by Rachel Neumeier
Published July 10th 2012
by Orbit
Thoughts:
I am so glad that I had the chance to read this. It's like a little gem among all of the mediocre books that I have been reading lately. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I prefer epic fantasy to urban fantasy. And the awesome world building created by the author just totally sucked me in.
The core of the story is about sisterly love. And it is indeed a breath of fresh air to read something that has nothing to do with instant love or even a love triangle. When their father died unexpectedly, Karah and Nemienne sacrificed themselves in order to keep their ancestral home and to support their other sisters. There are eight of them (Ananda, Karah, Enelle, Nemienne, Tana, Miande, Jehenne & Liaska) and each has their own traits and specialities except for Nemienne who is not the prettiest nor the plainest. Karah; the prettiest volunteered herself to be a keiso to raise money for her sisters and Nemienne generally thought as the most useless one since she has no special talent or skills unlike her sisters agreed to be an apprentice to a mage for a price.
The story is indeed a mixture of Eastern and European elements with the whole geisha/keiso concept thrown in. I just love how the two sisters develop throughout the story and how the writer brilliantly intertwined the two different lives and how Nemienne finally found her calling and prove a true worth to her sisters.
The only gripe I have about the book is the confusing multiple POV which can be overwhelming at times. The book are told from four different POV and I found myself skipping the parts which were not told from either Karah or even Nemienne's POV. Let's just say I'm more interested about the sisters than the other two supporting characters.
I'm just happy that it all came nicely in the end and since this is a stand alone book, just made it much more enjoyable.
Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
Summary from Goodreads:
Orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes.
Sweet and proper, Karah's future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life... if she agrees to play their game.
Nemienne, neither sweet nor proper, has fewer choices. Left with no alternative, she accepts a mysterious mage's offer of an apprenticeship. Agreeing means a home and survival, but can Nemienne trust the mage?
With the arrival of a foreign bard into the quiet city, dangerous secrets are unearthed, and both sisters find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset their newly found lives, but also to destroy their kingdom.
Thoughts:
I am so glad that I had the chance to read this. It's like a little gem among all of the mediocre books that I have been reading lately. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I prefer epic fantasy to urban fantasy. And the awesome world building created by the author just totally sucked me in.
The core of the story is about sisterly love. And it is indeed a breath of fresh air to read something that has nothing to do with instant love or even a love triangle. When their father died unexpectedly, Karah and Nemienne sacrificed themselves in order to keep their ancestral home and to support their other sisters. There are eight of them (Ananda, Karah, Enelle, Nemienne, Tana, Miande, Jehenne & Liaska) and each has their own traits and specialities except for Nemienne who is not the prettiest nor the plainest. Karah; the prettiest volunteered herself to be a keiso to raise money for her sisters and Nemienne generally thought as the most useless one since she has no special talent or skills unlike her sisters agreed to be an apprentice to a mage for a price.
The story is indeed a mixture of Eastern and European elements with the whole geisha/keiso concept thrown in. I just love how the two sisters develop throughout the story and how the writer brilliantly intertwined the two different lives and how Nemienne finally found her calling and prove a true worth to her sisters.
The only gripe I have about the book is the confusing multiple POV which can be overwhelming at times. The book are told from four different POV and I found myself skipping the parts which were not told from either Karah or even Nemienne's POV. Let's just say I'm more interested about the sisters than the other two supporting characters.
I'm just happy that it all came nicely in the end and since this is a stand alone book, just made it much more enjoyable.
Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
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