After her is father poisoned, Hesina will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. But as she claims her throne as the new queen, and has to deal with the nation being on the verge of war, as well as her own duplicitous court.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book is beautifully written, and follows Hesina, who has lost the father she loves dearly. She is determined to bring his murderer to justice, and will even stoop so low as to visit a sooth (reviled magic-user), who sets her on the path to truth.

Have I mentioned this book is beautiful? It starts very simply with a girl, who grieve for her murdered father, and is supported by her adopted brother and sister. It slowly builds layers, with Hesina's strained relationship with her only blood relatives - her mother and brother Sanjing. How she has to fight for her right to the crown, even though she is the obvious heir.
And more graceful layers still, as the royal court is brought into focus, along with all the expectations and traditions that way young Hesina down.

Alongside her unlikely new ally, Akira, Hesina starts to see her kingdom through unfiltered eyes. She sees the unrest, the ongoing prejudice and hatred towards sooths, and the enemies snapping at her heels.

I loved how things unravelled, going in a completely different direction than I expected, as her kingdom's history still played a heavy hand, in this new queen's future.

There were a few minor blips, I found some of the sacrifices made on Hesina's behalf to be overly-dramatic and detracted from the unforgiving storyline that had been carefully established. Hesina's reaction to said sacrifices was realistic, but her numbness and inaction at a vital time felt suddenly against her character, and I lost a lot of respect for her.

Altogether, this was an intriguing and elegantly-written story, and I will definitely be continuing with the sequel.

~~ I received an ARC copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~

This book honestly surprised me. Although I was intrigued with the premise, I feared that the world building would be either too complex or not fleshed out enough or that the main character would not draw my attention to keep me interested. Joan He's Descendant of the Crane is the beginning of a promising saga based in ancient Chinese culture. I enjoyed reading Hessina's journey and identified with both her insecurities and her drive. The plot has some interesting twists and turns that I honestly didn't expect. I lie the set up of the secondary and tertiary characters, and love that their intentions aren't one dimensional. I was definitely impressed by this story and can't wait to see what awaits Hessina in her future.

I wanted to enjoy this YA fantasy steeped in Chinese culture, history, and lore. Yet while I liked those aspects, the writing left a lot to be desired. It's a debut novel so I feel bad pointing this out, but it reads like a writer wanting to be taken very seriously: quite a bit of ponderous, sober, dour pontificating about duty, rule, and the nature of power. The characters, alas, are interchangeable and unmemorable. Needed some wit, humour, or *something*.

I have a lot to say about this one! The world-building is intense and magnificent. The characters are deep, beautifully crafted, and flawed. The magical theme was something different than I’ve ever experienced. However, the same repercussions are faced.

The plot was good. I liked the idea of unraveling a mystery/whodunnit. I had just about every single character as a suspect at some point in time, I think. I trusted NO ONE.

I can’t lie, I did get frustrated with Hesina’s choices at times. The blackmail was driving me insane. The trade-offs never felt worth what she was getting in return. I understood the why, but damn if I didn’t want to just kill the minister more times than not.

Akira was...interesting. It was clear he wasn’t just a normal guy/thief. What he was hiding had to be huge.

The whole Eleven thing could be confusing. In fact, the entire beginning was had me lost. It did get better as the story went on.

Also, pacing was an issue at times. After an intense scene, it would get dull and be lacking in action for quite some time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this!

This book exceeded any and all expectations I had before, during and after reading it!! I am absolutely floored by how quickly and completely it drew me in and ensnared me. If you're looking for a wild emotional rollercoaster ride with courtly intrigue and a gut punching plot? read on...

There were a slew of things going on simultaneously and almost nothing was as it seemed on the surface. It wasn't until the epilogue that I got the full breadth and scope of the book. There was a regicide trial. There was a war brewing. There was a budding/highly unlikely romance slowly percolating. There were magical people being persecuted and there were rampant duplicitous actions abound.

