What do you think?
Rate this book
Reign of Shadows #1
Reign of Shadows
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
293 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2016
About the author
Sophie Jordan
70 books8,112 followersPseudonym:
Sharie Kohler
Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.
A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.
In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.
Sharie Kohler
Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.
A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.
In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,460 reviews
February 10, 2016
He was naked.This book is a retelling of Rapunzel, the difference being that the MC is TSTL (too stupid to live) and succumbs to insta-love despite the fact that she's blind. Truly an amazing feat.
I inhaled his scent and it was stronger, proof that not a stitch of clothing covered his body. The salt and musk of his skin hit me sharper than before—and something else. Another scent that was indecipherable to me. I felt it as much as I smelled it. It was raw and deep and visceral. My skin almost ached from the presence of it, pulling tight and breaking out into gooseflesh. My stomach knotted like a thousand butterflies were rioting inside me.
I wanted to hear more about him. I wanted him to talk about his life. I wanted to know about where he came from, what he’d seen, the people, including the girls who had or had not seen him naked.
Sophie Jordan has written historical romances before, and I'm beginning to think she should stick to that genre and not YA fantasy. A book entirely filled with lurve is completely acceptable (and even appreciated) in an HR, not so much in a fantasy.
This book - I don't even know where to start. First of all, it's your standard girl-wants-more-than-her-provincial-life Disney tale meets Bad Boy whom she immediate falls for. There's nothing notable in that. Furthermore, it just plain old doesn't make sense. Within the first page, I was going "wtf," I mean, tell me, does this make any sense to you?
My hearing had long adapted to the darkness.Like, what does that even mean? Unless there's some special sense in this fantasy world, light doesn't make an appreciable effect on one's ability to hear. That's just sloppy.
Then there's the blindness. Having a main character with such an impairment presents an opportunity to describe how she uses her other senses to survive. This book did not partake of that advantage. Luna is so fucking competent at doing everything. Chopping food. Cooking. She can even sense when she swings a knife.
I reacted without thought. My hand snatched the knife that I used to cut the bread. My fingers circled the hilt unerringly, fitting it perfectly within my grip. It hissed as I swung it, stopping the serrated blade before his throat.She can walk through a forest perfectly and more competently than one with sight, which would have been perfectly acceptable considering this world is shrouded in darkness, but then there's the fact that she's barely been outside of a stone's throw from the tower where she lives.
She followed close behind me, moving noiselessly. “You walk like you’re part of the night.” The words escaped me like an accusation. It didn’t make sense to me. How could a sightless girl be so proficient at maneuvering this terrain?I don't mean to question the abilities of the blind. I know that they are capable of many things, but the way this blind character is portrayed in this book is completely unrealistic.
And the romance. Good god, the romance was awful. Luna couldn't stop thinking about Fowler from the moment she met him, and trust me, she has way more important things to think about than how he looks.
“And what of him?” I asked before good sense came over me. “What is he like? I already know he’s tall and strong of form—”No shit.
“Aye, his face is fine enough to draw the female eye. Not that there are too many your age left to admire him.”
At that sobering reminder, I pressed my mouth shut. How could I worry about such trivial things when the world was what it was?
Luna just never stops. For someone who's never even seen his face, she thinks about him constantly. Gratingly. If romance were an odor, this book could suffocate the reader with it.
My awareness of him burned a path through me. I brushed a stray strand of hair back from my cheek and tried to pretend I didn’t feel his stare. And yet, like an animal aware of something else in its orbit, I knew he was there, watching me, thinking about our last encounter and the truth of my existence.And it doesn't stop with Luna. Her love interest, Fowler, is yet another lineup in the list of FICTIONAL MALES WHOSE THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE OBVIOUSLY THAT OF A TEENAGED GIRL.
Again, I'm not saying that guys can't feel things. That they can't wonder about their love, that they are incapable of floral words.I'm just saying that this shit is too much, yo.
She reminded me of a flower that used to bloom in Relhok. The scarlet buds once dotted the hills outside Relhok City. They were wrapped up in my earliest recollections, tangled amid memories of sunshine on my skin. The flower had faded from existence a few years after the eclipse, like so many things since then.*rolls eyes* Pass on this book.
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 14, 2016DNF - 35%
I just can't seem to make myself interested in this book. I know if I keep reading I will end up writing another 1-star review - so, really, why bother?
In case you didn't know, Reign of Shadows is a retelling of Rapunzel. It makes some very basic moves towards interesting concepts, such as a world completely in darkness and the fact that the protagonist is , but at 35% in, it still hasn't started to explore them because every scene is dampened by romance. Cringy instaromance, to make it even worse.
The action scenes are so dry, the characters are so bland, and I can't believe I've read through a third of the book because nothing of interest has happened. Just more and more of this:
I also have some issues with Luna's narrative. As I said above, she is (we know this early but the description makes no mention of it, so I'll treat it as a spoiler) and I can't understand how she can know some of the things she knows. Like: - how does she know?!
And it's irritating how the instalove is all about . Not for me.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest
I just can't seem to make myself interested in this book. I know if I keep reading I will end up writing another 1-star review - so, really, why bother?
In case you didn't know, Reign of Shadows is a retelling of Rapunzel. It makes some very basic moves towards interesting concepts, such as a world completely in darkness and the fact that the protagonist is , but at 35% in, it still hasn't started to explore them because every scene is dampened by romance. Cringy instaromance, to make it even worse.
The action scenes are so dry, the characters are so bland, and I can't believe I've read through a third of the book because nothing of interest has happened. Just more and more of this:
He was naked.
