I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
Goodreads summary:
In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret — she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from — or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
My Review
Holy amaze-balls, that was one awesome book.
Let me first start off by saying, I hate the overview given to this book. I think it gives such little credit to how awesome of a novel this is and it even sells it short. To be honest, the overview given to this book is the number one reason I have not picked it up sooner. That being said, if the overview also throws you off a little bit, don't be like me and let it keep you from such an intriguing high fantasy novel.
This novel, which thankfully, it's a series with book two to be out shortly, is an epic example of a high fantasy author who actually knows what she is doing.
The world building is given to you in bits and pieces and Lee makes the words and the descriptions flow beautifully, placing each new nugget of discovery in just the right place and time. In the world Lee creates, her story is actually believable and I found myself so drawn into her world which is such a rare occurrence for me these days.
Her characters are flawless! Mostly because they are beautifully flawed and touch upon some of the more selfish desires and instincts of humanity. The budding romance is a perfect balance to this novel and its artfully done unlike so many trashy excuses of fantasy novels that are crowding today's bookshelves. Kai is the perfectly written character to fulfill this plot and never once did I question her personality or motives because the author made a seamless transition from events in the story to her reactions. But hey, I'm a sucker for a book that starts with a strong lead character who only continues to grow and deepen with each passing page.
The story itself was a great balance between adventure, magic, manipulation, and romance. There wasn't one part of it that was overdone or underwhelming. The plot had enough suspense to keep you reading and enough plot twist to make you race to the finish.
The conclusion was definitely wrapped up without a cliff hanger but definitely set us up for what I'm sure will be an astounding second book.
My hat is off to you Lori Lee, you have made a fan for life.
4.5 Stars
Goodreads summary:
In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret — she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from — or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
My Review
Holy amaze-balls, that was one awesome book.
Let me first start off by saying, I hate the overview given to this book. I think it gives such little credit to how awesome of a novel this is and it even sells it short. To be honest, the overview given to this book is the number one reason I have not picked it up sooner. That being said, if the overview also throws you off a little bit, don't be like me and let it keep you from such an intriguing high fantasy novel.
This novel, which thankfully, it's a series with book two to be out shortly, is an epic example of a high fantasy author who actually knows what she is doing.
The world building is given to you in bits and pieces and Lee makes the words and the descriptions flow beautifully, placing each new nugget of discovery in just the right place and time. In the world Lee creates, her story is actually believable and I found myself so drawn into her world which is such a rare occurrence for me these days.
Her characters are flawless! Mostly because they are beautifully flawed and touch upon some of the more selfish desires and instincts of humanity. The budding romance is a perfect balance to this novel and its artfully done unlike so many trashy excuses of fantasy novels that are crowding today's bookshelves. Kai is the perfectly written character to fulfill this plot and never once did I question her personality or motives because the author made a seamless transition from events in the story to her reactions. But hey, I'm a sucker for a book that starts with a strong lead character who only continues to grow and deepen with each passing page.
The story itself was a great balance between adventure, magic, manipulation, and romance. There wasn't one part of it that was overdone or underwhelming. The plot had enough suspense to keep you reading and enough plot twist to make you race to the finish.
The conclusion was definitely wrapped up without a cliff hanger but definitely set us up for what I'm sure will be an astounding second book.
My hat is off to you Lori Lee, you have made a fan for life.