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A review by llmacrae
Shadows of Ivory by T.L. Greylock, Bryce O'Connor
5.0
What a fun, fun read that was!
Indiana Jones meets renaissance Italy is how this book is described. Having never seen any of the aforementioned films (but having a passing familiarity with what they entail), I thought I had a decent idea of what to expect going in. It did well to set the scene and made this book particularly enjoyable.
Shadows of Ivory contains some of my very favourite tropes - ancient artefacts, powerful magic, and lots of unexplained, yet-to-be-uncovered treasures. As well as gods that may or may not interact with their subjects, and how people respond to their beliefs. So it immediately ticked boxes, and it was a thrilling adventure to be part of!
Mostly I love to read for escapism and exploring another world, however I really came to care for several of the characters in this book. Perrin had my heart from the first page we meet him (I just want to protect him, he’s too pure), but I also loved Albus. These two absolutely stole the story for me and I want to hug them both very tightly!
Of the main characters, I sympathised a lot with Manon. She’s at a disadvantage for starters, but also comes from a complicated, somewhat criminal family. It’s not to say that Eska’s family is any “purer” or “better,” however they have far more power and privilege which means they (and by extension, Eska) can get away with a lot more.
Manon’s resentment is completely understandable, along with trying to hide her own secrets as well as the burden of responsibility she has for her brother. Manon and Perrin have been completely let down by their families, by the people who are supposed to show up for them unconditionally, and been thrown into the deep end to, essentially, sink or swim.
I also sympathised with this fractured family and relationship Manon has with her father, as well as what the rest of her family might or might not have done. She is incredibly well-layered as a character, although I admit that I disagreed with many of her decisions (which made it difficult to root for her at times) but I found her story incredibly fascinating. She goes through an amazing journey and ends up in places I could not have predicted.
Eska has a good heart and is far less judgemental of others, which is admirable considering the environment she has grown up in. I could see why Manon thinks of her as spoiled and entitled, and she is to an extent, but Eska is incredibly likeable and carries herself with confidence (and unapologetic fierceness), which I absolutely respect. I never grew tired of seeing what she would do or say next, to get herself into or out of a sticky situation. She never gives up, rarely doubts herself, and really is the leader to her people. It’s easy to see why and how she inspires love and loyalty.
She is not without flaws, of course, and I love how much the world building fits into the characters’ journeys. As an example, Eska is reliant on harrow root powder, which for all intents and purposes, is a stimulant drug that heightens her senses, reflexes, and even sharpens her mind. There are some huge consequences to using this, which she often ignores. She ends up embroiled in difficult situation after difficult situation, and though it seems she runs a lot, she’s always moving forward to her next step.
Carriers are the name given to those in this world who can use magic. I honestly feel we have only scratched the surface of what this is and the depths of power we’ll be able to see. We meet two Carriers, one of fire and one of water, and there are other types discussed and hinted at. I imagine we get to explore this in later books, which is incredibly exciting, and one thing I am really looking forward to in the sequel. Additionally, there are other powders and substances that can increase the power of a Carrier’s magic, which gives the magic system some fluidity and rules that will no doubt be bent or broken.
I also really loved the interludes, which added a bit of extra world building or dialogue between characters to flesh everything out a bit more while adding a break from heavier story beats. They also were brilliant at hinting some things to come in the future or what had occurred in the past, which goes a long way to show how alive this world is.
Underlying this entire story is a vast amount of history, which really brings everything to a cohesive whole. Most of the political issues, culture classes, desperation for revenge etc. are driven by hundreds or thousands of years of history. War and oppression runs deep, and whether it’s a skeleton in the wrong place, a forgotten city trying to rise up, or a pirate captain trying to “fix” things before she dies, it is clear a huge amount of work has gone into building this world up into the stunning read it is now.
Shadows of Ivory is very well-written, and the world building is absolutely incredible. I would have loved a map or an encyclopaedia to study as much as Eska studies her dig sites!
Highly recommend if you want a fresh fantasy not set in typical medieval-style locations, full of brilliantly-written female characters and a treasure trove of world-building and history (both ancient and recent) to devour!