I inhaled his scent and it was stronger, proof that not a stitch of clothing covered his body. The salt and musk of his skin hit me sharper than before—and something else. Another scent that was indecipherable to me. I felt it as much as I smelled it. It was raw and deep and visceral. My skin almost ached from the presence of it, pulling tight and breaking out into gooseflesh. My stomach knotted like a thousand butterflies were rioting inside me.
I also have some issues with Luna's narrative. As I said above, she is (we know this early but the description makes no mention of it, so I'll treat it as a spoiler) and I can't understand how she can know some of the things she knows. Like: - how does she know?!
And it's irritating how the instalove is all about . Not for me.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest
February 11, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Ye gods. I had difficulty with REIGN OF SHADOWS from almost the very first page.
There were issues of clarity:
What does that mean?
Even knowing that Luna lived in a world covered with darkness (b/c seventeen-year eclipse), this gave me pause . . . Eyes adapt to darkness, but ears?
But before too long, I gathered we weren't talking about normal adaptations. We were talking about Daredevil-like adaptations (<------I see what you did there).
Daredevil-like adaptations that are never explained . . . and since the extent of the fantastical part of the world-building is limited to monsters and the rare precog, this is unacceptable.
Then we meet Fowler.
Fowler, the wants-to-be-a-look-out-for-numero-uno kind of guy, but can never quite manage it, who agrees to let a pair of siblings travel with him when he leaves . . . wherever . . . to go . . . wherever, and in a world with approximately one hour of daylight each day--the only time the giant, half alien, half insect (b/c FEELERS on their heads *edvard munch face*), man-eating monsters go BACK UNDERGROUND where they came from--this might seem like a good idea. Strength in numbers and all that.
BUT.
Sister has got to be both the stupidest and most obnoxious redshirt in the history of redshirts.
When Brother gets his leg caught in a trap, he screams, attracting the Monsters, then screams again when Fowler unsticks him. He can't walk. Sister refuses to leave him. Monsters are coming:
*flares nostrils*
And when Monsters get there:
She wouldn't let go of his sword arm so he could fight the monsters that were ATTACKING THEM.
SERIOUSLY.
And all of that, my friends, happened in the first 10%. OH, YEAH.
Which is the only reason I kept going. The middle 65% was better. A lot better, but still not anything spectacular. Fowler was doggedly determined to never feel anything ever again ever (b/c Broken Hero), but he's too vocal about this desire by half, which makes his sudden turnaround all the more eye roll-worthy.
So yeah, the middle was flawed but not terrible.
BUT.
The end . . .
There are two pointless (and transparent) death scares, and if Fowler wasn't as Johnny-on-the-spot as he is, Luna might be in trouble. But he is. Every time.
How fortuitous.
Then Luna suddenly decides she must sacrifice herself for the greater good. I say "suddenly," b/c she's known since they found out about thebadthing that she's the reason behind it, but now that Fowler has let himself care for her, she has to be the one to FIX IT, even though it will literally cost her her head.
Even though we know "evil" Councilor is CRAZY, and her sacrifice probably won't make a difference.
She has to try.
THEN Fowler reveals his (not so) Big Secret, and the way Luna reacts . . .
*throws head back and shrieks with rage*
I don't even care about the cliffhanger that immediately follows that nonsense. But there is one, FYI. And this last example of Luna's headstrong, heedless of the consequences actions is what pushed me into making a new Goodreads bookshelf: must-be-nice-to-have-9-lives.
SO. REIGN OF SHADOWS by Sophie Jordan does not live up to its pretteh cover. The most I can say for the world-building is that it's basic. I wanted to throttle the main characters on more than one occasion, and after finishing the entire book, I still don't have much of a grasp on the storyarc for either the series or this installment. Not recommended.
Ye gods. I had difficulty with REIGN OF SHADOWS from almost the very first page.
There were issues of clarity:
From high in my perch, I listened. My hearing had long adapted to the darkness.
What does that mean?
Even knowing that Luna lived in a world covered with darkness (b/c seventeen-year eclipse), this gave me pause . . . Eyes adapt to darkness, but ears?
But before too long, I gathered we weren't talking about normal adaptations. We were talking about Daredevil-like adaptations (<------I see what you did there).
Daredevil-like adaptations that are never explained . . . and since the extent of the fantastical part of the world-building is limited to monsters and the rare precog, this is unacceptable.
Then we meet Fowler.
Fowler, the wants-to-be-a-look-out-for-numero-uno kind of guy, but can never quite manage it, who agrees to let a pair of siblings travel with him when he leaves . . . wherever . . . to go . . . wherever, and in a world with approximately one hour of daylight each day--the only time the giant, half alien, half insect (b/c FEELERS on their heads *edvard munch face*), man-eating monsters go BACK UNDERGROUND where they came from--this might seem like a good idea. Strength in numbers and all that.
BUT.
Sister has got to be both the stupidest and most obnoxious redshirt in the history of redshirts.
When Brother gets his leg caught in a trap, he screams, attracting the Monsters, then screams again when Fowler unsticks him. He can't walk. Sister refuses to leave him. Monsters are coming:
“It’s going to be fine, Madoc. We have Fowler. He’ll take care of you.” She patted her brother’s shoulder and lifted her gaze to me again. “Right?” She was bobbing her head again, willing me to promise her lies. “Right, Fowler?”
*flares nostrils*
And when Monsters get there:
Still in a panic, Dagne wouldn’t release her grip on my sword arm. Cursing, I snatched the sword from my right hand with my left. The delay cost me. The dweller was on me before I could bring up my blade.
She wouldn't let go of his sword arm so he could fight the monsters that were ATTACKING THEM.
SERIOUSLY.
And all of that, my friends, happened in the first 10%. OH, YEAH.
