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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
A Light in the Sky is a warm, action-packed story that combines fantasy and magic with technology and dystopia, plus what really drew me to the book — flying horses! And that gorgeous cover.
There’s a lot I liked about this book: a brave heroine, Aluma, who makes real mistakes, a great supporting cast of friends, a strong father-daughter relationship, and a wonderful portrayal of the bond between humans and animals. The scenes with the horses really came alive.
I struggled a bit with the world-building, and understanding exactly what was happening in the wars between different countries, and what the general population actually knew and believed. The evil prince never clicked for me — he seemed a bit silly, as did a lot of the people and place names in the story. Aluma’s voice is fairly generic, which made it hard for me to get into the book at first.
There were aspects of the world that were very intriguing, though: I’m curious to know more about the relics and how the horses’ wings work, and what lies beyond the sea.
Overall I recommend this one to teen fantasy fans or anyone into younger fantasy novels, especially readers who love horses.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review.
There’s a lot I liked about this book: a brave heroine, Aluma, who makes real mistakes, a great supporting cast of friends, a strong father-daughter relationship, and a wonderful portrayal of the bond between humans and animals. The scenes with the horses really came alive.
I struggled a bit with the world-building, and understanding exactly what was happening in the wars between different countries, and what the general population actually knew and believed. The evil prince never clicked for me — he seemed a bit silly, as did a lot of the people and place names in the story. Aluma’s voice is fairly generic, which made it hard for me to get into the book at first.
There were aspects of the world that were very intriguing, though: I’m curious to know more about the relics and how the horses’ wings work, and what lies beyond the sea.
Overall I recommend this one to teen fantasy fans or anyone into younger fantasy novels, especially readers who love horses.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wink Road Press for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Flying horses? Yes, please! Everything else? Meh.
A Light in the Sky has a great premise, with the main character Aluma having to venture out on her own and find her power. While I loved the story the author was trying to tell, it was hard for my to stay tuned in. I know a popular trope for YA novels is the love triangle, but I found this one to be cringey at times. It didn't feel earned given how much time each of the characters knew each other.
Some of the dialogue (mainly of the antagonist) was so stereotypical I was waiting for him to do the evil 'mwhaha" laugh. I kept being told how bad of a guy he was, but I didn't feel like it was shown enough to make me feel his true evil.
If you like the YA device of normal girl finds love triangle with old friend and new love interest, a gorgeous high cheek boned girl as the friend and flying horses (which were honestly the best part) then give this book a try.
Flying horses? Yes, please! Everything else? Meh.
A Light in the Sky has a great premise, with the main character Aluma having to venture out on her own and find her power. While I loved the story the author was trying to tell, it was hard for my to stay tuned in. I know a popular trope for YA novels is the love triangle, but I found this one to be cringey at times. It didn't feel earned given how much time each of the characters knew each other.
Some of the dialogue (mainly of the antagonist) was so stereotypical I was waiting for him to do the evil 'mwhaha" laugh. I kept being told how bad of a guy he was, but I didn't feel like it was shown enough to make me feel his true evil.
If you like the YA device of normal girl finds love triangle with old friend and new love interest, a gorgeous high cheek boned girl as the friend and flying horses (which were honestly the best part) then give this book a try.
This book radically changes halfway through.
It's well written and interesting, there's plot buildup as well, but I can't shelf it with my top books unfortunately.
It's political as well.
With Aluma trying to be an Empyrean rider, and the situation her family is facing and whatnot.
She eventually gets recruited into the military, but there's a riddle which she is told by a family friend, which she is trying to solve (the old shall be made anew)
Then her father, right after he passes out tells her to become a rider, which involves recruitment into the military, and he tells her that she is the only light.
She then takes off with her father's steed in search of a relic.
It's not only about her, she has a friend (Wolkenna) who becomes her roommate and she shares a surname with the Commander.
However, that's what we are suspicious about, but her story turns out to be more complicated than that surface level.
The last 100 pages of the book are thrilling and will have your pulse racing. You might even like me begin questioning your sanity since you will begin feeling (perhaps) unwanted emotions when it comes to where the story will be heading. It seems to be much more dangerous than the stealth in MMORPG games like Blade & Soul.
You will either feel nausea, dread or excitement. Perhaps a bit of everything.
