The Unbroken 

By. C.L. Clark 

P. 464 

Format: eArc 

Rating: ***3/4 

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I received an e-arc from @Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

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The Unbroken is the first book in the adult fantasy series Magic of the Lost. Touraine was taken from her people as a child. They trained her, and the other stolen children, to be soldiers. Her birth culture was taken away from her and Touraine desperately wanted her adoptive culture to acknowledge her worth. Instead, they were used as fodder in the many wars. Except now they brought the stolen children back to their birth country. Touraine finds that she has nothing; she doesn’t fit with her countries conquerors or with her own people. 

 

I predict that The Unbroken will become the most talked about adult fantasy of 2021. The writing is excellent and the plot is amazing. If you love books that are strong in plot then you will fall for this book. There is so much going on, it is beautiful crafted, and it will leave you hooked from beginning to end. Colonizing is, tragically, nothing new. However, the way that Clark presents it in this book makes you connect to the trauma. Not just of death and war, but also having your entire identity taken from you. 

 

I am a strong character reader. I found the pacing to be a bit overwhelming at times. So much happened in one sentence that I would have to go back and find when an event took place. It was also harder for me to connect to the characters. The characters themselves were vivid, dynamic, and memorable. They just take second place to the plot. I had to put the book down a few times and read something else. I always wanted to come back. 

 

Also, the main relationships are f/f, so LGBTQ rep. It is a natural part of both cultures which was great. 

 

If you are looking for a good fantasy then this is a great pick. I ended up pre-ordering the book, and plan on picking up the sequel.