Which is the only reason I kept going. The middle 65% was better. A lot better, but still not anything spectacular. Fowler was doggedly determined to never feel anything ever again ever (b/c Broken Hero), but he's too vocal about this desire by half, which makes his sudden turnaround all the more eye roll-worthy.
So yeah, the middle was flawed but not terrible.
BUT.
The end . . .
There are two pointless (and transparent) death scares, and if Fowler wasn't as Johnny-on-the-spot as he is, Luna might be in trouble. But he is. Every time.
How fortuitous.
Then Luna suddenly decides she must sacrifice herself for the greater good. I say "suddenly," b/c she's known since they found out about thebadthing that she's the reason behind it, but now that Fowler has let himself care for her, she has to be the one to FIX IT, even though it will literally cost her her head.
Even though we know "evil" Councilor is CRAZY, and her sacrifice probably won't make a difference.
She has to try.
THEN Fowler reveals his (not so) Big Secret, and the way Luna reacts . . .
*throws head back and shrieks with rage*
I don't even care about the cliffhanger that immediately follows that nonsense. But there is one, FYI. And this last example of Luna's headstrong, heedless of the consequences actions is what pushed me into making a new Goodreads bookshelf: must-be-nice-to-have-9-lives.
SO. REIGN OF SHADOWS by Sophie Jordan does not live up to its pretteh cover. The most I can say for the world-building is that it's basic. I wanted to throttle the main characters on more than one occasion, and after finishing the entire book, I still don't have much of a grasp on the storyarc for either the series or this installment. Not recommended.
October 19, 2015
Disclaimer: It has one spoiler which I feel the need to say cause I'm going to rant about it. I'm going to rant about it openly.
Just one question?
Because I don't know about you but reading 300 pages of nothing is not my cuppa. But back to that in a sec.
Have any of you guys ever watched the movie Pitch Black?(On another note, if you haven't you should see it. Really good and Vin Diesel's hawt) Well, this really reminded me of it. Seriously, the similarities are there.
➲Pitch black eclipse
➲Man eating monsters that roam the night
➲Blind protagonist
➲Blind protagonist with super reflexes and over compensating enhanced senses
➲Bounty on the lead's head
I'm not insinuating anything, I'm just saying this really reminded me of the movie, but honestly, I preferred the movie.
The thing is, I could really see some people liking this, but me?
So we have these two characters.
➲ The naive, special snowflake, do-gooder who knows jack-squat about the world but wishes to go on countless adventures and...
➲ The jaded, broody, closed hearted "bad boy" who refuses to fall in love but falls, nevertheless, the second opportunity presents itself.
cliche, right?
But if you know me, you know I have no problem with falling in love with books filled to the brim with cliches. Having cliches in it of itself is not what's annoying, what's annoying is when even if filled with them, you can't bring a spark of originality to them. And that is where this failed
Luna...
As you know, she's the lost Princess. But apparently that's not special enough, so she's blind on top of that. So, I have this thing where sicknesses and disabilities in novels and me don't get along. It's not that I don't like them, it's that it grates me the wrong way when they're portrayed poorly or when it's over reaching. And, in my honest opinion, her blindness just felt like a plot device to make her seem strong, independent, and unique. It's portrayed completely unrealisticly and at times-many, I might add- she would know and do things a blind person couldn't know or do. I mean, can't for once, a disability just be? She's not freaking Daredevil!
Look maybe it's just me and my inability to not nitpick but UGH. Inconsistencies with reality wear me down. And yes, I'm the kind of person who will nitpick at unrealistic inconsistencies in a made up world.
But the thing is, that wasn't my only problem with her. She read as a needy, naive, attention seeking, self sacrificial idiot the whole time. I don't know about you but these characters that automatically think giving up their lives, like lambs to a slaughter, so maybe others could live is just beyond moronic. Tell me the heroism in that? Tell me if that would ever effin happen? Tell me where your shit for brains come into play?
Just ugh.
Then there's the plot...
What the heck was the point to this book? I mean all that happened was these two wandering in the woods falling for each other. This could have been a standalone if unnecessary filler was taken out to make room for an actual plot. I'm not kidding, when something started to happen, the book ended. And I'm not talking about, waiting until 70% to start to get interesting, I'm talking about 90% for something or worth to start. How about no.
And then there's everything else...
Like, can you please explain what dwellers are? How do they even exist? Were they always there or did they appear after the eclipse? Also, how is it that after 17 years of no sun can there still be tress and plants? I mean, was photosynthesis a sham we learned in school? Does not being able to see turn us all into Daredevil?
BUT it's not all bad because Fowler...
He was my favorite part of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed being in his mind, even though it sometimes felt inconsistent to what we saw from Luna's pov. It never felt like begin inside Luna's mind, so kudos for making them so different. Seriously Fowler, from the get-go had me as a fan. It might had been his broody mood or his closed off heart or his damaged past but something always had me regretting the end of his pov.
So in the end 2 stars is not bad just meh and I'm not sure how much of me liking Fowler will be able to convince me of picking up the sequel.
Till next time ^_^
And yes, I have a Miranda obsession.
Just one question?
Was this supposed to be a full length novel?
Because I don't know about you but reading 300 pages of nothing is not my cuppa. But back to that in a sec.
Have any of you guys ever watched the movie Pitch Black?(On another note, if you haven't you should see it. Really good and Vin Diesel's hawt) Well, this really reminded me of it. Seriously, the similarities are there.
➲Pitch black eclipse
➲Man eating monsters that roam the night
➲Blind protagonist
➲Blind protagonist with super reflexes and over compensating enhanced senses
➲Bounty on the lead's head
I'm not insinuating anything, I'm just saying this really reminded me of the movie, but honestly, I preferred the movie.
The thing is, I could really see some people liking this, but me?
So we have these two characters.
