Shelved by 2 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished January 15, 2022
I have had this novel on my tbr for quite some time, but I recently re read the summary and realized I really did need to read it right now. I am absolutely in love with it. This novel opens up a whole other world that I wish could have existed at one point, and the power of that world is only increased when you read the authors afterword and see just how much thought and research she put into developing this novel. It is absolutely amazing, beautifully written, and thought provoking. In this novel you will find political intrigue and the fight for women's rights all running as an undercurrent behind a story of magicians. Not real magical magicians, but those who stun the world with amazing tricks that we never truly want to know the secrets behind. Somehow, that just makes the novel so much better. There are witch hunts, the usual cow towing by the church, and a protagonist who seeks to fight both and make a change. I love to see a heroine succeed, even when the change has to come slowly. Ash makes huge strides by the end, though and it helps that she's a badass as well, her name "the Unflinching Ash" so poignant to the central story. As the author points out in her afterward, "the Unflinching Ash" has existed in the shadow of men for a long time, and I am so happy to see her win out in the end. Did I mention there's a romance that absolutely warmed me to the core and made me feel soft all over for both characters? Its soft, and sweet, and a little bit of a slow burn, but just absolutely perfect. It doesn't take over the story, and adds such a soft undercurrent that even manages to make the female lead so much more the star of the novel. It's such a wonderful addition to the novel that I want to wrap myself in the blanket that is Ren and never let go.