Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.
However, it’s not so simple.
The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.
So much sadness. So much disappointment.
What had so much potential to be a top fantasy novel in the vein of Poison Study or Graceling lost it's identity in a mix of predictable characters and laughable cliffhangers. The romance was so shallow - if you're going to do a romance between a girl and her father's apprentice, at least make it like Riley and Beck in the Demon Trapper's series. Don't let is get washed down by tropes and predictability and shallowness.
Look, I had so many high hopes for this book. I wanted Britta to be this strong independent woman who don't need no man but I have no idea how she got so far in life, she was so completely incompetent and blind to the most obvious things. Obtuse is the word. Yes, obtuse. Don't even get me started on Cohen, the love interest... who apparently smells very very nice. I don't care Britta.
And what is this new fantasy trope of having the main character almost be the victim of sexual assault. I just can't with it.
I could go on and on about how I just did not enjoy this book and how I am so let down by where it went but I won't. I'm just going to shut up and end this review knowing that I most certainly will not be picking up the next in this series.
Book released 27th December 2016 by HarperTeen
Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review
I'm sorry this one didn't work for you! It's new-to-me, but I'll probably pass... however, I DID love Graceling. ;)
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