➲ The naive, special snowflake, do-gooder who knows jack-squat about the world but wishes to go on countless adventures and...
➲ The jaded, broody, closed hearted "bad boy" who refuses to fall in love but falls, nevertheless, the second opportunity presents itself.
cliche, right?
But if you know me, you know I have no problem with falling in love with books filled to the brim with cliches. Having cliches in it of itself is not what's annoying, what's annoying is when even if filled with them, you can't bring a spark of originality to them. And that is where this failed
Luna...
As you know, she's the lost Princess. But apparently that's not special enough, so she's blind on top of that. So, I have this thing where sicknesses and disabilities in novels and me don't get along. It's not that I don't like them, it's that it grates me the wrong way when they're portrayed poorly or when it's over reaching. And, in my honest opinion, her blindness just felt like a plot device to make her seem strong, independent, and unique. It's portrayed completely unrealisticly and at times-many, I might add- she would know and do things a blind person couldn't know or do. I mean, can't for once, a disability just be? She's not freaking Daredevil!
Look maybe it's just me and my inability to not nitpick but UGH. Inconsistencies with reality wear me down. And yes, I'm the kind of person who will nitpick at unrealistic inconsistencies in a made up world.
But the thing is, that wasn't my only problem with her. She read as a needy, naive, attention seeking, self sacrificial idiot the whole time. I don't know about you but these characters that automatically think giving up their lives, like lambs to a slaughter, so maybe others could live is just beyond moronic. Tell me the heroism in that? Tell me if that would ever effin happen? Tell me where your shit for brains come into play?
Just ugh.
Then there's the plot...
What the heck was the point to this book? I mean all that happened was these two wandering in the woods falling for each other. This could have been a standalone if unnecessary filler was taken out to make room for an actual plot. I'm not kidding, when something started to happen, the book ended. And I'm not talking about, waiting until 70% to start to get interesting, I'm talking about 90% for something or worth to start. How about no.
And then there's everything else...
Like, can you please explain what dwellers are? How do they even exist? Were they always there or did they appear after the eclipse? Also, how is it that after 17 years of no sun can there still be tress and plants? I mean, was photosynthesis a sham we learned in school? Does not being able to see turn us all into Daredevil?
BUT it's not all bad because Fowler...
He was my favorite part of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed being in his mind, even though it sometimes felt inconsistent to what we saw from Luna's pov. It never felt like begin inside Luna's mind, so kudos for making them so different. Seriously Fowler, from the get-go had me as a fan. It might had been his broody mood or his closed off heart or his damaged past but something always had me regretting the end of his pov.
So in the end 2 stars is not bad just meh and I'm not sure how much of me liking Fowler will be able to convince me of picking up the sequel.
Till next time ^_^
And yes, I have a Miranda obsession.
June 13, 2022
**3.5-stars**
Reign of Shadows was good.
It's a fast-paced, easy read. I made the mistake of reading the reviews before I started it, which I generally try to avoid, and kept waiting for the terribleness to set it.
It didn't for me. I had fun reading this and am not ashamed to admit it. Granted, I didn't go into it expecting Pulitzer Prize for Fiction quality, so maybe that helped.
This is a retelling of Rapunzel, set in a dark world, where a total eclipse of the sun has blocked out all light for 20-years.
We meet Luna, 17-years old, having lived in a tower since the day of her birth. She is sweet and innocent and obviously dreams of the world outside her tower walls.
There is a boy, Fowler, who ends up at the tower and yes, there is instalove on her part. In some reviews people were quite negative on the instalove but I say in this case, it actually kind of works. I mean, the girl has legit been locked in a tower her entire life with only the two adults who have raised her for human interaction.
I do not find it surprising that when a young man her age finally comes into her life she would be instantly attached to him. I mean, when I was 17, I could see a guy for 2-minutes and be smitten and I certainly didn't grow up in a tower.
The action really picks up when Luna and Fowler are forced to leave the tower and try to make their way to the island of Allu where they anticipate safety.
This world is really scary, dangerous and literally dark (like pitch black) so they come to rely on one another and over their long journey do grow to love one another. The book left off on an amazing cliff-hanger and I am excited to start the second book.
In conclusion, was this a perfect book?
Answer: No.
Were there parts that caused me to roll my eyes slightly or note that the author had used the same exact phrasing in previous paragraphs?
Answer: Sure.
Did I have a good time reading it?
Answer: Yes.
If you are looking for a dark fairy tale retelling that you can read quickly and just forget about life for a while, I would definitely recommend this.
Reign of Shadows was good.
It's a fast-paced, easy read. I made the mistake of reading the reviews before I started it, which I generally try to avoid, and kept waiting for the terribleness to set it.
It didn't for me. I had fun reading this and am not ashamed to admit it. Granted, I didn't go into it expecting Pulitzer Prize for Fiction quality, so maybe that helped.
This is a retelling of Rapunzel, set in a dark world, where a total eclipse of the sun has blocked out all light for 20-years.
We meet Luna, 17-years old, having lived in a tower since the day of her birth. She is sweet and innocent and obviously dreams of the world outside her tower walls.
There is a boy, Fowler, who ends up at the tower and yes, there is instalove on her part. In some reviews people were quite negative on the instalove but I say in this case, it actually kind of works. I mean, the girl has legit been locked in a tower her entire life with only the two adults who have raised her for human interaction.
I do not find it surprising that when a young man her age finally comes into her life she would be instantly attached to him. I mean, when I was 17, I could see a guy for 2-minutes and be smitten and I certainly didn't grow up in a tower.
The action really picks up when Luna and Fowler are forced to leave the tower and try to make their way to the island of Allu where they anticipate safety.