Our MC, Hesina, ascends the throne early on but who can she trust? Can she trust anyone? Can she even trust her fallible memories? She is young, malleable, impetuous, head strong, stubborn and a bit naive SO is she ready to rule? Is she ready to rule a country on the brink of war? With nefarious people and deeds amiss, can she navigate court and ferret out her father's murderer? I was swiftly swept up in the beauty of the writing, the plot, the world building and most of all the complex loveable/loatheable characters. There were twists and turns... even the turns had turns. I got to a point where I found myself saying (to myself) "I've read enough books in my life to see where this is going" I sat with a sneer on my face and then BAM!!! our MC was sitting in the dirt and the game totally changed. Not only didn't I see major plot twists ahead of time, I apparently had no idea what game was being played altogether. As you can imagine this left me wanting.. nay, needing more. I couldn't stop reading. I made excuses to hide away and read just a bit more. I waited in my daughter's car rider line, at school, an hour early just so I could continue reading. I read while the rest of the family watched t.v. together. I skipped meals and read through the dead of the night. I was addicted... in the best possible sense. I was a puppet on Joan He's strings and reacted just as she commanded. I loved then loathed then loved then felt conflicted right on cue... AND that ending... it slayed me!! I might have cried. Okay, I did cry but I dare you not to shed some (completely understandable) tears. I was swept up in all of the emotions. I am still reeling days after finishing the book. I let it sit and ruminate in my mind to see if the endorphin high would wear off but I am still just as touched and obsessed as when I read the very last word. I desperately wish I could start over again, naive to what lay ahead...experience this book anew. BUT alas...it will have to live on in my memories and of course in my favorites list.

Over all: I LOVED this book!! It deftly elicited all the Feels. It ran me through the gamut of emotions and surprised me at almost every turn. I did guess one twist but that seems paltry compared to how many there were that I failed to foresee. This is going straight to my favorites list and I will wait until the end of time for book #2!! If you're still reading this... what are you waiting for?? Go and pick this one up toot sweet!

~ Enjoy


*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

SO GOOD! I absolutely loved this book. The plot twists were amazing and well-written so that they flowed with the story and made so much sense when provided with the evidence from the author.

Pay close attention to everything you read in this book, because within the words are the clues for the end!

Mixed feelings here. If you enjoy Chinese fantasy with lots of complicated political intrigue, this might be for you. There is some good world-building here, but it took me awhile to get it all straight.

While the heroine (princess-turned-queen) is billed as strong and determined, I sometimes found her weak and struggling to keep up with the political mayhem. To be fair, she IS young. There’s also racism, treason, and quite a few twists, with the ending being open-ended enough to lead to possible sequels. It also felt a bit over long to me.

Some will enjoy, I found myself a bit ambivalent.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AlbertWhitman&Co for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

Descendant of the Crane was a really pleasant surprise. It's actually one of the better, more creative YA fantasies I've read, taking influence from Chinese culture and exploring morally grey areas in a story full of political machinations and twists. I hope this book doesn't get buried under the pile of generic YA fantasies with flashier covers and dramatic names like "Queen of Blood/Ash/Shadows/Fire".

It's a quieter book than I had first imagined. The promise of a kingdom in turmoil and a ban on the magic once practiced by soothsayers sounds familiar in this genre, not unlike other action-packed fantasies. However, it is much more focused on political maneuvering and a young woman's bildungsroman as she discovers that not everything is black and white, and sometimes you are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Oh, and there's also a compelling murder mystery and courtroom drama.

Joan He avoids dropping characters into "good" or "evil" boxes, allowing the villains (both the obvious ones and the not so obvious) to be multilayered and have realistic motivations for their actions that go beyond "Muahaha, I'm evil". As Hesina adjusts to her new power as queen, she finds herself relating to her enemies and questioning the purely benevolent view she always held of her father. I like how the author doesn’t stop at the surface, but instead explores complex emotions.

The story begins with Hesina illegally visiting a soothsayer for information about her father's - the former king's - death. She knows there was foul play and wants to find out who was responsible. The soothsayer cannot tell her the culprit, but she can point her in the direction of someone who will help her find out. Enter sexy ex-convict-turned-lawyer: Akira.

What follows is Hesina's attempt to get justice for her father and prevent war at the same time. Along the way, she uncovers secrets and betrayals. The murder mystery aspect - plus the thrilling courtroom scenes - were done so well here. So much better than the recent Four Dead Queens.

