Spoiler alert! Also stay tuned at the end for my take on some honey biscuits from A Curse So Dark and Lonely/A Heart So Fierce and Broken!
Today, guilt is a thorn I cannot remove.
After discovering that he is the secret heir to the throne of Emberfall, Grey has started a new life for himself under a false name in the hopes that Rhen will forget the rumors. But word travels fast and the kingdom begins to doubt the crown prince's legitimacy in both his claim to the throne and his unseen reinforcements from Disi. And though Karis Luran's army was defeated, she has not given up hope on taking Emberfall, one way or another.
What did mother say? According to the enchantress, Grey is the only man who knows the true identity of the heir. We all thought that meant the enchantress had revealed this knowledge to Grey-- and I'm sure Prince Rhen did too. We were wrong. Grey knows because he is the heir.
I liked this book so much!!! AND I WAS RIGHT TO FAVOR GREY OVER RHEN! I FINALLY MADE A SEMI ACCURATE PREDICTION! OH GOSH! SHE'S DONE IT! Truly, though, when I saw that 50% of this book was in his POV, I almost lost my mind. I loved him so much in the first book, so I was beyond ecstatic to get more of him. And I know my summary does not encompass every crazy detail of this book, but hey, YOU try explaining the beautifully complex creature that is Lia Mara in one vague paragraph! I'll get to it all or die trying!
"He wasn't your friend, Grey. He had an eternity to be your friend, and he wasn't. Even when you were dragged back to that castle, even after everything, he treated you like a criminal."
Okay, I'm gonna talk about a few characters here, mostly the ones I had different opinions of when reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Let's start with Jacob: I've never cared for him much-- all he's done is frustrate me. However, after he and Grey made amends, I finally started to see the good in him. He's a brute and he's grumpy most of the time, but he's been hardened by a really tough life. And he's a good guy behind it all and he has good intentions and cares deeply for the people in his life. I now actually quite enjoy him and I'm happy he's decided to stay in this world... Let's move onto Rhen... So, obviously it's hard for me to see him as a true villain, mostly because of the ending (which we will get to later) but also because it's a complex situation. If I went through hundreds of years of hell at the hands of a torturous enchantress, I too would fear magic. Not to mention that the second he gets his freedom back to rule his kingdom (that he does genuinely love), everyone starts trying to rip it out of his hands. He's got the kingdom who tried to kill his people knocking on his door proposing a marital alliance, a secret brother out there supposedly possessing magic, and now even his people are beginning to reject his rule-- I think he has every right to be frustrated and paranoid. However, he is letting his fear and anger affect his thinking. He's prepared to kill anyone who gets in his way, including Grey. I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt Harper, but a big part of me wants to scream "GET OUT OF THERE!!" at her before she's caught in the cross-fire. I really don't know how this can end well for them.
"Ah, yes, the most dangerous person at the party is always the girl sitting alone with a book."
I know we all love Lia Mara, how could we not? She's clever and compassionate and down to earth. It is very easy to see what Kemmerer most admires in her characters and what she wants to convey to her audience. Both of our main heroines are gentle and kind, and rather than that being their downfall, it is their strength. Though most of our struggle is based around a throne belonging to two different men, the women are the ones who bring about real change-- whether it is through their own actions, or through the actions of people inspired by them... Lia Mara spends most of this book convinced that she is worth nothing compared to her younger sister (who is the chosen heir for her kindom-- oh gosh, I never mentioned that Lia Mara is the daughter of Karis Luran, the queen who attacked Emberfall... oops). Lia Mara thinks that she was passed over as heir because she is too weak and gentle, but in the end we learn that she was not chosen because she is not afraid to fight for her beliefs. Karis Luran wanted an heir who would always be obedient to her, not someone who would challenge her. I really like the idea that Kemmerer presents here: it is those who are willing to fight for what they care about that the cruel should fear.
"My sister is very beautiful," I say. "You should not refuse blindly." His eyes are dark and intent on mine. "I am not refusing blindly."
Okay thank GOD that Grey found a lady, I needed him to use his charm so I could swoon over him. Man do I love this boy! My favorite kinds of romances are the ones where the partners bring out the best in each other, specifically things they didn't even know about themselves. Grey has been a weapon his entire life-- serving as a loyal guard for far longer than any normal soldier should. He thinks the compassion and gentleness has been long burned out of him. And then here comes Lia Mara, the apex of kindness, who shows him that he is more than the box he has shoved himself into. And he shows her that everything she considers to be her faults and weaknesses are what make her strong and brave. I love them together and I think they have a lovely balance. And oh BOY does she need to just marry him so that they can rule Syhl Shallow and Emberfall together. I know Rhen has probably gotta either die or give up for that to happen, but honestly......... sometimes when the going gets tough... the tough get going. I don't think I got that saying right but no one really reads these reviews anyway so we can keep that between us (me and myself).
And underneath it all, so tiny that I almost don't acknowledge it, a kernel of pride that instead of magic bringing fear and torment, the way Lilith did, or pain and death, the way my sword would, my magic brought healing and trust, and that is not a small thing at all.
