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A review by tyrshand
Echo in Onyx by Emily Bauer, Sharon Shinn
5.0
Well this one has quite an interesting set up. The novel starts off rather gently, sort of straddling the line between YA and adult, as we follow Brianna from her loving childhood to her dream job as a lady's maid for an absolutely lovely noblewoman. She's clever and spunky and, despite lacking the training expected of someone in her position, her natural talents make up for it all. She's such an enjoyable character that it's quite a nice ride. The only huge fantasy element are these "Echoes" or "Shadows" that the noble folk have -- copies of themselves that mimic their actions, thought to be divinely given.
Then, when you're nice and comfortable in the story, caught up in the everyday intrigues of their lives, it seems that the plot is going to head into [b:The Selection|10507293|The Selection (The Selection, #1)|Kiera Cass|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1322103400s/10507293.jpg|15413183] territory. Luckily, this turns out not to be much the case, though the events that send the plot down a different path... wow. We end up more in a cat and mouse kind of tale. All kinds of crises of trust and betrayal and horribly nervous about the end... There are even some heart wrenching spots. I might have only been able to make it to the end because I was sure things had to work out in a Sharon Shinn tale... But there were definitely more surprises in store for me.
I love that Lady Marguerite's Echoes somehow became real characters despite never speaking and having so little autonomy. You really come to care for them as individuals through their quirks and minor differences.
As for the land itself... Well, with the behaviour of certain royals, I'm hoping a big shake-up is coming. Trying not to get into spoilers, so all I'll say is that I harshly judge some of the characters by the company they keep and see them as rather villainous.
Then, when you're nice and comfortable in the story, caught up in the everyday intrigues of their lives, it seems that the plot is going to head into [b:The Selection|10507293|The Selection (The Selection, #1)|Kiera Cass|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1322103400s/10507293.jpg|15413183] territory. Luckily, this turns out not to be much the case, though the events that send the plot down a different path... wow. We end up more in a cat and mouse kind of tale. All kinds of crises of trust and betrayal and horribly nervous about the end... There are even some heart wrenching spots. I might have only been able to make it to the end because I was sure things had to work out in a Sharon Shinn tale... But there were definitely more surprises in store for me.
I love that Lady Marguerite's Echoes somehow became real characters despite never speaking and having so little autonomy. You really come to care for them as individuals through their quirks and minor differences.
As for the land itself... Well, with the behaviour of certain royals, I'm hoping a big shake-up is coming. Trying not to get into spoilers, so all I'll say is that I harshly judge some of the characters by the company they keep and see them as rather villainous.