I really enjoyed it when Hesina was forced to play a role as queen. Part of her story arc is learning how sometimes, unfortunately, it is necessary to lie or do "bad" for the greater good. It's a hard pill for her to swallow.

I have a couple of minor quibbles. The first is that sometimes the pacing needed work. Overall, I appreciated the slower, more political plot, but there were parts of the book that went on too long and felt dragged out, but truthfully this could be said for about 95% of YA fantasy debuts.

The second is that this is one of those books that I think would have been better as an adult novel. There is something a bit off by all these rulers and military leaders being around 16 or 17 years old. As it is, the novel is mostly chaste, despite the inclusion of such as brothels. It feels almost deliberately cleaned up for a younger audience, and I think it is a shame that a sexy character like Akira is wasted on a romance lacking in steam.

I still enjoyed it a lot, though. I have to point out that this is NOT a standalone and is left set up for a sequel. You can bet I'll be reading it.

I'm not sure I can accurately describe how stunning this book is. Beautiful prose so artfully woven it reads like one's own thoughts. Flawless world-building. Believable character growth. It is a story of a girl who aims to get justice for her father's murder, but it is also so much more. It is a story about loss, betrayal, heartbreak, prejudice, and hope. It is about humanity, the good and the bad, and learning to grow, seeking the truth, fighting for change despite what the past dictates.

Descendant of the Crane is extraordinary.

We are absolutely in the midst of a Golden Age for YA high fantasy, Descendant of the Crane just dropped the mic of maybe the best fantasy of 2019.

There are twists, betrayals, and blade sharp intrigue dripping from the pages of Descendant of the Crane, Joan He just catapulted herself into the upper echelon of authors who are changing the perception of YA.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Descendant of the Crane is an enthralling debut novel full of vivid world-building and a mystifying plot. It’s a Chinese inspired fantasy full of complex familial relationships, court politics and a hell of a lot of twists. I’m honestly still struggling to put my thoughts into words.

The story follows Princess Hesina, who has grown up cherishing certain secrets of the palace that her father, the emperor shared with her.
Following her father’s death – or as Hesina believes, murder - she steps up to inherit her role as ruler as a means to find justice. However, this entails being thrown into a world of more secrets than she initially asked for. A world full of corruption and power hungry individuals. A world controlled through the words of the Tenets – an ancient text asserting the philosophies of the revolutionaries who centuries back marshalled a new era for the kingdom. A world governed by a primordial prejudice against “soothsayers” – people who are able to wield magic, any association with whom is regarded as an act of treason.

In this world full of deception Hesina has to stand her ground and fight for what she wants. By her side are her siblings –Caiyan, Lilian, Sanjing, and Rou, a mysterious convict who goes by the name Akira and the lessons she learnt from her father.

Joan’s narrative does well in voicing the determination and naivety of the young queen from the start. Hesina’s overall character development - from a carefree, inexperienced adolescent to a persevering monarch set out to do what is right for all of her people - was GREAT! However, I did feel that some of Hesina’s decisions and indifference towards certain characters were unrealistic.

Towards the beginning I felt that the events occurring in the plot were progressing quite rapidly, but as the rich history and politics of the world were fed into the story it set a good pace. The case of the emperor’s death took centre stage hence the book felt more like a mystery with an air of historical fiction rather than a fantasy.

The fantasy elements to me felt slightly overshadowed by the happenings of the imperial court and the strong themes of trust and doubt, truth and lies. Nonetheless, this is not to say that the fantasy elements were lacking in any way. The soothsayers and their magic was really interesting! I just hope that if we are to get a sequel that we get to see more about them. It would also be interesting if we were able to learn more about the surrounding territories of Ning, Ci and Kendi’a. Other than a few scenes taking place at the borderlands and the mention of political agreements and commerce, the narrative doesn’t really focus anywhere other than the kingdom of Yan.

