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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
If I had one word to describe this book it would be; REFRESHING. And I would consider you a fool if you do not pick this book up and read it in June.
I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't what I quite expected from the cover and the summary on the back. The characters were exciting, but the setting was my favorite part of this novel. And I Darken was the first book that I've read that is set in the 1400's Ottoman Empire. This book was so unique that you feel like you've found something you never knew you needed. We need more YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy. I'm tired of the WWII books, I want more medieval ones with strong characters and a conflict that we haven't read about hundreds of times. But enough of that. There were some things about this book that I did not love. There were many times throughout this novel when I sat back and wondered, "where is this story going?". The goal that they were trying to accomplish was often unclear. The other thing that bugged me a bit was that the characters never seemed to act their own age. Lada and Radu were able to create battle strategies and develop conspiracy theories at ages 12-14, but were at a loss for ideas at aged 15-17.
The characters were a lot of fun, but often childish. Lada was a very refreshing female character. She was completely ruthless. She would use any method to take down her target; bitting, scratching, impaling, etc. And I want to give Kiersten White a hat tip for making her a physically unappealing character. Lada did not have boys dropping to her feet left and right to praise her beauty. Instead she was told that she should have been born a man, so that she could gain the respect she desired. I have mixed feelings about Lada's younger brother, Radu. He was cute as a little kid, but once he grew up he got a bit annoying. In my opinion he needed to get his tail out from between his legs and stand up straight ;).
Four Stars!
I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't what I quite expected from the cover and the summary on the back. The characters were exciting, but the setting was my favorite part of this novel. And I Darken was the first book that I've read that is set in the 1400's Ottoman Empire. This book was so unique that you feel like you've found something you never knew you needed. We need more YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy. I'm tired of the WWII books, I want more medieval ones with strong characters and a conflict that we haven't read about hundreds of times. But enough of that. There were some things about this book that I did not love. There were many times throughout this novel when I sat back and wondered, "where is this story going?". The goal that they were trying to accomplish was often unclear. The other thing that bugged me a bit was that the characters never seemed to act their own age. Lada and Radu were able to create battle strategies and develop conspiracy theories at ages 12-14, but were at a loss for ideas at aged 15-17.
The characters were a lot of fun, but often childish. Lada was a very refreshing female character. She was completely ruthless. She would use any method to take down her target; bitting, scratching, impaling, etc. And I want to give Kiersten White a hat tip for making her a physically unappealing character. Lada did not have boys dropping to her feet left and right to praise her beauty. Instead she was told that she should have been born a man, so that she could gain the respect she desired. I have mixed feelings about Lada's younger brother, Radu. He was cute as a little kid, but once he grew up he got a bit annoying. In my opinion he needed to get his tail out from between his legs and stand up straight ;).
Four Stars!
“So the question becomes, Daughter of the Dragon, what will you sacrifice? What will you let be taken away so that you, too, can have power?”
I don't know how to feel about this one. I wasn't expecting it to be so political and focusing on intrigue, rather something action-packed and dark. However, what we got wasn't bad!
It's a story of two siblings who are complete opposites but learn to understand and care for each other and I loved seeing their relationship develop. It's also a story about love in all its shapes and forms, romantic love, forbidden love, love between family, love out of loyalty. Yes, there's a love triangle in here but it's so unusual and tangled in all the politics that I really enjoyed it. Maybe because it's not a love triangle where you pick one side that you root for, but more of a type where you don't know which side to pick because either one is doomed. The only thing that bugged me about this book was how slowly the story seemed to move forward, though it was so refreshing to read a book set in such an unusual place and time that I tried not to mind it much.
Definitely worth reading if you're tired of reading all the YA books that seem to be so similar to each other, because this one is for sure something new.
“Her spine was steel. Her heart was armor. Her eyes were fire.”
I don't know how to feel about this one. I wasn't expecting it to be so political and focusing on intrigue, rather something action-packed and dark. However, what we got wasn't bad!
