A review by juan_adhd_reading
The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le

adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was awesome! It's like Nina Zenik from Six of Crows lived in the post-industrial world of Legend of Korra. It was really amazing to see how the author's own experience as a medical practitioner influenced her world and character-building. Although I'm not a med student, I did receive a course on bioethics, and was able to catch a lot of the same principles on the Heartsoother's tenets. I really like how the magic system follows some basic principles of conservation of mass and energy, plus having the need to study anatomy and the many complex paths and connections throughout the human body. It felt really grounded, yet it was also fantastical.
The story is told through the lens of a refugee, and her family having to leave their home due to persecution and an ongoing war. We see her having to hide her gift, the many prejudices society has against her people, and the overall inequality that's rampant in a city that prides itself in "progress". And though she is mad at the city and its people for all the harm that she's endured, she never loses her empathy, and her desire to use her gift to heal and make the world better. She was truly and admirable character, and I so wish to learn more about her.
That ending broke me! I can't believe it was left as a cliffhanger like that. I can't wait for the sequel!
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