My favourite parts of the story were probably the flashbacks Hesina had of her father. Family was another very prominent theme within this book and the character relationships overall, in particular the sibling relationships, were really well written. The main thing I had a problem with understanding was the relationship between Hesina and Akira…
Akira intrigued me from the beginning with how he easily slipped into the role he was given but the confidence Hesina gave him didn’t entirely make sense to me. Also the romance?? It was never intense and had the impression of being slow burn but as I was reading I just felt that there was something missing in order for it all to work.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Descendant of the Crane. It is a clever tale that you won’t be able to put down and will keep you guessing until the end! And let me tell you now that end was really something!
Final Rating - 4.25/5 Stars

Princess Hesina finds herself queen after her father unexpectedly dies. Suspicious of the circumstances of his death, she commits treason to ask a soothsayer--whose very existence is illegal--whether her father was murdered. She receives confirmation that he was murdered, but that the killer is unknown and that one particular person will help her find out the truth. Amidst the challenge of establishing herself as a competent ruler and threat of war with a neighboring nation, Hesina launches an investigation into her father's murder, an act which begins to expose the corruption in court politics and the fragile peace built on inequality within Yan.

I feel as if this novel is incomplete. The author says it is written as a standalone with the potential for a series, but it ends before much of the story is resolved, with one character taking a course of action that I felt was not adequately foreshadowed (requiring liberal use of flashbacks at the end to explain) and another character left in an unexpectedly difficult spot. I suspect the author planned a sprawling, intricate drama but found herself forced to cut it down to fit a single, possibly standalone novel. Thus, some of the story arcs seem oddly truncated and many characters feel underused. Honestly, I would have preferred it if the author had either cut certain plot arcs to streamline the story or been given the room to expand them enough to do them justice. I like what she was doing, and wish she was able to do more.

I like Hesina's character. She's smart, but young, idealistic, and insecure, reeling from her beloved father's death and forced to make decisions about extremely difficult problems that are out of her depth.

All in all, I think this is a good debut and I am utterly thrilled at the presence of more Asian-inspired fantasy in the genre. I hope this turns into a series, and I look forward to reading what He writes next.

DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE draws concepts from East-Asian culture (specifically, Chinese!), which immediately made this at the top of my TBR list. Unfortunately, my hopes were probably too high, as I found the story dragging on and on, and was indifferent to Hesina’s struggles and journey. Although DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE has stunning narrative and writing, the slow plot and lack of action made it almost a miss for me. It took me quite a while to start appreciating Hesina’s growth, even though I thought it was well-paced and well-written. Must be a case of “it’s-me-not-you” over here. The real exciting part came when all the plot twists became exposed near the end, so ultimately, I do believe that slow build-up got the anticipated reaction from me.

“She wasn’t a princess anymore. Power wasn’t wielding the knife on her own but having someone else wield it on her behalf.”

The book starts with the sudden death of Princess Hesina’s father, the king of a nation thrown in tumult. She herself is thrust into the role of a queen, which she is NOT ready for. What’s a girl gotta do but adapt? And adapt she does. Hesina learns how to play the power game, amidst the politics of the court and intricate relationships that begin to develop. All the while, she remains obstinate that her father’s death was murder, rather than by natural causes. Soon enough, she’s balancing this investigation AND her control of the throne. What could go wrong?

I love the folklore written within the pages of DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE, and I think the author did a brilliant job in setting it up. What the book lacks in action is definitely made up for by the exposition and writing. Hesina’s character development was also stellar, although that brings me to another point… I thought these characters were exceptionally mature for their age (for context, Hesina is 17 years old). Hesina’s narrative is filled with thoughtful introspection, her younger brother Sanjing has assumed the role of the leader of warriors, and the prisoner Hesina hires as her lawyer, Akira, is very quick-witted and sly. Joan He really introduces a complexity to these characters and their actions, that I don’t see often in Young Adult books, which made for a surprising analysis.

