And I Darken by Kiersten White ISBN: 9780553522341
Series: The Conqueror's Saga #1
Published by Random House Children's Books on May 1, 2017
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 498
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The New York Times Bestseller!
"Absolutely riveting." --Alexandra Bracken, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Darkest Minds
This vividly rendered novel reads like HBO's Game of Thrones . . . if it were set in the Ottoman Empire. Ambitious in scope and intimate in execution, the story's atmospheric setting is rife with political intrigue, with a deftly plotted narrative driven by fiercely passionate characters and a fearsome heroine. Fans of Victoria Aveyard's THE RED QUEEN and Sabaa Tahir's AN EMBER IN THE ASHES won't want to miss this visceral, immersive, and mesmerizing novel, the first in the And I Darken series.NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.
Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who's expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he's made a true friend--and Lada wonders if she's finally found someone worthy of her passion.
But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against--and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled . . . and hearts will be broken.
"A dark and twisty fantasy . . . think Game of Thrones, but with teens."--Seventeen
"Sinister, suspenseful, and unapologetically feminist."--Buzzfeed
"Will completely spin you into another time and place."--Bustle
"Takes no prisoners, offering up brutal, emotional historical fiction."--NPR.org
An ALA Rainbow List Top Ten Selection
Characters: 9, the main characters and the side characters were well-developed, acted in accordance with their complex desires and fears, and were clearly shaped by childhood traumas (much like real people). I could describe each one to someone and I felt sympathetic toward each of the three MCs.
Atmosphere: 9, I could easily picture both the dramatic mountain ranges of Wallachia and the domed spires and spice-scented air of Edirne, and was immersed enough to read “just one more chapter” constantly.
Writing: 8, I really liked how well the writing style flowed and the author’s ability to explore contradictory, complex emotions without an easy resolution and without resorting to tropes or cliches. I will absolutely read more by this author.
Plot: 8, the pacing was excellent! There were two spots where a chapter ended a little bit more abruptly than I expected, but it didn’t damage the plot or pacing at all.
Intrigue: 9, there was so much I loved about this. It’s a historic fantasy, really- the events are true, the characters are massaged a bit (the character of Vlad the Impaler is gender bent to Lada the Impaler). From the writing, I knew there wouldn’t be some happy ending resolution (which is just fine with me!) but I was compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
Logic: 10, every character right down to the tertiary ones acted in accordance with their desires and fears, the world felt as real as history, and the complex power structures explored in the story worked consistently (I do love a good court intrigue).
Enjoyment: 9, this book broke my heart and kept me engaged every time I picked it up, and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
Read for the Marvelathon, ClearUrSht, and Buzzword Readathons.
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Oooh fun! I have had this on my shelf for aaaages (probably a year before it came out?) and I have just never had the time, but looks like I will need to make some! I have had varying success with the author- I loved Hide, but haaated The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, so that probably didn’t help, but I really need to read this one, especially since you really enjoyed it! Great review!!
Oh no! The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein was on my list, but now I’m thinking twice about it. I need to read Hide, then. This one was much better than I expected in general, so I definitely recommend it. Thanks, and I hope you love it!