Okay, so in reality I know this book is more of a 3-3.5 but honestly, I had so much fun reading this book I have to give it 4 stars. I read this during a time when I just wanted something entertaining with a little bit of drama and angst sprinkled in. I wanted to turn my analytical brain off for a moment and just enjoy the book and this delivered. Plus! It has the bodyguard trope. My favorite <3

I consumed this in one day and then immediately read Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. I'm sorry I can't properly critique this (maybe upon reread I will) but I know that after finishing those two books, I immediately wanted to reread.

If you saw my original From Blood and Ash review, you know that I devoured this series in two days. I was in the mood for something angsty and entertaining and this fulfilled that wish. I did not have my analytical cap on, and I took it off for a reason. I really just wanted to enjoy the experience. That being said, I did notice issues in this book. It stumbled sometimes with pacing and it has too many pages with not enough happening. I also thought the fake dating/marriage of convenience element in this novel was very unnecessary and flimsy and dragged on for too long. I still really enjoyed it the experience though. The ending was particularly impactful and I'm excited for the next installment!

I picked this book up after a friend mentioned it in passing. They said it may be something I would be interested in because it's fantasy and its war commentary. Wow, this book exceeded every expectation. First, I just want to say that there are many triggering topics within this novel and so, as a disclaimer, I will include those here.

I really, really encourage you to read the content warnings for this book. The subject matter is very graphic at times.

I hope I am not missing anything, but if I am, I apologize and will change it once I'm made aware.

The book follows Runin (called Rin) who leaves her rural town through pure grit to study at the great military school Sinegard. She studies there, cultivating her knowledge in topics such as war strategy, while also realizing her own power through shamanism. Then, war breaks out in her country. From there, the story tells the horrors of war as we follow Rin and her crew through an external battle against Mugen and an internal battle over what they're willing to do for power, freedom, and their country.

I think Kuang is a very clear and effective writer. Her writing feels very grounded, even as she writes a world that is confusing and nuanced. I was expecting to have to drudge through fight scenes, as my knowledge on martial arts and war strategy is pretty limited, but I never felt lost in Kuang's writing. 

Furthermore, the pacing in this novel felt perfect. I never felt like I was being info dumped. Every scene felt essential to the plot and the growth of the characters. And every plot point (even if unresolved--this is a trilogy, after all), felt like it was properly rewarded. After DNFing three books in a row because of this issue, I can't emphasize how much I appreciated Kuang's diligence in this aspect.

Lastly, Kuang's ability to craft complex characters is great. She does not make rooting for Rin easy. Instead, she paints a picture so frustratingly dark, unfair, and full of vengeance, you have no choice but to just go along for the ride. And boy, was it heartbreaking.

I really, really enjoyed this book and am about to binge the second one.

What a journey. 

The world building and character development in this book was truly phenomenal. I really felt like we were seeing a Rin that had lost everything and was only trying to survive for her crew. Rin is struggling to find her footing and watching her growth throughout this novel is breathtaking. 

Kuang has a way of breathing life into these characters, crafting complex stories that feel insurmountable. I started reading and continued reading because I simply couldn’t stop thinking about the story. The story of Nezha, The Cike, the colonizing Hesperians, Su Daji stayed with me well after I put the novel down.

There’s so much more I want to talk about but I don’t want this review to get too long. I will just say I can’t wait for the last book in this series.

2.5/5

The pacing in this book felt all over the place. The characters were frustrating. Trinity is so selfish and in her own head, she was borderline unlikeable for me. The writing quality was also, not that great and I’m not sure if this is an outlier because I didn’t notice it in the first book. 

HOWEVER, I will say that I am invested at this point. The ending was very interesting to me (even though I felt like it could have been built up a little better), and I am excited to see what happens next book.

I relate to Bree so much. Her struggle with grief is one I know very well. I found myself tearing up at times because it felt like I was reading through the eyes of younger-me. Also, the authors exploration of generational trauma was brilliant.

Bree is resilient, a very strong heroine. I rooted for her from the beginning. Her relationship with Nick was also very cute. I have to say, the one character (besides Bree, of course) I am curious to know more about is actually Sel. I kinda hated him in the beginning, but he really turned into this complex character. Sel rights!

Anyway, I'm really excited to see where the next book takes us. I need to know what happens after that ending!!