“We believe the things we want to believe. - ONE of the ELEVEN on human nature”

From the complex characterizations to the detailed exposition, DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE makes for an intense and thoughtful read. My main complaint would definitely be the lack of action and dragging pace of the plot in favor of the character narrative throughout the middle of the book. It definitely provides more depth, but recently I’ve been craving more action in my stories, and this was one aspect the book disappointed me with. Other than that, it’s a spectacular fantasy read that I really recommend to fantasy readers. Hesina may not be a spitfire warrior heroine like the popular ones that dominate YA fantasy, but she’s intelligent and resourceful and has exceeding depth, which is why I’m definitely sticking with the rest of her story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Trigger/Content Warnings: oppression, loss of a loved one, grief, cutting
Thank you Albert Whitman & Company and Netgalley for the review copy!

This book gave me so much whiplash--especially at the end! Part magical fantasy, part courtroom drama and part murder investigation, there's a lot of plot in this one.

The question of who killed the king is dangled over us as the new queen has to attempt to navigate her country's legal system as well as the court of public opinion. Hesina additionally goes up against her own advisors, ministers and even her own people. There's a complex political structure in Yan that did away with the 'unquestioned tyrannical king' that usually exist in stories like this, which I really appreciated. There's also a religious cult-like mindset that invades the population and mimics some of the abuses of power and widespread fear & animosity that parts of the world are dealing with today. Both the audience and the characters are asked, is it better to try to appease a mob or to dismantle it?

"In trying times, truth is the first thing we betray."

Hesina has a pretty large and complicated family, with an adopted brother and sister, a half-brother and a full brother along with her father, mother who doesn't live with them and the courtesan mother of said half-brother. There's resentment and anger bubbling beneath the surface at all times, and it at times was difficult to follow people's motivations. Sometimes even after the explanations of some characters' actions, I was still left confused on why.

I don't know if this is a theme with the fantasy books I've read lately or just in general, but it seems like the endings are always set up for a sequel. Which is fine, but I like to know that going into the book, so I can rate it as a stand-alone or one of a series. If this was a stand-alone then I feel like it left me with some questions, but if there's more coming, then the epilogue was the perfect post/mid-credits scene like out of a Marvel movie. You'll be itching for more!

It's rare that I find myself so completely infatuated with a book. I gush about a few, sure, but I mean this one was the sort that from the first chapter you knew you were reading something quite amazing. Not only does it engage you in the first chapter but there was not one character that I wasn't completely interested in, there were no slumps or any boring filling, it was pure gold from start to finish. Usually, I do a pros and cons list when I write a review on my blog and this time the cons will be superfluous ones. I'm sure there are faults but anything that might have stood out to me didn't due to beautiful prose and quite talented world-building skills. But more than anything, Joan He had a way of making you feel for her characters in a way that I really hadn't in probably over a decade of reading. This isn't a 'Chinese-inspired Game of Thrones.' This is an amazing work of fiction all on its own, He's story is her own with no shadows of GoT and she can clearly stand on her own two feet without such a comparison needed. I felt honored in being able to read an eARC of this and I'm grateful for the chance to read such an amazing book. Of course, this is all my own opinion and others will not feel the same but, I stick by what I've said. It's quickly been shelved on my favorites on GR and I will be closely watching for anything else Joan He will come out with from now on.

I very much admire the complexities that went into writing this deeply intricate political fantasy. It's definitely the kind of tale that relies on the reader keeping up, reading between the lines, and appreciating the Chinese #ownvoices culture that's woven lovingly through every chapter. Total admiration for the author!

The world was very intriguing, although it left me with many questions on the politics of how things ran (why it was so controversial for Hesina to launch an inquiry and trial about her father's death, I'm still not sure). But the amazing setting and descriptions were beautiful and so carefully written. You can tell so much thought and planning went into this novel.

My comprehension of the lot was a little scattered, unfortunately, leaving me lost. But I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone who craves epic fantasy that's about plot twists and court politics and the backstabby trickery of not knowing who to trust in your own home. And the ending definitely drops you off a cliffhanger that you desperately need answers to!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read the description for this book and I was hooked. I put the release date on my calendar and prepared myself to wait. But I ended up not having to wait. I put in a request for an arc on NetGalley, fully expecting not to get it, but I am very grateful that I did. This is my first ever arc and my second (If you don't include Michelle Obama's audiobook) five star read of 2019.

Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own.

