YA Fantasy Early Review: Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner
Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner
Egalley thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books
Synopsis from Goodreads
Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren have lived together since they were children. They are called sisters. They are not. They are called equals. They are not. They are princesses…and they are enemies.
Not long ago, a brutal war ravaged their kingdoms, and Rhea’s father was the victor. As a gesture of peace, King Declan brought the daughters of his rivals to live under his protection—and his ever-watchful eye. For ten years the girls have trained together as diplomats and warriors, raised to accept their thrones and unite their kingdoms in peace.
But there is rarely peace among sisters. Sheltered Rhea was raised to rule everyone—including her “sisters”—but she’s cracking under pressure. The charismatic Cadis is desperately trying to redeem her people from their actions during the war. Suki guards deep family secrets that isolate her, and quiet Iren’s meekness is not what it seems.
All plans for peace are shattered when the palace is attacked. As their intended futures lie in ashes, Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren must decide where their loyalties lie: to their nations, or to each other.
Release date: April 5th, 2016.
Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository
5/10
* * *
I really did not like the format of this book, perhaps it didn't work for me particularly but it would for you? Hear me out.The idea for the plot is great. Four future queens training together in order to bond into Pax Regina, so when they go back to rule their kingdoms they will feel about each other as sisters and won't start another war. The reality is something different.
We get a glimpse of training in their early years, and then suddenly transported into the present times. All the girls are in their teens and there is much dissent in their ranks. The narration is split between Cadis, Iren, Rhea and the youngest Suki. Suki's narration is the most annoying. I understand that she has mental problems and the attempt is made to show it with the disjointed stream of thought reading which was giving me a headache.
Rhea's character is another one built only loosely. She is caring but at the same time, insensitive, preoccupied with her father's politics, distrustful of her fellow sisters and at the same time wanting them to love her. She is blind and stumbling in the dark, unable to see what's happening and I did not feel for her.
Cadis and Iren were the most coherent and interesting characters, but they had too little time to develop. If it was a book just dedicated to one of them (my personal favorite is Iren), it would have been a much stronger read. Otherwise despite multiple points of view very little happens and the whole book is just a prelude to what will happen in the next few books in the series. The author skipped the things deemed boring and just jumped over 2 weeks of traveling, for God's sake! This book was like bullet points. I am not a fan of such practice, too little meat for my taste, which is why a low rating.
Read it at your own discretion but I do not recommend.
* * *
Мне очень не понравился формат этой книги. Вам он может и подойдёт, но сперва прошу меня выслушать.Идея для сюжета замечательная. 4 принцессы вынуждены расти и тренироваться вместе, чтобы создать некий Мир Королев, в котором они будут считать друг друга сёстрами и поэтому не станут друг с другом воевать. В реальности происходит что-то другое.
Книга начинается взглядом в юные годы Реи, Кадис, Ирен и Суки и нас сразу же перебрасывают в настоящее, где принцессам по 15-16 лет и друг с другом они не ладят. Сюжет описывается с точки зрения всех четырёх характеров, и главы Суки - самые жуткие. Автор попытался показать, что она страдает от какого-то психического расстройства, и её мысли разбегались по углам со множеством ненужных скобок, да так, что что у меня аж глаза болели от попыток читать её параноидальные бормотания самой себе.
Рея - наследница короля, победившего в войне, то же ни рыба ни мясо. Она то следует учениям своего отца и подозревает своих сестёр в предательстве, то пытается завоевать их любовь и доверие. Она к тому же слепа ко всему происходящему до последнего момента.
Кадис и Ирен - самые сильные и интересные персонажи (Ирен - вообще шикарна), но по-моему мнению, даже это не спасло книгу. Если бы автор например, сосредоточил повествование на одной героине и продвигал сюжет с её точки зрения, то было бы всё ничего. Но он замахнулся на большее, произошла пара событий, захватывающая пару-тройку дней и всё. Он даже пропустил 2 недели путешествия героев (почему не знаю), может ему было влом? и сразу же перепрыгнул к концовке. Написано лениво, а отредактировано ещё хуже. В общем, я огорчилась и вам не советую. Вся книга - это сплошной пролог к будущим книгам серии.
