Synopsis
The discarded daughter of an emperor, Khamilla Zahr-zad is raised with her mother’s nomadic tribe until a violent raid ends that peaceful life. Amid the chaos of death, the heavenly magic of nur awakens within her, granting her the power to wield a cosmic light.
Khamilla suddenly goes from outsider to weapon, finally accepted into her father’s court. Now worthy, she trains in combat and poisons, pledging loyalty to his throne. But tragedy strikes again and when her clansmen are defeatedby a rival empire, Khamilla vows lasting vengeance as she escapes. However Khamilla is not alone – for something shadows her, feeding her darkness…
Hiding her identity, Khamilla infiltrates the enemy’s army academy. She studies jinn, magic, and martial arts from cutthroat mystic monks in a bid to bring down an empire from within. However, through her studies Khamilla begins to question her father’s teachings of war and rule.
With war escalating across kingdoms and a twisted magic spreading, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: revenge or freedom.
Review
This is for The Poppy War fans.
If you take rage, unrelenting determination, hidden treachery, and someone who will do anything to win: you will get this book.
Tyrants may not have chains around our necks, but they control something worse: our ideology.
The emperor’s black sheep barbarian daughter, a child of the Usur tribe, returns to the palace after thwarting invaders. She must prove herself and stay alive through harsh training and family willing to poison each other.
She is determined to infiltrate the ranks of their enemies who are formidable warriors and wield nūr – heavenly magic. Unbeknownst to most at court, our heroine is also able to wield these heavenly bonds.
That is all I’m going to say because so much happens and I don’t know what would be a spoiler or not. It started off reminding me of The Birth of a Dynasty and then flips and turns into The Poppy War.
Our heroine begins unnamed, caught between two worlds and desperate to earn the loyalty of her father, the untouchable emperor. Everything is tinged with violent bonds of love which our heroine has normalised and even seeks. As a reader, you will be torn between pity and annoyance, sadness and anger.
And of course, children are children through their dreams. Children only become monsters when all the dreams fade away.
Where this book started and where it ended was crazily different. It astounded me how the main character and her convictions changed (but also didn’t).
The ending did feel too rushed – over-powered characters, a whiplash of a climax, and a resolution which left me unsatisfied.
However, I liked how unapologetic this book is in the anger and the unlikable underdog you can’t help but root for.
I can understand the mixed reviews, my own thoughts are all over the place.
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