It's well written and interesting, there's plot buildup as well, but I can't shelf it with my top books unfortunately.
It's political as well.
With Aluma trying to be an Empyrean rider, and the situation her family is facing and whatnot.
She eventually gets recruited into the military, but there's a riddle which she is told by a family friend, which she is trying to solve (the old shall be made anew)
Then her father, right after he passes out tells her to become a rider, which involves recruitment into the military, and he tells her that she is the only light.
She then takes off with her father's steed in search of a relic.
It's not only about her, she has a friend (Wolkenna) who becomes her roommate and she shares a surname with the Commander.
However, that's what we are suspicious about, but her story turns out to be more complicated than that surface level.
The last 100 pages of the book are thrilling and will have your pulse racing. You might even like me begin questioning your sanity since you will begin feeling (perhaps) unwanted emotions when it comes to where the story will be heading. It seems to be much more dangerous than the stealth in MMORPG games like Blade & Soul.
You will either feel nausea, dread or excitement. Perhaps a bit of everything.
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
This book has brought me some nostalgia that I still can't figure out why or from where, but from the very first few pages when I started reading it, I felt that nostalgia filtering through my being.
A light in the sky is a great 1st book in the series with a lot of promise for what's coming next. It has an amazing world-building, amazing storyline, there are plot twists and lots of emotional and a few steamy moments. The character development can't say it has been very touchable from my point of view - especially when comes to Aluma I feel she still has a lot to grow and learn and develop so I hope that will happen during the next books in the series because I felt her lacking a little bit.
We have the beloved trope of friends to lovers (sort of) and also enemies to lovers but also a triangle love, which in most books I'm not very fond of them and sadly I also wasn't fond of it in this book neither. I felt the love triangle to be a little bit too forced and made some moments in the book feel confusing, but with it, we also got a steamy moment (not smut) so I guess it's a winning one lose another type of situation. Also, I really, really loved the scenes with the steeds they were amazing, it legit made me feel like I'm flying and whatever the characters were going through felt like I'm going through.
The book had a nice pace, it wasn't too slow, it wasn't too fast, and took you on the right pace when came to the events happening which made the book an easy and fast read. I am definitely excited for the next one in the series and I'll definitely want to follow the story because it got a lot of potential and I'm very curious about what's gonna happen next.
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This book has brought me some nostalgia that I still can't figure out why or from where, but from the very first few pages when I started reading it, I felt that nostalgia filtering through my being.
A light in the sky is a great 1st book in the series with a lot of promise for what's coming next. It has an amazing world-building, amazing storyline, there are plot twists and lots of emotional and a few steamy moments. The character development can't say it has been very touchable from my point of view - especially when comes to Aluma I feel she still has a lot to grow and learn and develop so I hope that will happen during the next books in the series because I felt her lacking a little bit.
We have the beloved trope of friends to lovers (sort of) and also enemies to lovers but also a triangle love, which in most books I'm not very fond of them and sadly I also wasn't fond of it in this book neither. I felt the love triangle to be a little bit too forced and made some moments in the book feel confusing, but with it, we also got a steamy moment (not smut) so I guess it's a winning one lose another type of situation. Also, I really, really loved the scenes with the steeds they were amazing, it legit made me feel like I'm flying and whatever the characters were going through felt like I'm going through.
The book had a nice pace, it wasn't too slow, it wasn't too fast, and took you on the right pace when came to the events happening which made the book an easy and fast read. I am definitely excited for the next one in the series and I'll definitely want to follow the story because it got a lot of potential and I'm very curious about what's gonna happen next.
Follow me on my social media for more than just reviews:
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Blog
4.5/5 Stars
I always say that the best books will make you happy, sad & angry all within the span of a few pages. This book was no exception. I found myself shouting at the screen of my tablet because I became so invested in these characters. I need book two STAT.
From the moment I picked this book up, I did not want to put it back down. You are thrown into this fascinating world filled with mythical creatures, secrets, budding romance(s), and magical artifacts that can change the tide of war.
Let me start by saying, I was never a horse girl growing up. There is so much more to this world than flying horses – I promise. I absolutely adored the world that Shina has crafted in A Light In The Sky. We are introduced to three kingdoms – the conquered (Ivernister), the unconquerable (Laithlann), and the conqueror (Ulamond). In Ulamond & Ivernister – the king’s elite cavalry fight from the back of winged horses. Food is scarce among the common folk, and the rich ride along in solar-powered relics from a time long ago. I thoroughly enjoyed unraveling this cross of concepts, and I cannot wait for it to be further expanded upon in the next book.
