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A review by tencutepuppies
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
4.0
(3.5) This book is definitely not for everyone, as I can see how the general lack of worldbuilding in the beginning could turn people off. I will say that I was confused for a good seventy-five pages in about everything other than Safi and Iseult’s relationship and the way they interacted. That was very clear, which makes sense because they are the central part of the book.
Frankly, in this case, I can look past a bunch of names and places being thrown at me out of the blue with no prior knowledge. The characterization makes up for it. I wasn’t immediately hooked, but it did get a lot better with the addition of Aeduan, who was instantly very interesting.
Safi...was not my favorite. I don’t have much to say about her, honestly. She was struggling with the repercussions of her brash, sometimes downright selfish, actions and on paper that sounds like it would make for an interesting character. But something about the execution didn’t really connect with me. She’s cool to read about, but only because she’s the main character.
Iseult, on the other hand, connected with me immediately. She’s quieter, more calculating. She doesn’t show all of her cards. Girls like her are the ones I’m most often drawn to in stories because you never know what she might do next. My favorite part of hers was in the Nomatski tribal group with her mom and seeing her jealousy as she realizes that she’s been replaced by another better girl. The whole cult aspect of the Purists with Corlant was really well done too. I felt the horror Iseult felt when they were going to sacrifice her.
Merik, I don’t really care about. He’s just neutral. There was not much in his favor that made him more interesting than the girls besides his struggle with his cruel sister Vivia, who is also vying for the throne. I would much rather see her POV than his, although I do think he is so brave for willing to lay down his life so that his people can finally be fed. He’s not a bad character, it’s just the other three characters outshone him. I also found his and Safi’s romance to be kind of rushed. They didn’t have that many bonding scenes before they were getting all mushy gushy and making out, so it felt a little fast.
We didn’t get to see much of Aeduan and how his mind works, but I am excited to get more of him in the later books. By the end, I could already tell he and Iseult are going to be good. “Trust me as if my soul were yours”? Uhhh yeah. Ruin me please.
All in all, I think this was a good start that laid the foundations for what is going to happen later. I think that foundation-laying is kind of what was its downfall; it’s like it was just getting started at the end. Not to say that the story was boring or that nothing happened, because there was near-constant action. It just wasn’t anything that felt hugely consequential until the end.
I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series because I’ve heard it only gets better from here and I believe it.
Frankly, in this case, I can look past a bunch of names and places being thrown at me out of the blue with no prior knowledge. The characterization makes up for it. I wasn’t immediately hooked, but it did get a lot better with the addition of Aeduan, who was instantly very interesting.
Safi...was not my favorite. I don’t have much to say about her, honestly. She was struggling with the repercussions of her brash, sometimes downright selfish, actions and on paper that sounds like it would make for an interesting character. But something about the execution didn’t really connect with me. She’s cool to read about, but only because she’s the main character.
Iseult, on the other hand, connected with me immediately. She’s quieter, more calculating. She doesn’t show all of her cards. Girls like her are the ones I’m most often drawn to in stories because you never know what she might do next. My favorite part of hers was in the Nomatski tribal group with her mom and seeing her jealousy as she realizes that she’s been replaced by another better girl. The whole cult aspect of the Purists with Corlant was really well done too. I felt the horror Iseult felt when they were going to sacrifice her.
Merik, I don’t really care about. He’s just neutral. There was not much in his favor that made him more interesting than the girls besides his struggle with his cruel sister Vivia, who is also vying for the throne. I would much rather see her POV than his, although I do think he is so brave for willing to lay down his life so that his people can finally be fed. He’s not a bad character, it’s just the other three characters outshone him. I also found his and Safi’s romance to be kind of rushed. They didn’t have that many bonding scenes before they were getting all mushy gushy and making out, so it felt a little fast.
We didn’t get to see much of Aeduan and how his mind works, but I am excited to get more of him in the later books. By the end, I could already tell he and Iseult are going to be good. “Trust me as if my soul were yours”? Uhhh yeah. Ruin me please.
All in all, I think this was a good start that laid the foundations for what is going to happen later. I think that foundation-laying is kind of what was its downfall; it’s like it was just getting started at the end. Not to say that the story was boring or that nothing happened, because there was near-constant action. It just wasn’t anything that felt hugely consequential until the end.
I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series because I’ve heard it only gets better from here and I believe it.