609 Pages | 2022Summary:
In the first book of a visionary fantasy trilogy with its roots in the mythology of Africa and Arabia that “sings of rebellion, love, and the courage it takes to stand up to tyranny” (Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree), three women band together against a cruel empire that divides people by blood.
“A game-changing new voice in epic fantasy . . . There are no Chosen Ones here, only bad choices and blood.”—Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, Autostraddle
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.
Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.
Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.
Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.
As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Review: The main character, Sylah, is an extremely flawed character from the start. This creates the possibility for a lot of unreliable story telling at first, which while done, is not done to the point where we are left extremely confused. It's a very fun literary technique to dabble in. I enjoy the aspects of worldbuilding we are given: How you're viewed in society is determined by your blood color, a tournament called an aktibar is done to help select "a disciple" of four different categories that will be extensively trained to become a "ruler/leader". The characters aren't inherently written to be likable (especially right off the bat) and the writer didn't shy away from expressing their flaws. Nor other character's flaws.
Regarding some of the relationship building, via my own opinion, I don't like the relationship between Sylah and Jond very much. A lot of this relationship is built before the story starts, and once they reunite there is a lot of secrecy on Jond's side that I don't quite enjoy for their level of intimacy (Though in their defense, this secrecy is very important to a major background organization within the story). The main character certainly understands more than me, so it's more of a personal opinion. I do adore the relationship between Sylah and Anoor. We get to experience the moment they meet, and there are points where there relationship is rough, but its not rushed and it feels natural. Both characters have their own reasons for sticking together and they inevitably grow closer the more time they spend together, even if things aren't always perfect. I'm proud of both of these characters because even in their fights, they truly help each other become better versions of one another. As a reader, we get to experience this first hand.
I can't say this book is for everyone, but if it peaks your interest, I would recommend giving it a try!
“A game-changing new voice in epic fantasy . . . There are no Chosen Ones here, only bad choices and blood.”—Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, Autostraddle
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.
Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.
Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.
Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.
As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn. (Courtesy of Amazon)
Review: The main character, Sylah, is an extremely flawed character from the start. This creates the possibility for a lot of unreliable story telling at first, which while done, is not done to the point where we are left extremely confused. It's a very fun literary technique to dabble in. I enjoy the aspects of worldbuilding we are given: How you're viewed in society is determined by your blood color, a tournament called an aktibar is done to help select "a disciple" of four different categories that will be extensively trained to become a "ruler/leader". The characters aren't inherently written to be likable (especially right off the bat) and the writer didn't shy away from expressing their flaws. Nor other character's flaws.
Regarding some of the relationship building, via my own opinion, I don't like the relationship between Sylah and Jond very much. A lot of this relationship is built before the story starts, and once they reunite there is a lot of secrecy on Jond's side that I don't quite enjoy for their level of intimacy (Though in their defense, this secrecy is very important to a major background organization within the story). The main character certainly understands more than me, so it's more of a personal opinion. I do adore the relationship between Sylah and Anoor. We get to experience the moment they meet, and there are points where there relationship is rough, but its not rushed and it feels natural. Both characters have their own reasons for sticking together and they inevitably grow closer the more time they spend together, even if things aren't always perfect. I'm proud of both of these characters because even in their fights, they truly help each other become better versions of one another. As a reader, we get to experience this first hand.
I can't say this book is for everyone, but if it peaks your interest, I would recommend giving it a try!
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