In this lush fantasy, women are expected to give away their magic for a kiss. But what if they don’t want to?
The Nightbirds are Simta’s dirty secret. These teenage girls from the Great Houses can gift magic with a kiss, but they cannot use the magic themselves. Magic is prohibited in the in the city but those with status and money keep the girls hidden. Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer are this season’s Nightbirds who are supposed to give away their magic and then marry an heir of another Great House.
But then things start to change. Matilde is warned that a sect of the church is after the Nightbirds. These Zealots see these women as having stolen from the gods, (instead of their magic being a gift) and wish them dead. Forced to hide, the girls find out there are doze more women with magic powers and Matilde learns everything she knows to be false.
I loved this fantasy novel. Kate J. Armstrong has created a unique lore with vibrant, relatable characters. Taking the magical kiss to new levels, this isn’t some fairy tale but a tale of persecution and political intrigue. The Nightbirds become a symbol of feminism taking shots at the government and religion. Armstrong also understands how to tell a complete story while setting up a sequel. I was pleased with the book and can’t read more about the girls.
The three main characters are joined by a smattering of characters that perfectly add to the overall arc. While these secondary characters aren’t always complex, they have their own secrets. Readers will find themselves in at least one of the characters: the young debutant, the poor girl lifted up, those who have to hide their persona, and others who harbor secret love. A variety of skin tones and socioeconomic statuses are included and even the queer community is represented.
From the gorgeous cover to the relatable characters, Nightbirds is a beautifully written and exciting adventure.
The Nightbirds are Simta’s dirty secret. These teenage girls from the Great Houses can gift magic with a kiss, but they cannot use the magic themselves. Magic is prohibited in the in the city but those with status and money keep the girls hidden. Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer are this season’s Nightbirds who are supposed to give away their magic and then marry an heir of another Great House.
But then things start to change. Matilde is warned that a sect of the church is after the Nightbirds. These Zealots see these women as having stolen from the gods, (instead of their magic being a gift) and wish them dead. Forced to hide, the girls find out there are doze more women with magic powers and Matilde learns everything she knows to be false.
I loved this fantasy novel. Kate J. Armstrong has created a unique lore with vibrant, relatable characters. Taking the magical kiss to new levels, this isn’t some fairy tale but a tale of persecution and political intrigue. The Nightbirds become a symbol of feminism taking shots at the government and religion. Armstrong also understands how to tell a complete story while setting up a sequel. I was pleased with the book and can’t read more about the girls.
The three main characters are joined by a smattering of characters that perfectly add to the overall arc. While these secondary characters aren’t always complex, they have their own secrets. Readers will find themselves in at least one of the characters: the young debutant, the poor girl lifted up, those who have to hide their persona, and others who harbor secret love. A variety of skin tones and socioeconomic statuses are included and even the queer community is represented.
From the gorgeous cover to the relatable characters, Nightbirds is a beautifully written and exciting adventure.