Sunya Mara

➼ "The Darkening" follows 17 year old Vesper. She is the daughter of two people who fought in a revolution against the current regime (a monarchy led by a "Regia"). Her world is plagued by what they call "The Storm" - a massive thunderstorm of dark clouds that surrounds them. The Storm is slowly growing and taking parts of the world into it. She lives in the 5th ring (the ring closest to the edge of The Storm, since the loss of the 6th ring - also the poorest ring with the most sick show more people) with her father as he hides from the Regia. Her mother was captured during the revolution and chose to walk into The Storm instead of be killed. She never came out.


Things I liked:
‣ I LOVED this world that we are dropped into. The vibes felt like reading a 2012-era book (THG, Divergent, The Maze Runner). The magic system seems to take from alchemy - they call it "ikonomancy" where they draw a series of lines/circles (ikons) that each mean different things, and can make different things happen when complete.
‣ I loved Vesper's constant need to be better, no matter how many times it backfires for her. I also loved seeing her come into her own as the story progressed. (however, am I toxic for wishing she would go full villain mode?)
‣ I loved Casvian when he became his own character and not just the asshole in the background.


Things I didn’t like:
‣ The pacing in this book was BRUTAL. It took me so long to read and I think it's just because sometimes the book would hit a wall and just be downright boring. The pacing was like a bad rollercoaster - a handful of chapters that were really exciting and fun, and then too many chapters where not a lot would happen at all.
‣ Not necessarily a dislike, but I wish that the quieter chapters would have given us more bonding/friendship scenes with Vesper/Izamal/Dalca/Casvian. I feel like there was SO much potential there for a really fun "found family" dynamic and I'm so sad that we didn't get as much as I hoped. My favorite scenes were absolutely when everyone was interacting with each other (especially the bickering between Izamal and Casvian).
‣ Dalca's constant flipflopping between how he treats Vesper, and ultimately, the ending. SLIGHT SPOILER- but I was hoping that the hatred they were feeling at the end was going to give us an "enemies to lovers" story in the next book, but I guess not. :( I think that would have made for a super interesting story, especially since you can kind of guess that they will have to rule together as two Regia. show less

In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s show more soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm. show less

A teen orphan who's an accomplished jeweler, but must lay low in order to keep from being noticed and dragged back to the palace. Her skills are what keeps the gem seller she works for afloat. Enter the Serpent King, a frightening ruler from a secretive kingdom. When she falls for one of his mysterious guards, little does she know it's the beginning of an amazing and frightening journey, for not only is Rane not who he seems, there are many other secrets and twists leading to a wild battle show more that involves a ton of monsters, as well as magical creatures and a happy ending that just manages to squeak through. show less

This dystopian story gripped me from the beginning. Survival vs Suffering
A level of magic (ikonomancy) and gods that fits seamlessly into a story of social justice.
Towards the end of the book it does seem like the author was trying to squeeze in last thoughts, but the story itself is creative, detailed, nuanced, and just interesting in the best possible way.

Ebook provided by NetGalley