I feel that I owe myself and my one reader, Mom, a more thorough summary of what went down here: Basically, Rhen has learned that he's got a secret older brother who apparently is the son of the King (his daddio) and an enchantress, meaning that this person is the true crown prince and ALSO can use magic. Wild. We learned at the end of A Curse So Dark and Lonely that this person was GREY, my sweet baby boy. Grey is like oh, no bueno, I do not want to take the throne and also if anyone finds out it's me, I will be turned over to Rhen who will most definitely kill me. So he goes on the run, starts working at some sort of fighting tournament place thing, and meets Tycho, a 14ish year old boy who also works there (but is actually owned by the man who runs the place, so Tycho is a bit closer to a servant). The two workin boys become friends and it's actually super cute, but the problem is that when Royal Guards show up and take Grey captive, they also take Tycho because they know they can use him against Grey. Meanwhile, Karis Luran and her two daughters show up to Emberfall to propose a marital alliance. Nolla Verin is the youngest daughter and is the heir to Syhl Shallow. Lia Mara is the eldest daughter but has been passed over for heir because her mother does not see her fit for the role of queen. Nolla Verin offers herself to Rhen, he refuses, and he sends them away. When Grey is brought in, Rhen only knows that Grey has information on the identity of the lost heir, and no idea that it is actually Grey himself. The Prince decides that if he does not have the heir's name within a day, Grey will be tortured. Having seen that a show of force will not work on the prince, Lia Mara sneaks away from her mother with her two guards to head back into Emberfall and propose a peace treaty with Rhen, but when she gets there he kills one of her guards, sends the other away, and takes Lia Mara prisoner. Bad move, bucko. Grey does not give any information to Rhen and is then strung up to a wall in the courtyard and flogged. As if that wasn't bad enough, Tycho is also flogged. In a moment of intense anger and sadness, Grey somehow unleashes a burst of power and makes everyone around him fall unconscious. In this moment, Lia Mara also happens to be escaping, but stops to help Grey get Tycho down from the wall. The three of them, along with Noah and Jake, make a run for it. Harper finds them and tells them they need to leave and find safety. Lia Mara suggests everyone comes back with her to Syhl Shallow. They oblige, but Harper stays in Emberfall to monitor what is happening with Rhen, and because she still loves him. Over the next several chapters, we find that everyone is becoming chummy, Grey learns how to use his powers to heal and hurt, they have been followed around by a creature called a scraver (who Grey helped free early on in the book) who becomes a useful ally, Jake and Grey make amends, and Lia Mara and Grey are falling head over heals for each other. Also, any time they come into contact with people of Emberfall, they discover that Rhen's guards have become much more aggressive and the people are starting to rally behind the secret heir, which they come to realize is Grey. When they reach Syhl Shallow, Lia Mara is upset because she knows that Nolla Verin will be tasked with charming Grey into marriage because he is the true heir. Believing it is her duty, Lia Mara tries to back off, but her connection to Grey is too intense. Eventually, her mother catches on and imprisons Lia Mara in her rooms. Grey agrees to march on Emberfall and claim the throne with Syhl Shallow's army behind him, but Karis Luran wants him to prove his allegiance to her before they take off. She decides that he should execute a traitor to the crown, and he says he will. Sure enough, Lia Mara is brought out. Karis Luran says that if Grey does not kill her, she will. Before she gets the chance, Grey uses magic to transport them away. When they come back, Grey uses his powers to protect their friends while Lia Mara throws a dagger at her mother, killing her. In Syhl Shallow, whoever kills the Queen becomes the new ruler. Lia Mara is now Queen. Yeehaw. Rhen now knows that Grey is the heir and does not forgive him. But then, in the last chapter, we discover that LILITH IS STILL ALIVE AND CONTROLLING RHEN!! GASP!!! Well, kind of controlling. She's talked him into an alliance and he agrees to it-- I think to save Harper?? But we all know no good can come of it.
"Choices are never easy. There are good and bad options, but the most dangerous is to not make any choice at all."
So, now that I've literally told you the plot of the entire book, what do ya think? I'm just kidding, I'm tired and it's 4am. Time isn't real, I know, but this isn't the... time... for that. Alright, anyway, I liked this book a lot! I'm pumped for the next one and I can't wait for more Grey time. I really can't stop saying "time", can I??? I imagine the final installment will be from Harper's, Rhen's, Grey's, and Lia Mara's POVs, which I think will be exciting and crazy all at once. Hope my kiddos can have a happy ending!
Her offer. As If I have a choice. As if I'd sacrifice Harper to her. I stare down at Grey's words. Do not make me do this. I crumple the letter and toss it into the fire. "Yes, Lilith," I say. "I will."
HONEYED BISCUITS
So it's mentioned in A Curse So Dark and Lonely that the room Harper is staying in has some yummy sounding biscuits:
Arabella would have slept half the day away if her tutors had allowed it, so food always waits on her side table: honeyed biscuits, jam and sliced cheese, a pot of tea, and a pitcher of water. A small crock of butter will be half-melted beside the biscuits.
And THEN, in A Heart So Fierce and Broken, we come across some MORE biscuits:
Eowen provides a pitcher and three mugs, then adds a platter of dry biscuits, jam, and cheese.
So I thought, why the hell not? Let's make some biscuits! Here are said biscuits:
These biscuits were AMAZING. As I'm writing this out I'm daydreaming about eating them again (in fact, I'm gonna go warm up the last few and have them as a late night snack once this is posted!). Truly, it was an easy recipe to follow, not too many ingredients, and it all paid off. One of my new favorite recipes!
I am the epitome of amateur baker, so I didn't have a rolling pin, a pastry cutter, or a cookie cutter. I used a glass cup to help roll out my dough, two knives to cut the butter into the flour, and the lid of a mason jar to cut out my biscuits. It all worked just as well as the real tools, in my humble opinion.
I enjoyed mine fresh out of the oven with butter OR strawberry jam OR apple butter. All three options were brilliant! The biscuits were nice and flaky and layered so beautifully. So yummy!
If you didn't know, I bake something from a book every week and post live updates on my Instagram. Tune in to @picklesandpages on Wednesdays to check it out!
NEXT READ: Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Comentarios