"It was wonderful what one could accomplish when one threw everything away."

Onna has incredible magical abilities. After being denied a place at the arcane academy because she's a woman, she sails to Hexos to find a university that doesn't look down on women in magic. However, she becomes drawn to the mysterious murders of 4 trolls. Then there's Tsira, a troll who doesn't fit in with her clan and decides to look for work in a human city. Onna and Tsira both end up devoting their talents to searching for the mysterious murderer.

I did not know how to make that summary shorter because there was a LOT going on in this book. I can't remember the last time I read a straight up fantasy full of magic, trolls, and hard to pronounce names 😂 However, the writing flowed seamlessly and had me hooked right from the beginning! This felt like two stories in one as the chapters alternated between Onna's and Tsira’s lives until they eventually came together. 

All of the characters were amazing and well developed. Onna was a brilliant magician who went on a daring adventure to use her abilities to its full potential. When she reached Hexos, she landed a job as Loga's assistant, the famous magician. I loved how whimsical he was because his character brought out the strength and resilience in Onna. And then Tsira! She was a tough troll with a badass attitude. She met a half-dead human soldier, Jeckran, whom she nursed back to health and created a bond with, eventually falling in love. Following these characters, you could feel all of their emotions and feelings.

I actually really, really liked this book. The magic system was intriguing, and the imagery was just wonderful. It was enthralling, adventurous, mysterious, and fun!