ARC Review: Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard
10:00
Series: The Witchlands #2
Author: Susan Dennard
Published January 12th 2017 by Tor UK
Goodreads Summary
Sometimes our enemies become our only allies.
The Windwitch Prince Merik is presumed dead, following a lethal explosion. He's left scarred but alive and determined to expose his sister's treachery. Yet on reaching the royal capital, he's shocked to find it crowded with refugees fleeing conflict. Merik haunts the streets, fighting for the weak. This leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.
Hunted by the Cleaved, Iseult is struggling to stay free while she searches for her friend Safi. When the Bloodwitch Aeduan corners Iseult first, she offers him a deal: she'll return what was stolen from him, if he locates the Truthwitch. Yet unknown to Iseult, there's a bounty on her head - and Aeduan intends to claim it.
After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. They find themselves amongst pirates, where a misstep could mean death. And the bandits' next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
I simply adored Truthwitch, and because of how fantastic that book was, I bought and read Dennard's debut series, Something Strange and Deadly. Obviously, I knew I needed to get a hold of Windwitch, and when the publisher offered me a copy to review, I jumped at the chance.
Windwitch follows our motley gang of misfits, mainly focusing on Merik and Safiya's story, though Iseult and Aeduan make an appearance too. Everyone believes that Merik is dead, but he isn't. Injured and wronged, he seeks revenge on those who hurt him, most notably his sister, Vivia. When Safiya is washed up after her shipwreck, they join forces, using their power and wits in order to discover the truth about Car Awen, and to tell the truth about just what is happening in their world. Iseult, on the other hand, is trying to find Safi, and her only ally happens to be the Bloodwitch, Aeduan. As if that wasn't awkward enough, what with Aeduan being sent to capture Iseult, they get themselves captured, and have to use their powers to survive.
Because of just how amazing Truthwitch was, I was a bit apprehensive going into Windwitch. Quite a lot of series, and especially fantasy series, have the sophomore slump when it comes to book 2, so I was worried that would be the case here. Well, let me tell you, I was wrong - this book was just as good, if not better, than the first. Where Truthwitch set the stage and introduced us to the world and to the characters, this book picked up the ball rolling, and never stopped. From the beginning we were flung into intrigue, plot, and action, and it was hard to put the book down to do mundane things like work, eat, or sleep.
All of the characters grew, and developed, from where they were in the first book. Merik becomes a little darker in this one, mainly because of his attempted assassination, and discovery of the problems in his homeland. He tried to right all the wrong as a vigilante, but even then he couldn't do too much. Aeduan (or Baeduan as most bloggers have christened him) shows a bit of a softer side, dare I say, and by chasing Iseult, and then working with her, we learn about how protective he can be too. Both him and Iseult develop feelings towards each other, which allow them to be more vulnerable than they might have been previously. Safi is just as snarky and quick as she always has been, but now she has goals, and an aim to achieve, she uses her wits to get her, and the Empress, out of some tricky situations, and I just adore her.
Honestly, I could wax lyrical about this book for so much more, but I won't. Basically, if you haven't read this series yet, why ever not? Go and buy copies of the books, and get ready for the release of Bloodwitch, because I know I will be.
Dates Read:
January 7-12, 2017
Rating
5 Stars
January 7-12, 2017
Rating
5 Stars
0 comments