"Despite the danger, my protest had burst from my lips, from my heart. Because words empowered by justice can never be silenced."
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. From the minute I read the description for this novel, I was obsessed. Bolivian politics, magic, a decoy Condesa - all right up my alley.
Ximena is Condesa Catalina's decoy and her loyalty and love for her people made me love her from page 1. The characters in this novel are incredibly well written and developed throughout. Getting to find out everyone's motivations behind their actions really takes the reader to a whole new level whilst trying to decide whose side you are on.
Ximena's journey through the novel is inspired, overwhelming and definitely shows a moral struggle in a way that the reader is left struggling too, rather than assuming straight away who is the good and who is the evil. I must admit that for a little while there, I wasn't sure who to root for, who I loved more, or who I wanted to come out victorious.
Isabel's writing is delicate and her sentences string together so well that it the whole novel feels very whimsical, magical in its own right. I adored the use of Spanish enveloped in the narrative and in the character's dialogue, it made it all the more real for me. It was also incredible to find out about all these delicious foods and it definitely made me want to try all of them.
The only reason this rating isn't a full five stars is because the ending left me a little bit empty; I was wishing for something more, something bigger, and despite the appropriate completely lovable ending, I still selfishly wanted a bit more.
I feel there is so much potential is this world and in this story - exploring all the populations of this world, getting to know everyone's different magic abilities - I hope at some point we are delighted with a sequel, but for now I will just keep my imagination running.
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. From the minute I read the description for this novel, I was obsessed. Bolivian politics, magic, a decoy Condesa - all right up my alley.
Ximena is Condesa Catalina's decoy and her loyalty and love for her people made me love her from page 1. The characters in this novel are incredibly well written and developed throughout. Getting to find out everyone's motivations behind their actions really takes the reader to a whole new level whilst trying to decide whose side you are on.
Ximena's journey through the novel is inspired, overwhelming and definitely shows a moral struggle in a way that the reader is left struggling too, rather than assuming straight away who is the good and who is the evil. I must admit that for a little while there, I wasn't sure who to root for, who I loved more, or who I wanted to come out victorious.
Isabel's writing is delicate and her sentences string together so well that it the whole novel feels very whimsical, magical in its own right. I adored the use of Spanish enveloped in the narrative and in the character's dialogue, it made it all the more real for me. It was also incredible to find out about all these delicious foods and it definitely made me want to try all of them.
The only reason this rating isn't a full five stars is because the ending left me a little bit empty; I was wishing for something more, something bigger, and despite the appropriate completely lovable ending, I still selfishly wanted a bit more.
I feel there is so much potential is this world and in this story - exploring all the populations of this world, getting to know everyone's different magic abilities - I hope at some point we are delighted with a sequel, but for now I will just keep my imagination running.