a story of revolution and love woven in moonlight!
There are two things I loved about this book- the magic system and the the masked vigilante/s. There's just something about moonlight magic that is always more magical than the rest. I guess because the night gives everything a more mysterious aura than things done at daylight where mostly everything is visible to the naked eye. The masked vigilantes traipsing around the city gave me The Mask of Zorro vibe a lot. Google it if you don't know what I'm saying and go watch the movie. I promise you are going to swoon. You are very much welcome. I admit I couldn't help making a lot of comparison to the movie. What didn't click for me, however, is the romance which was a bummer. I liked the characters each as their own person but their romance didn't do much for me.
Let's talk about the characters.
I liked Ximena in the first half of the book better than in the latter half. Which is sort of weird because I feel like she was thinking more in the last half of the book compared to the first half. She did not have good planning and sleuthing skills, that for sure was consistent. I guess the romance affected my opinion of her when it was slowly added to the plot. I did not feel the chemistry between the two especially when the "twist" to the romance was revealed. I guessed it waaaay before it was revealed.
I really liked the bumbling, nerdy vibe that is Rumi. Well, except when he's being an idiot over Ximena that is. He is adorable in his geekiness and he reminds me a lot of Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was just the right mix of kind, a little snobby at times, smartpants and definitely not a knight in shining armor but does save the damsel when she is in distress. Sometimes.
Of all the side characters mentioned, it was Princess Tamaya that I liked most. She had a strong personality that went beyond the pages. She was the right amount of arrogance, confidence, and compassionate.
If there is anything I'd change...
Refine the romance subplot? And more of Princess Tamaya. I feel like she should have her own book. She was a character that had a great impression for the few pages that she appeared. I would totally buy a book with her as MC.
I recommend this book...
Fans of The Mask of Zorro and The Scarlet Pimpernel might go for a walk down the memory lane with this one. And fans looking for a book featuring an MC with a magical prowess that includes moonlight and something MORE! I don't how to say it without being spoilery but I really, really love Ximena's magic. I will be reading the 2nd book because of it even if I am not keen on the romance. Others, for sure, would LOVE the romance in this one.
Something else I think you should know...
I think you should give this book a try. I have no idea how it depicts Bolivian culture other than the occasional Spanish words (which I sort of just read and pretended to understand), but I am looking forward to where the author would bring Ximena. In this first book, the sparks of an internal struggle was ignited making her go against what she had been living for most of her life.
Let's talk about the characters.
I liked Ximena in the first half of the book better than in the latter half. Which is sort of weird because I feel like she was thinking more in the last half of the book compared to the first half. She did not have good planning and sleuthing skills, that for sure was consistent. I guess the romance affected my opinion of her when it was slowly added to the plot. I did not feel the chemistry between the two especially when the "twist" to the romance was revealed. I guessed it waaaay before it was revealed.
I really liked the bumbling, nerdy vibe that is Rumi. Well, except when he's being an idiot over Ximena that is. He is adorable in his geekiness and he reminds me a lot of Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was just the right mix of kind, a little snobby at times, smartpants and definitely not a knight in shining armor but does save the damsel when she is in distress. Sometimes.
Of all the side characters mentioned, it was Princess Tamaya that I liked most. She had a strong personality that went beyond the pages. She was the right amount of arrogance, confidence, and compassionate.
If there is anything I'd change...
Refine the romance subplot? And more of Princess Tamaya. I feel like she should have her own book. She was a character that had a great impression for the few pages that she appeared. I would totally buy a book with her as MC.
I recommend this book...
Fans of The Mask of Zorro and The Scarlet Pimpernel might go for a walk down the memory lane with this one. And fans looking for a book featuring an MC with a magical prowess that includes moonlight and something MORE! I don't how to say it without being spoilery but I really, really love Ximena's magic. I will be reading the 2nd book because of it even if I am not keen on the romance. Others, for sure, would LOVE the romance in this one.
Something else I think you should know...
I think you should give this book a try. I have no idea how it depicts Bolivian culture other than the occasional Spanish words (which I sort of just read and pretended to understand), but I am looking forward to where the author would bring Ximena. In this first book, the sparks of an internal struggle was ignited making her go against what she had been living for most of her life.