I didn’t finish this even though it had awesome potential and beautiful imagery and descriptions. It’s the first of a trilogy so check out the whole series.
Here’s my random notes while reading.
The specialties chart is very helpful in the beginning to show all the transfigures of anatomy, sound, matter, magic, & knowledge.
Chapter 1 was perfect! I’m already immensely interested in the magic, want to know more about the system and the Order, have been hooked to learn how the protagonist deals with this, liked Quell’s personality and loved the fluid prose.
What is toushana magic? Why are the dragons chasing her? Why did Quell and her mom leave Chateau Soleil years ago? Why is the Order killing people with toushana? Why won’t her mom educate her?
Is her grandma a savior or a villain!
Why does her grandma want her to sign the inductee registration so badly?
Ahhh now the world building implodes…
Darkbearer?
Night Bleeder?
Death Walker?
Dysiians?
Sunbringers?
House of Perl?
Three Rites?
Cotillion?
Emerging. Honing. Binding?
the season?
Like most YA new-magic awakened plots, I’m hoping this isn’t all set in a school.
Chapter 6 was a bit overwhelming in class and it felt very Harry Potter like to create the world and systems.
So Yagrin is the second POV and it’s written in third person. Apparently his next target is Quell, the heroine.
Unfortunately I’m losing interest around page 75 because there feels to be too much unnecessary world building instead of moving the plot forward. Do we need Traders & a source enhancer & Aronya & Shifters & the Sphere & the Commissioning Pact & the Highest Mysteries & Sun Dust & the house of Ambrose… as well as all the new characters just thrown in… it’s too much.
Part 2 makes me frustrated about Quell’s relationship with her mom for two reasons, the first- for a naive trust that her grandmother is in her side and the second- for being so concerned about a parent but choosing not to meet up with her.