The Unspoken Name is a glorious story and an epic journey about a girl who learns how to defy her fate, to make her own choices, and to pursue freedom. 

My thoughts on The Unspoken Name

It's hard to discuss The Unspoken Name as if it's only one book because it doesn't seem like only one book. The story starts with Csorwe (pronounced as ksor-way) as a 14-year-old girl, ready to sacrifice herself, ready to accept her destiny, because she doesn't know anything else. She doesn't think she has any other choice. But lo and behold, she meets Sethennai, a powerful wizard, who tells her she can escape and have a chance at a different life. From there, Csorwe's long and epic journey starts. 

The world-building in this book is vast, expansive. There are many cities, kingdoms, different tribes/races, with different religions and gods. It's all so unique, and mysterious, and exciting. The pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book also adds more allure to the world, because it's not just a simple guide on how to pronounce the names of the characters or places. It also gives a glimpse into the various languages they use—how certain letters are pronounced, how certain parts sound. Also, the imagery in this book is just amazing. The author took the readers to various places—from shrines, to mountains, to palaces, to caves, and tombs. 

The plot is intricate, the story spans 8 years after all. Since Csorwe's initial escape, to her training as an assassin and the mage's shadow, to going on an assignment and meeting someone who made her want to pursue what she wanted (and not what she was told), a lot has happened. And although the various events seem like they're not related at first, they all interconnect at one point and they all make sense at the end. I loved the plot twists in this book. They're the kind of plot twists that I should have seen coming, but I didn't, and they're just so shockingly good. 

The character arcs are just wonderful to witness. Take Csorwe for example. She starts as this quiet, feeble girl and grows into a dangerous assassin and learns to really be herself and do what she wants (especially at the end of the book). Another character arc I came to love so much is Tal Charossa. I'm going to be honest and say that I hated his guts for most part of the book. He was annoying, kept butting heads with Csorwe, and was just blinded by his emotions. However, he unlocked some character development by the end of the book, and I really liked that.

Of course, I loved the addition of the romance, too. It's slow burn, the kind that made me want to jump when they finally got together! It's not the main aspect of the story, but it definitely changed Csorwe for the better. [kind of a spoiler, but I just want to say that they're pretty much soft yet badass girlfriends and I love them]

Last but not the least, the writing style and the overall tone of the book is also commendable. It's mysterious, but also quite humorous in several parts. It's hard for me to look away from the pages because it's just so intriguing, and I love how the author inserted humor, whether it be in the characters' inner thoughts or the current situation. 

Overall, The Unspoken Name is such a great read for me! I’m excited to see this book in the wild!

(This review was first published on Enthralled Bookworm.)