It's a story of two siblings who are complete opposites but learn to understand and care for each other and I loved seeing their relationship develop. It's also a story about love in all its shapes and forms, romantic love, forbidden love, love between family, love out of loyalty. Yes, there's a love triangle in here but it's so unusual and tangled in all the politics that I really enjoyed it. Maybe because it's not a love triangle where you pick one side that you root for, but more of a type where you don't know which side to pick because either one is doomed. The only thing that bugged me about this book was how slowly the story seemed to move forward, though it was so refreshing to read a book set in such an unusual place and time that I tried not to mind it much.
Definitely worth reading if you're tired of reading all the YA books that seem to be so similar to each other, because this one is for sure something new.
“Her spine was steel. Her heart was armor. Her eyes were fire.”
You know a book just wasn’t for you when you’re sad the “villains” didn’t succeed. While I felt most of this was a two star read, the intriguing ending, character work and sweet side sapphic relationship convinced me otherwise.
I wrote a much shorter and interesting review on blog, if you're interested.
https://shanshelves.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/that-sweet-sapphic-rep-saved-this-book/
I wrote a much shorter and interesting review on blog, if you're interested.
https://shanshelves.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/that-sweet-sapphic-rep-saved-this-book/
Awesome. Both the story and characterizations. I look forward to the rest of the series.
It may be an unpopular opinion, but I really did not like this book...at all.
In regards to characters I personally found Lada to be extremely annoying. You were reminded almost every page that she had trust issues and that her home was Wallachia and she wanted to return to it, even though she found her making friends and allies under the Ottoman Empire and she felt safe. I feel like she had no real character development. At her younger ages she was portrayed as much older, but she never really grew from there. Her ideals remained the same, which is fine, but they never matured.
Radu on the other hand had great character development and was the only redeeming factor in this novel in my opinion. He started out as a sniveling coward of a little boy, who grew into a smart, clever, cunning and charming young man. He went from follower to leader as he realized he could use his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Also the journey of finding out who he truly his and where his heart truly lies is amazing. You find out that he loves his best friend who is also male and you feel is confusing and heartbreak of the forbiddeness of it.
As far as the story goes, it sounds like a riveting and action packed story as far as the synopsis is concerned right?! Wrong… The story is dry and dragged on with way too much unnecessary filler, and doesn’t really go anywhere until the last 50 pages. Even then you are yawning and trying really hard for the story to grab you. Mehmed is mentioned so many times as the love interest, and by name, that you begin rolling your eyes at his mention. I think at the halfway point we should know these characters as familiar by now… thanks. Mehmed himself also doesn’t have much of a character development either and the little he does have is basically that he goes from a young playful boy to “hey I can make babies now”.
Over all I found this novel dry with no real memorable characters. I was actually disappointed to find out there was a second book coming as I fear that it too will be filled with unnecessary filler. I feel like if you took out the useless filler of And I Darken and did the same with the upcoming sequel it might make a decent standalone.
In regards to characters I personally found Lada to be extremely annoying. You were reminded almost every page that she had trust issues and that her home was Wallachia and she wanted to return to it, even though she found her making friends and allies under the Ottoman Empire and she felt safe. I feel like she had no real character development. At her younger ages she was portrayed as much older, but she never really grew from there. Her ideals remained the same, which is fine, but they never matured.
Radu on the other hand had great character development and was the only redeeming factor in this novel in my opinion. He started out as a sniveling coward of a little boy, who grew into a smart, clever, cunning and charming young man. He went from follower to leader as he realized he could use his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Also the journey of finding out who he truly his and where his heart truly lies is amazing. You find out that he loves his best friend who is also male and you feel is confusing and heartbreak of the forbiddeness of it.
