What was the big problem here!? That I felt like the marketing for this book was genuinely dishonest and told a lot of possible fans what they wanted to hear instead of what the content of the book actually is. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin alternates chapters between the perspectives of Malik, a refugee hoping to find work in the glittering and wealthy city of Ziran alongside his two sisters, and Karina, the seemingly spoiled princess of all of Sonande, the country where Ziran sits as the seat of power. Their two stories collide (literally) fairly early when Malik and his sisters disastrously manage to enter the city amidst a chaotic distraction and Malik crashes into Karina as she’s navigating the streets in disguise after performing in a tavern. As Karina flipped idly through The Tome of the Dearly Departed, her eyes glazed over various chapter headings: Differentiating Zawenji Magic from Ulraji Magic; Care and Feeding of an Infant Serpopard; The Rite of Resurrection Involving the Comet Meirat.

Revitalizing and exciting, Brown’s debut breathes life into ancient but still relevant folk stories. Imagine every carnival and every masquerade and every festival in all the world happening all at once, Nana had once said, and though his grandmother was in a refugee camp hundreds of miles away, Malik could almost feel the warmth of her wizened brown hands against his cheek, her dark eyes bright with knowledge he could hardly fathom. Even that is nothing compared to a single hour of Solstasia. Years of language tutors have finally paid off, said Karina, not hiding the smugness in her voice as Aminata rolled her eyes.But this is not immediately a romance. From nearly the beginning, their goals and actions are at odds with one another.

We only experienced the conflict end but there wasn't any expansion, it was mostly a build-up then a conclusion. When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death? Karina turned left, ignoring Aminata’s grunt of protest. Let’s head to Temple Way. Maybe we can get a spot at the Wind Temple Choosing Ceremony. In looking for stories featuring diverse characters NOT being oppressed or abused by white populations, this was a welcome find. The writing is rich enough to be studied and the content appropriate for middle teens.

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Altogether, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is just a dazzling, refreshing book. Malik and Karina are compelling characters with complicated goals and aspirations. The magic of Sonande feels new and exciting, but also dangerous and dark. The trials of the Solstasia competition weave together with the lavish parties of the wealthy as well as the riotous revelry of the lower city in Ziran, creating a complex tapestry of culture that is simply enchanting and original. The story goes something like this. Malik, a refugee to the city of Ziran who arrives during the Solstasia festival — where seven contestants compete for a prize — wants to start a new life away from death and war, but when his younger sister is abducted by a mysterious spirit, he has to vow to kill the princess or never see her again. Princess Karina, however, has her own agenda; her mother, the Sultana, has been murdered, and she plans to resurrect her using ancient magic that requires the heart of a king — and she knows just how to get one. Karina offers her hand in marriage to whoever wins the Solstasia competitions, and Malik just happens to have rigged his way into becoming a champion. They seem destined to destroy each other, but as they begin to know each other, new feelings arise that complicate the whole affair. Prahl, Amanda (2021-03-30). "The 17 Books You Should Read After Finishing A Court of Silver Flames". POPSUGAR Entertainment . Retrieved 2022-02-07. Despite the panic roiling in his stomach, Malik gave a small smile. Gege is a bad influence. You shouldn’t listen to her.

Idir: The vengeful spirit who kidnaps Nadia. Holds a thousand-year long grudge against Karina’s ancestor, the founder of Ziran. Needs to learn to let things go. It was still The Ballad of Bahia Alahari, but Karina bent the melody almost beyond recognition. Where the bard had focused on the stifling yet beautiful grief the song was known for, Karina pushed the beat to a frenzy, playing at a speed normally used for the fastest dance songs. She brought the song to a crescendo where she should have quieted and bit into the parts that were meant to be soft. Through it all, the song never lost the undercurrent of sorrow for which it was famous—but it was sorrow converted into manic energy, the only kind of sorrow she knew. Malik had heard stories of chipekwes as a child, but none of the tales had captured the creatures’ gargantuan size. Bred to hunt elephants on the savanna, the top of its plated head could have easily cleared the roof of his family’s old farmhouse, and the sharp horn protruding from the creature’s nose was nearly as large as he was.In a similar vein, one of my struggles with book 1 was the depiction of Malik's self-harm, specifically in a book targeted at 12-18 year old's. While I still think that it could have been done... in a more careful way, I did feel like Malik was more aware that it was an unhealthy experience, rather than the reader just hearing the ways it helps him. A small head surrounded by a cloud of bouncy, dark curls popped out from behind Leila. Did you see that? exclaimed Nadia. His younger sister’s mouth hung open in wonder. It was, like—like a million feet tall! Is it here for Solstasia? Can I touch it? So I like this book and hate it at the same time because the author SOMEHOW puts in quality’s that I love and HATE. So that’s fun for me. I liked the competition for Solstasia, but it was made out to be such a big deal and then took up such little actual space in the story. Felt like it got short-changed. I want more fantasy competitions! Aminata frowned, realizing at once what had triggered the migraine. We should go before it gets worse, she suggested in that careful tone people used whenever Karina’s grief discomforted them.