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theeuphoriczat's review against another edition
4.0
All you need to know is
1. This book is set in a world wherein nations have generally been at peace for the last 20 years due to a peace agreement that is bound by magic and blood. This made it difficult for rulers to start wars. But this agreement is only bound to lands and basically the seas are free warfare front. But at the start of this book, we are basically at the tail ends of the 20 year peace agreement and different nations are making plots to raid and kill each other (I am giving this back story because the author did not really lay this out in the start of this book and you have to basically read the first and second book to get the whole picture. I have left a lot of information out but this is enough to go into the book without being too confused)
2. There are different types of magic, not everyone has magic but most of the important characters in this series have magic. We have Safi who is a Truthwitch (basically she can tell if you are lying or speaking the truth), Iseult who is a Treadwitch (basically she can see people life thread, relationships between people, their emotions and at some point she realised that she has the power to cut life threads i.e. kill people, or manipulate these threads i.e. control people), we have Prince Merik who is a Windwitch (basically he can manipulate the air), there is also Kullen, who as a similar power as Merik but I cannot remember right now, and then finally there is Aeduan who is a Bloodwitch (basically he once he smells your blood he can track you, he can also take control of your body by manipulating your blood). There are also other times of elemental witches. Then there is cleaving, which basically means a witch loses control of their magic and they become mindless killing machines whose blood is poisonous!
3. Finally, at the start of this book Safi and Iseult run into Aeduan who has been paid to find them. They escape but Aeduan already got their smell and he is after them. Safi is betrothed to a emperor but she escapes with the help of Merik and his crew.
I have tried not to spoil the main plot point because this book is packed full of action and intrigue. I loved that we are following different characters POV and the cultures are introduced in such an amazing way. I am really loving it.
1. This book is set in a world wherein nations have generally been at peace for the last 20 years due to a peace agreement that is bound by magic and blood. This made it difficult for rulers to start wars. But this agreement is only bound to lands and basically the seas are free warfare front. But at the start of this book, we are basically at the tail ends of the 20 year peace agreement and different nations are making plots to raid and kill each other (I am giving this back story because the author did not really lay this out in the start of this book and you have to basically read the first and second book to get the whole picture. I have left a lot of information out but this is enough to go into the book without being too confused)
2. There are different types of magic, not everyone has magic but most of the important characters in this series have magic. We have Safi who is a Truthwitch (basically she can tell if you are lying or speaking the truth), Iseult who is a Treadwitch (basically she can see people life thread, relationships between people, their emotions and at some point she realised that she has the power to cut life threads i.e. kill people, or manipulate these threads i.e. control people), we have Prince Merik who is a Windwitch (basically he can manipulate the air), there is also Kullen, who as a similar power as Merik but I cannot remember right now, and then finally there is Aeduan who is a Bloodwitch (basically he once he smells your blood he can track you, he can also take control of your body by manipulating your blood). There are also other times of elemental witches. Then there is cleaving, which basically means a witch loses control of their magic and they become mindless killing machines whose blood is poisonous!
3. Finally, at the start of this book Safi and Iseult run into Aeduan who has been paid to find them. They escape but Aeduan already got their smell and he is after them. Safi is betrothed to a emperor but she escapes with the help of Merik and his crew.
I have tried not to spoil the main plot point because this book is packed full of action and intrigue. I loved that we are following different characters POV and the cultures are introduced in such an amazing way. I am really loving it.
vendea's review against another edition
4.0
Overall I felt like this was a three star book but it improved toward the end, and there was one really outstanding scene that is the main reason for my four star rating.
Unfortunately I was not as invested in the two main characters as i think the author wanted me to be, and i got rather invested in an antagonist instead. Whoops.
Unfortunately I was not as invested in the two main characters as i think the author wanted me to be, and i got rather invested in an antagonist instead. Whoops.
kerrilynn's review against another edition
4.0
Once I got into this book I couldn't put it down. By the time I reached the end of the book I was grabbing my computer to check and see if my library had the sequel :).
