I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but the book cover design was particularly enticing and I loved the ‘Rebel of the Sands’ trilogy. Once again, Alwyn Hamilton has created a unique fantasy genre mash-up. This time the world building is based on European fairytale mythology, the story of a woodcutter and a magic axe, but the vibes are very Gotham City noir, with an ‘Inheritance Games’ plot – an intriguing combination.
The Holtzfall family – descendants of the original woodcutter – are the de facto royal family of Walstad and control all the money and magic. Nora is daughter of the Heiress, which means she is next in line after her mother inherits from her grandmother, but when her mother is murdered the succession is thrown into uncertainty and Nora must compete against her cousins in a magic competition called the Veritaz to prove her worth and earn the right to be the new Heiress. Throw in a newly revealed illegitimate cousin as a surprise contestant, a journalist investigating the truth behind Nora’s mother’s murder, and a V for Vendetta-style resistance movement, to create a dazzlingly original fantasy thriller. I adored this and I can’t wait for the next one!
Thanks to Faber and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
And I couldn’t resist the Waterstones special edition paperback – look at those gorgeous sprayed edges!
Swimming in Books 