My Thoughts:
According to the acknowledgements, Joan He started writing this story when she was still in high school. In the six or so years that it has taken to get this published, I think Ms. He has developed a complex, multi-layered world of magic and mystery. This is a great foundation for more stories to come.
Set in an ancient Chinese like world, the twists and turns in the plot made this both frustrating and intriguing. Sina, or Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into the monarchy by the death of her father. Although Queen is not what she wants, and although her strengths become weaknesses (loyalty, a sense of justice, stubbornness), the reader is treated to a less than perfect heroine who continues to fight when others would give up or wallow in self pity.
I am looking forward to the continuation, although I hope it will not take another six years
From the Publisher:
Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own. Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she's thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father's killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death… because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.
Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who's also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?
In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.
No comments:
Post a Comment