Author: Alexandra Overy
Publication Date: 20 April 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Page Count: 496
Reading Method: Physical ARC [Thank you to Inkyard Press]
Dates Read: May 4 – 6
Synopsis:
When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. While Izaveta remained at court to learn the skills she’d need as the future queen, Asya was taken away to train with her aunt, the mysterious Firebird, who ensured magic remained balanced in the realm.
But before Asya’s training is completed, the ancient power blooms inside her, which can mean only one thing: the queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.
As the princesses come to understand everything their roles entail, they’ll discover who they can trust, who they can love—and who killed their mother.
Review:
Plot:
If you didn’t know this about me already, I am a mega fan of all things retellings and re-imaginations. This book is pitched as a queer retelling of “The Firebird,” a Russian folktale. I am not incredibly familiar with the original story, but I absolutely love the path this story took. We have twin sisters, each set on a different path but equally responsible for the future of their kingdom.
Told in alternating points of view, we really get a good grasp on each sister’s story. This book is a wild ride, full of non-stop action, bears, slight romance, betrayal, and so much more. There’s something thrilling about not knowing what is going to happen or who you can trust.
Characters:
Our main characters are Asya and Izaveta. Asya is destined to become the Firebird and Izaveta is set to take the crown. Both of the twins are very unsure of themselves and really this story is about them discovering who they want to be and how they interact with each other. Because Asya left the palace when they were young, they have a difficult time relating to each other and knowing if they can trust their sister. They both showed immense growth as the story progressed and I can’t wait to see where the story takes them in the next book.
There’s also a whole host of additional side characters and, truth be told, it was a little confusing to keep them all separated in my head at first. About 30% through is when it all started clicking and I began to differentiate between side characters. I just have to say – there wasn’t a single side character that I found bland or poorly written. And the inclusivity in this cast really stood out. There was a deaf character, which I don’t think I’ve seen done in a book in a long time, and I loved reading about them and their translator.
Writing:
Overy certainly knows how to keep a reader on the edge of their seat. It was like every time I thought “I’ll take a break after this chapter” something major happened and I couldn’t put it down – you know the struggle. One more chapter isn’t ever just one more chapter haha. I thought the characters were well written and the plot was continually moving and developing, which kept me engaged. There was a little confusion about how everything worked at the beginning, but it all becomes clear as the story develops.
Overall:
I really really enjoyed this book. And the ending has me desperately awaiting the conclusion of the duology. I *need* to know what happens next and how everything resolves.
I’m hoping to read this one soon! I’m glad you liked it!