That said, there were a few things that did bother me a bit. I usually like to be thrown right into a story and a world, but in this instance I felt like there was too much being thrown at the readers without enough explanation or world building around it in the beginning. It took me probably 40-50 pages at least to push past that point and then I really got into it.
The other thing that bothered me was how antagonistic and confrontational Safi was for a large chunk of the book, particularly with Merik. It made it a little hard for me to like her at first, however I did like that she developed and changed throughout the book. She became more introspective and empathetic as her eyes were opened to the world. I'm just not a fan of the cliched immediate dislike and antipathy that you know will change to love later in the story.
Looking forward to reading the sequel! 3.5 Stars
Spoiler
I enjoyed the world that Dennen built, the different witch powers, countries, and beliefs. The political intrigue between countries, in court, and between both witches and non-witches as well as different races is fairly complicated and promises interesting and exciting sequels. The action in the book was wonderful, and I loved the friendship and connection between Safi and Iseult. Their bond is so deep and they understand each other effortlessly. They are both strong and fearless in different ways. I'm looking forward to seeing how they find their way back to each other and what their lives will be like surviving on their own until they are reunited.That said, there were a few things that did bother me a bit. I usually like to be thrown right into a story and a world, but in this instance I felt like there was too much being thrown at the readers without enough explanation or world building around it in the beginning. It took me probably 40-50 pages at least to push past that point and then I really got into it.
The other thing that bothered me was how antagonistic and confrontational Safi was for a large chunk of the book, particularly with Merik. It made it a little hard for me to like her at first, however I did like that she developed and changed throughout the book. She became more introspective and empathetic as her eyes were opened to the world. I'm just not a fan of the cliched immediate dislike and antipathy that you know will change to love later in the story.
Looking forward to reading the sequel! 3.5 Stars
betharanova's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. This book was such a 50/50 split for me. There were elements and characters that I really enjoyed, but there were also plenty of problems significant enough to interrupt the reading experience.
Dennard’s writing style is all right. It’s quick, in the style of YA, which means it’s full of sentence fragments, italics, and all the em dashes you could want. It’s very vibrant. It can sometimes go over the top with the verbs (at one point water was “slippering”), but overall it’s fairly enjoyable. There isn’t much to say about the plot. It’s a long chase across a fantasy realm; the protagonists are pursued by various forces. I don’t think they stay much of anywhere longer than twelve hours. Several major plot-relevant decisions don’t make any sense.
The worldbuilding makes you guess a lot, which I personally am fond of. Names and concepts are brought up and left to be explained later. The magic system is fairly vast, and there are plenty of countries and major players. The one complaint I have is that some things are introduced out of order, in a sense: your growing perspective on the world, as the reader, ends up skewed before you can really get a handle on it. And Truthwitchery in particular is so unclear in form and function. That said, I like the variety in the setting, and the witch powers seem fun to play with.
The characters really split it 50/50. The two main characters are Safi and Iseult, best friends and threadsisters who are forced to run all over the continent to escape world leaders who want to use Safi’s Truthwitch powers in their courts. Each girl is given a love interest, and the book boasts a focus on female friendships.
For all that, the central friendship is lopsided and, dare I say, toxic. Safi and Iseult clearly love each other. BUT. Iseult is parted from her family with no support except Safi, discriminated against for her race, withdrawn, and responsible. She’s clever and thoughtful but can freeze up in dire situations. She’s not very good at her Threadwitch magic for reasons that become more intriguing and ominous as the story goes on. Her viewpoint is complex and interesting. And she is constantly made to either clean up or suffer for Safi’s messes. Safi is nobility running wild. She’s sassy, loud, and impulsive. She largely does whatever she likes, crime included, presumably because she has rank, family, and always, always Iseult to bail her out. Her Truthwitch magic does whatever she needs it to at the time.
