A review by emilykatereads
And I Darken, by Kiersten White
5.0
"If you try to keep me, I will hate you, and you will lose me forever. You already know you cannot rule me."
This book had me swooning. The romance wasn't what got me, rather Lada's strength and determination to get what she wants. That quote I started with? Not your typical romantic line to make a girl swoon, but here I am, swooning. (I mean it also takes a lot to get me to swoon over a straight relationship, so my swooning here is just more a one-sided appreciation for a strong female character not giving up what she wants because of a love interest). Enough of the word "swooning." It doesn't even feel like a word now.
Anyways, this book was filled with information and a very politically driven plot. At times when I didn't have as much time to commit to reading, it felt like it dragged a bit, but honestly I think taking away parts of this book would have taken away from the overall effect and building of the characters. There was a lot that happened to get Lada and Radu into the main plot of the story, but it was all relevant and helped build complex characters and an incredible world.
This book is an excellent example of multiple POVs done well. We got really into what was going on with both Lada and Radu and were fully immersed into the sibling dynamic between the two. This really came out with scenes such as Radu being punished by the tutor as a means to gain control over Lada, meanwhile she doesn't react so she can protect Radu and they can't have power over her. She let them hurt Radu to protect him, whereas he sees it as his sister not caring for him. And this moment is mentioned a few times throughout the book, each character having a totally different view on the moment. Poor Radu omg.
Yes I'm rating this 5-stars because I loved it and it's one of my favourite books now, but that doesn't excuse it from the few issues I had. The things I loved just outweighed the things that bugged me and I loved aspects of it so much that it deserves the 5 stars. But anyway, tbh I was expected this book/Lada to be MORE brutal. But then I remembered this is still a YA book, so I'm not too mad. There was still some great brutal moments, and the ending sets up for a potentially violent and more action-packed next book. My next issue is just the fact that Lada had a love interest, which made some parts seem quite out of character for her. My issue with this is overrided by her internal conflict over the romance and her fighting it, and then also how her brother and Wallachia still outweigh the love interest. Thank god.
"What must be sacrificed to secure a future where no one can touch you?"
All the power conflict and one-liners about power really had me thinking of that scene in season 2 of Game of Thrones with Cersei and Littlefinger and their power displays.
PS: CAN I PLS GET A SPINOFF WITH NAZIRA'S LIFE STORY?
This book had me swooning. The romance wasn't what got me, rather Lada's strength and determination to get what she wants. That quote I started with? Not your typical romantic line to make a girl swoon, but here I am, swooning. (I mean it also takes a lot to get me to swoon over a straight relationship, so my swooning here is just more a one-sided appreciation for a strong female character not giving up what she wants because of a love interest). Enough of the word "swooning." It doesn't even feel like a word now.
Anyways, this book was filled with information and a very politically driven plot. At times when I didn't have as much time to commit to reading, it felt like it dragged a bit, but honestly I think taking away parts of this book would have taken away from the overall effect and building of the characters. There was a lot that happened to get Lada and Radu into the main plot of the story, but it was all relevant and helped build complex characters and an incredible world.
This book is an excellent example of multiple POVs done well. We got really into what was going on with both Lada and Radu and were fully immersed into the sibling dynamic between the two. This really came out with scenes such as Radu being punished by the tutor as a means to gain control over Lada, meanwhile she doesn't react so she can protect Radu and they can't have power over her. She let them hurt Radu to protect him, whereas he sees it as his sister not caring for him. And this moment is mentioned a few times throughout the book, each character having a totally different view on the moment. Poor Radu omg.
Yes I'm rating this 5-stars because I loved it and it's one of my favourite books now, but that doesn't excuse it from the few issues I had. The things I loved just outweighed the things that bugged me and I loved aspects of it so much that it deserves the 5 stars. But anyway, tbh I was expected this book/Lada to be MORE brutal. But then I remembered this is still a YA book, so I'm not too mad. There was still some great brutal moments, and the ending sets up for a potentially violent and more action-packed next book. My next issue is just the fact that Lada had a love interest, which made some parts seem quite out of character for her. My issue with this is overrided by her internal conflict over the romance and her fighting it, and then also how her brother and Wallachia still outweigh the love interest. Thank god.
"What must be sacrificed to secure a future where no one can touch you?"
All the power conflict and one-liners about power really had me thinking of that scene in season 2 of Game of Thrones with Cersei and Littlefinger and their power displays.
PS: CAN I PLS GET A SPINOFF WITH NAZIRA'S LIFE STORY?