Indiana Jones meets renaissance Italy is how this book is described. Having never seen any of the aforementioned films (but having a passing familiarity with what they entail), I thought I had a decent idea of what to expect going in. It did well to set the scene and made this book particularly enjoyable.
Shadows of Ivory contains some of my very favourite tropes - ancient artefacts, powerful magic, and lots of unexplained, yet-to-be-uncovered treasures. As well as gods that may or may not interact with their subjects, and how people respond to their beliefs. So it immediately ticked boxes, and it was a thrilling adventure to be part of!
Mostly I love to read for escapism and exploring another world, however I really came to care for several of the characters in this book. Perrin had my heart from the first page we meet him (I just want to protect him, he’s too pure), but I also loved Albus. These two absolutely stole the story for me and I want to hug them both very tightly!
Of the main characters, I sympathised a lot with Manon. She’s at a disadvantage for starters, but also comes from a complicated, somewhat criminal family. It’s not to say that Eska’s family is any “purer” or “better,” however they have far more power and privilege which means they (and by extension, Eska) can get away with a lot more.
Manon’s resentment is completely understandable, along with trying to hide her own secrets as well as the burden of responsibility she has for her brother. Manon and Perrin have been completely let down by their families, by the people who are supposed to show up for them unconditionally, and been thrown into the deep end to, essentially, sink or swim.
I also sympathised with this fractured family and relationship Manon has with her father, as well as what the rest of her family might or might not have done. She is incredibly well-layered as a character, although I admit that I disagreed with many of her decisions (which made it difficult to root for her at times) but I found her story incredibly fascinating. She goes through an amazing journey and ends up in places I could not have predicted.
Eska has a good heart and is far less judgemental of others, which is admirable considering the environment she has grown up in. I could see why Manon thinks of her as spoiled and entitled, and she is to an extent, but Eska is incredibly likeable and carries herself with confidence (and unapologetic fierceness), which I absolutely respect. I never grew tired of seeing what she would do or say next, to get herself into or out of a sticky situation. She never gives up, rarely doubts herself, and really is the leader to her people. It’s easy to see why and how she inspires love and loyalty.
She is not without flaws, of course, and I love how much the world building fits into the characters’ journeys. As an example, Eska is reliant on harrow root powder, which for all intents and purposes, is a stimulant drug that heightens her senses, reflexes, and even sharpens her mind. There are some huge consequences to using this, which she often ignores. She ends up embroiled in difficult situation after difficult situation, and though it seems she runs a lot, she’s always moving forward to her next step.
Carriers are the name given to those in this world who can use magic. I honestly feel we have only scratched the surface of what this is and the depths of power we’ll be able to see. We meet two Carriers, one of fire and one of water, and there are other types discussed and hinted at. I imagine we get to explore this in later books, which is incredibly exciting, and one thing I am really looking forward to in the sequel. Additionally, there are other powders and substances that can increase the power of a Carrier’s magic, which gives the magic system some fluidity and rules that will no doubt be bent or broken.
I also really loved the interludes, which added a bit of extra world building or dialogue between characters to flesh everything out a bit more while adding a break from heavier story beats. They also were brilliant at hinting some things to come in the future or what had occurred in the past, which goes a long way to show how alive this world is.
Underlying this entire story is a vast amount of history, which really brings everything to a cohesive whole. Most of the political issues, culture classes, desperation for revenge etc. are driven by hundreds or thousands of years of history. War and oppression runs deep, and whether it’s a skeleton in the wrong place, a forgotten city trying to rise up, or a pirate captain trying to “fix” things before she dies, it is clear a huge amount of work has gone into building this world up into the stunning read it is now.
Shadows of Ivory is very well-written, and the world building is absolutely incredible. I would have loved a map or an encyclopaedia to study as much as Eska studies her dig sites!
Highly recommend if you want a fresh fantasy not set in typical medieval-style locations, full of brilliantly-written female characters and a treasure trove of world-building and history (both ancient and recent) to devour!