Author: Mary E. Pearson
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult
Rating: 8.5/10
Lia flees her kingdom on the day of her wedding because she can’t face the future planned out for her — she won’t be shackled to a man she has never met, just for the sake of a political alliance. But as she settles into her new life as a commoner, she’s unaware that two young men had tracked her down to the distant village; one of them, the jilted prince, and the other, an assassin sent to kill her.
This series is the book version of comfort food to me. Though I can acknowledge that it is not the best series out there, and that it certainly has its flaws, I can’t help but love The Remnant Chronicles with all my heart. I picked up this series now, to help me fall in love with reading again, as I’ve unfortunately been stuck in a reading slump due to a hectic first half of the year and the pandemic.
Now, the main reason I adore this author is because I absolutely love her writing style. I love the way she describes settings, because there's just something mystical and alluring about it. In the first book, we are introduced to quite a few different places, cultures and people, and it feels like we are experiencing everything right alongside our characters. There are also excerpts of historical texts set in this world, at every chapter break. I found these equally intriguing yet confusing, as they didn't make much sense till later on; thus I was only able to appreciate them nearing the end of the book.
I also want to add that I was awestruck by the world building. This is a fantasy series, but goes more along the lines of whimsical and ethereal rather than magical. The magical elements are subtle, while various myths and beliefs play a more prominent role. Every culture,tradition and language that was introduced was well thought out and well-illustrated, making them fascinating and intricate.
There were quite a few phrases, mostly dialogues, that I found deep and profound. I did notice that some dialogues between the characters didn't seem to flow in the way that we normally converse, but I thought this style of writing helped to establish that the story was set in a different timeline, and that the characters speak their native language, not English.
“Some things last.” I faced him. “Really? And just what would that be?” "The things that matter.”
The book is written from 5 different points of view (Lia, Kaden, Rafe, The Assassin, The Prince), but these represent only 3 different people. I thought it was very interesting that the author left little breadcrumbs for us to guess which of the 2 men – Kaden or Rafe – was the prince and which was the assassin. I was completely off with my guess, but N.G. Rainwater managed to get it right on her first read! I thought this play with the POVs was very creative, and during my first read, I had to set the book down and stare at the wall for a while, because the revelation threw me off.
Generally, the plot was interesting, and there were quite a few twists, but it was definitely not the most complex or captivating one. There were some compelling scenes that kept me reading and some that drew out intense emotions. However, I think some may find the pace of the book (especially the first half) a little slow. Personally, I enjoy descriptive writing, so I was only slightly bothered by how tedious the set up of the story was, and I understand that setting up the world is necessary for the first book.
Moreover, I love our characters. I thought the author did a great job of developing their personalities, and I found all of them to be really lovable. There were quite a few platonic relationships which I thought were developed organically, and were frankly adorable. The only thing which seemed a little far-fetched was how a seasoned assassin hesitated so much when faced with a 17 year old girl as his victim. I thought the changing POVs helped us understand the assassin’s motives better though, so I was able to overlook this and enjoy the story as a whole.
Lastly, I also absolutely love the romance aspect of this book. It was woven into the plot very naturally, and I really enjoyed watching all the interactions between our characters.
“Maybe there was no one way to define it. Maybe there were as many shades of love as the blues of the sky.”
Overall, I thought this book established the setting, characters and stakes very well, and does so through a very lively narration. It definitely leaves me reaching for the next book. I certainly think that any fantasy lover out there should not miss out on this series!
Reviewed by: S.R. Scribbles (3rd reading)
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