Saturday, August 18, 2018

Review: Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1) by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch
Series: The Witchlands #1
Author: Susan Dennard
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: January 5, 2016
Pages: 416
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: Audiobook, Ebook



In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.





MY REVIEW
This review MAY contain SPOILERS. Read at your own risk.

This was such a masterpiece! Dennard weaves an impressive tale of adventure, friendship, and hope that was such a pleasure to experience. This is my first Dennard book and I am now a lifelong fan!

The world building is just gorgeous! It is intricate, layered, and a thrill to experience through the pages. The magic system that is presented in this book is complex and well thought out. The plot is very driven by the different countries and empires this world is made of. There are a lot of world-specific terms and different languages. I really admire Dennard for her creativity where the world building is concerned. The only criticism that I have is that the world building almost seemed too much at times. Especially at the beginning of the story. This wasn't a deal breaker by any means, but a simple dictionary or guide at the back of the book would have solved this completely. 

The characters in this book are extremely noteworthy. I love the different backgrounds they have and the way that their chemistry is when they all come together. It is an interesting and magical mix of personalities. I also love that the characters are complicated and full of flaws and skills alike. I love the powerful concept of friendship that shows up throughout the book. 

I loved the slow burn romance. The one trope that I am usually not on board with is instalove. Thank that stars that there was none of that in this book. The author provided enough emotion-jarring scenes to give the reader the right amount of feels. The romance was attraction, rage, vexation, and respect. It was a coming together after seeing someone for all of their strengths and faults. I am eager to see what blossoms forth in the next book.

The plot was really outstanding. The foreshadowing was written into the story beautifully, and I can only imagine that things will pop up in the next book that were hinted at in this one. There are so many pieces on the board, and Dennard plays them all with a clever prowess. She reveals just enough to make you want to read more and connect the dots. I like where the story is going and how it was shaped throughout the book. And that ending definitely makes the reader want to continue to the next book. 

Overall, this was an exciting story with plenty of adventure and mystery. The fantasy world is immensely creative and will draw you right into the story. The characters are instantly likable and really grow on your heart the more that you read. If I had to describe this title by comparing to other books series I would say it is a combination of The Grisha Trilogy and the Throne of Glass series. If you like either of those series or books like them then I have no doubt that you will love this one as well!



THIS BOOK CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2018 READING CHALLENGES
- Try Something New Challenge
- Beat the Backlist Challenge
- Audiobook Challenge
Check out my 2018 Challenge Page to see my progress!


What kinds of magic systems are your favorite?  What books have you read that have had the most creative magic systems?

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 

Layout graphics by Fangirl Faction Template by Ipietoon Cute Blog Design