I received this book early through BookishFirst in exchange for a review.
For several months, this book kept popping up on my GoodReads account as a recommendation, which built my excitement. So I might’ve freaked out when I won it.
A lot.
The story is about two women, Rielle Dardenne and Eliana Ferracora, born in the same world but not the same time. In fact, they are a thousand years apart from each other with Rielle being long dead by the time Eliana’s story really began.
Both women are faced with enormous tasks. In this world, there are several types of magic, from fire to metal to sun. An average person can only cast one type of magic which is channeled through objects called castings. Rielle is unique, however. She is capable of casting magic without a casting and can use every type at will. To prove she is not the Blood Queen prophesied hundreds of years before to bring destruction and ruin upon the world, she faces seven trials to demonstrate her mastery of her abilities and prove she is the Sun Queen and instead will protect and save it.
Fast forward to 1000 years later when Rielle is long dead and has been declared as the Blood Queen because of her crimes that doomed the world to the downfall of magic and infestation of angels. Magic and angels have become myths, bedtime stories as the public adapts to the ruling of the Undying Empire which has conquered every country but one. Eliana considers herself a monster- she hunts and murders for the Empire to keep her family comfortable and safe. That all changes when her mother is kidnapped and she’s forced to team up with a captain of the very group she’s been hunting for years.
I’ve liked books with changing perspectives as long as there’s enough there for you to get into the story, but not ones that flip flop like crazy. So the minute I opened the book and saw the story flipped between Rielle and Eliana, I was concerned. However, Claire Legrand brilliantly keeps things flowing along so it’s hard to notice the changes. Both stories are normally at pace with each other: if one story focuses a chapter on action and big sequences, so does the other. The stories keep that pattern throughout the entire book and there were very few times I was confused or disappointed the chapter had ended and I’d switched characters.
Legrand’s writing excels at characterization in any scenario and I did feel like the two leading ladies were three dimensional and intricate. Nobody was written into a corner or seemed to have an unrealistic character shift or development. This is honestly some of the best writing and character writing since Katherine Arden’s books. I felt every action sequence, I felt all of the stakes that existed. Everything moved forward smoothly, there was never a hitch or a scene that stayed a tad too long. The world of Furyborn is complicated and rich with backstory, legends, myths and history. I honestly wish there could be a spin off book on the seven saints and their fight to seal the Angels before the prophesy was told. I’ll be the first in line if you make one, Claire Legrand!
I will admit that in the beginning, the story and person who most captivated me was Rielle despite the first chapter hinting at some.. unsavory things she’d done. She seemed tortured by the demons of her childhood, always afraid of losing control of her powers and suffering little to no contact with the main populace. She was pretty much a magical version of Elsa with more than just ice powers and a pretty bad temper. You would think that because of how Eliana’s time views her, she would start becoming insane or “evil”. I can say, she does not. I still was rooting for her. There are cracks beginning to show in her character, yes, but she’s definitely not done growing and I truly appreciate that. It’s kinda boring when a person is written into a category in the very first book.
Eliana, however, I didn’t warm up to right away. I understood why she did the things she did and that she was trying to keep herself cold and unfeeling to protect herself, her family, and her friends. Her actions were justified in the situation presented, just not as relatable for myself. However, about halfway through the book and beyond, she was presented with some character-changing moments that really made her shine. I might like her a touch more than Rielle now, truthfully. She’s strong and she’s realized her problems and started to work towards being a better person. She’s recognized the monster inside her isn’t what she thinks it is,. I’m so excited to see her growth continue and I appreciate Legrand giving so much depth to her and Rielle.
The side characters are all incredibly well written as well. The love interests of both main characters aren’t pushovers or one sided and the female leads never feel like they are put to the side or weak in comparison to them. The Wolf and Audric have a lot of problems- they’re far from perfect. The Wolf has more problems than you can count and probably just as many scars, while Audric spends half the book dancing around his feelings for Rielle which ends up hurting both of them and their closest friend. However, they fiercely follow and believe in the one they love despite these flaws.
The biggest standouts in the side characters for me were Remy, the brother of Eliana, Navi, an important character for Eliana’s story, and Ludivine in Rielle’s storyline. They weren’t afraid to fight against the leads on what they thought was right, and remained both good supporters while also making their own decisions. That latter characteristic is what saves both Rielle and Eliana a few times, which is something I really appreciated. After all, Rielle and Eliana are only teens- they don’t know everything.
So, we’ve already covered the love interest characters but we haven’t discussed the love itself. This book is rated young adult but I will say that for those concerned, there are some non-young adult scenes. For me, that isn’t a problem, however I could see some parents being surprised by this so I thought I should throw in a warning. I can definitely see this book series being on the very cusp of the Young Adult/Adult line.
My biggest criticism of this book involves the plot, and it really isn’t that big of one. One of the biggest draws to the book are the moments and characters that tie both stories together. There were several, but only one or two really surprised me. The rest I could see coming or connected early on. That made these moments not as jaw dropping as was intended.
Overall, this book is probably one of the best I have ever read and it’s easily the book I’ll be recommending the rest of 2018 (and probably next year.. and the year after.. and the year after..) I rarely give books five stars but I will for this one easily. I’m hoping and praying to the book gods the sequels won’t be too long or a wait and they’re available as ARCs. If you need me, I’ll be in Avitas!
