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A review by ejpass
Steel and Flowers by Sangu Mandanna
5.0
5/5 stars
Recommended for people who like: novellas, prequels, background information
This is novella briefly follows Kyra as she goes after the blue-flower and meets Cassel. I read A House of Rage and Sorrow before reading this and find Kyra to be a very different person than who she is in the 'present' universe. She's a seemingly softer person, though she is known as a somewhat notorious bounty hunter. However, that ambition of hers that led to so much trouble is still there and is, not coincidentally, what led her to pick the blue-flower in the first place. I think what's particularly interesting about Kyra is that, for all her ambition, I don't think she was lying when she said she accidentally killed the other queen. She wanted to be able to marry Cassel without compromising what's best for Kali, and with Amba at her side willing to grant three wishes, she was given the tools to do that. Compared to A Spark and A House, Kyra is less vicious, though this novella shows the beginnings of how she became the way she is as we know her in the other two books.
I liked seeing the history behind the blue-flower and how Kyra and Cassel came together. Knowing Leila and Kyra were friends before Kyra ascended to the throne also gives some background for certain events that occur in A House of Rage and Sorrow, though whether you read this before that one or after doesn't matter particularly, in my opinion.
Recommended for people who like: novellas, prequels, background information
This is novella briefly follows Kyra as she goes after the blue-flower and meets Cassel. I read A House of Rage and Sorrow before reading this and find Kyra to be a very different person than who she is in the 'present' universe. She's a seemingly softer person, though she is known as a somewhat notorious bounty hunter. However, that ambition of hers that led to so much trouble is still there and is, not coincidentally, what led her to pick the blue-flower in the first place. I think what's particularly interesting about Kyra is that, for all her ambition, I don't think she was lying when she said she accidentally killed the other queen. She wanted to be able to marry Cassel without compromising what's best for Kali, and with Amba at her side willing to grant three wishes, she was given the tools to do that. Compared to A Spark and A House, Kyra is less vicious, though this novella shows the beginnings of how she became the way she is as we know her in the other two books.
I liked seeing the history behind the blue-flower and how Kyra and Cassel came together. Knowing Leila and Kyra were friends before Kyra ascended to the throne also gives some background for certain events that occur in A House of Rage and Sorrow, though whether you read this before that one or after doesn't matter particularly, in my opinion.