The pacing in this book was perfect. We spend enough time in each plot point to gather all of the pertinent information, and move on without feeling rushed. Reynolds did not do anything in halves, that’s for sure. Each new place, character, and creature was described so perfectly – it was almost as if I was there. The action scenes were pretty solid as well, minus a few discrepancies with the horse-flying physics.
One of my favorite tropes is found family; therefore, I have a soft spot for Aluma and her rag-tag group of friends (and horses – I don’t think I’ve ever been more attached to horses in my life). That being said, I wished we had a bit more time with some of the more background members of the group, such as Xander and Cloverman. I feel like we did not see their friendship with Aluma fully blossom.
I was a bit confused by the introduction of a second love interest. It seems like he was there as a plot device to push Aluma and the first love interest together. The second fell for Aluma hard, whereas her feelings to him were more akin to lust. I cannot say much further about my theories behind this, because that would include spoilers…but I am interested to see how this will play out.
I still do not know how to feel about Aluma herself. On one hand, I can relate to being young and being thrust into something new that I do not know how to handle. On the other hand, I feel like she does not think about the consequences of her actions, and rushes into things (hence the aforementioned shouting at the tablet). We did see some character growth from the beginning of the book, but my hope is that we more growth in future installments of the Clashing Skies series.
Overall, this was an amazing introduction into the Clashing Skies series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!!!
Thank you so much to Shina Reynolds & Book of Matches Media for providing me with an eARC of this book!
I always say that the best books will make you happy, sad & angry all within the span of a few pages. This book was no exception. I found myself shouting at the screen of my tablet because I became so invested in these characters. I need book two STAT.
From the moment I picked this book up, I did not want to put it back down. You are thrown into this fascinating world filled with mythical creatures, secrets, budding romance(s), and magical artifacts that can change the tide of war.
Let me start by saying, I was never a horse girl growing up. There is so much more to this world than flying horses – I promise. I absolutely adored the world that Shina has crafted in A Light In The Sky. We are introduced to three kingdoms – the conquered (Ivernister), the unconquerable (Laithlann), and the conqueror (Ulamond). In Ulamond & Ivernister – the king’s elite cavalry fight from the back of winged horses. Food is scarce among the common folk, and the rich ride along in solar-powered relics from a time long ago. I thoroughly enjoyed unraveling this cross of concepts, and I cannot wait for it to be further expanded upon in the next book.
The pacing in this book was perfect. We spend enough time in each plot point to gather all of the pertinent information, and move on without feeling rushed. Reynolds did not do anything in halves, that’s for sure. Each new place, character, and creature was described so perfectly – it was almost as if I was there. The action scenes were pretty solid as well, minus a few discrepancies with the horse-flying physics.
One of my favorite tropes is found family; therefore, I have a soft spot for Aluma and her rag-tag group of friends (and horses – I don’t think I’ve ever been more attached to horses in my life). That being said, I wished we had a bit more time with some of the more background members of the group, such as Xander and Cloverman. I feel like we did not see their friendship with Aluma fully blossom.
I was a bit confused by the introduction of a second love interest. It seems like he was there as a plot device to push Aluma and the first love interest together. The second fell for Aluma hard, whereas her feelings to him were more akin to lust. I cannot say much further about my theories behind this, because that would include spoilers…but I am interested to see how this will play out.
I still do not know how to feel about Aluma herself. On one hand, I can relate to being young and being thrust into something new that I do not know how to handle. On the other hand, I feel like she does not think about the consequences of her actions, and rushes into things (hence the aforementioned shouting at the tablet). We did see some character growth from the beginning of the book, but my hope is that we more growth in future installments of the Clashing Skies series.
Overall, this was an amazing introduction into the Clashing Skies series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!!!
Thank you so much to Shina Reynolds & Book of Matches Media for providing me with an eARC of this book!
