Thank you to BookishFirst and author Natalie Mae for the chance to review the first four chapters of The Kinder Poison.
I have to admit, there were multiple areas in the first four chapters were I laughed out loud at things taking place within the book. This author manages to introduce two primary characters in significant detail and several secondary characters in less detail, in that short space, while advancing an interesting story. Two teenage best friends, Hen and Zahru, raised nearly as family in an impoverished river village, scheme their way into a royal succession tournament, for purposes of enjoying the show, when things go sideways for them. The narrative is from Zahru's point of view.
The book offers an interesting social and political landscape, and there is some description of how magic works and fits within the society and economy of the country. The author does described how the society discriminates against those without magic, including economic oppression and social alienation, near to that of a caste system. In the first four chapters, there was no gratuitous violence or sexual content, so it is likely appropriate for someone as young as a middle school student to read. I would not hesitate to share this with a child, grandchild, nephew, or niece, and it would be a good book for a young adult book club.
I love it and I will definitely be looking for this book when it is released!
I have to admit, there were multiple areas in the first four chapters were I laughed out loud at things taking place within the book. This author manages to introduce two primary characters in significant detail and several secondary characters in less detail, in that short space, while advancing an interesting story. Two teenage best friends, Hen and Zahru, raised nearly as family in an impoverished river village, scheme their way into a royal succession tournament, for purposes of enjoying the show, when things go sideways for them. The narrative is from Zahru's point of view.
The book offers an interesting social and political landscape, and there is some description of how magic works and fits within the society and economy of the country. The author does described how the society discriminates against those without magic, including economic oppression and social alienation, near to that of a caste system. In the first four chapters, there was no gratuitous violence or sexual content, so it is likely appropriate for someone as young as a middle school student to read. I would not hesitate to share this with a child, grandchild, nephew, or niece, and it would be a good book for a young adult book club.
I love it and I will definitely be looking for this book when it is released!