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A review by tricia0613
Askefise by Rebecca Schmid
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I had the honour of reading this book last year as a panelist for The Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA), in association with TheWriteReads and Folio Society. I was extremely glad to see it make it to the final round and finishing at an impressive 13th place out of hundreds of submissions.
The book is narrated in the first person, with a multiPOV alternating between the two main characters - Rhioa and Tyron. The story sets off as Rhioa and her sister, Tirzah, stumble upon a passed out Tyron right outside a (very infamously dangerous) forest. From then on, they (somewhat reluctantly) end up forming an alliance and set out to accomplish a mission that will get them entangled in a web of dangerous political agendas. This story has it all - dragon shifters, trained assassins, magical powers, slow burn romance, sister bonds, found family, court intrigue...what more could anyone ask for?
I enjoyed it so much that it would've been a 5-star rating if it had ended when they decided to go to Rhy and Tirzah's homeland. Alas, it carried on and - although I suspect I might have felt differently had I also read the original series this book is a prequel for - the whole last story arc felt a bit rushed and anticlimatic. As a standalone, I'd like to have seen that last arc explored more deeply in a second book that gave us more insight into how everything progressed after they striked a deal with Rhy's father - especially the romance subplot. As someone who does enjoy romance, the timeskip felt a bit criminal!!!
All this said, it's a very well written book with a very solid storyline and characters that you can't help but root for. Honestly, I don't usually read middle-grade but I'm very tempted to give the original series a go! Oh and side note: Askefise is suitable for audiences >16 but all main characters are adults, so I'd definitely recommend it for older readers like myself as well (it's definitely not your typical YA).
The book is narrated in the first person, with a multiPOV alternating between the two main characters - Rhioa and Tyron. The story sets off as Rhioa and her sister, Tirzah, stumble upon a passed out Tyron right outside a (very infamously dangerous) forest. From then on, they (somewhat reluctantly) end up forming an alliance and set out to accomplish a mission that will get them entangled in a web of dangerous political agendas. This story has it all - dragon shifters, trained assassins, magical powers, slow burn romance, sister bonds, found family, court intrigue...what more could anyone ask for?
I enjoyed it so much that it would've been a 5-star rating if it had ended when they decided to go to Rhy and Tirzah's homeland. Alas, it carried on and - although I suspect I might have felt differently had I also read the original series this book is a prequel for - the whole last story arc felt a bit rushed and anticlimatic. As a standalone, I'd like to have seen that last arc explored more deeply in a second book that gave us more insight into how everything progressed after they striked a deal with Rhy's father - especially the romance subplot. As someone who does enjoy romance, the timeskip felt a bit criminal!!!
All this said, it's a very well written book with a very solid storyline and characters that you can't help but root for. Honestly, I don't usually read middle-grade but I'm very tempted to give the original series a go! Oh and side note: Askefise is suitable for audiences >16 but all main characters are adults, so I'd definitely recommend it for older readers like myself as well (it's definitely not your typical YA).