This story follows Aluma who has always dreamed of following her father’s footsteps and becoming an Empyrean rider. However, her father has forbidden her because it isn’t safe, and so she has to watch while others, including her best friend Thayer, compete to become an Empyrean rider. Tragedy strikes during the competition and her father is put into a coma, which in turn causes Aluma to be thrust into the competition to become an Empyrean rider. While training, Aluma is trying to understand what happened to her father and what it may do with a little black box and a message that she was given for her father. She begins to learn about secrets the current king has about the neighboring enemy kingdom Laithlann, and learns something about herself that may change everything.
Now, this book is very well written. I wanted to give it 4 stars or more, but I have my reasons and I will explain those later. For now, what I really enjoyed about this book are the horses! I love horses, and it’s so rare to read a book with Pegasi, or a version of a Pegasus. These horses start out wingless, and can earn there wings when trained to become Empyrean steeds and if they qualify. I found that really interesting, especially the way the earn their wings. And plus, horses!
Now, this book is very well written. I wanted to give it 4 stars or more, but I have my reasons and I will explain those later. For now, what I really enjoyed about this book are the horses! I love horses, and it’s so rare to read a book with Pegasi, or a version of a Pegasus. These horses start out wingless, and can earn there wings when trained to become Empyrean steeds and if they qualify. I found that really interesting, especially the way the earn their wings. And plus, horses!
This book was very exciting. It’s a bit of a dystopian world. The people have been in a war that never seems to end and no one really knows why it’s still going on. The Empyrean Cavalry are the military are elite riders on horses gifted with wings. They begin life as wingless horses but once horse and rider win the yearly competition they are granted Empyrean Rider status. This grants the horse the gift of wings and the rider a chance at glory. Only 12 riders are chosen each year. Aluma Banks' father is a retired military hero. He refuses to allow his daughter to join the ranks to save her from war. Through a series of events, she is rushed into the arena to compete.
There are a few tropes I feel I should warn you about. Not that they ruin the story only they may be reading peeves for some people.
1. The dreaded love triangle. I hate when both guys are great and even I can't choose.
2. Everyone knows the big info except for the MC and no one will filler her in. Love triangle I can deal with I'm not a fan of everyone being aware of the big picture and leaving the MC out. The MC then just bumble around making mistakes until they figure out what's going on.. and poor Aluma sure makes some naive choices with big consequences.
Overall this story was very action-packed and I was fully invested in the MC and supporting roles.
Two things I want to get off my chest so Spoiler below...
First I had such a hard time with the names of both places and people. Poor Wolkenna, Somehow I started calling her Wauconda in my head and I couldn't make myself stop. Finally, I just gave up and stuck with it.
Second, So Alumn gives the light to the king to keep safe. Her traitorous brother is in the building a few hours at most and is able to find it, steal it, and run away on a flying horse without anyone noticing.
There are a few tropes I feel I should warn you about. Not that they ruin the story only they may be reading peeves for some people.
1. The dreaded love triangle. I hate when both guys are great and even I can't choose.
2. Everyone knows the big info except for the MC and no one will filler her in. Love triangle I can deal with I'm not a fan of everyone being aware of the big picture and leaving the MC out. The MC then just bumble around making mistakes until they figure out what's going on.. and poor Aluma sure makes some naive choices with big consequences.
Overall this story was very action-packed and I was fully invested in the MC and supporting roles.
Two things I want to get off my chest so Spoiler below...
Spoiler
Things I wanted to mention that don't necessarily take away from the book as a whole.First I had such a hard time with the names of both places and people. Poor Wolkenna, Somehow I started calling her Wauconda in my head and I couldn't make myself stop. Finally, I just gave up and stuck with it.
Second, So Alumn gives the light to the king to keep safe. Her traitorous brother is in the building a few hours at most and is able to find it, steal it, and run away on a flying horse without anyone noticing.
As a self-proclaimed horse girl, I often struggle with inaccurate horse books. Thankfully, this wasn't one of them! When done well, I absolutely love reading about girls who love horses as much as me, and this one does not disappoint. Aluma is a wonderful heroine - impulsive at times, and a little naive - but strong willed, brave, and caring. Her group of found friends have a great dynamic, and I loved seeing them all come together over the course of the novel.
I thought the pacing of this one was good - it doesn't start out too slow, and we have almost constant movement and plot progression. For the most part, it doesn't feel forced either. There isn't a huge info dump despite the world building necessary to this story, and everything was pretty easy to follow. For the most part, I loved the relationships we see build throughout the book - I could do without the love triangle, but it wasn't badly done by any means. The betrayal felt a smidge predictable, but everything else was fantastically done. I'm really excited to see where this series goes, and can't wait to read the next one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC.
