A review by kapbanana
Now I Rise by Kiersten White

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

4.75

I really love this series! White writes her characters with such complexity and nuance. It's lovely to read. I was afraid Now I Rise would falter with the typical middle book syndrome. But it didn't. Now I Rise was just as gripping as its prequel. Except, now we begin to see the consequences of their choices and dreams. I particularly loved Radu (and Nazira!)'s story line.

I love that this series focuses on the relationship between sister and brother. Their individual stories parallel one another so well - they're simultaneously constant opposites, and yet wonderfully alike.

Again, I didn't care for the romance between Lada and Mehmed. In general, I feel pretty meh about him. ha! I really wish that Lada was ace. But I can't deny the poetry and complexity of Lada's feelings for Mehmed. She's one of the few characters I've read with this delicious mix of love, hate, and anger. I don't know why, but I really enjoy reading her anger. There's something a bit cathartic about it. So I'm super duper looking forward to the finale, because it sounds like there wil be a lot of anger and conflict between our three main characters. Excited to see White lean into Lada's brutality!