This world is really scary, dangerous and literally dark (like pitch black) so they come to rely on one another and over their long journey do grow to love one another. The book left off on an amazing cliff-hanger and I am excited to start the second book.
In conclusion, was this a perfect book?
Answer: No.
Were there parts that caused me to roll my eyes slightly or note that the author had used the same exact phrasing in previous paragraphs?
Answer: Sure.
Did I have a good time reading it?
Answer: Yes.
If you are looking for a dark fairy tale retelling that you can read quickly and just forget about life for a while, I would definitely recommend this.
December 14, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was an interesting YA fantasy, with a couple of twists that made it a little more special.
Luna was a strong character, and the way she coped with her disability was admirable, if maybe a little unrealistic?
The storyline in this was about Luna leaving her tower, which really reminded me of Rapunzel – is this supposed to be a retelling? Whilst we have an almost permanent eclipse, and weird creatures which try to eat anything that moves roaming around. We got very little in the way of explanation as to what these creatures were, or why there was a permanent eclipse, and the plants seemed to not do too badly considering that they only got 1 hour of daylight a day – is that reasonable though? Could plant-life really continue to support life if it could only photosynthesise for 1 hour a day? And wouldn’t there be a build-up of carbon dioxide and a decrease in the amount of oxygen available because of this? And if they live mainly on meat, well what does the meat eat? (I really don’t think this world stands up to modern science).
Anyway, the story was fairly enjoyable once you ignored all these questions, and the romance happened fairly slowly.
The ending however was a giant cliff-hanger! I didn’t even realise this was a series until I got to this point, so it was a bit of a shock really!
6.5 out of 10
“This tower isn’t my fate.”
This was an interesting YA fantasy, with a couple of twists that made it a little more special.
Luna was a strong character, and the way she coped with her disability was admirable, if maybe a little unrealistic?
The storyline in this was about Luna leaving her tower, which really reminded me of Rapunzel – is this supposed to be a retelling? Whilst we have an almost permanent eclipse, and weird creatures which try to eat anything that moves roaming around. We got very little in the way of explanation as to what these creatures were, or why there was a permanent eclipse, and the plants seemed to not do too badly considering that they only got 1 hour of daylight a day – is that reasonable though? Could plant-life really continue to support life if it could only photosynthesise for 1 hour a day? And wouldn’t there be a build-up of carbon dioxide and a decrease in the amount of oxygen available because of this? And if they live mainly on meat, well what does the meat eat? (I really don’t think this world stands up to modern science).
Anyway, the story was fairly enjoyable once you ignored all these questions, and the romance happened fairly slowly.
The ending however was a giant cliff-hanger! I didn’t even realise this was a series until I got to this point, so it was a bit of a shock really!
6.5 out of 10
August 3, 2018
The only reason I want to read the second book is because of the wolf dog let's be real
February 18, 2016
This review is going to be controversial, because I really don't know whether to recommend this book or not. If you read any books by Sophie Jordan, you know her talent is hit or miss kind: you never know whether you will love or hate her book. She writes historical romance, new adult, young adult books, and some of them are really good. But if we separate other genres and leave only young adult for evaluation, we'll notice that it is not her strongest side (I know, because I read all of her ya books). Let's find out how my deduction tactics works on Reign of shadows.
We have a retelling of Rapunzel. Our MC Luna is blind (I don't consider it a spoiler, because we'll know she can't see just a few pages into the story). She was born on the day when complete darkness enveloped the kingdom of Relhok. Her parents were killed right away, and Luna - who is also a new queen - was taken away and hidden from enemies. She lives in a tower (just like Rapunzel) with her guardians Sivo and Perla. Of course, Luna dreams of adventures and far away lands, and, of course, her life will change when three strangers will show up on her doorstep.
World-building. It was incomplete and lacked some crucial detail, but I liked the atmosphere of darkness and desperation: cold shivers periodically ran down my spine; the creatures that roam the night are creepy. Imagine a world where something resembling a sun - a midlight - shows only for one hour per day. Rest of the time the world looks like this:
THE ECLIPSE SPANNED all my life. It invaded everything. A deep, seeping blackness that poured into every crack and fissure like pooling blood. The darkness was especially dense outside my tower, sliding like ink to where I stood on the lighted balcony, listening to the hum of hungry insects and animals.
Bats' average size now is four feet tall! And they are relevantly harmless (until you try to eat them and catch up bat fever and then die). The most terrible creatures that roam the world are dwellers. They are human size and bigger, insect-like with tentacles, and have venom that kills, oh, and they eat people. Creepy as hell. A creature materialized in the night, its body near my height. No hair sprouted anywhere on the gray, dimpled body. Even though its flesh resembled molding clay, I knew its body was dense, composed of sinewy tissue not nearly as yielding as the tender flesh of a human.<...>Its mouth gaped wide, long feelers rising out of its face to taste the air and detect the presence of prey. The eyes were small, dark orbs that saw very little—if anything. But they hunted us just fine without sight, relying on their hearing and those feelers that vibrated like a nest of snakes, seeking us.
The author created intriguing but scary world, and I would gladly enjoy it if not for some issues: how everything living survives without sun? We are told there's almost no green in the world left, vegetation is scarce, but they still exist after 17 years of almost total darkness? How? Why is it not cold everywhere? We are told that it is some kind of a mild cold but not freezing cold. We don't have a complete picture of how things are and most importantly why. It's not enough to create a believable picture. BUT, it is a fantasy book and supposedly author doesn't owe us explanation, though, I wish she did explain some things: it would've made this world more comfortable for my perception and likeness.
Characters. Luna is a blind girl; she can feel the world around:Sivo claimed that because I had grown up under the mantle of dark, my senses of hearing, touch, taste, and smell were keen. He claimed it was an advantage in this world without light.