I thought the pacing of this one was good - it doesn't start out too slow, and we have almost constant movement and plot progression. For the most part, it doesn't feel forced either. There isn't a huge info dump despite the world building necessary to this story, and everything was pretty easy to follow. For the most part, I loved the relationships we see build throughout the book - I could do without the love triangle, but it wasn't badly done by any means. The betrayal felt a smidge predictable, but everything else was fantastically done. I'm really excited to see where this series goes, and can't wait to read the next one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC.
This is a perfect YA middle grade book! I would recommend to children 12+.
It felt like a story I had read before. Though this was my first book with flying horses! That’s what really got me excited to read it.
The book for me had one to many slow parts where I became bored and things were a bit to predictable. However I really think the younger crowd would enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. World building was good for younger readers. It’s easy for them to pick up on what the author is putting down. I will say I did enjoy the dialog! I could fell the personalities of the characters coming through.
It has magic, mystery and flying horses! It’s a fantasy read of the tried and true dark vs. light. Aluma is thrusted into a journey of adventure and deceit. She will find it difficult to know who to trust. Will she make the right choice or will she get mislead by her heart?
In short:
Did I like it? For my daughter yes!
Would I recommend it? To younger YA readers yes!
Would I read more by this author? I’m not sure at this time.
It felt like a story I had read before. Though this was my first book with flying horses! That’s what really got me excited to read it.
The book for me had one to many slow parts where I became bored and things were a bit to predictable. However I really think the younger crowd would enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. World building was good for younger readers. It’s easy for them to pick up on what the author is putting down. I will say I did enjoy the dialog! I could fell the personalities of the characters coming through.
It has magic, mystery and flying horses! It’s a fantasy read of the tried and true dark vs. light. Aluma is thrusted into a journey of adventure and deceit. She will find it difficult to know who to trust. Will she make the right choice or will she get mislead by her heart?
In short:
Did I like it? For my daughter yes!
Would I recommend it? To younger YA readers yes!
Would I read more by this author? I’m not sure at this time.
It has been years since I have read YA fantasy. I seem to remember clocking out around the time Holly Black’s Wicked King was released, and staying away since. Who can succinctly say why we enter reading slumps? Perhaps the most universal explanation is a host of internal and external factors clogging one’s mind. And when one’s mind is clogged, a return to known avenues that provide easily digestible escapism is a pretty solid way to return to the field.
I had hoped that Shina Reynolds’s debut, A Light in the Sky, would be that return for me. It tells the story of Aluma Banks, the seventeen year old daughter of a war hero and an aspiring Empyrean rider - a soldier defending the kingdom of Eirelannia from the back of a winged horse. The premise of this story - the cavalry-esque prestige and camaraderie of mounted soldiers, both a physical and political arena, and a young adult on the older end of the scale coming into her own - seemed like it could add something new and subversive to the otherwise familiar pathways of a magical destiny promised by the blurb. However, “familiar” ended up being the defining trait of this novel. And while familiarity was what I was going in for, I was still hoping for some oomph, something that pulled my emotions from my chest even if it didn’t challenge the foundations of my being.
The characters, I think, are the heart of this sense of stillness. They act and react, but do not seem to have a driver inside them, an engine spurring them on through the story. Aluma, our protagonist and our sole narrator, is no exception, which is probably why the sense of flatness is so pervasive. Aluma wants to be an Empyrean rider and she loves her father - interesting goals, understandable motivation. But there is little sense of what unsettled part of her needs to be shaken up by the plot so she can go on an internal journey alongside her external one. The why behind her deep desire to be an Empyrean rider is missing. The scope and dynamics of her familial relationships aren’t fully explored enough to feel strongly about them. This lack of complexity to her is what I feel leads her to being a fairly inactive protagonist. Characters like Lermyn say odd, evasive things, and Aluma doesn’t push or pry, doesn’t take any status-quo-altering actions, instead stewing in the strangeness of her interactions. It often felt like she was being shuttled from one place to another simply to observe, with no internal contradictions and needs and wants pushing her to make choices that altered her situation and upped the stakes.
