Author: Kiersten White
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult
Rating: 8.5/10
Lada and Radu are polar opposites. While Radu is beautiful and gentle, Lada is unattractive and ruthless. When their father sold them to be raised in the Ottoman courts, it is no surprise that Lada held on to her hatred for the empire, biding her time for her vengeance. Radu on the other hand, finds their new home not only safe but also comforting, especially after they met Mehmed, the unaware soon-to-be heir of the Ottoman Empire.
I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. That sounds terrible but let me explain. Lately I’ve found my love for YA novels declining, and when I first picked up this YA novel published years ago, my expectations were low. I was afraid of finding the same old cliches with dramatic writing, but I am so happy to be wrong.
First, we must acknowledge the fact that this book drew inspiration from very real historical events, which has its pros and cons.
Pros: The events in the book, especially those involving war and conquest, are incredibly detailed and realistic. It gave the book a fair degree of complexity and intricacy which I appreciated.
Cons: Since this book was marketed as a young adult novel, some of the content had to be adapted to suit the genre, and was thus unfortunately glazed over or dumbed down.
However, I felt that the author did an amazing job of introducing the setting, terminology and situation to us without info dumping. The setting of Eastern Europe and its history is not something you see very often explored in YA novels.
Moreover, one of my favourite things about this book is its characters. The author really defined her characters, showing us their flaws, desires and wants. Ultimately, she uses these details to draw parallels as well as show the changes and growth of the characters. Something I find quite interesting is how aware the characters are of their own thoughts and feelings.
Our main heroine, Lada, is like no other female character I’ve ever read. Many YA novels have badass female characters who are described as bloodthirsty, with a heart of gold, but are still definitely in touch with their feminine side. This is not the case for Lada though, who not only detests the fact that she is a woman but seems incapable of feeling remorse or empathy. She is psychotic and brutal in every sense of the word.
“'The daughter of Wallachia wants her knife back.’ Vlad smiled and gave it to her.”
With such engaging and unique characters, it is no surprise that their relationships are so convoluted and complicated.
It is also interesting how we followed our characters through childhood to adulthood (or rather, young adulthood). It makes the growth that much more apparent and our connection to them that much stronger.
“Some victories are merely defeat wearing the wrong clothing.”
This book also brought in many discussions on religion and belonging, specifically how important religion can be to having a sense of belonging. It is refreshing to read a more nuanced take on religion, especially that of Islam.
Furthermore, ambition is a large aspect in this book especially for our two main characters, Lada and Mehmed. I can’t wait to see how their ambition will affect their tenuous relationship.
“You are the only real thing in my life.”
Reviewed by: N.G. Rainwater (1st reading)
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