There is a lot to love about this book. The main character has a new and interesting voice that is really fun to read and follow along with. The characters throughout this novel all contribute a lot to the general story. This is a really interesting world and I think its really important to put more diversity into the fantasy genre since its always so easy o make every character the same as the last. I'm really glad this book exists to combat that while telling a really great story.

*copy provided by NetGalley*

I wanted to love this book I really did! Mostly because I was so excited about a fantasy book with a genderfluid main character and that was the best part of this book and I felt it was done pretty well.
I've never read a book with a genderfluid main character so I don't have anything to compare it to yet. Everything else was just difficult to get through.

I found myself reading and rereading passages over and over so I could understand what was going on. There were massive info dumps that meandered and didn't make much sense until I read them at least twice. I found it difficult to care about the characters. [When Ruby was killed in the final battle I felt like I should be crying but I just couldn't make myself feel it. I was also a little annoyed because I felt like it was setting book two up to go through the same process only with Sal now on the other side. (hide spoiler)]

Overall I just wanted so much more from this book. I will not be purchasing for the library at this time. If anyone has any suggestions about other books with genderfluid main characters, please let me know. I would love to read something better.

Mask of Shadows started very strong and I fully expected to enjoy it. Sal was a confident, if somewhat arrogant, main character who intrigued me with the carriage robbery in which Sal was both sneaky and polite, flirting with the victim of the robbery in a witty banter. I was so excited to get a Celaena-like character in another fantasy who wasn’t afraid to be sassy/bold.

I kind of suck at reading book blurbs and remembering what the book was about, so I completely forgot about/ignored/never noticed that the main character was supposed to be gender fluid so I wasn’t really sure what Sal was when I first began and it took a few pages before Sal mentioned anything at all about gender fluidity, but aside from Sal’s few mentions about it, it wasn’t really talked about.

Side note: I don’t know much about gender fluidity at all, but the book did not help me to become any more knowledgable about it, which is a little disappointing because I usually expect books and fiction to educate the reader about issues if they are big enough issues to discuss. I often read to put myself in the shoes of others and a lot of readers do the same, so I had hoped to walk away from the book feeling a little less confused about it. Instead, Sal dressed sometimes like a girl and sometimes like a boy and preferred the pronoun that fit the dress and that was about the only thing mentioned about it. In fantasy novels, women often dress like men in order to fight/move around/be an assassin and also to be taken seriously. (And since pants weren’t really an option for women in the first place, any woman wearing pants would essentially be wearing men’s clothes.) I don’t really think it worked well to have that be the main and only mention of Sal’s gender fluidity because women who dress like men in fantasy books typically still wished to be addressed as women (and usually just want to wear pants!), so I didn’t really understand why Sal would get irritated when people addressed Sal as a girl when in men’s clothing, nor did I really get to know the other characters and understood what they were wearing in relation during each interaction to help me better understand it all. I get that in today’s society, perhaps those who are gender fluid can and do use their manner of dress in this way, but it doesn’t work as well for me given the setting. I think the whole gender fluid aspect only served to make people who already understand it happy that there was a main character who was and is a great aspect, but didn’t do much to really put anyone else in Sal’s shoes and enlighten them. (I am perfectly happy to look everything I have questions about up myself and did not expect to walk away from the book as an expert on the matter, I just hoped I’d have one or two less questions about it all)..

Truthfully, how Sal dressed or was or felt was a non issue and had no impact on my review or feelings about the novel in a negative way. The reason this review isn’t a stellar one is solely based on the rest of the book. In fact, Sal’s gender fluidity was the best and most unique aspect of the entire book.

Mask of Shadows did not do anything new in the YA fantasy genre aside from the diverse MC. It was the first book of Throne of Glass almost exactly in terms of plot. It was a competition among people to become the Queen’s Assassin with the tests involving training, expertise, and it was up to the contestants to wipe each other out and whoever was left standing would essentially be the winner. The main character also had issues with politics and those politics directly impacted the main character’s childhood and upbringing, so revenge was a big motivator. Sal was also like Celaena because of the romance with someone already at the court/palace and was not related to the game itself, but helped with aspects of training. Other than the gender fluidity of Sal, it felt like a book I’ve already read before.

