Reviews with content warning for Torture - The Unbroken

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The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

78 reviews

sunflower_emily98's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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liminal's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love this book. The characters beyond the two POV characters were so interesting and vibrant. Love the Jackal, for example. This book is about two characters from the opposite ends of the power spectrum in a colonised city. A princess of the empire, and a conscripted soldier from that particular colony. Just one warning - don't read for the romance, while it has a romance threaded through it that is not the main focus. While this novel absolutely deals with themes of colonialism and racism, there doesn't seem to be any homophobia or biphobia. one MC is a bi disabled woman, with a lot of privilege,the other is a lesbian. There are a wide range of ages represented, including some amazing women in their 50s. The setting is broadly based on France and colonialists North Africa.

My only beef with this novel is that some key elements felt rushed, and I had to go back and re-read a few chapters. Sometimes it wasn't clear who was speaking. Also I didn't feel like Touraine got a real chance to establish her badassery before she was thrown into fish out of water. Her loyalty to the sands felt a bit stop/start but then as an ADHD person I absolutely forget groups of people that deeply matter to me so.

However I absolutely felt for her and got so angry on her behalf throughout the whole novel. There were amazing scenes that had me cheering and passages I want to go back and annotate. As a debut novel this is stellar and I would recommend to fans of the Baru Cormorant series, Sabaa Tahir, and anyone looking for queer fantasy that doesn't focus on romance. Steer clear if you're looking for books without exploration of colonialist/racism.

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callmekt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

It isn't supposed to happen like this. This is the common thread throughout The Unbroken, book 1 in Magic of the Lost by C.L. Clark. It feels like I've read this story before, a story riddled with good intentions and bad outcomes and miscommunications. Politics and war and the struggle of leadership. But I haven't read the story like this, a story that centers two women with similar hopes but different motivations. A story about a soldier educated with propaganda who unlearns her upbringing when confronted with the plight of people who look like her. A story about a royal who wanted to set things right but was too wrapped up with scholarly theories to fully understand the breadth of her decisions. Plans go awry. Hearts are broken. Relationships are strained. And through it all, questions of magic and gods and what it means to believe in a being more powerful than you can understand. Keep your eyes on The Unbroken. Pray for rain.

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bananly's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Do not come into this book expecting everything general media has given you- brushed off military shenanigans, a desire to tell a story but weak convictions to go through with hard choices the characters make. There is very little cushion for any of these characters to fall onto when they stumble in this book and it sometimes makes it hard to watch. Sometimes I had to put it down for a bit. Sometimes I was going "would I even be able to make it through all this." But war stories shouldn't always be fun and romantic power fantasies. We need a lot less of those in this world. What we do need is books like these, which make us confront the reason most people agreed to stop having wars- it's messy on all sides. Something American's have forgotten due to desensitization. As the smallest end note I want to mention there's no homophobia in this book- everyone is cool with the characters who use they pronouns, who kiss the same gender, all of it. Which is good because I don't think a homophobia thread could fit into the story if it tried.

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azrah786's review against another edition

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3.5

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I was gifted a copy by Orbit Books UK in exchange for an honest review**

CW: depictions of colonial violence, gore, past attempted rape, threats of rape, threats of torture, blood, death

The Unbroken is a North African inspired political and military fantasy following a conscripted soldier of a colonist empire returning to her homeland in order to aid in quelling a rebellion, and an imperial princess determined to establish peace in said region in order to reclaim her throne. It's a story about power and about freedom that unapologetically addresses the brutal effects of war and colonialism to people, place and culture.

“It’s in our nature to doubt. The key to faith is standing by someone anyway.”

Some of the initial concepts of the story gave me vibes of The Ember Quartet which had me invested immediately, though it is a unique story from the get go.

The story unfolds with the Balladairan Colonial Brigade arriving on the docks of the capital of Qazal and we instantly get a sense for the animosity and prejudices between the communities present; the conflicting feelings and loyalties of the ‘Sands’ – those soldiers who were stolen as children and indoctrinated to support the empire– and the discrimination these soldiers face from all sides.