As far as the story goes, it sounds like a riveting and action packed story as far as the synopsis is concerned right?! Wrong… The story is dry and dragged on with way too much unnecessary filler, and doesn’t really go anywhere until the last 50 pages. Even then you are yawning and trying really hard for the story to grab you. Mehmed is mentioned so many times as the love interest, and by name, that you begin rolling your eyes at his mention. I think at the halfway point we should know these characters as familiar by now… thanks. Mehmed himself also doesn’t have much of a character development either and the little he does have is basically that he goes from a young playful boy to “hey I can make babies now”.
Over all I found this novel dry with no real memorable characters. I was actually disappointed to find out there was a second book coming as I fear that it too will be filled with unnecessary filler. I feel like if you took out the useless filler of And I Darken and did the same with the upcoming sequel it might make a decent standalone.
Never in my life have I ever read a book that has such a deep well of backstory and knowledge and for that, I give it 5 stars. This book was overwhelming with its character driven story, but the characters were all so flawed, fleshed out, and interesting. I cannot even fathom how hard it was for Lada to finally abandon the 2 men in her life who loved her so. But I dig her courage and self respect and overall love for her country. I cannot wait for the second book.
Warning: This book is slowww burn. I'm on the fence about this book. It was lacking but I still enjoyed the story and characters. If you like watching the characters grow, you might enjoy this book. I liked how you follow Lada's and Radu's story from childhood to young adulthood. I love Lada's strong, unwavering character who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even when all odds are against her, she never backs down from a fight. She is probably the most savage female character I've come across in all my years of reading. While Lada is strategizing battle tactics, her brother, Radu, is weaving his way through the courts. Finding dirty secrets, creating alliances, discovering hidden agendas, etc. I love this dynamic and how they complement each other. Together they are a force to be reckoned with, in theory. Though I love Radu (and want to put him in my pocket), I just can't stand his obsession with Mehmed (it literally boils my blood, but it adds to the story, I guess).
Interesting and compelling! I love the characters and the setting!
I remember being a 12-year old guy getting into the amazing world of reading. With no friends but my books I read one of my first books and it was one written by Kiersten White. I still remember how much I loved it.
Here I am six years later, the same guy but a little bit older and ready to love this one too.
This book was so beautiful and just as good as expected by the amazing Kiersten White.
......................................................................................................
This story was so representative and emotional and yet I can’t say if I liked it or not. I enjoyed this book a lot, the characters, the world, the plot-twists, conspirations, among other amazing things as well. On the other hand, it was hard to get into the story.
When I first read the synopsis I instantly expected a badass female mc killing everybody and becoming Empress of the world. I was wrong, and that may be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected.
The story is about Radu and Lada, the youngest heirs of Vlad the Conqueror who have to leave their home (Wallachia) because their half-brother put them in a difficult situation. When they arrive at the Ottoman Empire, their father, Vlad makes a peace deal, but he is asked to leave Lada and Radu there as a sign of peace. Without hesitation, he leaves and compromises the life of their two younger children who will have to endure a life of love, pain, loss, war, and condemnation while they try to make their dreams come true.
Emotional is the way this book made me feel.
Plot:
I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction and my knowledge of the empires mentioned in the book are very vague, yet I found myself invested into the story (though bored at some parts) and I even did a little research to learn more about them.
The first 100 pages were a kind of martyrdom to me, it was so difficult to be attracted by the idea of having to read the character’s childhood. However, once I caught the thread of the story I found myself even dreaming about it. I couldn’t stop reading.
Writing style:
There weren’t long descriptions, which I’m thankful for because another way this book would have been impossible to read. The dialogues are perfectly fitted to each character personalities and I liked the way Kiersten had to end each chapter and beginning the next one with the same dose of intrigue.
Worldbuilding:
I consider myself unfitted to rate this part of the book due to my lack of knowledge of the history of the Ottoman Empire.
For what I read and my own personal perception, I’d say it was utterly well done.
Characters:
Lada: she isn’t the prettiest woman in the empire, she’s ruthless, she wants to conquer, she is what Radu was expected to be and she is the one who will ruin them all.
