Is there a genre that Legrand cannot write? I loved Some Kind of Happiness and now Furyborn! This was a fantastic series opener. This hit all the sweet spots that exist for me. Bottom line: if you want a completely wonderful fantastical tale with two complex heroines and dual narratives, this is one million percent for you.
Summary
When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed…unless the trials kill her first.
A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable–until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this free book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
My very first note for this book reads: That opening chapter is stunning, not only with lyrical grace, but also promise, magic, and intrigue all wrapped up into one brilliant and blinding star. And I stand behind this note 100%. Furyborn immediately beckons, calls, and forces you to read the next pages with anticipation. I finished this book way quicker than I planned because it was so captivating. I couldn’t put the book down. (It doesn’t hurt that it’s gorgeous!)
There are three simple reasons I loved this book (and then a million other small ones):
- I have the softest of all soft spots for dual perspective narratives and this one takes it EVEN FURTHER and makes the two narratives in different times. Not only is this stunning, but it turns the entire book into this question of cause and effect. I love books that mess with time.
- The heroines are wonderful. They are complex and they make mistakes. But I am ALL about powerful and dangerous women. I’d like to both marry and have each of them has my best friend. Which is a TOTAL possibility with Eliana because she’s BISEXUAL. (I also love Eliana’s character growth and transformation).
- Legrand has an absolutely wonderful way of writing. It’s not only in the little choices of words, but the clever ways she has us hooked from the chapter to the next. The plot is a true masterpiece, and I cannot wait to see how the series develops. I am now one of the BIGGEST fans.
- BUT WAIT, there’s one more extra because I can’t help myself: the world building is so lush. I loved that we got to see each of the magic types, and the different religions, and political systems. It was amazingly intricate.
But this doesn’t even talk about all the little things I loved: the maps, the amazing title, the quotes that begin each chapters (these range in variety but they are all wonderful to read and to feel the world come alive beneath your finger tips), and the way adopted families are not discounted, the families within the books, the twist at the end is so amazing.
Legrand has opened up a truly complex world that we can only begin to imagine and witness. I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the trilogy. The characters are wonderful and endearing. They live in this magical and immersive world full of intrigue.
Do yourself a favor and pre-order Furyborn on Goodreads.
Discussion
What is your most recent anti-heroine recommendation?
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After reading your gushing review, i don’t know how anyone would NOT want to read this book. I have to have this soon. This sounds like it may be one of my favorites of 2018.
LOL I know right? It is so so great