[A Quick Note: This was a buddy read with a group of instagram friends. So it was really fun getting to share our thoughts as we moved through the story. We did 5 chapters a day, which was good because this story was so intense, taking it in bite sized chunks made it less anxiety-inducing.]
“𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡.” —Sabaa Tahir
Laia is a Scholar, oppressed by the Marshals when her people were defeated. She’s lost half her family. When her brother attracts the attention of the marshals, he’s captured and taken to prison, while the rest of her family is executed. Laia’s only hope to save her brother is turning to the Resistance. In exchange, she must pose as a slave, placing herself at the mercy of the most vicious person in the empire: the commandant of the Masks. If she can’t survive her task, her brother’s death will be on her hands.
Hooollyyyyyy wowwww. This book had no chill. Every chapter was edge-of-your-seat anxiety inducing craziness. But it was SO GOOD. This is one of those books where I’m kicking myself for taking so long to read it. The hype is real and warranted.
The story follows two POVs, switching between them chapter by chapter, which was often times infuriating and frustrating, but helped make the story super addictive. Both story lines, that of Laia and Elias are excellent. So, technically, you don’t mind the switch, it’s just a bit of whiplash.
The Empire is a harsh and hostile place for all those who aren’t the nobility. The life of a Mask-in-training is BRUTAL. There were moments when my stomach churned. Moments when I asked myself, “Is this really YA?” But fortunately the descriptions aren’t super graphic. Still, this was a lot darker than I expected.
I was intrigued by the world building. We’ve got a scenario where an oppressive government is ripe for revolution. There is a little bit of unique magic, but it’s subtle. There are middle-eastern inspired creatures like djinn and ghouls, efrits, etc. One dark creature, in particular, is pulling many strings, and it’s clear that the story will really be a fight between humanity and otherworldly beings, under the ruse of a revolution. I love that! I also loved learning the back story behind the Marshal invasion of the Scholars.
The characters are FABULOUS. They each have prominent character arcs. Laia must learn to rely more on herself and become brave. Elias must learn to make better choices between “right and wrong” and discover where he draws the line. Even Helene, who is more of a side character in the first book, must start to question what side she really fights for. I am soooo pumped to see how these characters grow and change.
This story was an excellent start for what is sure to be an amazing series. While it is a bit anxiety-inducing, it’s just so so good. I even cried towards the end. It’s so rare that a book makes me cry. That’s how I know that it got me to FEEL something deep. Highly, highly recommend!
𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟓/𝟓⭐️
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