Even though I haven't finished the Vampire Academy series... I loved what I read. I was so excited to see a new series by Richelle Mead, especially fantasy. Yippee. I was so super excited. So I grabbed this book on audio and devoured it. I loved everything about it. I want more.
So first ting first. This book is fantasy as in it's set in an unknown time in an unknown world. Okay that is as far as the fantasy element goes. The rest reads like historical fiction and I was perfectly fine with that. I went in looking for a fantasy but didn't mind the outcome at all. It was a wonderful read with a very historical fiction feel and I loved every bit of it. From the very first word to the last.
I will also say this book read like 4 books in one. It started off with a fantasy/dystopian mix with a touch of high society with the glittering court. Half way through it changes to a historical romance. Next comes a western feel. Then finally the end is a witch hunt sort of feel. I want to add that I did not find this as a problem. There were very smooth transitions and it all made sense. It was actually quite refreshing the way the feel morphed as the story morphed. As I say that, the story did have many parts and it felt as if I read an entire series in one book. It didn't feel long and drawn out just very full of story. I loved it. It never slowed in pace, it never bored. It was very well thought out and written.
There were two parts of this book I loved... The story and the characters. Together they worked so magnificently and seamlessly. The story was good. It really focused on women and their lack of choices and freedom. Not just women though... that was the main one... there was also suffering among those who had different belief systems, race, and of course class. There were elements of love, friendship, freedom, loyalty, action, adventure, betrayal, conspiracy, self discovery, and so much more. So many things, so many feels. Just amazing.
The characters were all really awesome and really well developed. The main character, Adelaide/Elizabeth, was a very strong independant girl. I loved her. She was smart, snotty when the time fit, snarky, wise, driven, and just so many great qualities. Even when she was being selfish she was caring and kind. She was always thinking about others. Even when she ran away she felt for how her grandmother would feel. It seemed very selfish for her to run as it left her grandmother with nothing... but I could understand the reason. She was dying inside. Sufficating, she needed to take her life into her own hands. She really amazed me.
Some of the other girls, Tamsin amd Mira, held their own as secondary characters. I am so excited to know that the next two books will be from their POVs. Not the same story either. New ones. I am super excited about that.
These girls were different in every way from each other and from Adelaid. Tamsin was a tough determined girl who let nothing get in her way. She was touch I mean tough. She had a temper but she was loyal. Mira was a girl from antoher country that escaped war and began a life in the world where Adelaide was from. She needed a new life but was dertermined to make all the choices herself and even buy off her own contract so she wouldn't need to marry. She was very loyal, very sweet and very sneaky. Loved her too. Can't wait to see more from these girls.
The love interest Cedric. He brought the swoons oh did he. I fell for him hard. He was witty and charming, kind and generous, brave and courageous. I was so busy getting to know him I never really pictured his looks beyond the basics, because lets be serious... everything else was just perfect it didn't matter. I am sure he was hot though. At least the girls in the book seemed to have thought so.
There were plenty of evils and somewhat baddies to make the story go round. There were also heroes hidden in the background as much as snakes hiding in the grass. It was really really good I tell you.
This is one of those books I just want to gush and gush about. And the book was done... resolution in the end... yet there will be more. This is the kind of series I like. More of this world but other parts of the story in whole. Love it. I just yeah.. this book really had me feeling and thinking and totally becoming part of this world. Tears, laughter, eye rolls, cheers. It had it all. I just need more.
On a side note. The narrator.. perfect for this read. She nailed the characters and really brought voice to them. She had all the feels down perfectly. The setting, the tone, everything was just right. I am sure I loved this more as audio than I would have reading it on my own. Although not by much. I would have still loved it. The narrator just brought so much to the story, it just made it more everything.
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