The storyline begins with much pomp and intrigue, at a turning point in the life of the protagonist, Alyrra. From there, Intisar Khanani skilfully introduces the main characters and smoothly interweaves the world-building. Her writing style has such a tranquil and calming nature, it's almost like stepping into a nice, warm bath. You know the feeling - all your muscles relax, your mind clears and you never want to get out.
The storyline itself is not saturated with action or drama; yet the slow pace and the strong character focus are still very captivating. Honestly, no one was more surprised than me that I never became bored or frustrated by the pace. Instead, I was kept intrigued and entertained by the highly developed and well-thought-out characters.
"It is rare for someone who wants power to truly deserve it"
Overall, this book is a delightful, unexpected gem! I certainly did not expect to love it as much as I do. Yes, the pace is relatively slow, but this actually works really well for the storyline as it allows for a strong character focus that is not overshadowed by ploys and drawn out misunderstandings. Moreover, Intisar's beautiful and calming writing style is nothing short of a breath of fresh air and is itself impressive. Best believe I will be picking up the next book in this series!
The storyline itself is not saturated with action or drama; yet the slow pace and the strong character focus are still very captivating. Honestly, no one was more surprised than me that I never became bored or frustrated by the pace. Instead, I was kept intrigued and entertained by the highly developed and well-thought-out characters.
"It is rare for someone who wants power to truly deserve it"
Overall, this book is a delightful, unexpected gem! I certainly did not expect to love it as much as I do. Yes, the pace is relatively slow, but this actually works really well for the storyline as it allows for a strong character focus that is not overshadowed by ploys and drawn out misunderstandings. Moreover, Intisar's beautiful and calming writing style is nothing short of a breath of fresh air and is itself impressive. Best believe I will be picking up the next book in this series!