She can survive just fine and her abilities partly resemble of a superhero (Daredevil maybe):“I can see just fine without seeing. Fine enough to cook. To cut anything. Don’t doubt that I can handle myself. Wasn’t it me who brought you here and saved you?”
Fowler. He is aloof, a loner. He already lost too much and doesn't trust people; he keeps his heart locked and does everything to survive in this cold lonely world.Didn’t she know yet? People you loved, the ones you cared about the most, they all died eventually. No one was spared. When you lost them, everything you had, all of your heart, was lost, too. It crippled you. Left you an empty shell, functioning on instinct alone.
Romance. It was insta-love(ish) but that didn't really bother me. Luna has never interacted with boys her age before Fowler, she is curious about him and, maybe, a little bit charmed by him in the beginning.I wanted to hear more about him. I wanted him to talk about his life. I wanted to know about where he came from, what he’d seen, the people, including the girls who had or had not seen him naked.
Yes, the naked part is oops, but the guy stood naked before her (it's a pity she couldn't see him), and he practically provoked the girl into thinking about his nakedness after that. Fowler, naughty boy! Then they are forced to travel together and there wasn't any love between them for a long time; gradually friendship was born and only then love.“So you’re saying that I matter to you?”
A shudder rolled through him that I felt to my very depths. “You matter to me.You’re the only thing that matters anymore.”
I honestly did not mind the romance being a major part of the book, because it was suiting the circumstances. I can imagine, in a world where you can die at any minute, love is a rare gift, and you must seize it if you can. Luna and Fowler did just that. Why to blame them for insta-love?The world was a merciless place. Hard and cruel. Except when you found someone to trust and love. Life, however fleeting, possessed meaning then.Knowing Fowler and loving him had given my life that meaning. I could always cling to that. I always would. Until the end.
Plot. Why did I leave it for last? Because I am going to rant a little about stupid decisions MCs did and there are going to be minor spoilers, so if you haven't read the book, do not read this part (if you mind miner spoilers). Luna ALWAYS knew that the mad king will look for her: she is an heir to the crown, of course he wants her dead. But her decision in the end to "sacrifice" herself was STUPID.I would die, but others—so many others—they would live. Is that not what a proper queen would do for her people?
“Absolutely not.”
Fowler, you are a common sense amongst delirium. The girl doesn't understand the usurper is mad. He will kill you, girl, but won't stop killing others, because - attention - HE IS MAD!!! But Luna is dura - which means fool in Russian and rhymes perfectly with her name.
Honestly, I had a bunch of minor claims regarding plot that gradually grew into one big ball: the plot is too rushed and abrupt. One moment we were getting comfortable with some aspects, and then we are plunged into different situation and have to adjust again, only we don't have time for that, because a few moments later we find ourselves in a new environment again. I'd say it was uncomfortable to skip from one place of the plot to another constantly. This book could've been better if it was longer - 300 pages for a fantasy book is not enough to fit all necessary information.
The ending. ONE BIG FAT CLIFFHANGER OF AN ENDING. I thought this book is a standalone; the abrupt ending was a shock for me. Agh, I thing I would've forgotten about this book in a few days if it was a standalone, but now I will wait a year to read the sequel.
All in all, an average fantasy story with pleasant characters but not enough world-building. If you are ok to overlook some flaws and don't mind an insta-love(ish) romance, this book is your next plat du jour.
December 17, 2015
EDIT (12/17/15) -- Confirmed: Two-book series!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Book One of the Reign of Shadows series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 9, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
What I Liked:
If this book were a standalone, it would get three stars - a whole star knocked off because of the ending. BUT, given this handy statement, we know there is at least another book. Thank goodness too, because the ending of this book is brutal!
Luna has lived in the tower in the middle of nowhere for her entire life, with her guardians, Sivo and Perla. She isn't allowed to venture from the tower, especially not alone, despite being very capable of defending herself (thanks to Sivo's training). One night, she sneaks out, and saves the lives of three people, including Fowler, a young archer looking for a better life, trying to find a better life elsewhere. Circumstances force Luna to leave the tower - with Fowler. Together, they must brave the forest - and their own secrets - and fight to stay alive.
Luna is such a different heroine in YA. She's the lost princess of Relhok, born on the day an eclipse brought eternal darkness over the land. Everyone thinks she died with her parents that day - many don't know she exists. Luna is protected and coddled by Sivo and Perla, yet she is more than capable of defending and handling herself. There is something that makes her so striking, so extraordinary. I am very curious to know how her birth ties with the eclipse, and why she is inherently recognized as special and unique (when people meet her, they can almost tell something is different).
I like Luna; she's brave and stubborn and a bit proud - she tries to be her best and strongest self, and it's pretty cool to see how she grows for the duration of this book. She isn't quite the same person, by the end of the book. She'd never been away from her tower for so long and so far, and the experiences Outside have changed her. And yet, she still has all of her internal light and goodness.
Fowler is our other protagonist. This book is written in first-person dual POV, switching between Luna and Fowler. I liked both of their POV's. Fowler is gruff and stern and serious, and he has secrets of his own. He doesn't let anyone past his walls, and he doesn't show much emotion. He doesn't want to be Luna's friend (yet she wiggles her way past his armor). Fowler is the way he is because of life in the eclipse; he's hardened and determined to find a better life in Allu, free of dwellers (creepy creatures that started to appear after the eclipse).
I like Fowler a lot - he's a strong male protagonist, protective and intelligent, more selfless than he thinks. I liked seeing Luna and Fowler warm up to each other - it took Fowler a long time, because he refused to want to like her. He blames himself for a lot of things in his past, and he doesn't want to drag anyone with him. Noble idiot.
