Price of Innocence

Sonder's Song #1

by Michelle Piper

In an unconventional plot, Queen Aspera enlists four criminals to conceal her role in Sosten’s fall. If they don’t bend the knee and give unyielding loyalty to her cruel reign, they forfeit their lives. However, when they steal an infant child in the night and destroy his family, they quickly realize how flimsy the queen’s justice is. The infant, Sonder, is the last known descendant of the Auza-Verndari, a blessing given by The Goddess of Stars. He becomes the queen’s ward to continue his father’s bloody legacy. Growing up alongside him is a Lorist Princess named Rhianwyn, similarly held captive. Despite the joy they find as children, they grow to realize they’ve become ensnared in her war against their lineages. Standing between them and Aspera’s ambitions is a man named Bran, the last living Black Knight of Old, once a protector of the Auza-Verndari, and Aspera’s right hand. When he discovers a sliver of the truth, he convinces the four to defy the queen to protect the children. But when the lines between who they were and who they can become in her shadow blur, their alliance frays. They grapple with what it means to be good when they’re the villains bearing torches rewriting the kingdom’s history and concealing how deep the treachery goes.

Genres: Fantasy

348 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Michelle is a Merchant Mariner by the demands of her bank account, and an eclectic creative every waking moment otherwise.

All of her stories are deeply human and steeped in empathy, exploring themes of personal growth and deconstruction. Oh, and she promises to never kill the horse.

Reviews

[Jamedi]

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Full text review: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...
Interview with Michelle Piper: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...

Price of Innocence is the first book in the Sonder's Song trilogy, and the debut novel from Michelle Piper. It is really different from the classic fantasy, avoiding using most of the tropes in the genre, and instead taking the focus on really unconventional characters, becoming a study on, let's call them, evil characters, and how many times they are forced to act as they act due to necessity.

Queen Aspera enlists four criminals in order to conceal her role in the fall of Sosten. To be fair to the criminals, as execution is the other option, they don't really have an alternative but to accept. And even if they don't have too many problems accepting orders, having to kidnap an infant from their family while destroying it, is extreme for them.

All of these mark the start of a character-driven story, in which we are able to see how they develop from the point they kidnap Sonder and bring him to Queen Aspera's presence, where he's trained to become queen's guard. At the same time, a Lorist prince called Rhianwyn is also made a prisoner, so he will grow alongside Sonder.

We are going to be able to follow the development of our several characters, especially of this group of criminals that were forced at the start. While using a really particular style of storytelling, mixing flashbacks with different time jumps, Piper gets to paint the evolution of a group of people that came from really different origins, something that gets also shown in the way they express themselves, having each one a really recognizable voice. I know I shouldn't be admiring Aspera as a character, but I have to admit that despite being the Evil character (in caps, yes), she's really charismatic and intelligent. In general, the characters in Prince of Innocence are really grey, tending to the black side of morality due to their origins.

Somehow, I think my main gripe is also the biggest strength of the novel. The way the story is told, with multiple time jumps, going to the past and to the present several times, is a great way to paint a great portrait of the characters, but sometimes it doesn't help the general pace, slowing it sometimes too much, in my opinion.

In summary, Prince of Innocence is a really good debut from Michelle Piper, painting a really unconventional novel, where we go away from the classic good characters of fantasy and replace them with really grey characters, without entering the grimdark terrain. I really want to see where the second book of this trilogy will take us.

[Daniel Pajkurich]

Price of Innocence is a captivating dark fantasy filled with morally gray characters, complicated loyalties, and an unforgettable found family.

Rather than following traditional heroes, Michelle Piper tells the story through flawed people forced to live with the consequences of terrible choices. Watching these characters struggle between obedience and conscience gives the novel tremendous emotional depth.

The found-family dynamic is one of the book’s greatest strengths. It is messy(Love it!), imperfect, and built upon painful secrets, yet the affection between the characters feels genuine. The long-form character development allows those relationships to grow naturally as Sonder and Rhianwyn mature, making every revelation and difficult decision carry real weight.

Palace intrigue, concealed lineage, political manipulation, and conflicting loyalties keep the story engaging, but its emotional complexity is what makes it memorable. If you enjoy villain-perspective fantasy, morally gray characters, intricate found families, hidden identities, and stories about flawed people fighting to become better, Price of Innocence deserves a place on your reading list.

[eclecticbychoicereads]

Price of Innocence is Book 1 in Michelle's Sonder's Song series, and I truly feel like I got to live and experience this story. A character-driven fantasy set in a world filled with fear and oppression, but also populated by power-hungry individuals who never miss an opportunity when they see one, even at the expense of their own morals.

So, what could two children, taken forcefully from their families at a young age, possibly expect from such a life? It seems like a bleak existence, and most of the time it is, but there are some rays of sun peeking through. The one thing that made everything bearable was the genuine love and friendship Sonder and Rhianwyn share. That and several individuals who tried to keep them safe, or the safest they could.

Price of Innocence gifts us a variety of morally grey characters, and the complexity of them all is what makes this story so raw and so real. Everyone is plagued by their own choices and the demons they carry with them. They try, they fail, and they keep on going.

Michelle's villains are so much more than purely evil beings. They have layers, they never cease to surprise us with their moves, and they bring so much to the plot.

