(Review #392)
Briar Girls received a 4.8/5 stars. I loved this YA (clean) standalone fantasy romance written in one point of view.
Lena and her father have moved to a move town, or fled from their precious one. Lena is traumatized by whatever catastrophe she had caused at her prior home. Flashbacks of horror plague her. Now she’s amid strangers who have to kill one of their own because his mind has been stolen by The Silence.
But what is The Silence? Why and how does it possess people? What made it change years ago? How does it relate to Lena? Why does she blame herself for the devastation in her prior village? What monstrosity is she capable of?
Who rules the Gather? But what is the Gather?
What’s the Mundane?
Who is Shale?
When a random girl (Miranda) walks out of the forest injured, Lena and her father help despite the fact that no one has ever left the forest alive, or so rumor says. There may be secrets Lena’s father has kept from her. Her curse reminds me of the plot from Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust.
How can she fly with Alaric if his wings were stolen?
DRAGONS!
At the halfway mark I don’t know who to trust. It’s so exciting
Why does Rin make a condescending remark towards her saying “You really don’t know anything, do you?” But then follow it up a few pages later with “the less you know, the better.”
Why is the Princess in the briars so important?
Who is she?
The king’s command doesn’t make much sense.
The climatic battle scene was a little hard to follow because there were so many characters but overall very exciting!
I’m 90% satisfied with the conclusion. The wrap up felt a bit rushed. I’m by also glad the FF love was represented.