's enough summary.
At first I was reluctant to like Theo, but the more I read, the more I could see her resolve, the more I could see how she kept her wits about her (for the most part), and I ended up liking her a lot more in the end.
There was a lot to like about this book from the world building, character development, and kind of unfolding of the plot.
There was also a few things I hope get some more page time for the sequel; like more about how the magic functions. It's very fascinating, and I suspect the author withheld sharing all the mechanics of the magic to give some sort of surprise in the sequel.
But I also hope the (surprise, not surprise) love triangle gets less page time in the next book. I think these romances felt a little more realistic within the scope and environment of the book, but I would be SUPER OKAY with her just being like SCREW ROMANCE, I HAVE A KINGDOM TO SAVE. That's the kind of heroine I really want to see in books as much as possible. But I'll settle for everything else about the book being pretty stellar.
It was definitely a "can't stop until you finish reading" kind of book, which led to a late night...but it was worth it. I'm excited for the sequel.
I will admit, it's definitely the kind of story I've read before, it's just a different setting/environment, kind of. But I don't have any shame, still liked it, still going to read the sequel, no shame in my book game. :P
Happy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment