a magnificent blend of fantasy and science fiction
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy, Science Fiction
Release Date: May 17th, 2022
Publisher: Harper Collins 360
Pages: 384
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SYNOPSIS
After being wrongly accused of her brother’s death, Sonara is sentenced to death by her mother. But she is given a second chance at brought back to life as a Shadowblood, with powers that are reviled by society on her world of Dohrsar.
She is now known as the Devil of the Deadlands, thieving to survive while questing for the truth about what happened to her brother.
From across the galaxy, humans have arrived on Dohrsar in search of resources to save humanity from a deadly disease that has ravaged Earth and other inhabited planets.
The fate of one of these Wanderers, Karr, is inextricably linked to Sonara and their wills collide. Their destinies writhe and loom in the shadows.
REVIEW
This book is a magnificent blend of fantasy and science fiction. There are many stories about what might happen if humanity were to find life on another planet, but I had yet to read one set from the perspective of the other life instead, and I found this such an intriguing concept.
It’s a standalone book and I like it that way. There aren’t many standalones in YA fantasy and I think this is something many other readers will also appreciate.
It accomplishes this well and wraps up everything nicely. I do see how things could be expanded upon in the future if the author chose to, but I like that this one is told to satisfying completion.
The story-world is epic in its galactic scale and the richness of the lore of Dohrsar is enchanting. There are a few instances I felt the genre blend to be not as smooth as the rest. But the more I learned about the story world’s mysteries and complexities, the more I was invested in the outcome.
The beginning had me hooked but the tension fizzles out somewhere in the middle where the high-stakes feeling isn’t as prominent. The middle of the story drags slightly, but I was quickly re-immersed as the climax of events begin to unfold.
I love the connection that the main character, Sonara, has to horses! As a life-long horse owner myself, I relate to her on an emotional level because of this. I also think that Sonara and her horse, Duran, are a great reflection of each other throughout the story in their wild nature and in the way that they both yearn for freedom.
The story is told from multiple points of view, which does give us more insight into each of the characters’ motivations.
However, I still didn’t feel much of a connection to the other characters until the end, and it actually wasn’t to Karr as I had expected but rather to Jaxon, Sonara’s Shadowblood friend.
One of the recurring themes I enjoy in this book is the dichotomy of all things – medieval and futuristic, darkness and light, old world magic and new technology. It’s compelling to see how these all interact and intertwine throughout the story.
I was constantly engaged by the yin and yang feel of how seemingly opposing attributes come together as parts of a whole.
The writing is straight-forward and an easy read, even if at times the prose is repetitive.
I kept waiting for the romance to creep up but it never came. I know many readers will definitely appreciate this rare achievement of a romanceless YA fantasy.
Oddly enough (because I’m one of the ones who loves a romantic sub-plot), I actually found it quite satisfying that it didn’t have one.
I think it would have watered the story down generically and it didn’t feel necessary to the intentions of the characters or the meaning behind the story’s driving themes. I think leaving romance out of the story was a good choice and I think it will be refreshing to many readers.
Overall, I had a really enjoyable experience with this book and everything about it is so unique.
I’m not as blown away as I feel like I could have been from a story of this proportion, but it is definitely a memorable tale. For me this was a solid four-star read.
I think the writer has a fascinating mind and style for both fantasy and sci-fi and I’d love to read something else like this from the author.
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins 360 for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
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