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whatjackiereads 's review for:
Blade of Secrets
by Tricia Levenseller
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
3/5 stars: ★★★☆☆
"I wish I could separate myself from the fear, to learn who I truly am."
In this retelling of the origins of King Arthur's sword, metal-magician Ziva is commissioned to make a sword for a warlord who turns out to be intent on using the magical weapon to take over the kingdom. When Ziva learns of her patron's intentions, she flees with the sword, her sister Temra, a hired mercenary to protect them, and a scholar of magic who insists on following along. Full of adventure, romance, violence, anxiety/mental health-representation, and a dash of magic, this was a fun and easy-to-follow story for fans of [b:Daughter of the Pirate King|33643994|Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King, #1)|Tricia Levenseller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1483132546l/33643994._SY75_.jpg|46636002] or [b:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395|Sorcery of Thorns|Margaret Rogerson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541621322l/42201395._SY75_.jpg|61425757].
I am consistently pleased by Tricia Levenseller's writing abilities. I really cannot think of a YA fantasy author who writes so clearly and makes her plots so easy to follow. I really feel like I got everything I needed to out of this book despite speed-reading it at times, which is impressive and really speaks to the clarity of the writing and plot design.
That being said, this is a very simple story. Ziva makes a sword with immense power, including the ability to reveal the secrets of those it cuts. While testing the sword, the powerful warlord who commissioned it cuts herself and Ziva is made aware of the lord's intentions to take the kingdom by force. Ziva runs, fearing what her creation might do to the world. This concept is simple, and the events that follow are spaced widely and explained well. Conflicts arise and are settled, clues are dropped very obviously, and everything gets resolved. Well...not quite everything, because this will be a duology, but there is no big cliff-hanger and the direction of the next book is made extremely clear.
Also, I need to throw in some appreciation for Kellyn the mercenary. Hottie!!!! And sensitive. We like.
Any-who...with this book's simplicity is also its lead character's very typical, almost textbook, experience with her anxiety disorder. While I appreciate the representation, as someone with multiple anxiety disorders myself, I consistently almost felt spoken down to about something that I myself have. When Ziva would have a panic attack, for example, it didn't feel right in the story. if anything, I felt like I was being taken out of the story, read the definition of a panic attack, and the dropped back into the book as if I could pretend that nothing had happened. Also, for someone with pretty extreme anxiety, Ziva seemed to come up with some pretty clever comebacks and well-spoken words in general, which just didn't feel genuine. My own anxiety makes me stutter, go completely blank, or even ramble endlessly, depending on the situation. Ziva never did any of this, and always said the right things to move the plot perfectly, so...it just felt like the book was already written and then the author decided to splice in Ziva's inner thoughts about her anxiety later on. It just didn't flow.
Blade of Secrets was a good story and I'll probably read the next book. I liked the romance and the twists, and the concept of an Arthurian re-telling without Arthur or Merlin (so far) is a nice and creative change. Just be aware that those with anxiety, or those expecting a complex high fantasy, may be disappointed.
3/5 stars: ★★★☆☆
"I wish I could separate myself from the fear, to learn who I truly am."
In this retelling of the origins of King Arthur's sword, metal-magician Ziva is commissioned to make a sword for a warlord who turns out to be intent on using the magical weapon to take over the kingdom. When Ziva learns of her patron's intentions, she flees with the sword, her sister Temra, a hired mercenary to protect them, and a scholar of magic who insists on following along. Full of adventure, romance, violence, anxiety/mental health-representation, and a dash of magic, this was a fun and easy-to-follow story for fans of [b:Daughter of the Pirate King|33643994|Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King, #1)|Tricia Levenseller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1483132546l/33643994._SY75_.jpg|46636002] or [b:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395|Sorcery of Thorns|Margaret Rogerson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541621322l/42201395._SY75_.jpg|61425757].
I am consistently pleased by Tricia Levenseller's writing abilities. I really cannot think of a YA fantasy author who writes so clearly and makes her plots so easy to follow. I really feel like I got everything I needed to out of this book despite speed-reading it at times, which is impressive and really speaks to the clarity of the writing and plot design.
That being said, this is a very simple story. Ziva makes a sword with immense power, including the ability to reveal the secrets of those it cuts. While testing the sword, the powerful warlord who commissioned it cuts herself and Ziva is made aware of the lord's intentions to take the kingdom by force. Ziva runs, fearing what her creation might do to the world. This concept is simple, and the events that follow are spaced widely and explained well. Conflicts arise and are settled, clues are dropped very obviously, and everything gets resolved. Well...not quite everything, because this will be a duology, but there is no big cliff-hanger and the direction of the next book is made extremely clear.
Also, I need to throw in some appreciation for Kellyn the mercenary. Hottie!!!! And sensitive. We like.
Any-who...with this book's simplicity is also its lead character's very typical, almost textbook, experience with her anxiety disorder. While I appreciate the representation, as someone with multiple anxiety disorders myself, I consistently almost felt spoken down to about something that I myself have. When Ziva would have a panic attack, for example, it didn't feel right in the story. if anything, I felt like I was being taken out of the story, read the definition of a panic attack, and the dropped back into the book as if I could pretend that nothing had happened. Also, for someone with pretty extreme anxiety, Ziva seemed to come up with some pretty clever comebacks and well-spoken words in general, which just didn't feel genuine. My own anxiety makes me stutter, go completely blank, or even ramble endlessly, depending on the situation. Ziva never did any of this, and always said the right things to move the plot perfectly, so...it just felt like the book was already written and then the author decided to splice in Ziva's inner thoughts about her anxiety later on. It just didn't flow.
Blade of Secrets was a good story and I'll probably read the next book. I liked the romance and the twists, and the concept of an Arthurian re-telling without Arthur or Merlin (so far) is a nice and creative change. Just be aware that those with anxiety, or those expecting a complex high fantasy, may be disappointed.