Unlike Throne of Glass, the rest of the competition remained pretty much faceless strangers. I did not feel like I got to know anyone else at all. There was not a lot of character building or world building, as the competitors donned masks and avoided each other. I had hoped for some alliances to be made so that there was more at stake emotionally for Sal and/or the reader, but they were just faceless numbers falling off and helping Sal get closer to winning.

I kept reading the book hoping for a twist or turn that would make the book seem more exciting/dangerous, but Sal remained fairly unscathed for most of the book and I knew Sal would be chosen as the next Opal and that’s pretty much how the book would end. When the final test came about and Sal had to execute the name on the paper, I had hoped for it to conflict with Elise somehow so that there would at least be some romantic drama, but no.

Other reviews keep saying that Mask of Shadows had great world-building and was so action packed, but I just don’t agree and I kind of feel like I must have been reading a completely different book. The book did have a lot of potential to be amazing, but it fell short in just about every aspect. I needed more world and character building, more high stakes, and less Sal just being good at everything and eye-rolling insta-love. (As much as I loved how unconventional and diverse the whole relationship was, it’s still eye rolling insta-love and could’ve been much better developed).

So many people hated this book and while there are obviously better books, it wasn't that bad. I did enjoy the concept.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller is the first book in a new fantasy series about a gender fluid pickpocket who joins an elite assassin competition in order to infiltrate and take down the nobles that let his people get massacred. With lots of blood, fights, schemes, and court drama, Mask of Shadows has it all.

I really enjoyed reading Mask of Shadows. I thought it was a great beginning to a new fantasy series; especially one with a genderfluid main protagonist which hasn't been done before.

Miller's writing and characterization were on point. The world that she has created was immaculate and wondrous. Although the assassin type games have been done before, this one was far better than the ones in the past. I just wish the majority of the story didn't revolve around them.

I also quite enjoyed the romance between Sal and Elise. I thought it was adorable and didn't take away from the plot but added a nice human element to it. The plot was very fast paced and was pretty easy to read. The ending few chapters were the highlight for me to be honest. It sets up what could be an explosive next book.

I highly recommend Mask of Shadows if you're looking for awesome characters, tons of action and a fantastic ending.

An intricate story that keeps you guessing while it proceeds in logical yet unexpected ways. The heroine is likable and fun, the setting remarkable.

The premise is by no means new but it's well executed and takes on a number of brilliant variations.

All in all, a fun read, highly recommended.

I tried reading this a couple months back but never really got into it. Super cool that the MC is non binary tho. From what I hear that's the best thing about the book..

I wish i would have a better review for this book, sadly i started reading the first chapter and became disinterested almost immediately. Tried a second time and still i wasn't feeling the story or writing BUT good thing since i had Two ARCS one Physical and One Ebook i sent the physical one to someone who appreciated it more.

MASK OF SHADOWS by Linsey Miller features Sal Leon, a genderfluid thief who wants nothing more than to exact revenge on the Lords of Erlend—those who ensured the annihilation of Sal’s country of birth, Nacea—and left them as its only survivor. The book starts with a robbery that introduces Sal, and as a result of that robbery, Sal learns of a competition to determine the newest member of the queen’s Left Hand—four bodyguards/assassins who are charged with protecting the queen and removing anyone who is a threat to her or Igna, the country created from the war that destroyed Nacea. Sal decides to enter the competition, and that adventure continues the book’s initial break-neck pace.

Upon entering the competition to be Opal of the Queen’s Left Hand, Sal becomes known as Twenty-Three—their number/name having been assigned based on the order the competitors were accepted into the competition. Sal is accepted based on fighting skills and a willingness to kill, and though Sal shows signs of being kind and caring at times, they are also ruthless. All of the competitors are ruthless, but beyond that we only know them by their numbers and the skills that will make them able killers.