For several months, this book kept popping up on my GoodReads account as a recommendation, which built my excitement. So I might’ve freaked out when I won it.
A lot.
The story is about two women, Rielle Dardenne and Eliana Ferracora, born in the same world but not the same time. In fact, they are a thousand years apart from each other with Rielle being long dead by the time Eliana’s story really began.
Both women are faced with enormous tasks. In this world, there are several types of magic, from fire to metal to sun. An average person can only cast one type of magic which is channeled through objects called castings. Rielle is unique, however. She is capable of casting magic without a casting and can use every type at will. To prove she is not the Blood Queen prophesied hundreds of years before to bring destruction and ruin upon the world, she faces seven trials to demonstrate her mastery of her abilities and prove she is the Sun Queen and instead will protect and save it.
Fast forward to 1000 years later when Rielle is long dead and has been declared as the Blood Queen because of her crimes that doomed the world to the downfall of magic and infestation of angels. Magic and angels have become myths, bedtime stories as the public adapts to the ruling of the Undying Empire which has conquered every country but one. Eliana considers herself a monster- she hunts and murders for the Empire to keep her family comfortable and safe. That all changes when her mother is kidnapped and she’s forced to team up with a captain of the very group she’s been hunting for years.
I’ve liked books with changing perspectives as long as there’s enough there for you to get into the story, but not ones that flip flop like crazy. So the minute I opened the book and saw the story flipped between Rielle and Eliana, I was concerned. However, Claire Legrand brilliantly keeps things flowing along so it’s hard to notice the changes. Both stories are normally at pace with each other: if one story focuses a chapter on action and big sequences, so does the other. The stories keep that pattern throughout the entire book and there were very few times I was confused or disappointed the chapter had ended and I’d switched characters.
Legrand’s writing excels at characterization in any scenario and I did feel like the two leading ladies were three dimensional and intricate. Nobody was written into a corner or seemed to have an unrealistic character shift or development. This is honestly some of the best writing and character writing since Katherine Arden’s books. I felt every action sequence, I felt all of the stakes that existed. Everything moved forward smoothly, there was never a hitch or a scene that stayed a tad too long. The world of Furyborn is complicated and rich with backstory, legends, myths and history. I honestly wish there could be a spin off book on the seven saints and their fight to seal the Angels before the prophesy was told. I’ll be the first in line if you make one, Claire Legrand!
I will admit that in the beginning, the story and person who most captivated me was Rielle despite the first chapter hinting at some.. unsavory things she’d done. She seemed tortured by the demons of her childhood, always afraid of losing control of her powers and suffering little to no contact with the main populace. She was pretty much a magical version of Elsa with more than just ice powers and a pretty bad temper. You would think that because of how Eliana’s time views her, she would start becoming insane or “evil”. I can say, she does not. I still was rooting for her. There are cracks beginning to show in her character, yes, but she’s definitely not done growing and I truly appreciate that. It’s kinda boring when a person is written into a category in the very first book.
Eliana, however, I didn’t warm up to right away. I understood why she did the things she did and that she was trying to keep herself cold and unfeeling to protect herself, her family, and her friends. Her actions were justified in the situation presented, just not as relatable for myself. However, about halfway through the book and beyond, she was presented with some character-changing moments that really made her shine. I might like her a touch more than Rielle now, truthfully. She’s strong and she’s realized her problems and started to work towards being a better person. She’s recognized the monster inside her isn’t what she thinks it is,. I’m so excited to see her growth continue and I appreciate Legrand giving so much depth to her and Rielle.
The side characters are all incredibly well written as well. The love interests of both main characters aren’t pushovers or one sided and the female leads never feel like they are put to the side or weak in comparison to them. The Wolf and Audric have a lot of problems- they’re far from perfect. The Wolf has more problems than you can count and probably just as many scars, while Audric spends half the book dancing around his feelings for Rielle which ends up hurting both of them and their closest friend. However, they fiercely follow and believe in the one they love despite these flaws.
The biggest standouts in the side characters for me were Remy, the brother of Eliana, Navi, an important character for Eliana’s story, and Ludivine in Rielle’s storyline. They weren’t afraid to fight against the leads on what they thought was right, and remained both good supporters while also making their own decisions. That latter characteristic is what saves both Rielle and Eliana a few times, which is something I really appreciated. After all, Rielle and Eliana are only teens- they don’t know everything.
So, we’ve already covered the love interest characters but we haven’t discussed the love itself. This book is rated young adult but I will say that for those concerned, there are some non-young adult scenes. For me, that isn’t a problem, however I could see some parents being surprised by this so I thought I should throw in a warning. I can definitely see this book series being on the very cusp of the Young Adult/Adult line.
My biggest criticism of this book involves the plot, and it really isn’t that big of one. One of the biggest draws to the book are the moments and characters that tie both stories together. There were several, but only one or two really surprised me. The rest I could see coming or connected early on. That made these moments not as jaw dropping as was intended.
Overall, this book is probably one of the best I have ever read and it’s easily the book I’ll be recommending the rest of 2018 (and probably next year.. and the year after.. and the year after..) I rarely give books five stars but I will for this one easily. I’m hoping and praying to the book gods the sequels won’t be too long or a wait and they’re available as ARCs. If you need me, I’ll be in Avitas!