Breathtaking start to a duology. The world building is absolutely phenomenal. Malik and Karina are characters that you fall in love with. Their devotion to their families and their need to do anything they can to protect others is commendable. They are sweet, but fierce, sympathetic, but also defiant and daring. When you are scared they will fail they somehow astound. The narrative interweaves class struggles and hate so well, you can see how awful Malik's people (the Eshran) have it at the bottom of society. They are blamed for past wrongs and treated less than human. He hides who he is for fear of being mistreated or worse. He worries for his two sisters, worries that if he cannot find a better life than they will parish. He is tireless in his need to care for his sisters, but he also has anxiety and a power he is trying to hide from. He is soft, he is seemingly weak, he is no warrior, but he has the motivation of fighting for his family. I wanted to wrap him up in a big hug as he battled with his conscience about having to kill Karina in cold blood. Karina is fierce, formidable, but also broken. She lost her father and sister to an accident years ago and is struggling with her loneliness. Her mother expects much of her, and is closed off emotionally since the tragic loss. Then her mother is killed and Karina must take over ruling the Kingdom. The crown is heavy, family truths even heavier. She must reckon with a dark past, while hoping for a brighter future. But her fear of failure lures her into an impossible and dangerous feet, to bring her mother back to life. When these two meet, unknowing of who each are, sparks fly and the chemistry is undeniable. But, they are truly two characters at odds, both having the desire to kill the other off for their families. How can they possibly ever trust each other, or truly love each other? The court intrigue in this was impeccable. It was hard to tell who was genuine and who was using Karina for their own ends (whether politically, financially, magically, or for power). I feared for her at every turn and felt awful that she had no one she could trust, not even her former boyfriend (another member of the tournament). But, it is the unexpected places where these two do find help. The ending was particularly well done, placing both of them back on the game board, once again on opposing ends, and you wonder how they can possibly come back from the events that transpired. This book was astonishing, a must read! Cannot wait to finish the duology.
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