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lunaviolet's review
dark
emotional
4.5
That was a lot. The complex sibling dynamics, the parental abandonment, the closeted gay yearning for a straight man, the powerlessness of being a women in a society that limits what you can do… it was a lot. But it was really good. I felt engaged the whole time. I just wish they talked to each other. There was so much sorrow and such little relief because these characters just refused to talk to each other or talk through anything with anyone else. It made sense for their characters why they wouldn’t, but for the love of god, talk.
Mehmed was annoying. By the end of the book I was likecan you please shut up and disappear? The other two would have been so much happier without him there bogging down the story. He was just sooo annoying!
I don’t understand why this is listed as a fantasy? There was no fantastical elements to this story. Like at all. The story didn’t need fantastical elements, it was complete even without them. But then why is this book listed as fantasy? It was purely historical fiction.
Mehmed was annoying. By the end of the book I was like
I don’t understand why this is listed as a fantasy? There was no fantastical elements to this story. Like at all. The story didn’t need fantastical elements, it was complete even without them. But then why is this book listed as fantasy? It was purely historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
sarah3fields's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
amboseus's review against another edition
4.0
I don't even know where to start.
Maybe with the fact that this is not like the usual YA book. It doesn't start with the main character already sixteen/seventeen and suddenly everything happens after years of nothing. It doesn't have a heroine who is a perfect girl and in love with two guys, one of which is her best friend.
No, Lada is cruel, brutal and does not give two shits about anyone around her thinking of her as a girl and therefore able to be pushed around. She is nearly everything I want in a female character. I say nearly because there is one aspect of her that just annoyed the hell out of me, but it gave her flaws, so I can't be too mad. She is also only in love with one guy and as much as I dislike the guy, there is not the stereotypical love triangle, at least.
The other Point of View we get is from Radu, Lada's younger brother and basically the brain to Lada's brawn. I absolutely despised him in the beginning. His personality was not compatible with me, but as the years passed (in the story) he developed and by the end he was one of my favorite characters, so he has something in common with Lada that just rubbed me the wrong way.
Kiersten White's writing style was great to read and the pace of the story and the world building were brilliant. Every time I picked up the book I was completely immersed in it.
That ending was my absolute favorite part. Not because it was over, but because it send shivers down my spine.
Now to the last point, why I didn't give it the fifth star too. My reviews are, after all, subjective and this is how I feel.
Maybe with the fact that this is not like the usual YA book. It doesn't start with the main character already sixteen/seventeen and suddenly everything happens after years of nothing. It doesn't have a heroine who is a perfect girl and in love with two guys, one of which is her best friend.
No, Lada is cruel, brutal and does not give two shits about anyone around her thinking of her as a girl and therefore able to be pushed around. She is nearly everything I want in a female character. I say nearly because there is one aspect of her that just annoyed the hell out of me, but it gave her flaws, so I can't be too mad. She is also only in love with one guy and as much as I dislike the guy, there is not the stereotypical love triangle, at least.
The other Point of View we get is from Radu, Lada's younger brother and basically the brain to Lada's brawn. I absolutely despised him in the beginning. His personality was not compatible with me, but as the years passed (in the story) he developed and by the end he was one of my favorite characters, so he has something in common with Lada that just rubbed me the wrong way.
Kiersten White's writing style was great to read and the pace of the story and the world building were brilliant. Every time I picked up the book I was completely immersed in it.
That ending was my absolute favorite part. Not because it was over, but because it send shivers down my spine.
Spoiler
The way Lada protected Radu from Mehmed's anger and basically told Mehmed to go to hell for even considering caging her, before making her way to take what belongs to her in Wallachia was brilliant."I'm no longer the daughter of the dragon. I am the dragon."I love that.
Now to the last point, why I didn't give it the fifth star too.
Spoiler
Mehmed took up way too much space. Yes, he was the sultan prince and then the sultan, but he was so annoying. His personality at the beginning and his behaviour at the end. The way he was holding Radu and Lada back constantly, because they both loved him and he just abused that constantly. You may think that every book deserves characters that are not perfect and all that, and I agree, but being constantly angry and annoyed at a pretty big part of the story is just not enjoyable.solsinsk's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the premise a lot, but after awhile I grew sick of the love triangle between the three main characters. I enjoy a good romance, and don't even mind the occasional love triangle, but in this it seemed to, I don't know, reduce everyone? Instead of making them more interesting, sympathetic, or complex characters, it made them all frustratingly one-note. The book was strongest, in my opinion, when it focused on the kinship, pain, and individual struggles of Lada, Radu and Mehmed. I liked a lot of this book, and if the romance angle didn't irk me so much I'd consider reading the rest of the series.
spookynorvegan's review
4.0
It's a gender - bent, fictionalized account of the childhood/adolescence of Vlad Dracul, you guys. BAM.