So, in the end, the only question left to ask is: what is the price of innocence? For some, it's the shedding of their own moral compass. For others, it's just the cost of doing business. And for Sonder and Rhianwyn, it's their entire lives lived at the whims of others.

The story is far from over. The stakes are high, and the intensity never dims. And yet, the hope lingers at the edges. And it's the hope that will set them free.

[Samantha Dickson]

*I received this as an ARC to give my honest review on

This book. OMG THIS BOOK. I am seriously in love with the world and character Michelle Piper has created. It is a beautiful story of imperfect people balancing the line between duty and what is right. You see our two babies, Sonder and Rhianwyn, as they go from childhood to teenager years and all the love and heartache and fear and joy that into their growth from their four caregivers. The messiness that is balancing a child's protection with duty, politic, and romance is so beautifully written from the multiple POVs we get. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sonder and Wyn mature and hone their respected crafts. I cried several times, I laughed quite a bit, and I just cannot wait for MORE of this world and these characters. I cannot decide who I love the most. I am so completely satisfied with the journey this story took me on and I cannot wait to see what Sonder and Wyn's futures hold(and literally every other character) Amazing story and I cannot wait for the world to experience this!

[C.D. McKenna]

*SPOIL FREE REVIEW*

I will die for Sonder and the prince.

But I will not say anything more about the plot or characters. But what I will say is WOW.

Michelle spared no expense with building this story. It's unconventional, new, and still, classic. It's got all the elements of fantasy but in a new daring fashion that undoubtedly will grab the attention of any fantasy lover.

I am a sucker for the morally gray. And I'm more of a sucker for any writer that can make me hurt, laugh, and beg for the characters, both the good and bad. Michelle does this beautifully. Even the Queen garners attention, given her both devilish and charismatic traits.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. It is an epic story and will pull at the heartstrings and still leave you screaming.

Well done ❤️

[Rebeka Porter]

This is another story I didn’t know I needed and was an absolute journey from start to finish! I’m normally not one for betrayal but omg is it written in a way that makes my heart ache for all the characters in a good way. I found myself attached to literally all the characters that have a stake in the kingdom’s future. The politics, secrecy, hidden love, and so much more only enriches the story and has me wanting to read book two even though it’s much too early for the second one 😅

Hope can be a dangerous thing.

This has become one of my favorites despite the dark themes woven throughout the story. Dark fantasy is something I don’t actively read but I’m so happy I was given the chance to read this book. It’s absolutely phenomenal and I loved reading every page.

[Ashley]

I enjoyed this book. Right away we get into some action and get a feel for what the story is going to be about. The characters have their own personalities and you see their struggle with their own self and the situations/issues at hand and what they want to accomplish. I also really enjoyed growing up with the characters. Sonder and Rhianwyn have some cute moments and it makes you feel more a connection with the characters. You Also get a glimpse into the past and see a bit of both sides at play.

This books seems to have a bit of everything so if you are looking for book with fantasy and royal/ court elements then try this out!

[LilliAnn Champion]

I recieved an arc of this book for my honest opinion


I've been trying to decide who I love the most from the BEAUTIFUL work Michelle has created and I just can't.
Each character is so well rounded and absolutely beautifully written.
I love every second of this book. It has everything you need, romance, betrayal, court aspects, politics, moral choices.
This book will make you laugh and cry and love!
This was a world I cannot wait to read more of.
If you're thinking of reading this book DO IT!

[TL P]

Compelling Fantasy

Wow, the story pulls you in from the beginning with chapter zero when the last star falls. I enjoy reading fantasy books with characters that make you cheer for their survival. Queen Aspera is devious, enlisting four criminals to do her work behind the scenes. I’m a fan of any book that seeks to save children. This book captures your heart. I enjoyed the politics in the Kingdom, the devotion to their cause, and the heartache of betrayal. I recommend it to all fantasy lovers who enjoy dark adventures.

[Melissa Widmaier]

It took me a bit to get into this story because the narrative is a bit disjointed. The tale isn't linear; it jumps around through different parts of the character's histories. But, I did enjoy the main characters and their growth, especially the two younger characters. There's still so much left we need to know about the queen, though. She's a bit one-sided at the moment, but hopefully that will change in Book 2. Even though it took some time to feel comfortable in the story, I still think this series has potential.

[Mika Jade]

I really enjoyed this book, I was happy to see that we didn’t have to wait long for some action and that this book didn’t have too many “filler” chapters to add to the length. I was pulled into the world pretty quickly. I love fantasy but I usually won’t read a book without smut, I need a little bit of adult interaction in my books. However I still really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

[Danielle Paquette-Harvey]

Wow 😍 Michelle Piper’s debut novel, *Price of Innocence*, is so good and different! I love morally grey characters!!! This book is fille witch characters who only do what they HAD to do because of the circumstances. I found myself wondering if I would have done the same in the same context 😉

OMG I hated Queen Aspera so much !!! Since the very first chapter 😂

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read the second book!

[Stephanie Campbell]

The fantasy genre isn't usually something I enjoy, and I loved this. The characters STILL appear in my thoughts regularly despite finishing in August of 2022. I'm dying for the sequel so I can know what happens to them next.