The world of this book is pretty fascinating, but not outrageously special. Luna and her tower reminded me of Rapunzel (is this a retelling ish?). I'd like to see more of the setting in Relhok, but I think that's to come. Overall, well-written world-building novel of an epic fantasy novel.
I LOVE the romance. You guessed it - Luna and Fowler slowly fall for each other. And by "slow" I MEAN SLOW. It's nice, the slow-burn romance. I like the types of romances that go from hate to love, and do it in such a slow and simmery way. This romance had it all. Well, no love triangle, that's for sure. There aren't "steamy scenes" - given how the romance progressed, there was some tension, but more trust and emotions, and then some chemistry. I'm curious to see where the romance will head in the next book!
I'm especially curious to see the direction the book will head in general. Luna and Fowler discover something pretty radical that the king is doing, as well as Fowler learns some serious things about Luna, and Luna learns some serious things about Fowler. Luna will have to make a choice, given how the book ended. The story really opens up at the end; I was wondering when the author would start to incorporate some of the ideas she was hinting at and foreshadowing (Luna's birth and the eclipse, her inherent goodness, etc.). Hopefully all will be revealed in the next book!
Oh cruel ending! The ending of this book was really mean, honestly. It's a perfect hook for the sequel, and I'm 99% sure this will be a duology only... but the ending killed me a little! Like I said before, if this book were a standalone, it would be getting maximum three stars. That. Ending!
What I Did Not Like:
I think, overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't LOVE it like it's my new favorite, but I liked the story. I zipped through it fairly quickly. One thing that I would have liked more explanation on was the eclipse, as well as Luna's birth and the eclipse, but I'm sure we'll get more of that in book two. Also I'm slightly confused about the science of the book - are we assuming the plants and trees and vegetation of the forest don't need the sun to survive? Chemotrophs here? And humans too... we NEED sunlight to survive (there are health problems from lack of sunlight). I'm not going to think too much on the science (which is weird, coming from this environmental engineer), but I think there were some inconsistencies!
Would I Recommend It:
I wouldn't NOT recommend it! It's an interesting book, and a very fast read. I will say that the ending is pretty cruel, so maybe binge-read the series, or read this one at your own risk. You are warned! If you liked what I said about the romance, then this book is a solid choice!
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm pretty happy with this book! I'm not questioning/looking further into a few things - using my imagination and letting things go. I enjoyed the book! So glad there's no love triangle or other weird Sophie Jordan YA novel aspects - let me not speak too quickly though!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Book One of the Reign of Shadows series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 9, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
What I Liked:
If this book were a standalone, it would get three stars - a whole star knocked off because of the ending. BUT, given this handy statement, we know there is at least another book. Thank goodness too, because the ending of this book is brutal!
Luna has lived in the tower in the middle of nowhere for her entire life, with her guardians, Sivo and Perla. She isn't allowed to venture from the tower, especially not alone, despite being very capable of defending herself (thanks to Sivo's training). One night, she sneaks out, and saves the lives of three people, including Fowler, a young archer looking for a better life, trying to find a better life elsewhere. Circumstances force Luna to leave the tower - with Fowler. Together, they must brave the forest - and their own secrets - and fight to stay alive.
Luna is such a different heroine in YA. She's the lost princess of Relhok, born on the day an eclipse brought eternal darkness over the land. Everyone thinks she died with her parents that day - many don't know she exists. Luna is protected and coddled by Sivo and Perla, yet she is more than capable of defending and handling herself. There is something that makes her so striking, so extraordinary. I am very curious to know how her birth ties with the eclipse, and why she is inherently recognized as special and unique (when people meet her, they can almost tell something is different).
I like Luna; she's brave and stubborn and a bit proud - she tries to be her best and strongest self, and it's pretty cool to see how she grows for the duration of this book. She isn't quite the same person, by the end of the book. She'd never been away from her tower for so long and so far, and the experiences Outside have changed her. And yet, she still has all of her internal light and goodness.
Fowler is our other protagonist. This book is written in first-person dual POV, switching between Luna and Fowler. I liked both of their POV's. Fowler is gruff and stern and serious, and he has secrets of his own. He doesn't let anyone past his walls, and he doesn't show much emotion. He doesn't want to be Luna's friend (yet she wiggles her way past his armor). Fowler is the way he is because of life in the eclipse; he's hardened and determined to find a better life in Allu, free of dwellers (creepy creatures that started to appear after the eclipse).
I like Fowler a lot - he's a strong male protagonist, protective and intelligent, more selfless than he thinks. I liked seeing Luna and Fowler warm up to each other - it took Fowler a long time, because he refused to want to like her. He blames himself for a lot of things in his past, and he doesn't want to drag anyone with him. Noble idiot.
The world of this book is pretty fascinating, but not outrageously special. Luna and her tower reminded me of Rapunzel (is this a retelling ish?). I'd like to see more of the setting in Relhok, but I think that's to come. Overall, well-written world-building novel of an epic fantasy novel.
I LOVE the romance. You guessed it - Luna and Fowler slowly fall for each other. And by "slow" I MEAN SLOW. It's nice, the slow-burn romance. I like the types of romances that go from hate to love, and do it in such a slow and simmery way. This romance had it all. Well, no love triangle, that's for sure. There aren't "steamy scenes" - given how the romance progressed, there was some tension, but more trust and emotions, and then some chemistry. I'm curious to see where the romance will head in the next book!
I'm especially curious to see the direction the book will head in general. Luna and Fowler discover something pretty radical that the king is doing, as well as Fowler learns some serious things about Luna, and Luna learns some serious things about Fowler. Luna will have to make a choice, given how the book ended. The story really opens up at the end; I was wondering when the author would start to incorporate some of the ideas she was hinting at and foreshadowing (Luna's birth and the eclipse, her inherent goodness, etc.). Hopefully all will be revealed in the next book!