The narrative likes to talk about how they balance each other out, but it’s all Iseult patiently propping up Safi’s bad habits. Their friendship consists of Safi creating a terrible situation and Iseult going along with it out of loyalty. At first, I thought this would be a deeply interesting dynamic to explore, but it’s clear the first book has no intention of exploring it. This is genuinely being presented as a winning female friendship. Unfortunately, Iseult gets the short end of the stick constantly, and she’s the half of the duo that I like. Safi I can’t stand.
Their love interests are also half and half. Merik is a prince of another nation, desperately trying to obtain resources for his starving people without provoking any empires or turning to piracy. He has a wild temper but also proper priorities. His motives and efficiency make him very fun to follow—until he meets Safi and they suffer insta-love. The forced banter and multiple scenes in which they awkwardly fell on top of each other were unbearable. And the narrative blatantly takes Safi’s side in their disagreements, despite all sense.
Aeduan is a rogue mercenary monk hunting the girls down. Iseult spares his life despite the fact that he has tried and will continue trying to kill both her and Safi, and this sparks yet another insult against Best Girl. Aeduan manages to be a POV character without a personality. His chapters might as well be in a random passerby’s POV for all the insight you get, except for the occasional “I’d like to kick a puppy” line to remind you that he’s evil. (He’s not. He does not kill a single person over the course of the book.) He has not a single thought or opinion. There’s nothing here.
In the end, the only dynamic that really sold me was the friendship between Merik and his threadbrother, Kullen. They were both mature, focused on the same goal, and comfortable and familiar with each other. You could really feel the mutual care there. Dream team~.
Many of the side characters were incredibly interesting and well worth reading about: Mathew and Habim, the girls’ mentors; the Puppeteer, a villain who gains an interesting connection to Iseult; and Leopold, the foppish yet cunning prince of Cartorra. It felt as though they had a lot to do with the larger plot that we didn’t get to see.
I decided to continue the series for the interesting worldbuilding and for the characters I did grow attached to. Yes, I hate Safi and Aeduan and both of the main romances, but I love Iseult and Merik so much. There’s certainly potential here, and I ended the book believing in it, even though the novel itself was flawed.
Dennard’s writing style is all right. It’s quick, in the style of YA, which means it’s full of sentence fragments, italics, and all the em dashes you could want. It’s very vibrant. It can sometimes go over the top with the verbs (at one point water was “slippering”), but overall it’s fairly enjoyable. There isn’t much to say about the plot. It’s a long chase across a fantasy realm; the protagonists are pursued by various forces. I don’t think they stay much of anywhere longer than twelve hours. Several major plot-relevant decisions don’t make any sense.
The worldbuilding makes you guess a lot, which I personally am fond of. Names and concepts are brought up and left to be explained later. The magic system is fairly vast, and there are plenty of countries and major players. The one complaint I have is that some things are introduced out of order, in a sense: your growing perspective on the world, as the reader, ends up skewed before you can really get a handle on it. And Truthwitchery in particular is so unclear in form and function. That said, I like the variety in the setting, and the witch powers seem fun to play with.
The characters really split it 50/50. The two main characters are Safi and Iseult, best friends and threadsisters who are forced to run all over the continent to escape world leaders who want to use Safi’s Truthwitch powers in their courts. Each girl is given a love interest, and the book boasts a focus on female friendships.
For all that, the central friendship is lopsided and, dare I say, toxic. Safi and Iseult clearly love each other. BUT. Iseult is parted from her family with no support except Safi, discriminated against for her race, withdrawn, and responsible. She’s clever and thoughtful but can freeze up in dire situations. She’s not very good at her Threadwitch magic for reasons that become more intriguing and ominous as the story goes on. Her viewpoint is complex and interesting. And she is constantly made to either clean up or suffer for Safi’s messes. Safi is nobility running wild. She’s sassy, loud, and impulsive. She largely does whatever she likes, crime included, presumably because she has rank, family, and always, always Iseult to bail her out. Her Truthwitch magic does whatever she needs it to at the time.
