You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
shonami 's review for:
Woven in Moonlight
by Isabel Ibañez
This is a debut book and I love debuts.
•
This definitely was completely out of my wheelhouse. I don’t reach for YA or Fantasy. But I enjoyed this A LOT. It got me out of my 2020 Covid-19 Quarantine reading slump.
•
In this book we are introduced to the world of Inkasisa and the Illustrians and Llacsans.
•
Ten years ago the Illustrians ruled Inkasisa. That all changed one day when the Llacsans, led by Atoc, drove the Illustrians from La Ciudad in a violent revolt using an ancient relic.
•
The Illustrians retreated to “the keep” and have been waiting and planning for the day the can take their rightful place again as the leaders of Inkasisa.
•
During the revolt all Illustrian royals, except for one, were killed. Catalina, the Condesa, was a mere child during the revolt. Ama, her aunt, finds Ximena on the streets of La Ciudad and brings her to the keep and from that day forward she is raised as Catalina, a decoy Condesa.
•
Now the usurper King Atoc is demanding the Condesa’s hand in marriage. Ximena goes in Catalina’s place.
•
Ximena carries out the Illustrian plan as she looks for the ultimate weapon to take down the king and the Llacsans. But during her time as captive she gets to know the people and history of her enemy and comes to see them differently. She starts to question the original plan but by doing so she is betraying her Condesa...her friend.
•
What I liked:
•It’s an Own voices book written by a Bolivian-American.
•Rich in Bolivian culture and history that had me researching more and more about this country.
•Powerful allusions to current political situations in Bolivia and South America.
• The rich lush descriptions of the setting, food, clothes, culture.
•The world building and magic system.
•The most amazing food descriptions that had me googling all the dishes mentioned.
•Even though Ximena is supposed to be demure, quiet, pliable and not supposed to have a mind of her own, she is actually quite thoughtful and an explosion of rage. She despises the frills that comes with being a princess , is quite skilled with a sword and and and can be only be calmed if given spicy fried food.
•Ximena’s ability to be open minded, to see other perspectives and willing to examine her own ideals and beliefs given new information.
•Plot of girl gets married off to evil abusive king but DOES NOT FALL FOR HIM . The bad guy and what he does is not romanticized.
• Ximena is so likable, full of attitude, learning to speak and think for herself after a whole life of being told what and how to think and speak and even who to pretend be•
• All the minor characters in the Llacsan world. The affable Juan Carlos the guard , sour puss Rumi the healer, Sharp Suyana the maid, wise, thoughtful and warm Tamaya the princessa and even the evil priest Sajra and King Atoc .
•The magical sloth...well let’s say the magic system in general. Everyone in the world seems to have a magical talent. Ximena’s is to make magical thread from the moonlight she is able to weave into her tapestries. Catalina’s is to read the stars. Rum is us to take pain away.
If there’s was anything I didn’t like
•Somewhat predictable.
•minor YA tropes
• origin of Magic system not explained
•
This definitely was completely out of my wheelhouse. I don’t reach for YA or Fantasy. But I enjoyed this A LOT. It got me out of my 2020 Covid-19 Quarantine reading slump.
•
In this book we are introduced to the world of Inkasisa and the Illustrians and Llacsans.
•
Ten years ago the Illustrians ruled Inkasisa. That all changed one day when the Llacsans, led by Atoc, drove the Illustrians from La Ciudad in a violent revolt using an ancient relic.
•
The Illustrians retreated to “the keep” and have been waiting and planning for the day the can take their rightful place again as the leaders of Inkasisa.
•
During the revolt all Illustrian royals, except for one, were killed. Catalina, the Condesa, was a mere child during the revolt. Ama, her aunt, finds Ximena on the streets of La Ciudad and brings her to the keep and from that day forward she is raised as Catalina, a decoy Condesa.
•
Now the usurper King Atoc is demanding the Condesa’s hand in marriage. Ximena goes in Catalina’s place.
•
Ximena carries out the Illustrian plan as she looks for the ultimate weapon to take down the king and the Llacsans. But during her time as captive she gets to know the people and history of her enemy and comes to see them differently. She starts to question the original plan but by doing so she is betraying her Condesa...her friend.
•
What I liked:
•It’s an Own voices book written by a Bolivian-American.
•Rich in Bolivian culture and history that had me researching more and more about this country.
•Powerful allusions to current political situations in Bolivia and South America.
• The rich lush descriptions of the setting, food, clothes, culture.
•The world building and magic system.
•The most amazing food descriptions that had me googling all the dishes mentioned.
•Even though Ximena is supposed to be demure, quiet, pliable and not supposed to have a mind of her own, she is actually quite thoughtful and an explosion of rage. She despises the frills that comes with being a princess , is quite skilled with a sword and and and can be only be calmed if given spicy fried food.
•Ximena’s ability to be open minded, to see other perspectives and willing to examine her own ideals and beliefs given new information.
•Plot of girl gets married off to evil abusive king but DOES NOT FALL FOR HIM . The bad guy and what he does is not romanticized.
• Ximena is so likable, full of attitude, learning to speak and think for herself after a whole life of being told what and how to think and speak and even who to pretend be•
• All the minor characters in the Llacsan world. The affable Juan Carlos the guard , sour puss Rumi the healer, Sharp Suyana the maid, wise, thoughtful and warm Tamaya the princessa and even the evil priest Sajra and King Atoc .
•The magical sloth...well let’s say the magic system in general. Everyone in the world seems to have a magical talent. Ximena’s is to make magical thread from the moonlight she is able to weave into her tapestries. Catalina’s is to read the stars. Rum is us to take pain away.
If there’s was anything I didn’t like
•Somewhat predictable.
•minor YA tropes
• origin of Magic system not explained