AUTHOR: Jay Kristoff GENRE: New Adult Fantasy PAGES: 434 RELEASED: 25 July 2016 SERIES: The Nevernight Chronicle #1 SYNOPSIS: Destined to destroy empires Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death. Six years later, the child raised in the shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything. But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult. The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student. The shadows loves her. And they drink her fear. I was kindly sent a copy of this book for review from HarperVoyager Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Hogwarts for assassins? YES PLEASE!
Six years after her father was executed for treachery and her mother and baby brother imprisoned, Mia Covere makes her way to the Red Church, a school for assassins. Hoping to graduate a Blade - a fully-fledged assassin - she wants to seek revenge on those who ripped apart her family. But the road to becoming a Blade is long a dangerous - she is surrounded by assassins and assassins-in-training after all. But the real danger lies outside the walls of the Red Church, back in her home of Godgrave, where the leader of the republic will stop at nothing to bring down the Red Church and its leaders. Luckily for Mia, she has a dark and deadly affinity that makes her a lot more dangerous than many have been led to believe. If she wants to get her revenge, she's got to keep her eye on the prize or she'll most likely be killed. Where do I even begin with this fantastic book?! Let's start with the world, because it's honestly the most fascinating aspect of this book. The world of Nevernight has got to be one of the most detailed fantasy worlds I've read, and that's all thanks to footnotes. Throughout the book, Jay has used footnotes to expand on different elements of the world, whether that's a historic moment, the backstory of a particular item, or just a kooky anecdote about nothing in particular. They help bring the world more to life and add so much more detail to the story. It really just shows how much work Jay put into creating this world, going so far as to share information that, at this point at least, has very little do with Mia's story. I know a lot of people have had issues with the footnotes, but I loved them and hope they continue throughout the rest of the series. The entire cast of characters in this book were also really interesting, and at times I wish we got to see and learn more about some of them. Mia was a brilliant main character - she's a kick-butt assassin who doesn't take shit from anyone, to the point where she'd probably risk being killed by one of the Shahiids. And then there's Tric, who I also loved. His story was also really intriguing, and I wasn't expecting for him to play such a big role in the story. And who knew you could find a bit of romance in a school for assassins! The writing can be a a little dense at times, especially in the beginning, and it did take me a little while to get into the writing, world and story, but once I got there, I couldn't put the book down. Make sure you give the book a chance if you're struggling, because it's definitely worth it. The audiobook is freaking amazing, so check that out if you need! This story literally has a bit of everything and I loved, almost, every minute of it. There's definitely a moment near the end that I'm hoping is somehow, with a little magic, going to change in future books. Just remember, if you're reading a book about killers-in-training, don't get attached to anyone! Not even Mia, because according to the very first page, she dies too! Between the blood and gore, you've got laughs, friendship, and a bit of romance, plus some unexpected twists and turns that'll keep you gripped until the very end. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers and those willing to get covered in a little bit of blood. Just a note: this book is graphic at times in regards to violence, and I'm pretty sure the F-bomb was dropped on every single page, so just a heads up if that's not you're thing. Also, there's a explicit sex scene or two. BRING ON GODSGRAVE IN SEPTEMER!!! |
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