The narrative likes to talk about how they balance each other out, but it’s all Iseult patiently propping up Safi’s bad habits. Their friendship consists of Safi creating a terrible situation and Iseult going along with it out of loyalty. At first, I thought this would be a deeply interesting dynamic to explore, but it’s clear the first book has no intention of exploring it. This is genuinely being presented as a winning female friendship. Unfortunately, Iseult gets the short end of the stick constantly, and she’s the half of the duo that I like. Safi I can’t stand.
Their love interests are also half and half. Merik is a prince of another nation, desperately trying to obtain resources for his starving people without provoking any empires or turning to piracy. He has a wild temper but also proper priorities. His motives and efficiency make him very fun to follow—until he meets Safi and they suffer insta-love. The forced banter and multiple scenes in which they awkwardly fell on top of each other were unbearable. And the narrative blatantly takes Safi’s side in their disagreements, despite all sense.
Aeduan is a rogue mercenary monk hunting the girls down. Iseult spares his life despite the fact that he has tried and will continue trying to kill both her and Safi, and this sparks yet another insult against Best Girl. Aeduan manages to be a POV character without a personality. His chapters might as well be in a random passerby’s POV for all the insight you get, except for the occasional “I’d like to kick a puppy” line to remind you that he’s evil. (He’s not. He does not kill a single person over the course of the book.) He has not a single thought or opinion. There’s nothing here.
In the end, the only dynamic that really sold me was the friendship between Merik and his threadbrother, Kullen. They were both mature, focused on the same goal, and comfortable and familiar with each other. You could really feel the mutual care there. Dream team~.
Many of the side characters were incredibly interesting and well worth reading about: Mathew and Habim, the girls’ mentors; the Puppeteer, a villain who gains an interesting connection to Iseult; and Leopold, the foppish yet cunning prince of Cartorra. It felt as though they had a lot to do with the larger plot that we didn’t get to see.
I decided to continue the series for the interesting worldbuilding and for the characters I did grow attached to. Yes, I hate Safi and Aeduan and both of the main romances, but I love Iseult and Merik so much. There’s certainly potential here, and I ended the book believing in it, even though the novel itself was flawed.
autumn_faerie's review against another edition
4.0
**I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.This does not affect my opinion on the book.**
I wanted to read this book way back last year,when it came out but #brokestudentproblems . And also,I wanted to read something this year,that had witch-magic (what I mean by 'witch magic' is that a magic that involves witches and not the magic of A Darker Shade of Magic or The Crown's Game ) that wasn't Harry Potter.(And shh..don't bring up the fact that I also wanted it cause it looked downright gorgeous.)
Cover and Title: I repeat again,this cover is gorgeous.Yes,there is another cover too,but this is more gorgeous and you do not get to disagree about that!And the title is obvious.I mean,it will be obvious once you read the book.But I like how the titles are based on a particular kind of witch,like this one's named Truthwitch,next one's named Windwitch ,then Bloodwitch.I like that.And the series is title 'The Witchlands' which probably means that we get to see a vast world of witches and all new characters,which sounds like fun!
World building :This is going to be confusing,go slow.You hear the names of different places and kingdoms,and different kinds of people and other beings,like you get to know that there's a big world out there,with things and places and people you've never met before,but the things is there are not much details about them.For instance,there's this Empire of Marstok.The thought of the existence of this new magical place made me exited,but then there weren't much details in the book to make up a visual image of that place,which is something that kind of disappointed me.So,what I meant to say in short is that,there's a world out there,but no world building.
Plot: I loved how the story went.Yeah,it was like one mistake led to a whole chain of events,but the plot and story line,they were really entertaining and fast paced.And a major reason behind the rating.I wouldn't deny that there were parts of it that were predictable,like the ones regarding The Origin Wells and The Cahr Awen ,among others.And another thing that plays a big part in this book-Safi and Iseult's friendship.I love how strong their friendship is.And that they choose each other over everything else,which is a not-so-frequent-thing in YA books. People are always choosing the love interest over the friend,and this friendship between Safi and Iseult,it is something beautiful.
