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A very strong debut and first book in a series from a New Zealand author. My attention was drawn to this following CoNZealand, which (with mixed success, admittedly) did manage to highlight some great New Zealand authors and works in the SFF space, at least to me. My library had the first two of this series (I've requested they buy the third) and I'm hooked. The character work is so strong, especially the female lead, and I also love the setting. Would also be a great introduction to adult fantasy for those who have read primarily from YA.
Gripping and twisted; everything I want from a murder mystery.
2020 Read Harder Challenge: Read a book that takes place in a rural setting.
2020 Read Harder Challenge: Read a book that takes place in a rural setting.
In a world of endlessly bad news regarding the wave of conservative, populist politics, this book is a beacon of hope for how things might have been, how they could be, how they should be. Whether this is forever an escapist fantasy or a prelude to a better future remains to be seen, but this debut novel is breathtaking in its combination of politics, history, and the best romance I've read in a long time.
A confronting but beautifully written book. A little slow in the beginning but worth persisting with, as the cast of characters introduced early on are interesting once placed within the context of the larger story as the book progresses. 4.5 stars, simply because this is not my preferred genre, but a masterful example of its type and very much worth the read.
