A review by haikx
And I Darken, by Kiersten White
4.0
I remember being a 12-year old guy getting into the amazing world of reading. With no friends but my books I read one of my first books and it was one written by Kiersten White. I still remember how much I loved it.
Here I am six years later, the same guy but a little bit older and ready to love this one too.
This book was so beautiful and just as good as expected by the amazing Kiersten White.
......................................................................................................
This story was so representative and emotional and yet I can’t say if I liked it or not. I enjoyed this book a lot, the characters, the world, the plot-twists, conspirations, among other amazing things as well. On the other hand, it was hard to get into the story.
When I first read the synopsis I instantly expected a badass female mc killing everybody and becoming Empress of the world. I was wrong, and that may be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected.
The story is about Radu and Lada, the youngest heirs of Vlad the Conqueror who have to leave their home (Wallachia) because their half-brother put them in a difficult situation. When they arrive at the Ottoman Empire, their father, Vlad makes a peace deal, but he is asked to leave Lada and Radu there as a sign of peace. Without hesitation, he leaves and compromises the life of their two younger children who will have to endure a life of love, pain, loss, war, and condemnation while they try to make their dreams come true.
Emotional is the way this book made me feel.
Plot:
I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction and my knowledge of the empires mentioned in the book are very vague, yet I found myself invested into the story (though bored at some parts) and I even did a little research to learn more about them.
The first 100 pages were a kind of martyrdom to me, it was so difficult to be attracted by the idea of having to read the character’s childhood. However, once I caught the thread of the story I found myself even dreaming about it. I couldn’t stop reading.
Writing style:
There weren’t long descriptions, which I’m thankful for because another way this book would have been impossible to read. The dialogues are perfectly fitted to each character personalities and I liked the way Kiersten had to end each chapter and beginning the next one with the same dose of intrigue.
Worldbuilding:
I consider myself unfitted to rate this part of the book due to my lack of knowledge of the history of the Ottoman Empire.
For what I read and my own personal perception, I’d say it was utterly well done.
Characters:
Lada: she isn’t the prettiest woman in the empire, she’s ruthless, she wants to conquer, she is what Radu was expected to be and she is the one who will ruin them all.
Reading Lada was an enjoyable adventure. Throughout the book, Lada will encounter unexpected situations, will have to endure the hard work of being a woman in a world where men are the ones who have the power. Choosing alliances and deciding what is the thing she needs the most in her life, will turn Lada’s goals into an apparently impossible task and will forge a strong ruthless woman.
Radu:he’s the reason this trilogy is worth the time of everyone who reads it.
Throughout his childhood, he was seen as the coward, the useless son of a powerful man and a shame for the family. But get ready you all, because you will find out how wrong all of you were.
As an adult he isn’t the same, he has learned through secrets, through hiding and listening, and all because of love. A love that isn't reciprocated and one that will become his suffering and the cause of most of his decisions.
*I approve the love triangle in this story, it’s new and refreshing and also heartbroken.
Mehmed: Let’s pretend this little bastard doesn’t exist. I hate him. If it weren’t because of Radu, Lada and his mother, he would be no one.
P.S. I don't understand why this book isn't famous!
P.S. 2 I don't understand why the second book is so expensive!
Here I am six years later, the same guy but a little bit older and ready to love this one too.
This book was so beautiful and just as good as expected by the amazing Kiersten White.
......................................................................................................
This story was so representative and emotional and yet I can’t say if I liked it or not. I enjoyed this book a lot, the characters, the world, the plot-twists, conspirations, among other amazing things as well. On the other hand, it was hard to get into the story.
When I first read the synopsis I instantly expected a badass female mc killing everybody and becoming Empress of the world. I was wrong, and that may be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected.
The story is about Radu and Lada, the youngest heirs of Vlad the Conqueror who have to leave their home (Wallachia) because their half-brother put them in a difficult situation. When they arrive at the Ottoman Empire, their father, Vlad makes a peace deal, but he is asked to leave Lada and Radu there as a sign of peace. Without hesitation, he leaves and compromises the life of their two younger children who will have to endure a life of love, pain, loss, war, and condemnation while they try to make their dreams come true.
Emotional is the way this book made me feel.
Plot:
I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction and my knowledge of the empires mentioned in the book are very vague, yet I found myself invested into the story (though bored at some parts) and I even did a little research to learn more about them.
The first 100 pages were a kind of martyrdom to me, it was so difficult to be attracted by the idea of having to read the character’s childhood. However, once I caught the thread of the story I found myself even dreaming about it. I couldn’t stop reading.
Writing style:
There weren’t long descriptions, which I’m thankful for because another way this book would have been impossible to read. The dialogues are perfectly fitted to each character personalities and I liked the way Kiersten had to end each chapter and beginning the next one with the same dose of intrigue.
Worldbuilding:
I consider myself unfitted to rate this part of the book due to my lack of knowledge of the history of the Ottoman Empire.
For what I read and my own personal perception, I’d say it was utterly well done.
Characters:
Lada: she isn’t the prettiest woman in the empire, she’s ruthless, she wants to conquer, she is what Radu was expected to be and she is the one who will ruin them all.
Reading Lada was an enjoyable adventure. Throughout the book, Lada will encounter unexpected situations, will have to endure the hard work of being a woman in a world where men are the ones who have the power. Choosing alliances and deciding what is the thing she needs the most in her life, will turn Lada’s goals into an apparently impossible task and will forge a strong ruthless woman.
Radu:he’s the reason this trilogy is worth the time of everyone who reads it.
Throughout his childhood, he was seen as the coward, the useless son of a powerful man and a shame for the family. But get ready you all, because you will find out how wrong all of you were.
As an adult he isn’t the same, he has learned through secrets, through hiding and listening, and all because of love. A love that isn't reciprocated and one that will become his suffering and the cause of most of his decisions.
*I approve the love triangle in this story, it’s new and refreshing and also heartbroken.
Mehmed: Let’s pretend this little bastard doesn’t exist. I hate him. If it weren’t because of Radu, Lada and his mother, he would be no one.
P.S. I don't understand why this book isn't famous!
P.S. 2 I don't understand why the second book is so expensive!