Whenever she was motivated by her father was when her internal story showed its greatest strengths, and because of this I truly feel the novel could have benefited from developing or even prioritising her familial relationships even further. Exploring her relationship with her brother and the inherent, very deep conflict that emerges within the first few chapters would have been extremely compelling! Unfortunately, we spent more time with Thayer and Gattacan and a love triangle that really did not need to be there. A positive aspsect of this was that, at least until the introduction of Gattacan, Thayer was a genuinely kind and wholesome love interest that I have not seen much of in YA fantasy. He just was not as compelling as Aluma’s family.
The external conflict, too, was underdeveloped - Sutagus Molacus (what a name) with his Kaiser Bill-esque moustache, ripe to be twirled in antagonism, was a fairly one note villain. This can work, mind you, if it’s the best antagonistic force for the story. However, there was not enough conflict among the other characters to justify his lack of complexity in this case. Either he needed more complexity, or Aluma needed more tug and pull from the side of her allies, for the external conflict to be more engaging.
Worldbuilding was similarly a mixed bag. The concept of the Empyrean steeds was lovely and fresh, and the way they gained their magic from the Relics was fascinating to read and sparked my curiosity. But again, there was too much of some things and not enough of other things. I yearned for more exploration of the winged horses and how they knew how to fly, why the relics had the power to give them their wings and where that power came from, and I wish Aluma was asking these question and actively seeking those answers too! Yet we spent longer with the wingless horses - a solid quarter of the book. Going in I truly didn’t realise there would be such a focus on competitive jumping, especially at the start. Reynolds’s passion for and knowledge of horses and riding really shines throughout the novel, and the details are nice to read because that passion is so palpable. However, it was not what the premise promised me as a reader, and I may have tempered my expectations differently if I had known this would be more of a horse book than a fantasy or political book.
Additionally, there were far too many infodumps about many things, including the geographical and political structures of Eirelannia, that would have benefited from a more organic inclusion in the story. I think the name Eirelannia is clearly meant to be evocative of Éireann (Ireland), and thus it would have been great to have leaned in to that inspiration further, particularly given that Reynolds, according to her bio, is very interested in Ireland. Given this clear resonance, the themes of conquest and forced integration of states and cultures that were alluded to in the worldbuilging could have been expanded upon with more depth. It would have made the resistance to the crown more compelling, for example. In this sense I don’t think the worldbuilding made full use of the opportunities it had and if there will be a sequel, I hope the world can be expanded upon more deeply.
Pursuant to that, Eirelannia appears to be a very militant state, and especially in Ivernister. Perhaps my background as a student of war studies is interfering here, but I really wish the implications of militancy had been dealt with a little more deeply because of the fact that this story does, ultimately, follow along the common YA fantasy/sci-fi staple of child soldiers. Seventeen is on the upper end of the teenage years, certainly, but a seventeen year old is still closer to childhood than adulthood. I did feel that Aluma’s first experience of combat was well written, particularly the paralysis that can strike. But I do wish that the military culture surrounding Ivernister had been expanded upon, and that their training and techniques did not feel like they had been hand-waved into being. The first major combat scene with the riders gave little indication of how the riders were organised, how they were deployed, how they conducted themselves in a battle. I’m certainly not asking for a military manifesto, but it did not feel very well thought out, especially given the fact that the main purpose of the Empyrean riders’s existence and the endgame of Aluma’s involvement with them is, in fact, combat.
So many aspects of this story felt like they were harking back to the Hunger Games era of storytelling, even down to Egan Frye’s Caesar Flickerman-esque presentation of the competition in the first act, and well as the ideas of a revolt and a chosen one that emerges (though in this case, out of an inherent magical gift rather than a snowballing effect of personally motivated resistance). The chosen one, wielder-of-unique-and-rare-magic trope doesn’t have to be stale. It can be made interesting. I just did not feel that here. Aluma did not feel active, not in embracing the role nor in resisting it. And on a craft level, I was always thrown off by the casual tone of discourse in the writing (which sometimes reads younger than a seventeen year old!) that suddenly lapses into dramatic statements like “The old shall be made anew” whenever dealing with revolution or prophecy. A little more finesse would have been welcomg.