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to avoid her responsibilities of the crown and dreams of an unremarkable life. But when her father, the king, is found dead, she's thrust into power. Now that she is the queen of a surprisingly unstable kingdom she has the power to take to trial the one thing on her mind; Her father didn't naturally die, he was murdered and the killer is someone close to her. Hesina's court is packed full of dissemblers and deceivers eager to use the king's death for their own political gain, each as plausibly guilty as the next. Her advisers would like her to blame the neighboring kindom of Kendi'a, whose ruler has been mustering for a war. Hesina is determined to find her father's actual killer and does something desperate: she gets aid from a soothsays - a treasonous act, punishable by death, since magic was outlawed centuries ago. Using the information provided by the sooth, she finds Akira, a brilliant investigator who's also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. Hesina is unsure whether she can trust her own family and the future of Yan is at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

I can't get over how much I love this book. I bet I'm not the only one that struggles to express emotions after reading something that makes you full of them. Everything about this book is amazing and it deserves so much more than what I will say about it. The characters all have so much depth, I felt connected to all of them. The backstories and relationships between all of them are so delicate but deep. None of the relationships felt forced, they were pure and real, like Hesina and her mother or her (blood) brother. The world was also very intricate and I built up Yan in my head with all the details I was given within the book, it was as beautiful as it was written to be even though it was falling apart at the seams as the book went on. There were magical family secrets and twisted political games that were intriguing and irritating all at the same time. However the one thing that really made me mad, in the best way, were the plot twists. There were things I never expected to happen and right after reading one, another one happened! It was almost too much (it wasn't, but it had me triggered a lot).

There was really only one thing I didn't like about the book and it was the very very beginning. It seemed the beginning started out abrupt and I was very confused about what was happening and who was who. It seemed like an odd place to start, but of course that's my own opinion. Once I understood what was happening and who everyone was, I started on the path of a phenomenal book.

I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review

I can see this is a good book. I loved the world building. I really enjoyed the references to Chinese history - especially since I have studied it. This is a wonderful diverse novel and from what I've seen of the author on social media, she is super smart and has really thought out her writing and narratives, especially with regard to language. I just didn't really engage with the characters. The narrative just didn't capture me. I am certain that this is me failing as a reader rather than the book because objectively I can see that it's a good story, well written. For some unknown reason it didn't connect for me. Highly recommend for those looking for diverse fantasy reads though.

Although author Joan He says DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE is a standalone novel, it absolutely begs to blossom into a series. This lush fantasy tale takes inspiration from Chinese history and legends and features political intrigue, murder, magic, and a fantastic heroine in a world steeped in deception and danger. An astonishingly assured debut, and I hope to read more from He very soon.

3.5/5 stars

This was one of those books for which I was extremely excited in 2019. The cover is GORGEOUS, the plot sounded super interesting, and I was keen to read something Asian-inspired (I haven't read many of those yet). I struggled trying to rate this, and I was pretty certain I was going to give it a higher rating until I got to the end. We'll get to why I found the resolution of this book to be quite weak.

Overall, I enjoyed this. The main character, Hesina, is one of those characters who's soft and hard at the same time. She is kind and wants what's best for her loved ones and her kingdom, but she is also ruthless about protecting them. I liked that she was clever, and that she was a very active character - i.e. things weren't just happening to her, rather, she was a driving force behind the plot.

From the summary, I assumed Hesina's enlisting the help of a soothsayer would play a major part in the plot, and that the soothsayer would be a major character. Thus I was quite surprised when the book begins with Hesina talking to the sooth, and then they're out of the picture shortly after. That wasn't at all what I had been expecting, so it all felt a bit too quick for me. Nonetheless, I was content to settle in and see where the rest of the story went.

The story revolves around the fact that Hesina's father (the king) has died and she (his heir) wants to uncover the person responsible. In order to do this she must hold a trial and, according to the sooth's predictions, find someone to represent her in that trial. This representative, the sooth says, will be a convict with a rod.