“Touraine was starting to think it was impossible to come from one land and learn to live in another and feel whole. That you would always stand on shaky, hole-ridden ground, half of your identity dug out of you and tossed away.”

The world-building and setting take parallels from real world history but have an added whisper of magic, and the immersive storytelling allows us to discover this elaborate fantasy world hand in hand with the characters.

Pacing-wise, this book was definitely slower than I initially expected – more politically focused than action heavy. Though Clark’s writing has a beautiful and at times poetic quality to it without being overly flowery, which I really loved. There were so many spectacular quotes in this book!

The primary characters themselves are wonderfully complex and nuanced. I particularly loved following Touraine's story arc and her coming to terms with her identity and where her loyalties lie - with those in the only life she has known or with those from the home she has forgotten. You know the character is well written when your heart hurts for them and gets frustrated by them and their actions in equal measures.

“The thought still made her shudder with – what? Revulsion wasn’t right, and neither was fear. It was the sense that she had been walking a broad path along a cliff only to find it was a bayonet’s edge. She was just waiting to be pushed.”

What I was left uncertain about though was the relationship between the two protagonists. There was definitely an interesting connection between them but I wasn’t convinced it worked well enough to be a romantic one.

For starters there was an unbalance of power between the two of them that didn’t sit well with me and then there were also a few time skips in the narrative when their relationship was developing which made it seem as though the hints of a romance ensuing were coming about too fast. Also I feel like the more familial relationships in the book were a lot stronger and more fleshed out particularly Touraine’s relationship with the other ‘Sands’ and Luca’s with Gillet. I feel like even the relationship between Touraine and The Jackal had more going for it!

The key fantasy elements are also not explored as much in this first book as I had hoped, particularly since a scene towards the beginning had me super eager to know more about the magic. This wasn’t really a major flaw since the political intrigue throughout was compelling in itself, but definitely something I am highly anticipating to discover more about it in the sequel.
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars

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mandkips's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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deedireads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

The Unbroken manages to flip tropes on their heads and make big statements while giving fantasy lovers all the things they love: an underdog, a mystery, magic, and a world worth fighting for.

For you if: You’re looking for sapphic, BIPOC epic fantasy.

FULL REVIEW:

Here are the things you need to know to get excited for The Unbroken: It’s a sapphic epic fantasy novel set in a place based on Northern Africa about the brutality of colonialism. With disability rep. You in yet??

There are two main characters: Touraine, who is a conscript (read: slave) in the empire’s army, and Luca, the empire’s princess whose throne is threatened by her uncle. Touraine’s company and the princess arrive in Qazāl, the empire’s colony where Touraine was born before she was taken by the empire, to try to settle the local rebellion. Soon, Touraine finds herself in Luca’s employ as a negotiator, caught between two worlds (one she doesn’t know, and one who will never accept her), trying to find a way to protect her friends who are sure to be caught in any crossfire.

Let me tell you, this plot is a roller coaster. Soooo much happens. I actually did think that the book felt a little too long, but at the same time, I’m not sure what I would have cut. It’s filled with big, full characters faced with no good choices doing the best they can to achieve their own goals. It was full of action and twists and shocking moments and had a big, exciting ending.

The depiction of colonialism here is one place where it really shines — because it shows clearly that ultimately, there are no winners, just bloodshed. No good choices, only bloody ones. The impossible dichotomy between greater good and personal safety; the prospect of dying for a cause versus preserving a life that will be, but never quite how you want.

I also always love the power of fantasy to create worlds in which society’s view of gender and sexuality need not be bound by the norms and biases we face in real life. And this book does it very, very well.

A winner, for sure. I can’t wait to read the next one.

