Synopsis:
Princess Eirian Altira has always walked on a knife’s edge with flowers chasing her footsteps. Born with magic, she struggles to balance her ability to give life with the desire to kill. Raised by mages, the day comes when she must return home to a kingdom she left as a child, and a father she has not seen in 20 years. Surrounded by a strange court with expectations she was not prepared for, Eirian hides her magic until she’s faced with the choice between becoming queen or returning to the mages.
With secrets around every corner and war with a neighboring kingdom on the horizon, Eirian discovers her power means more than she realized. As does her long-standing friendship with the crown prince of the elven nation they’ve been allied with for generations. But the whispers in her mind and the rumors spreading through her court threaten everything Eirian holds dear, and she will do anything to protect the ones she loves.
With assassination attempts and rumors of war, Eirian proves to those around her that she is not one to hide from confrontation. Even when it risks her life.
Review:
I knew almost nothing about this book going in, but based on the synopsis, it intrigued me.
Eirian Altira is not your typical princess. She’s a trained mage with “red tendencies” (marking her a warrior-type), though her abilities range far beyond combat. She’s considered a purple mage, something that was never fully defined during the course of this book, though based on the other mage types, it would make sense if it were a mix between red and blue (blues are capable of manipulating and moderating the emotions of those around them.)
But again, Eirian’s magic doesn’t quite fit that mold and seems to be unique in her world. There is some speculation about her power (and a couple major reveals about her ancestry), that make Eirian both a target and the prime candidate to defend her kingdom should they be forced into a war.
A good chunk of this book focuses on Eirian’s arrival in Endara and preparations for ascending the throne after her father. If you’re a reader who enjoys political intrigue, this book will definitely suit your tastes. Overall, there was very little action/combat, but I suspect that will be coming in the later books. The politics at play between Endara, the elven kingdom, the mages, and the other human kingdom were complex and it was often difficult to know how the various factions would react to Eirian’s actions.
And Eirian is not a woman who is easily manipulated, nor does she bow to anyone. She isn’t afraid to say no or stand up for herself, and she certainly isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. As I said before, she’s not the typical princess and I loved that about her.
Most of this book felt like a setup for the rest of the series to come, and it should be an interesting one to follow.
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