“Because ‘just me’ isn’t who we are,” Iseult hollered back. “I’ll always follow you, Safi, and you’ll always follow me. Threadsisters to the end.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
“Initiate. Complete.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
Did I mention that there were some pretty hilarious lines, too?
“Who the rut is that Nubrevnan Windwitch? And: He should really learn how to button a shirt.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
And the romance,I'm not sure yet,if I like it or not.It seemed it was too quick,or maybe it's just me.
Characters:Safi is the main character.She is a Truthwitch and the book is titled Truthwitch,so she ,obviously is the centre of most events in this book.And she has a penchant for making poor decisions that puts both her and Iseult in perilous situations.Really poor at decision making.But I still like her,for the that last decision she made,for the 'greater good' ;and for her love for Isseult (no,not the romantic love).I like Isseult more actually!Where Safi is special for being a Truthwitch,Isseult is really special.She's different.She's a Threadwitch,but still,she is different from the others,and please don't make me say why,cause that would be a spoiler .But those girls,they are both badass.And there is that other character ,a Bloodwitch ,who is one of the elements in the book that makes it more interesting!He's a multilayered dark character,about whom I would love to read more! and since the third book is named Bloodwitch,I think we're going to get a lot more to know about him.(*makes excited fangirl faces*)I'm not sure how much I like Merik though.I like his concern and love for his people,but we don't get to know much about his character.I really hope we get to know more about him though,cause he isn't a bad character,plus the next book is titled Windwitch,and he is one.And another character I need more about is The Puppeteer (Is that how it's spelled?)
I wonder who smells of Clear Lake and Frozen Waters and I didn't get the concept of being cleaved. *sobs cause that seems like a very important thing in the book*
“I guard the light-bringer,
And protect the dark-giver.
I live for the world-starter,
And die for the shadow-ender.
My blood, I offer freely.
My Threads, I offer wholly.
My eternal soul belongs to no one else.
Claim my Aether.
Guide my blade.
From now until the end.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
I wanted to read this book way back last year,when it came out but #brokestudentproblems . And also,I wanted to read something this year,that had witch-magic (what I mean by 'witch magic' is that a magic that involves witches and not the magic of A Darker Shade of Magic or The Crown's Game ) that wasn't Harry Potter.(And shh..don't bring up the fact that I also wanted it cause it looked downright gorgeous.)
Cover and Title: I repeat again,this cover is gorgeous.Yes,there is another cover too,but this is more gorgeous and you do not get to disagree about that!And the title is obvious.I mean,it will be obvious once you read the book.But I like how the titles are based on a particular kind of witch,like this one's named Truthwitch,next one's named Windwitch ,then Bloodwitch.I like that.And the series is title 'The Witchlands' which probably means that we get to see a vast world of witches and all new characters,which sounds like fun!
World building :This is going to be confusing,go slow.You hear the names of different places and kingdoms,and different kinds of people and other beings,like you get to know that there's a big world out there,with things and places and people you've never met before,but the things is there are not much details about them.For instance,there's this Empire of Marstok.The thought of the existence of this new magical place made me exited,but then there weren't much details in the book to make up a visual image of that place,which is something that kind of disappointed me.So,what I meant to say in short is that,there's a world out there,but no world building.
Plot: I loved how the story went.Yeah,it was like one mistake led to a whole chain of events,but the plot and story line,they were really entertaining and fast paced.And a major reason behind the rating.I wouldn't deny that there were parts of it that were predictable,like the ones regarding The Origin Wells and The Cahr Awen ,among others.And another thing that plays a big part in this book-Safi and Iseult's friendship.I love how strong their friendship is.And that they choose each other over everything else,which is a not-so-frequent-thing in YA books. People are always choosing the love interest over the friend,and this friendship between Safi and Iseult,it is something beautiful.
