Can honestly say I have mixed feelings about this book but none of them dulled my need to finish it in less than 2 days!!! I love that magic is not the centralized theme but the drama of the protagonist, Jude is. In fact, there’s no magic in it at all. You maybe thinking, Tin, you must be confused, but hear me out.
The use of a cell phone to person who has never experienced electricity, let alone any sort phone, would seem like magic. Perhaps a poor example. If a mayfly could somehow actively live and interact among us will the ability to communicate on our level, it to would think us infinite and unexplainably powerful.
In this book, we are the mayflies. No conjuring or spells or anything of the sort. Jude, a human, can only explain the feats that she sees as one thing… magic. But there truly is none.
Ok, to the story➡️➡️➡️
Jude and her sisters witness their parents murder and then are whisked away by their mother’s ex-husband. There, he raises them as his own, putting them in amongst creatures that are vastly more powerful. Jude is mercilessly bullied and then just so happens to become infatuated with one of her bullies best friends. Before all of this, she spends time with her new father, training to become a knight and master strategist. When he forbades her from becoming a knight, a prince who has his allegiance, enlists Jude as one his spies. He grants her immunity to powers of those around her but not to poisons so she still has to be very careful if she wants to live.
Soon, blood is spilled on level with the Red Wedding and Jude is left reeling, wondering where HER allegiance should truly lie…
I really wish the warrior-girl-falls-in-love-with-every-boy-who-winks-at-her troupe could have been left out. Why do almost all strong women/girls in YAs have to be undone by random guys, ESPECIALLY ones that are either incredibly mean to them, or complicit in mean things happening to them? Of course Jude falls in love with the very person who torments her and they end up with a love/hate relationship that I can’t stand. Overall interesting read.