The early competition scenes were my favorite parts of the book. The fight-to-the-death premise of MASK OF SHADOWS is one that is found in many fantasy or historical fiction novels, but the execution of this book is interesting for many reasons. Sal’s genderfluidity is mentioned at times, and an attempt at explaining genderfluidity is woven into Sal’s initial interview with the three members of the Left Hand running the competition, but it’s not the reason for this novel, just an aspect of it. MASK OF SHADOWS has many (many many) strong female characters, but gender plays such an insignificant role in every character that the world built by Miller seems somewhat utopian when it comes to equality and the understanding that the sexes are equal. Women are just as likely as men to fill any roll, and it’s not remarked upon at all. Gender roles are definitely not a thing, and the lack of them is not a thing either. A flaw in the tale is that Sal is the only characters who is fully developed by Miller--and that’s a shame because there’s such potential in so many others. In particular, Emerald, Amethyst, and Ruby—the three remaining members of the Left Hand—are people readers want to know more about, and I hope the second book expands on their stories. The lack of character definition also made it difficult to keep track of many of the secondary characters as they stepped in and out of scenes.

The love story woven into the book is sweet, but not all that interesting. That’s not something that bothers me—I don’t read adventure novels with an eye toward a good romance. The action scenes are really well written and they are constant, and the competition aspect of the book is well plotted. There are moments of far too much explaining as the book winds to a close, but that’s understandable as the author sets the stage for book two. The world building is strong except for the aspects surrounding magic and its removal from the world, and although the conflict that lead to the creation of Igna is repeatedly mentioned, more history on that would have been helfpul. Again, that could be something that will be developed more in the second book.

All in all, I recommend the book to those who like sword and sorcery books—though all sorcery takes place in the past—and a lot of action. I’ll be looking forward to the second book and revisiting Sal’s world. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for an original story! This one is definitely unusual, and refreshing. I get tired of the same story over and over and over! Right? Finally a new hero! Loved it.

Props to NetGalley for the ARC!

Admittedly, this is one of those stories that I started and wasn't really sure I would like.
Because it is a controversial book. And, unfortunately, I am not used to reading that many novels who share this trait. But, that would never really stop me from reading a book, unless the storytelling or the way the book was written was painful to me.
Fortunately, this book had neither characteristic.

In fact, I so enjoyed this story, that I found myself more and more immersed into it, despite my initial hesitation. The plot had everything, from honor to vengeance, from (sometimes a little raw) violence to heartwarming romance, all the way to an agonizing cliffhanger.

Sal, our protagonist, was brilliant, honest and even kind in an honorable way.
His/her/their quest for avenging the death of all Nacean people through various ways, was the focus of the book. And, I found myself empathizing with this goal. For Nacea had been the victim of vicious shadows and the even more vicious warlocks who had created them.

It was such an easy read, and I am anxious to find out more about what happens next to Sal and to a particular other person I grew to love through the protagonist's eyes. Although, I have to admit, there are plenty more characters that grew fond in my heart through the struggles and pains they endured during this book.

My overall advice to everyone thinking about picking up this book is this:

Do not be put off reading the controversial blurb. This is the second book I've read this year that deals with controversy around gender identity and both of them haven't failed to amaze me with their awesome plot and unique qualities.
If you like the rest of the plot and you only hesitate because of that, please don't. You really won't regret picking this book up.

At first I was worried I wouldn’t like Mask of Shadows, but it came through eventually. Miller is clearly trying to build a world and its politics and history by showing pieces of it slowly instead of explaining it to us outright, but she’s not as masterful as some (Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series is the best at this, for example), and it left me feeling very lost & confused at points. The world becomes more clear as you continue reading, but I still found myself flipping back and forth a lot to try and figure out what was going on, or if I missed something crucial.

What saves this book is Sal’s personality and characterization. Sal is full of quirks that make them feel real, and hint at deeper things that aren’t totally revealed (Sal’s regular back/shoulder pain, or being sorry when killing in an unnecessarily painful way, or having a dry sense of humor).

Sal’s gender fluidity is handled well also – mentioned enough to show how it affects Sal’s life, but not too much that it becomes the main focus of the plot.

I found myself wanting to like the romance but finding the build a little flat – the chemistry was almost there but not quite, and I feel a little something was missing from Elise personality-wise. (Though I’m hoping she might have some more hidden depths revealed in the next book.)

Ultimately: A decent read, lacking a bit in clarity, but saved by good characters and decent characterization and leaves you wanting to know more. Will be on the lookout for the next one.

A wonderful, well-written novel with vividly described characters that jump to life. The author has created a world that is easily seen in the reader's mind's eye as you read. Impossible not to root for the main character, a fascinating combinatin street urchin prince(ss).

