I read the advanced reader's copy of this book. This book will be published on February 12, 2019. Undoubtedly, there will be some differences between the version I read, and the published version.
I'm obsessed with dragons. I love to read books about dragons in the world, and all the different ways different authors perceive dragons to coexist or annihilate humans.
Now, take that kind of premise, but trade dragons for PHOENIXES! Phoenixi? Plural phoenix. Presenting, Crown of Feathers.
An amazon summary, "An Ember in the Ashes meets Three Dark Crowns in this lush debut fantasy novel about a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join a secret group of warriors that ride phoenixes into battle.
I had a sister, once…
In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.
I promised her the throne would not come between us.
Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.
But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.
Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.
Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.
Crown of Feathers is an epic fantasy about love’s incredible power to save—or to destroy. Interspersed throughout is the story of Avalkyra Ashfire, the last Rider queen, who would rather see her empire burn than fall into her sister’s hands." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
This book is told from alternating narrators. It primarily centers around two sisters (Veronyka and Val), and a soldier named Sev. They live in a country that has been rife with strife over the rocky ascension that sisters tried to make to the throne... but then they both died.
Since then, the people who are able to wield animal magic, or animages, are under harsh scrutiny... because they're able to bond with the phoenixes. The phoenixes are believed to be mostly dead or in hiding, as one of the sisters used the phoenix army to try to claim the throne. In order to prevent more phoenix riders and keep some semblance of peace, the empire has cracked down on animages.
Enter Veronyka and Val; both animages and also able to wield shadow magic. Shadow magic enables them to be aware of other's emotions and thoughts, while also enabling them to manipulate people. Dun dun dunnnn
Anyways.
So Veronyka and Val are basically rogues roaming the country looking for phoenix eggs as they've both always dreamed of being riders. Every since their grandmother died, they escaped town and have been on their own ever since. Veronyka uses her animal magic to respect and build relationships with animals, to build trust. Val, well Val uses it to control them; to exert her will over them to get them to do what she needs.
Sev has joined the army and constantly denies he is an animage for his own survival. Animages are often pursued not because they're evil, but because of they're abilities. It's something that I kind of just interpreted as the empire being like, "Queens fight and cause crazy bad war? Now there's chaos in the country? MUST BE BECAUSE OF THE ANIMAGES. SMITE." So, there's that. Anywho, Sev meets some other, basically enslaved animages who must help the army, and he's like, "That could have been ME." And so on. His viewpoint also lets the readers see what's going on within the government, what the concerns are, and also gives a humane face to the animages.
I digress. Veronyka and Val manage to hatch one phoenix, it bonds with Veronyka. Val, already being the chaotic person she is, gets even more crazy to the point where she poisons Veronyka's phoenix and kills it. KILLS IT. Veronyka, reasonably traumatized and betrayed, sets off on her own to find a settlement of where phoenix riders are allegedly hiding out.
Story evolves from there. Veronyka ends up pretending to be a boy. It's fine.
Did I like this book? Did I? I know I've been pretty sassy about the summary, but I actually enjoyed the book a lot. I thought it was a good perspective shift between Veronyka and Sev, but there was also some character growth that was super A+.
There was also this weird breeding segment discussion, which was weird, really weird, and added this weird uncanny element of like kind of potential rape depending on how you feel about forced breeding?!?!?!? But, it didn't get really get into the discussion, things just kind of happened so that didn't play out. ...which is fine, I'm not sure I would have liked reading how that played out. It was weird. ...very weird. Especially in that like, here's a half piece of information, draw conclusions, kind of way.
...I'd read the sequel.
Happy reading!
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