Unfortunately, I could not finish Neumeier’s new fantasy novel. I received an advanced copy of the novel from NetGalley and because of that I really wanted to finish this book to give it a proper review. I set the book aside once then gave it a second chance, but by the end of chapter three I just wasn’t interested in the characters and plot despite the quality of writing and the evocative descriptions that the author provides.The multiple perspectives from very different characters was distracting to me and not a favourite style of mine as a reader.



Why didn’t I like this one? I think my issue with this novel stems mainly from the description info provided with the book. The description makes it seem that the novel will concern two sisters, Karah and Nemienne, and their struggles in two very different worlds. Karah ends up in a keiso house, which reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha because these women learn the arts in order to find a patron to take them as a “flower wife” or what I assume is a mistress. Nemienne finds herself as a mage’s apprentice and I was really excited about this; I thought Nemienne would be the central character and that magic would take the center stage. Perhaps if I had stayed longer with the book it would have. However, I was thrown for a loop when the next two chapters concerned two other characters, Leilis (some sort of above average servant in the keiso house), and Taudde, a young mage. I thought Leilis’ and Taudde’s points of view had promise, but the fact that each chapter seemed to be a switch in perspective, just didn’t jive for me.



I didn’t think there was anything really wrong with the book, it just wasn’t the style of writing and storytelling that interests me.