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A review by breabooks
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This book made me feel seen. It made me cry. It left me aching for the next chapter. Holy crow, what sort of sorcery did Brittney Arena wield when she wrote this book?
Vasalie was framed for murder by the King who once considered her “Jewel.” She was King Ilian’s dancer. He lavished her with all she could want, but accused her of murder and threw her into the dungeons for 2 years. Vasalie was eventually freed from her prison by Ilian, but with a few caveats. Vasalie was tasked to do the impossible: become a dancer again even though her body is broken and spy on the Crowns. King Ilian is hiding something and Vasalie is determined to gain her freedom- and vengeance.
Arena’s writing is lyrical but not overly flowery. The book’s pacing is consistent, but readers should be aware that there will be many bouts of hopelessness. I ate up all the plot twists and turns that are present up until the very end. The way Arena tackles limitations - both physical and mental - on her characters is incredibly relatable. The way dance is described made me feel like I was watching So You Think You Can Dance in my head. The descriptions of the performances were full of imagery but easy to follow. The banter was hilarious, especially Anton with all his haughty, narcissistic tendencies. Her writing plucked at my heartstrings. I found myself crying more than once.
This is a fantastic read for those who want suspense, royal intrigue, high stakes, and beautiful writing.
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the gifted advanced digital copy.
Vasalie was framed for murder by the King who once considered her “Jewel.” She was King Ilian’s dancer. He lavished her with all she could want, but accused her of murder and threw her into the dungeons for 2 years. Vasalie was eventually freed from her prison by Ilian, but with a few caveats. Vasalie was tasked to do the impossible: become a dancer again even though her body is broken and spy on the Crowns. King Ilian is hiding something and Vasalie is determined to gain her freedom- and vengeance.
Arena’s writing is lyrical but not overly flowery. The book’s pacing is consistent, but readers should be aware that there will be many bouts of hopelessness. I ate up all the plot twists and turns that are present up until the very end. The way Arena tackles limitations - both physical and mental - on her characters is incredibly relatable. The way dance is described made me feel like I was watching So You Think You Can Dance in my head. The descriptions of the performances were full of imagery but easy to follow. The banter was hilarious, especially Anton with all his haughty, narcissistic tendencies. Her writing plucked at my heartstrings. I found myself crying more than once.
This is a fantastic read for those who want suspense, royal intrigue, high stakes, and beautiful writing.
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the gifted advanced digital copy.