Reading Lada was an enjoyable adventure. Throughout the book, Lada will encounter unexpected situations, will have to endure the hard work of being a woman in a world where men are the ones who have the power. Choosing alliances and deciding what is the thing she needs the most in her life, will turn Lada’s goals into an apparently impossible task and will forge a strong ruthless woman.
Radu:he’s the reason this trilogy is worth the time of everyone who reads it.
Throughout his childhood, he was seen as the coward, the useless son of a powerful man and a shame for the family. But get ready you all, because you will find out how wrong all of you were.
As an adult he isn’t the same, he has learned through secrets, through hiding and listening, and all because of love. A love that isn't reciprocated and one that will become his suffering and the cause of most of his decisions.
*I approve the love triangle in this story, it’s new and refreshing and also heartbroken.
Mehmed: Let’s pretend this little bastard doesn’t exist. I hate him. If it weren’t because of Radu, Lada and his mother, he would be no one.
P.S. I don't understand why this book isn't famous!
P.S. 2 I don't understand why the second book is so expensive!
Here I am six years later, the same guy but a little bit older and ready to love this one too.
This book was so beautiful and just as good as expected by the amazing Kiersten White.
......................................................................................................
This story was so representative and emotional and yet I can’t say if I liked it or not. I enjoyed this book a lot, the characters, the world, the plot-twists, conspirations, among other amazing things as well. On the other hand, it was hard to get into the story.
When I first read the synopsis I instantly expected a badass female mc killing everybody and becoming Empress of the world. I was wrong, and that may be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected.
The story is about Radu and Lada, the youngest heirs of Vlad the Conqueror who have to leave their home (Wallachia) because their half-brother put them in a difficult situation. When they arrive at the Ottoman Empire, their father, Vlad makes a peace deal, but he is asked to leave Lada and Radu there as a sign of peace. Without hesitation, he leaves and compromises the life of their two younger children who will have to endure a life of love, pain, loss, war, and condemnation while they try to make their dreams come true.
Emotional is the way this book made me feel.
Plot:
I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction and my knowledge of the empires mentioned in the book are very vague, yet I found myself invested into the story (though bored at some parts) and I even did a little research to learn more about them.
The first 100 pages were a kind of martyrdom to me, it was so difficult to be attracted by the idea of having to read the character’s childhood. However, once I caught the thread of the story I found myself even dreaming about it. I couldn’t stop reading.
Writing style:
There weren’t long descriptions, which I’m thankful for because another way this book would have been impossible to read. The dialogues are perfectly fitted to each character personalities and I liked the way Kiersten had to end each chapter and beginning the next one with the same dose of intrigue.
Worldbuilding:
I consider myself unfitted to rate this part of the book due to my lack of knowledge of the history of the Ottoman Empire.
For what I read and my own personal perception, I’d say it was utterly well done.
Characters:
Lada: she isn’t the prettiest woman in the empire, she’s ruthless, she wants to conquer, she is what Radu was expected to be and she is the one who will ruin them all.
Reading Lada was an enjoyable adventure. Throughout the book, Lada will encounter unexpected situations, will have to endure the hard work of being a woman in a world where men are the ones who have the power. Choosing alliances and deciding what is the thing she needs the most in her life, will turn Lada’s goals into an apparently impossible task and will forge a strong ruthless woman.
Radu:he’s the reason this trilogy is worth the time of everyone who reads it.
Throughout his childhood, he was seen as the coward, the useless son of a powerful man and a shame for the family. But get ready you all, because you will find out how wrong all of you were.
As an adult he isn’t the same, he has learned through secrets, through hiding and listening, and all because of love. A love that isn't reciprocated and one that will become his suffering and the cause of most of his decisions.
*I approve the love triangle in this story, it’s new and refreshing and also heartbroken.
Mehmed: Let’s pretend this little bastard doesn’t exist. I hate him. If it weren’t because of Radu, Lada and his mother, he would be no one.
P.S. I don't understand why this book isn't famous!
P.S. 2 I don't understand why the second book is so expensive!