He was raised in revolution.
She was raised in a palace.
Can their love stop a war?
*Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Author: Joanna Hathaway
Publisher:
Tor Teen
Format/Source: Netgalley ARC
From GoodReads: Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.
Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.
HERE'S WHAT I THINK...
I really did not care for Athan's chapters, I found Aurelia to be much more engaging and intriguing. The story line was phenomenal and kept me turning page after page. Hathaway's writing is vivid, bold and brutal, all at once....however, it was very predictable on a basic level.
The world is kept pretty simple as well. We have "North" and "South". The latter colonised by the former - yet very little detail - complex or otherwise- was given about the colonization. That left a lot in question when conversations about the colonizing and conflicts internally in the south were happening.
The characters were fairly well fleshed out, but progress of the narrative left so many open holes, even for the first book in a trilogy. I felt a strong urge to put the book down at one point because I just couldn't find myself caring WHY everything was happening, beyond the obvious blossoming romance. So many hints were dropped, yet not elaborated enough upon to really be plot points to care about. Many times I felt like the character narrating was simply telling us about what's going on around them than actually propelling us forward in the story.
If I'm being entirely honest, I did not care of the WWIIesque fantasy world that was created either. I realize that my personal preference in a setting really isn't a fair critic...but it's mine. I just didn't care for the two aspects combines. I felt like the world was fighting itself a majority of the time.
Over all, it's a novel I would suggest to people who enjoy stories based on the setting, and/or historical fantasy period. I rated this title 4 stars mainly because I didn't enjoy Athan nor the setting.
TL;DR
This debut is an engaging enough read that puts a spin on WWII. It's bold, mildly paced and vivid. The world itself sometimes seems to conflict itself, but the plot can hold its own for the most part. While the plot keeps the pages turning, the predictability of it eventually takes over - making the crescendo of the book a bit of a let down. Over all, this is enjoyable basic royalty novel that would be good for anyone who enjoys historical twists. I rated this debut 4/5 stars.
About the Author:
Joanna was born in Montréal and is an avid storyteller who was inspired to write after reading her great-grandfather’s memoirs of the First World War. A lifelong history buff, she now has shelves filled with biographies and historical accounts, and perhaps one too many books about pilots. She can often be found reading, traveling, or riding horses.
Her debut novel, DARK OF THE WEST (Tor Teen, February 5th, 2019), is the first in a WWII-infused fantasy series of forbidden love and deadly revenge.
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