While on the topic of craft, Reynolds certainly has command of language, which I noticed right off the bat. She can write a story that goes along at a steady clip and illustrates it well for the reader. However, the pacing does suffer somewhat in the first act - again, too much time spent in the arena on the competition! - and chapters sometimes end strangely, either in cliffhangers that promise something they don’t deliver (such as the end of the first chapter and into the second) or that are anticlimactic, which is not a prerequisite for wrapping up the threads in a chapter. Some readers may not mind these aspects of structure and pace and language, but they stand out to me
Ultimately the word that comes to mind when considering A Light in the Sky is “comfortable”. The story does not break new ground, instead treading over very familiar territory and in doing so occasionally getting stuck in over-trodden ruts. It stays very much in the canon of tropes, pacing, worldbuilding, cast, and characterisation that underpinned the 2008-2015 era of YA fantasy. I always felt myself wanting more. There was so much already in the story and the world and the characters that could really have been put to work to move the story from “comfortable” to compelling. I hope that Reynolds will be able to shake things up and capitalise more on the threads she’s left lying in this story and world if or when a sequel is written. For readers new to the category and genre, it is a solid entry point. It will also easily scratch the itch of any reader longing for an uncomplicated return to another era. But anyone who is a regular consumer of YA fantasy, or who prefers more subversion and frankly more depth in their storytelling, would likely find less to take away from this novel.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 on Goodreads and NetGalley.
Thank you to Wink Road Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I had hoped that Shina Reynolds’s debut, A Light in the Sky, would be that return for me. It tells the story of Aluma Banks, the seventeen year old daughter of a war hero and an aspiring Empyrean rider - a soldier defending the kingdom of Eirelannia from the back of a winged horse. The premise of this story - the cavalry-esque prestige and camaraderie of mounted soldiers, both a physical and political arena, and a young adult on the older end of the scale coming into her own - seemed like it could add something new and subversive to the otherwise familiar pathways of a magical destiny promised by the blurb. However, “familiar” ended up being the defining trait of this novel. And while familiarity was what I was going in for, I was still hoping for some oomph, something that pulled my emotions from my chest even if it didn’t challenge the foundations of my being.
The characters, I think, are the heart of this sense of stillness. They act and react, but do not seem to have a driver inside them, an engine spurring them on through the story. Aluma, our protagonist and our sole narrator, is no exception, which is probably why the sense of flatness is so pervasive. Aluma wants to be an Empyrean rider and she loves her father - interesting goals, understandable motivation. But there is little sense of what unsettled part of her needs to be shaken up by the plot so she can go on an internal journey alongside her external one. The why behind her deep desire to be an Empyrean rider is missing. The scope and dynamics of her familial relationships aren’t fully explored enough to feel strongly about them. This lack of complexity to her is what I feel leads her to being a fairly inactive protagonist. Characters like Lermyn say odd, evasive things, and Aluma doesn’t push or pry, doesn’t take any status-quo-altering actions, instead stewing in the strangeness of her interactions. It often felt like she was being shuttled from one place to another simply to observe, with no internal contradictions and needs and wants pushing her to make choices that altered her situation and upped the stakes.
Whenever she was motivated by her father was when her internal story showed its greatest strengths, and because of this I truly feel the novel could have benefited from developing or even prioritising her familial relationships even further. Exploring her relationship with her brother and the inherent, very deep conflict that emerges within the first few chapters would have been extremely compelling! Unfortunately, we spent more time with Thayer and Gattacan and a love triangle that really did not need to be there. A positive aspsect of this was that, at least until the introduction of Gattacan, Thayer was a genuinely kind and wholesome love interest that I have not seen much of in YA fantasy. He just was not as compelling as Aluma’s family.
The external conflict, too, was underdeveloped - Sutagus Molacus (what a name) with his Kaiser Bill-esque moustache, ripe to be twirled in antagonism, was a fairly one note villain. This can work, mind you, if it’s the best antagonistic force for the story. However, there was not enough conflict among the other characters to justify his lack of complexity in this case. Either he needed more complexity, or Aluma needed more tug and pull from the side of her allies, for the external conflict to be more engaging.
