Fascinating, fast-paced, and fun, Mae's debut is must read for fantasy fans!
Can I just start by saying how much I loved this book and its characters? The Kinder Poison was the type of book that sucked me in from the very first line and held my attention throughout the entire story.
The overall premise/plot of this story captivated me from the beginning, and it is definitely unlike any other book that I have read before. A girl chosen to be a human sacrifice in a deadly race between three heirs? Sign me up! I enjoyed the build-up to the Crossing, especially how Zahru got tied up in it in the first place, and that the book never seemed to slow, especially once the Crossing began.
The world of the novel was incredible, although I wish that it was a little more fleshed out in places. I enjoyed the desert atmosphere and how the general conditions of the desert (dangerous animals, heat, sandstorms, etc.) added to the suspense of the novel. I hope that the world is expanded upon even more in the next book and that we learn more about the other kingdoms around Orkena.
I really liked the magic aspect of the story and learning about all the different types of magic/powers that exist in this world. I loved that Zahru was a Whisperer (someone who can communicate with animals) and I enjoyed seeing her power in action and how she used it to her advantage. I only wish that we got to learn a little more about the different types of magic and see more of them in action as the story progressed. I was also very interested in the divide between those who had magic and those who did not and the differing dynamics that this played in Orkena as opposed to the other kingdoms surrounding it.
The characters were what really made this book for me. They were all so unique and dynamic that I could not help falling in love with them. I really enjoyed the insight that we got into a vast majority of the characters, including the side characters, and how it felt as though we truly knew these characters by the novel’s end. I liked that every character was more than they appeared to be (either in a good or bad way) and the many different layers that each character had, which Zahru uncovered throughout the book.
I absolutely loved Zahru! She is so incredibly kind, brave, selfless, adventurous, and funny that I could not help falling in love with her from the first page (she also loves chocolate, which is a plus in my book!). I loved how she always tries to find the good in people and to be as kind to everyone, human and animal alike, as much as possible, even if, from the outside, they do not seem to deserve her kindness. I also loved how she always (often hilariously) speaks her mind, which makes her a really strong character overall and adds a strong degree of humor as well as truth to the story. I enjoyed how she grew as a person throughout this entire story and learned that just because her ability to be a Whisperer is looked down upon and seen as a “lower” talent/ability, she can still be strong and find true power in the kindness that she shows to others.
I really liked the relationships that Zahru formed throughout the story with the heirs, their Firsts, and their Healers and the different dynamic that she had with each character. I adored her relationship with Hen and all the antics that they got up to as well as her relationship with her father. I only wish that we saw more of these relationships, especially since Zahru spends the entire book trying to get back to her family, who is only present in the first couple of chapters. I also loved her relationship with Jet (and his whole team for that matter) and the sort of banter that occurred between them as well as her relationship with Maia, which I wish we saw more of.
In terms of the three heirs – Kasta (the mysterious and calculating first-born heir, who was expected to rule until his father and the Gods invoked a race for the crown that has not been run in six hundred years and will now do anything to prove his father (and the Gods) wrong), Jet (the charming and funny younger brother who does not want to rule), and Sakira (the underlooked youngest heir, whose partying and troublemaking cover up her more manipulative and clever side that is determined to win and prove her worth) – Jet was definitely my favorite, although each heir was very dynamic and captivating in their own way. I loved the relationship that he had with Melia and Marcus as well as with Sakira and of course his relationship with Zahru. Like Zahru, I really liked the humor that he brought to the story as well as his character growth.
I loved all the twists and turns that this novel brought and how throughout the book, you never knew which heir was going to win or if Zahru would survive. I also liked how the characters often acted in surprising ways that were sometimes unexpected, but totally fell in line with their overall character. Between the fast pace of the novel and these surprises, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and excited to see what would come next.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it to any fantasy lover. I cannot wait for the sequel!
The overall premise/plot of this story captivated me from the beginning, and it is definitely unlike any other book that I have read before. A girl chosen to be a human sacrifice in a deadly race between three heirs? Sign me up! I enjoyed the build-up to the Crossing, especially how Zahru got tied up in it in the first place, and that the book never seemed to slow, especially once the Crossing began.
The world of the novel was incredible, although I wish that it was a little more fleshed out in places. I enjoyed the desert atmosphere and how the general conditions of the desert (dangerous animals, heat, sandstorms, etc.) added to the suspense of the novel. I hope that the world is expanded upon even more in the next book and that we learn more about the other kingdoms around Orkena.
I really liked the magic aspect of the story and learning about all the different types of magic/powers that exist in this world. I loved that Zahru was a Whisperer (someone who can communicate with animals) and I enjoyed seeing her power in action and how she used it to her advantage. I only wish that we got to learn a little more about the different types of magic and see more of them in action as the story progressed. I was also very interested in the divide between those who had magic and those who did not and the differing dynamics that this played in Orkena as opposed to the other kingdoms surrounding it.
The characters were what really made this book for me. They were all so unique and dynamic that I could not help falling in love with them. I really enjoyed the insight that we got into a vast majority of the characters, including the side characters, and how it felt as though we truly knew these characters by the novel’s end. I liked that every character was more than they appeared to be (either in a good or bad way) and the many different layers that each character had, which Zahru uncovered throughout the book.
I absolutely loved Zahru! She is so incredibly kind, brave, selfless, adventurous, and funny that I could not help falling in love with her from the first page (she also loves chocolate, which is a plus in my book!). I loved how she always tries to find the good in people and to be as kind to everyone, human and animal alike, as much as possible, even if, from the outside, they do not seem to deserve her kindness. I also loved how she always (often hilariously) speaks her mind, which makes her a really strong character overall and adds a strong degree of humor as well as truth to the story. I enjoyed how she grew as a person throughout this entire story and learned that just because her ability to be a Whisperer is looked down upon and seen as a “lower” talent/ability, she can still be strong and find true power in the kindness that she shows to others.
I really liked the relationships that Zahru formed throughout the story with the heirs, their Firsts, and their Healers and the different dynamic that she had with each character. I adored her relationship with Hen and all the antics that they got up to as well as her relationship with her father. I only wish that we saw more of these relationships, especially since Zahru spends the entire book trying to get back to her family, who is only present in the first couple of chapters. I also loved her relationship with Jet (and his whole team for that matter) and the sort of banter that occurred between them as well as her relationship with Maia, which I wish we saw more of.
In terms of the three heirs – Kasta (the mysterious and calculating first-born heir, who was expected to rule until his father and the Gods invoked a race for the crown that has not been run in six hundred years and will now do anything to prove his father (and the Gods) wrong), Jet (the charming and funny younger brother who does not want to rule), and Sakira (the underlooked youngest heir, whose partying and troublemaking cover up her more manipulative and clever side that is determined to win and prove her worth) – Jet was definitely my favorite, although each heir was very dynamic and captivating in their own way. I loved the relationship that he had with Melia and Marcus as well as with Sakira and of course his relationship with Zahru. Like Zahru, I really liked the humor that he brought to the story as well as his character growth.
I loved all the twists and turns that this novel brought and how throughout the book, you never knew which heir was going to win or if Zahru would survive. I also liked how the characters often acted in surprising ways that were sometimes unexpected, but totally fell in line with their overall character. Between the fast pace of the novel and these surprises, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and excited to see what would come next.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it to any fantasy lover. I cannot wait for the sequel!