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thoughtsstained's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Likes

Touraine and the rest of the characters. For me, a book's characters make or break it. This cast within The Unbroken was so good that they didn't break the book. They broke me, instead. Touraine inspires me and frustrates me and baffles me and amazes me. Luca infuriates me and makes me want to shake her shoulders until she listens. And then you have a cast of secondary characters who I am attached to, broken by, opinionated about and have VERY intense feelings. Also, character arcs? Clark invented them, because these are MASTERFUL.
A complex plot that doesn't shy away. If you've heard anything about this book, you've probably heard that it is a story that faces the consequences of colonialism head on and doesn't stop to make sure the readers are comfortable reading, instead digging down deep and showing you the truth in all of it's complexities. Yet, at the same time, it's so layered and becomes more and more complex the further along the book goes and just...wow. Wow.
So hard to put down. Like, friends, it's been so long since I snuck in reading time wherever I could find it. From staying up too late and becoming a zombie the next day to sneaking in just one more chapter in-between meetings at work; to today, damned and determined to find out how this book ends, only to have my partner walk into the bathroom and ask if I'd noticed that the water had almost drained out of our bathtub while I read (I had and I was shivering, but I couldn't just get up; I only had 30 pages left!).
QUEERNORM WORLD. I loved this so, so much. Also, seeing bi characters on the page just warmed my heart in ways I haven't really experienced yet.

Dislikes

That it ended? That I don't know what the letter contains? That I don't have arms like Touraine in real life!?

Rating

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. In fact, it's my second five gem read of the year. Don't sleep on this, friends. It's so good.

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thesincoucher's review against another edition

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April 2021, 322pp: I was really enjoying this and then I wasn't. I feel this is my pandemic brain and with less than 150pp to go, I feel like if this was a normal year I could completely finish it. It does feel like the first book in a trilogy in the sense that you know the plot is not gonna get resolved (which duh, it is the first book) but I feel like if you don't give my brain a closer end-line, it cannot hold its focus.

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camilleareads's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I RECEIVED AN E-COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER AND CAFFEINE BOOK TOURS AS PART OF MY PARTICIPATION IN THEIR TOUR.

I have a booktube channel now! Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2HOrfaOEyrLQRk8iYZjaw

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark is heavily influenced by the French colonization in Northern Africa. Firstly, I love how fantasy writers are exploring these historical atrocities in detail. From the Qazal slums to Balladaire’s rich district, Balladaire has destroyed the Qazal way of life not only by the land they stole but also the children who were stolen and the erasure of religion.

Touraine returns to Qazal as a Lieutenant and despite being a native of Qazal, all Touraine can feel is disgust. To her, the natives are uncivilized and her “education” as a soldier sets her apart. This internalised racism and Touraine’s development is one of the core themes of The Unbroken. Touraine was stolen as a child and fed propaganda against her own country, so her return is not

I found Luca’s narrative especially compelling. Her own racism and privilege is so clearly read but tied up in these beliefs that she is doing good. But let’s be clear here: Luca wants to do good by her people and this does not include the Qazal.

The Unbroken explores how the effects of colonization cannot be outdone by a few good intentions. Luca can choose to raise the pay of the Sands or reach out to the rebels but like, Touraine said, at the end of the day, Luca and the Balladairans occupied land that was not theirs. They took and took from the natives and thought that by employing them or building a school would be a good enough bargain. Truly though, what is a good enough reparation for the lives they took, the land they desecrated and the religions they banned?

I love how complicated the characters were from Touraine’s own internalized racism to her confusion about being her identity. As a biracial, I could relate to some of Touraine’s emotions. I understood what it was like to feel unwelcomed, to feel othered, but not the experience of someone who had been stolen away and used against their people. You could tell with the way Touraine felt about wanting to learn Shalan and how it resonated with her. There is something so heart wrenching of hearing your native language and even when you don’t understand it at times, it fills the blood. It caresses your memories and pulls you in.

The worldbuilding in The Unbroken was so fascinating. I love how the author integrated language, architecture and the history of the land. The world of The Unbroken was so full of life. IT wasn’t just a description of Qazal’s architecture but the author actually showed readers how things like a building or clothing are changed when a country is colonized. Personally, I also liked that through Luca we find out some of the policies like food rations, the Sands and how public approval swayed political decisions.

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Camillea Reads: camilleareads.wordpress.com
Twitter & Instagram: @camilleareads

Listen to bookish discussions and stay updated on the upcoming author interviews on my podcast Totes and Tales: https://anchor.fm/totesandtails

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