“Because ‘just me’ isn’t who we are,” Iseult hollered back. “I’ll always follow you, Safi, and you’ll always follow me. Threadsisters to the end.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
“Initiate. Complete.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
Did I mention that there were some pretty hilarious lines, too?
“Who the rut is that Nubrevnan Windwitch? And: He should really learn how to button a shirt.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
And the romance,I'm not sure yet,if I like it or not.It seemed it was too quick,or maybe it's just me.
Characters:Safi is the main character.She is a Truthwitch and the book is titled Truthwitch,so she ,obviously is the centre of most events in this book.And she has a penchant for making poor decisions that puts both her and Iseult in perilous situations.Really poor at decision making.But I still like her,for the that last decision she made,for the 'greater good' ;and for her love for Isseult (no,not the romantic love).I like Isseult more actually!Where Safi is special for being a Truthwitch,Isseult is really special.She's different.She's a Threadwitch,but still,she is different from the others,and please don't make me say why,cause that would be a spoiler .But those girls,they are both badass.And there is that other character ,a Bloodwitch ,who is one of the elements in the book that makes it more interesting!He's a multilayered dark character,about whom I would love to read more! and since the third book is named Bloodwitch,I think we're going to get a lot more to know about him.(*makes excited fangirl faces*)I'm not sure how much I like Merik though.I like his concern and love for his people,but we don't get to know much about his character.I really hope we get to know more about him though,cause he isn't a bad character,plus the next book is titled Windwitch,and he is one.And another character I need more about is The Puppeteer (Is that how it's spelled?)
I wonder who smells of Clear Lake and Frozen Waters and I didn't get the concept of being cleaved. *sobs cause that seems like a very important thing in the book*
“I guard the light-bringer,
And protect the dark-giver.
I live for the world-starter,
And die for the shadow-ender.
My blood, I offer freely.
My Threads, I offer wholly.
My eternal soul belongs to no one else.
Claim my Aether.
Guide my blade.
From now until the end.”
― Susan Dennard, Truthwitch
aradhnak's review against another edition
4.0
How intense was this? The book was so fast-paced, I just wanted to keep reading. Only real life meant I couldn’t ignore everything else and just - read.
I know some people prefer fantasy stories where the history is established from the beginning. I like books like that too - if it’s done well. Sometimes, that just turns into too much exposition, and the story gets lost along the way. And sometimes, stories like this, where we learn bits and pieces of the history of the land and the people as the story moves on, gets messy or lost.
Not this one, though.
Full review: http://www.foldedbetweenthepagesofbooks.com/?p=1097
I know some people prefer fantasy stories where the history is established from the beginning. I like books like that too - if it’s done well. Sometimes, that just turns into too much exposition, and the story gets lost along the way. And sometimes, stories like this, where we learn bits and pieces of the history of the land and the people as the story moves on, gets messy or lost.
Not this one, though.
Full review: http://www.foldedbetweenthepagesofbooks.com/?p=1097
emco_0's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rachxxrose's review against another edition
I did not finish this book. I tried reading a hard copy and listening to the audiobook, and I just couldn't get into it with either format. The writing is really hard for me to stay engaged with, and the way the author introduces characters and concepts is confusing. Would not recommend.
littleladylioness's review against another edition
5.0
Took a little while to get into the world but ultimately lived up to the hype!!
caoimhie's review against another edition
4.0
A fun and enjoyable fantasy story that was pretty easy to read. The characters were really enjoyable and I found myself caring for them pretty quickly (also its really nice to see so many female characters in one story interacting so much). The main conflict of the book was overall pretty gripping and the scraps of world-building are really compelling and the concepts here have so much potential. My main critiques revolve around those scraps in that they are just scraps of world-building. The book introduces so many terms and acts as though the reader should know them so often that I had to double-check to see if this was actually the second book in a series, rather than the first. The main romance, while cute also felt a bit rushed to me. I was rooting for them, but I personally would have preferred for their relationship to be fleshed out more before they kissed.