Worldbuilding was similarly a mixed bag. The concept of the Empyrean steeds was lovely and fresh, and the way they gained their magic from the Relics was fascinating to read and sparked my curiosity. But again, there was too much of some things and not enough of other things. I yearned for more exploration of the winged horses and how they knew how to fly, why the relics had the power to give them their wings and where that power came from, and I wish Aluma was asking these question and actively seeking those answers too! Yet we spent longer with the wingless horses - a solid quarter of the book. Going in I truly didn’t realise there would be such a focus on competitive jumping, especially at the start. Reynolds’s passion for and knowledge of horses and riding really shines throughout the novel, and the details are nice to read because that passion is so palpable. However, it was not what the premise promised me as a reader, and I may have tempered my expectations differently if I had known this would be more of a horse book than a fantasy or political book.
Additionally, there were far too many infodumps about many things, including the geographical and political structures of Eirelannia, that would have benefited from a more organic inclusion in the story. I think the name Eirelannia is clearly meant to be evocative of Éireann (Ireland), and thus it would have been great to have leaned in to that inspiration further, particularly given that Reynolds, according to her bio, is very interested in Ireland. Given this clear resonance, the themes of conquest and forced integration of states and cultures that were alluded to in the worldbuilging could have been expanded upon with more depth. It would have made the resistance to the crown more compelling, for example. In this sense I don’t think the worldbuilding made full use of the opportunities it had and if there will be a sequel, I hope the world can be expanded upon more deeply.
Pursuant to that, Eirelannia appears to be a very militant state, and especially in Ivernister. Perhaps my background as a student of war studies is interfering here, but I really wish the implications of militancy had been dealt with a little more deeply because of the fact that this story does, ultimately, follow along the common YA fantasy/sci-fi staple of child soldiers. Seventeen is on the upper end of the teenage years, certainly, but a seventeen year old is still closer to childhood than adulthood. I did feel that Aluma’s first experience of combat was well written, particularly the paralysis that can strike. But I do wish that the military culture surrounding Ivernister had been expanded upon, and that their training and techniques did not feel like they had been hand-waved into being. The first major combat scene with the riders gave little indication of how the riders were organised, how they were deployed, how they conducted themselves in a battle. I’m certainly not asking for a military manifesto, but it did not feel very well thought out, especially given the fact that the main purpose of the Empyrean riders’s existence and the endgame of Aluma’s involvement with them is, in fact, combat.
So many aspects of this story felt like they were harking back to the Hunger Games era of storytelling, even down to Egan Frye’s Caesar Flickerman-esque presentation of the competition in the first act, and well as the ideas of a revolt and a chosen one that emerges (though in this case, out of an inherent magical gift rather than a snowballing effect of personally motivated resistance). The chosen one, wielder-of-unique-and-rare-magic trope doesn’t have to be stale. It can be made interesting. I just did not feel that here. Aluma did not feel active, not in embracing the role nor in resisting it. And on a craft level, I was always thrown off by the casual tone of discourse in the writing (which sometimes reads younger than a seventeen year old!) that suddenly lapses into dramatic statements like “The old shall be made anew” whenever dealing with revolution or prophecy. A little more finesse would have been welcomg.
While on the topic of craft, Reynolds certainly has command of language, which I noticed right off the bat. She can write a story that goes along at a steady clip and illustrates it well for the reader. However, the pacing does suffer somewhat in the first act - again, too much time spent in the arena on the competition! - and chapters sometimes end strangely, either in cliffhangers that promise something they don’t deliver (such as the end of the first chapter and into the second) or that are anticlimactic, which is not a prerequisite for wrapping up the threads in a chapter. Some readers may not mind these aspects of structure and pace and language, but they stand out to me
Ultimately the word that comes to mind when considering A Light in the Sky is “comfortable”. The story does not break new ground, instead treading over very familiar territory and in doing so occasionally getting stuck in over-trodden ruts. It stays very much in the canon of tropes, pacing, worldbuilding, cast, and characterisation that underpinned the 2008-2015 era of YA fantasy. I always felt myself wanting more. There was so much already in the story and the world and the characters that could really have been put to work to move the story from “comfortable” to compelling. I hope that Reynolds will be able to shake things up and capitalise more on the threads she’s left lying in this story and world if or when a sequel is written. For readers new to the category and genre, it is a solid entry point. It will also easily scratch the itch of any reader longing for an uncomplicated return to another era. But anyone who is a regular consumer of YA fantasy, or who prefers more subversion and frankly more depth in their storytelling, would likely find less to take away from this novel.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 on Goodreads and NetGalley.
Thank you to Wink Road Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!