Yes, a rod as in a big stick, I guess. Though I must say I appreciated the number of jokes Hesina's adoptive sister, Lilian, made about wanting to see the convict's "rod." Ha. That said, I found this a bit confusing, since I wasn't clear on the importance of the whole convict/rod thing in general. It's possible I was just reading too fast and missed something, but I wasn't clear on how the sooth's prediction actually helped Hesina in the end. Yes, Akira (the convict) was a good investigator but...I feel like that needed to be revisited near the end of the book so that I could make those connections.

Moving on.

The major plot points of this book are going to be difficult to explain without spoilers, because the story is essentially about Hesina uncovering bits and pieces of information about her father, his death, the sooths, and her kingdom in general. The kingdom's laws revolve around 'the Tenets' written hundreds of years ago by a group called the Eleven, and it is those laws that declare the sooths dangerous and sentences them to "death by a thousand cuts." But Hesina is convinced someone murdered her father and goes against the Tenets to get to the bottom of the mystery.

It was interesting to see her uncover the pieces of her father's past, but there were quite a few things that confused me.

For example, in the middle of the book Hesina travels all the way to the middle of somewhere to meet with the High Prince of Kendi'a. She's accompanied by a swordswoman named Mei who essentially pops out of absolutely nowhere and then ends up having an important role in the story (?). Then there's a showdown with the High Prince that involves a very brief conversation followed by some revelations.

Why did Hesina travel all the way to meet him in the first place, just to come all the way home again? It seemed like a way of filling pages. He could have written her a letter. He could have come to her instead. That's also the only scene the High Prince actually appears in throughout the entire book, and it felt very out of place to me. I don't know, man. It's hard to explain, but it just didn't work for me.

I did enjoy all the tidbits of culture in this novel. It was interesting and I felt immersed in the setting even if I didn't quite feel immersed in the characters and their relationships. Overall, I had a good time reading it. I just needed more. More conversation between Hesina and Akira, who becomes the love interest. Their interactions weren't deep enough for me to feel anything, with the exception of one actual conversation they have near the end of the book, and even that kind of just skims the surface. And though I liked Hesina, her reactions to things were...odd. There were many revelations that should have had her (and me!) feeling ALL TYPES OF WAYS. Although her feelings were explained, I didn't feel it. I should have been horrified and heartbroken and etc., etc. along with her. But I was just...there. It's hard to describe.

Stop reading here if you want literally NO spoilers. I'm not going to spoil the ending or anything, but I am going to go into a little more detail in this next part so you can understand why the resolution didn't work for me.

So. Over the course of the story Hesina finds out the truth of what happened to her father with Akira's help, but very little is actually resolved. By the time we reach the ending, her kingdom is more out of control than ever. Things are more chaotic than they were at the beginning of the book. War is still looming, and the High Prince is still a threat. The sooths are still hated, and so is Hesina. She's betrayed numerous times by numerous characters, except that some of these betrayals are real, and some aren't. Or are they? Or aren't they? Honestly, it's just confusing. I felt like the rug kept being pulled out from under my feet and then the author was all, "Just kidding! Here's the real shock. Or maybe not!"

It reminded me of the end of Caraval, where there's too much happening and you can't figure out anyone's motives and you just give up on trying to determine what the heck is going on. And then once I finally thought I'd gotten to the REAL, actual betrayal, the epilogue came along and made me second guess THAT, too. It tried to spin it so that everything that happened in the earlier half of the book was part of some "grand plan" where the manipulators knew exactly what Hesina would do and what the outcomes would be. This annoyed me because I don't think it gave Hesina enough credit as a character.

Sorry if this was confusing, but it was really hard to write this given that some of the most important plot points of this book would be considered major spoilers. Hopefully I communicated my confusion enough that you understand what I'm talking about. I wasn't as profoundly lost in this book like I was in Wicked Saints - hereafter to be referred to as surely the most confusing book I will read in 2019 - but I was left questioning the logic of many things. I know a lot of this will likely be resolved in the next book, but considering this book isn't even out yet, I feel like it should have provided at least SOME closure instead of leaving every. single. conflict. hanging.

That said, I did enjoy reading this. Joan is a very good writer and I'll read the next instalment. I just think this book would have been better if some of the less-important scenes in the middle were cut and some actual resolution was added, so that the reader isn't left feeling so yanked-around for no payoff.