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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Guardian of the Drowned Empire and really the entire Drowned Empire series is a victory for the fantasy genre and emblematic of the quality every fantasy author should strive for. This review is my attempt to understand how the Drowned Empire series continues to pervade my thoughts because I now compare every series I read back to it.
The first facet that makes this series such a masterpiece is the atavistic power dynamic and political structure. This book brilliantly toes the line between an action-packed epic fantasy and slow-burn forbidden romance. It took me until my second read through to realize the nuanced structure of the book because in my first read, I was thrust into awareness of the beautifully flawed relationship dynamics between the characters and their roles in society. Fankie’s descriptions and world building was, and continues to be, exceptional to create an atmosphere that is brimming with emotional depth and vicious intrigue. There is a certain depth to the prose that perfectly punctuates the overall tone of the story.
Secondly, the unique way Frankie weaves magic into the series engineers a profound and unique world that is unlike any other within the genre. The use of less-frequented mythologies that were woven into the magic system impressed me. Additionally, the book does a wonderful, albeit frustrating, job of withholding the full story from readers. What I mean by this is that usually, climactic moments of the plot become predictable once you’ve read a lot of fantasy novels, yet I couldn’t predict a single thing that came out of this series. Often you’ll see one of two extremes in NA fantasy: pedantic world-building that reads more like a research paper or hastened character relationships devoid of plot significance that would be better suited to a Wattpad fan-fiction. In stark contrast, the Drowned Empire series is the perfect recipe of descriptive prose and witty banter that is woven into the plot to paint a complete picture.
Finally, this series paints a harrowing portrait of what power looks like – the narrative that people believe to ease their panic, versus the corruption that really lies beneath. Among this is the mirage of choice and responsibility that is fractured and slowly rehabilitated as Lyr continues her journey. While cynical, I think the expectations placed on Lyr, Meera, and Morgana are representative of gendered stereotypes and disparities women face in society – having to always save face and “control what people see” seems to fully embrace the stereotypical portrait of feminine power, yet at the same time this gendered facade shatters under the Soturion regime. The symbolism of the mask and controlling what people see reaches beyond the gendered elements and is also representative of Lyr’s own personal growth and character development. The debilitating dichotomy between sense of duty and sense of self that Lyr faces in this novel forces readers to not only paint Lyr with a sense of empathy but also admirable strength. As an aside, I will say, I felt like an utterly lazy couch potato reading Lyr put in the work while I sat making a permanent indentation in my couch while reading. I was also pleased with the queer-normative portrayal of relationships that continues to show in the third book of the series.
Overall, consider this my formal pledge of allegiance to the flag of Frankie Diane Mallis and when I die, I want her to write my obituary. She is by far one of the best writers I’ve ever discovered, and while I selfishly hope she doesn’t gain a lot of popularity so I can remain her biggest fan, it would be an utter travesty if her books were not read by millions.
The first facet that makes this series such a masterpiece is the atavistic power dynamic and political structure. This book brilliantly toes the line between an action-packed epic fantasy and slow-burn forbidden romance. It took me until my second read through to realize the nuanced structure of the book because in my first read, I was thrust into awareness of the beautifully flawed relationship dynamics between the characters and their roles in society. Fankie’s descriptions and world building was, and continues to be, exceptional to create an atmosphere that is brimming with emotional depth and vicious intrigue. There is a certain depth to the prose that perfectly punctuates the overall tone of the story.
Secondly, the unique way Frankie weaves magic into the series engineers a profound and unique world that is unlike any other within the genre. The use of less-frequented mythologies that were woven into the magic system impressed me. Additionally, the book does a wonderful, albeit frustrating, job of withholding the full story from readers. What I mean by this is that usually, climactic moments of the plot become predictable once you’ve read a lot of fantasy novels, yet I couldn’t predict a single thing that came out of this series. Often you’ll see one of two extremes in NA fantasy: pedantic world-building that reads more like a research paper or hastened character relationships devoid of plot significance that would be better suited to a Wattpad fan-fiction. In stark contrast, the Drowned Empire series is the perfect recipe of descriptive prose and witty banter that is woven into the plot to paint a complete picture.
Finally, this series paints a harrowing portrait of what power looks like – the narrative that people believe to ease their panic, versus the corruption that really lies beneath. Among this is the mirage of choice and responsibility that is fractured and slowly rehabilitated as Lyr continues her journey. While cynical, I think the expectations placed on Lyr, Meera, and Morgana are representative of gendered stereotypes and disparities women face in society – having to always save face and “control what people see” seems to fully embrace the stereotypical portrait of feminine power, yet at the same time this gendered facade shatters under the Soturion regime. The symbolism of the mask and controlling what people see reaches beyond the gendered elements and is also representative of Lyr’s own personal growth and character development. The debilitating dichotomy between sense of duty and sense of self that Lyr faces in this novel forces readers to not only paint Lyr with a sense of empathy but also admirable strength. As an aside, I will say, I felt like an utterly lazy couch potato reading Lyr put in the work while I sat making a permanent indentation in my couch while reading. I was also pleased with the queer-normative portrayal of relationships that continues to show in the third book of the series.
Overall, consider this my formal pledge of allegiance to the flag of Frankie Diane Mallis and when I die, I want her to write my obituary. She is by far one of the best writers I’ve ever discovered, and while I selfishly hope she doesn’t gain a lot of popularity so I can remain her biggest fan, it would be an utter travesty if her books were not read by millions.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Just wow! I think this is my favorite book out of the series so far. The books and storyline just keep getting better and better. (And Lord -not- Hart, *swoon*)
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes