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sf_731 's review for:
And I Darken
by Kiersten White
Holy hell I love this book.
Seriously, there are no words to describe my awe at Lada and Radu's intelligence and my respect for the author for writing such intricate details that made the characters, the relationships, and the plot hit just right. I loved how the two main characters were each so accomplished from the outside, yet so jealous of each other for respective things, and always considered themselves inferior to the other. The dynamic felt very raw and real, and I loved how at the end of the day, the siblings always chose each other.
That said, I want to talk about the characters again. Lada was wild and crazy and ferocious, but I loved her for it. She was crazy intelligence and not afraid to do whatever was needed to reach her goals, blending the lines of morality in the process. She was "not like other girls" in the literal sense, but yet still could respect and uplift other women. But even then, she wasn't a slab of stone; her frustrations and feelings made her very relatable, and at the end of the day, she's still a brilliant strong female character.
Radu, on the other hand, might be my favorite character in the series (okay nevermind, he's tied with Lada, but the fact that I root for both of them equally really showcases the author's skills). I loved his character arc going from a weak neglected little boy to carving out a life for himself in the Ottoman Court, making himself indispensable through court intrigue and soft politics, rather than through Lada's physical strength and brute force. The only qualm I have about his character is his incessant pining for Mehmed, but then again, every character needs a weakness.
PS: I loved the abundance of historical facts! I've read some comments about how there are many small errors, but honestly, as I'm not very familiar with this part of history, I just enjoyed the setting. The only sad part was that I was listening to the audiobook, so a bunch of the time I understood the pronunciation but was not able to connect the sound to the word :(
PPS: I kind of get why they love Mehmed, but kind of don't...especially on Radu's end. However, I do think the author made a right choice by placing two scenes in the book:, that showcases how despite their love for him, he was never the thing they valued most. That was a damn good choice and I would've been very angry if the author did the opposite :)
In conclusion: solid 4.5 stars. The only thing stopping this book from becoming a 5 star read is that something needs to hit in the next two books. Despite the addictive quality and good content, something is not there and I am not obsessed yet. I eagerly await for the sequel.
Seriously, there are no words to describe my awe at Lada and Radu's intelligence and my respect for the author for writing such intricate details that made the characters, the relationships, and the plot hit just right. I loved how the two main characters were each so accomplished from the outside, yet so jealous of each other for respective things, and always considered themselves inferior to the other. The dynamic felt very raw and real, and I loved how at the end of the day, the siblings always chose each other.
That said, I want to talk about the characters again. Lada was wild and crazy and ferocious, but I loved her for it. She was crazy intelligence and not afraid to do whatever was needed to reach her goals, blending the lines of morality in the process. She was "not like other girls" in the literal sense, but yet still could respect and uplift other women. But even then, she wasn't a slab of stone; her frustrations and feelings made her very relatable, and at the end of the day, she's still a brilliant strong female character.
Radu, on the other hand, might be my favorite character in the series (okay nevermind, he's tied with Lada, but the fact that I root for both of them equally really showcases the author's skills). I loved his character arc going from a weak neglected little boy to carving out a life for himself in the Ottoman Court, making himself indispensable through court intrigue and soft politics, rather than through Lada's physical strength and brute force. The only qualm I have about his character is his incessant pining for Mehmed, but then again, every character needs a weakness.
PS: I loved the abundance of historical facts! I've read some comments about how there are many small errors, but honestly, as I'm not very familiar with this part of history, I just enjoyed the setting. The only sad part was that I was listening to the audiobook, so a bunch of the time I understood the pronunciation but was not able to connect the sound to the word :(
PPS: I kind of get why they love Mehmed, but kind of don't...especially on Radu's end. However, I do think the author made a right choice by placing two scenes in the book:
Spoiler
Radu saving his sister before Mehmed, and Lada leaving Mehmed for WallachiaIn conclusion: solid 4.5 stars. The only thing stopping this book from becoming a 5 star read is that something needs to hit in the next two books. Despite the addictive quality and good content, something is not there and I am not obsessed yet. I eagerly await for the sequel.