What I loved about this book was that there was time to rest after action scenes. There were still issues and problems that Sal had to face but Sal had a moment to breathe, the reader had a moment to breathe from the action, it wasn't all just GO! GO! GO! I loved the fact that Sal is gender fluid because there's hardly any gender fluid representation, let alone gender fluid main characters. I loved the e-ARC so much that I pre-ordered the hardback (cuz it looks prettier than the paperback) and stopped reading halfway through the e-ARC so I could read my physical copy. The twist at the end was surprising and I enjoyed it though I wish there'd been more time with the character after their big reveal.

This book was good. Not quite Sarah J. Maas or Leigh Bardugo. Yes it was about an assassin’s trial and audition to become 1 of the 4 assassins to the Queen, her left hand.
Confusing lands, geography, political shifting, history. My arc didn’t have a map in it, and the timeline at the end didn’t help during the reading.

Good:
Book was overall very readable. Quick read, fun Main character. Appreciated a gender fluid main character. This felt ok for grades 7-8 even, seemed like a younger story than Throne of Glass assassin series, plots, and writing.

I'll be honest. I picked this book up because the plot was so similar to Throne of Glass. Only it sounded more interesting. And I'll be honest, I liked it a whole heck of a lot more than Throne of Glass. A quick perusal of reviews tells me this book was pretty divisive. Some people found it boring. I didn't. Everything that I wanted out of Throne of Glass, which wasn't given to me in that book, appeared here. Sal is sneaky, cunning, and so are the rest of the auditioners for the Left Hand. In fact, the entire point of the Audition was for the contestants to try and kill each other and outsmart each other. And I got that and it was awesome.

Sal was an interesting protagonist to me, but then again I haven't read any books with a gender-fluid main character. That actually didn't come up as much as I thought it would be based on a couple of reviews I read. It did come up, but I felt the focus was much more on Sal's revenge quest and relationship with Elise and the Left Hand.

As for their relationship with Elise, it felt very, very rushed to me. That's probably my biggest problem. Sal only knows Elise for a few days, and the insta-love was a bit nauseating to me. I will fully admit this is entirely personal preference. I much prefer a slow-burn romance and Sal's attitude towards their relationship would have made more sense to me if they'd known each other longer. As it stands, I can see the romance appealing to younger readers so I guess it's down to "whatever floats your boat."

I will say that this book definitely felt like a first novel, as some of the plot was weak and a bit "convenient". That being said, I really enjoyed reading this book in spite of its flaws. The author definitely put effort into world-building and the politics, even if I wished some of those politics had been shown a bit more consistently. I also VERY much appreciated that Sal wasn't the best at everything. Sal had to learn a lot, and adapt a lot, and they knew it. Sal's strength lay in their cunning and adaptability as well as the fact that they expected traps around every corner. I loved Sal's friendship with Maud, too. Highlight of the book for me.

In the end, I look forward to reading the sequel.

I was given a free copy but the format was off. So I could read it!

An interesting fantasy with LGBT characters. Formulaic at times but overall a quick, engaging read.

Interesting plot and characters with a lot of world building. It starts a bit slow but if you like intricate world building you will enjoy it anyway. There is plenty of action and quite a bit of intrigue.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
Level of Romance: Moderate

(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)

Fans of Sarah J. Mass will be eager to get their hands on Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller. Gender fluid Sallot “Sal” Leon first meets Elise de Farone when Sal robs her. Unbeknownst to her, that robbery actually sets Sal on the straight and narrow. Among the items Sal took was a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand, the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears on her left hand – Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst and Opal. Sal sees this as a chance to get out of the dead-end thieving business and infiltrate the court in order to enact revenge on those who destroyed the principality of Nacea. But it comes with an added benefit; the competition gives Sal a chance to reunite with Elise.

“Can ladies have affairs with common soldiers?”

“We can do anything we please,” Elise said softly. “Even if we should know better.”

But the wily Sal is by no means assured a victory. In a contest where lethal force is the name of the game, survival is a must; the competitors can be vicious and enemies surround you on all sides. Can Sal win the coveted title of Opal and gain the chance to court Lady Elise? Excellent world building and an intriguing dance of revenge make this first book in a duology well worth reading.