Seriously though, I was quite impressed. I loved that the protagonist didn't bend to amorous endeavors, but held true to her nature and worshipful dedication to her homeland, and that she also wasn't described as physically beautiful. She is fierce and driven. And I cannot wait to see how she claims her country in the next book.
Seriously though, I was quite impressed. I loved that the protagonist didn't bend to amorous endeavors, but held true to her nature and worshipful dedication to her homeland, and that she also wasn't described as physically beautiful. She is fierce and driven. And I cannot wait to see how she claims her country in the next book.
chrissydh76's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fascinating re-imagining about the real Vlad Dracula (as opposed to Bram Stoker's Dracula), only in this book, Dracula is a girl. And what a girl she is! Lada is...well, she's feral. She's brutal. She's mean. She's trying to survive in a world that wants her dead, and she's a total badass. Her and her brother Radu are basically sold to the sultan in the Ottoman Empire, where they befriend the heir to the throne. While it's an alternative history, a lot of it is factual, which the history nerd in me appreciates. Great read, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!
jill_t's review against another edition
5.0
I am obsessed! I cannot wait for the next book. Can we rewrite all of history with only girls?
ripleyivy's review
3.0
Hmmm... where to begin.
There were elements of this book that made it really interesting and kept me turning page after page, but there were also instances that made me feel completely and utterly bored.
The story follows Lada and her brother, Radu, as they grow up. Eventually, they are given to the sultan of the ottoman empire as collateral. They then grow up there, where they befriend the sultan's son, Mehmed. The plot has some interesting turns and developments. Sometimes the scenes with Radu became tedious to read, but other than that, the pacing was ok. What Kiersten White excelled at was showing how women were treated in this book, and making the reader feel their pain and power. It was done very well, and the book showed what is was like to be a woman at that time.
Characters: I like the idea of the characters. The concept behind them was unique and refreshing. Lada is so unlike any other female lead. She acts in such a staunch manner it is almost hard to ever really like her, but that is what makes her... well, her. Her pissed off/aggressive attitude are powerful, but the passion behind them bothers me. Why does she want to go back to Wallachia? When was that ever considered her home? Her brother, Radu, was another unique character. I liked everything about him, but something made me feel detached. I truly didn't care enough about him. Mehmed, who seems cool sometimes, is kind of a fucking hypocrite. I'd be pissed as shit too, if the guy who says he loves me has kids with other women. I'd be pretty damn upset.
Honestly, I am not sure if I would read the next one. I don't feel any connection to either of the main characters. The only character I truly felt any connection to was Nicolae. I have to say, he was amazing (swoon): funny, strong, and most importantly, loyal. =)
There were elements of this book that made it really interesting and kept me turning page after page, but there were also instances that made me feel completely and utterly bored.
The story follows Lada and her brother, Radu, as they grow up. Eventually, they are given to the sultan of the ottoman empire as collateral. They then grow up there, where they befriend the sultan's son, Mehmed. The plot has some interesting turns and developments. Sometimes the scenes with Radu became tedious to read, but other than that, the pacing was ok. What Kiersten White excelled at was showing how women were treated in this book, and making the reader feel their pain and power. It was done very well, and the book showed what is was like to be a woman at that time.
Characters: I like the idea of the characters. The concept behind them was unique and refreshing. Lada is so unlike any other female lead. She acts in such a staunch manner it is almost hard to ever really like her, but that is what makes her... well, her. Her pissed off/aggressive attitude are powerful, but the passion behind them bothers me. Why does she want to go back to Wallachia? When was that ever considered her home?
Spoiler
If you are thinking about that one, minor scene in the beginning, that is a lot to pin her obsession on.Honestly, I am not sure if I would read the next one. I don't feel any connection to either of the main characters. The only character I truly felt any connection to was Nicolae. I have to say, he was amazing (swoon): funny, strong, and most importantly, loyal. =)