Synopsis
With the help of the ancient magic awakened inside her, Calla led Vesper Forn’s uprising to conquer Kanmane Palace and free the mages of the Kamphua Dominion. Except the victory is short-lived: Calla’s power is still not entirely hers, their people are falling one by one, poisoned by Vesper’s faulty imbuing ritual, and the surviving monarch is gathering forces to once and for all topple magic’s rule on the continent.
Trapped, separated from Gray and Marigo, and in the clutches of her childhood torturer, Calla submerges into strange otherworlds and her own old pain to regain the power that could save her life—save everyone’s lives. And this might not be her final trial either: Vesper’s tampering in the order of things is bringing an insidious presence crawling up from the depths of the world, demanding its due.
It’s a corruption old as time and just as inevitable. And it will make Calla question even the few things she thought she knew about herself.
Review
The first book in the Imbued duology is a beautifully-written fantasy that introduced us to a kingdom of hidden magic users who can encourage life to bloom or steal it for their own purposes. Book 1 left us on quite a cliffhanger. Our protagonist, Calla is trapped with a vengeful mage from her past who means to use her as a weapon. Vesper always knew there was a great store of untapped potential within Calla, and now she is finally able to use it in a strike against the Anadem and mage hunters.
The first half of Untwined is perhaps even more introspective than Imbued, with Calla enduring Vesper’s attempts to draw out Riidu, the powerful goddess bonded with Calla. Readers familiar with Calla’s personality won’t expect her to take action prematurely. She is a true introvert, and possesses a different kind of strength to more impulsive protagonists. Fighting would be foolish in her position. Instead, she patiently waits for her chances to resist. While Calla’s friend, Aesh, with whom she shares a sibling-like bond, is there for her at this time, Aesh is afraid of truly standing up to Vesper. They may be the only person who understands the twisted mage, but is Aesh wholly committed to their leader’s plan?
The magic system, which is founded on the tenuous balance of growth and entropy, is developed further in this book. It’s a unique concept that is felt in the very fabric of this society. The author’s descriptions are evocative, sometimes visceral and sometimes pleasing to read. I did miss one element from Imbued: the physical environments. I felt a less definite sense of place in Untwined, which could be because Calla navigates more shifting dreamscapes in this book. Still, the flower symbolism makes a return, which I really liked. Imbued had the Calla lily (our protagonist’s namesake) on the cover. The gorgeous cover for Untwined features a waterlily, which represents another intriguing character who we and Calla get to know better.
The second half of Untwined is where the plot truly starts to shine. We watch Calla exert some control over her destiny, and that moment is all the sweeter for all the hardship that has come before. We also catch up with important characters from the first book. Gray is struggling to free Calla and protect his people, all while slowly being tainted by the corrupting magic he uses to control the venai (terrifying, distorted creatures). Marigo and other characters from Calla’s years as a servant in the Ma-yi’s household also resurface, somewhat changed.
Untwined brings Calla’s traumatic journey of self discovery to a satisfying close. I now bid a bittersweet farewell to the inhabitants of the Kamphua Dominion. Untwined is newly released, and available at several online bookshops.
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