Oh cruel ending! The ending of this book was really mean, honestly. It's a perfect hook for the sequel, and I'm 99% sure this will be a duology only... but the ending killed me a little! Like I said before, if this book were a standalone, it would be getting maximum three stars. That. Ending!
What I Did Not Like:
I think, overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't LOVE it like it's my new favorite, but I liked the story. I zipped through it fairly quickly. One thing that I would have liked more explanation on was the eclipse, as well as Luna's birth and the eclipse, but I'm sure we'll get more of that in book two. Also I'm slightly confused about the science of the book - are we assuming the plants and trees and vegetation of the forest don't need the sun to survive? Chemotrophs here? And humans too... we NEED sunlight to survive (there are health problems from lack of sunlight). I'm not going to think too much on the science (which is weird, coming from this environmental engineer), but I think there were some inconsistencies!
Would I Recommend It:
I wouldn't NOT recommend it! It's an interesting book, and a very fast read. I will say that the ending is pretty cruel, so maybe binge-read the series, or read this one at your own risk. You are warned! If you liked what I said about the romance, then this book is a solid choice!
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm pretty happy with this book! I'm not questioning/looking further into a few things - using my imagination and letting things go. I enjoyed the book! So glad there's no love triangle or other weird Sophie Jordan YA novel aspects - let me not speak too quickly though!
October 7, 2016
Having previously read and enjoyed Uninvited by Sophie Jordan, I was anticipating this upcoming title by her and was thrilled to receive an ARC. I'm not sure why it was sent to me, possibly I entered a giveaway that I forgot about? My opinion on the material of the book was in no way swayed by receiving the ARC copy.
I'm very pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it. So far it's my second favorite read of the year. I would definitely recommend it for YA Fantasy readers! (Or just any Fantasy reader!)
Reign of Shadows is the first book in a duology. It is set in a fantasy world without magic where the land is in a state of perpetual darkness. In short, the plot can be summed up as: The rightful heir to a kingdom has lived her life in hiding and suddenly finds herself in danger of being discovered by the kingdom's new, evil ruler who killed her parents.
Characters
-It's a dual first person POV story with a male and female character. Fowler is kind of a cliche 'guarded tough guy' character, but I still loved him to bits.
-It features a blind protagonist (Luna). This is revealed about 40 pages into the story, but I feel it should be a main selling point. There simply is a lack of representation for any type of disabilities in main characters in YA books.
-Luna is a fantastic, well-rounded character. I felt she was a perfect blend of hopeful naivety and gumption. She had passable skills for her background without being a sudden superstar at anything. She didn't suddenly become a fighter, but she had many other strengths. I particularly liked her moral struggle near the end.
Setting
-I thought it was a unique setting. The ways that people have adapted to the darkness were interesting to me.
-It was very reminiscent of a zombie apocalypse type story. There are monsters in the darkness that eat any human who is caught outside. While they AREN'T zombies in any sense, it lent a familiarity to the story. It was easy to understand and get into.
-Not only was there the threat from the creatures, but also the human threat. Who could you trust in this world? I love this type of survival story. It was exactly my type of book!
Plot
-The action was always moving and things were continuously being revealed to us or to the characters. There was never a dull moment for me.
In short, I loved the characters, the world, and the story. I can't wait for the conclusion!!
I'm very pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it. So far it's my second favorite read of the year. I would definitely recommend it for YA Fantasy readers! (Or just any Fantasy reader!)
Reign of Shadows is the first book in a duology. It is set in a fantasy world without magic where the land is in a state of perpetual darkness. In short, the plot can be summed up as: The rightful heir to a kingdom has lived her life in hiding and suddenly finds herself in danger of being discovered by the kingdom's new, evil ruler who killed her parents.
Characters
-It's a dual first person POV story with a male and female character. Fowler is kind of a cliche 'guarded tough guy' character, but I still loved him to bits.
-It features a blind protagonist (Luna). This is revealed about 40 pages into the story, but I feel it should be a main selling point. There simply is a lack of representation for any type of disabilities in main characters in YA books.
-Luna is a fantastic, well-rounded character. I felt she was a perfect blend of hopeful naivety and gumption. She had passable skills for her background without being a sudden superstar at anything. She didn't suddenly become a fighter, but she had many other strengths. I particularly liked her moral struggle near the end.
Setting
-I thought it was a unique setting. The ways that people have adapted to the darkness were interesting to me.
-It was very reminiscent of a zombie apocalypse type story. There are monsters in the darkness that eat any human who is caught outside. While they AREN'T zombies in any sense, it lent a familiarity to the story. It was easy to understand and get into.
-Not only was there the threat from the creatures, but also the human threat. Who could you trust in this world? I love this type of survival story. It was exactly my type of book!
Plot
-The action was always moving and things were continuously being revealed to us or to the characters. There was never a dull moment for me.
In short, I loved the characters, the world, and the story. I can't wait for the conclusion!!
June 19, 2018
La verdad es que nunca quise leer nada dela autora porque no pensé que fuera mi estilo, pero por circunstancias de la vida me encontré con este libro y decidí darle una oportunidad.
La verdad es que Sophie me dejó un buen sabor de boca, me gustó su forma de escribir y la forma en que nos fue narrando esta historia, la fantasía tiene tiempo que dejó de ser de mis géneros prioritarios pero gracias a este libro tuve ganas de leer más de este estilo.
Los personajes me parecieron otro acierto porque a pesar de ser libros juveniles y por tanto no nos pueden ofrecer un panorama muy profundo, poseen cualidades que si nos hacen ( al menos a mí) imaginarlos como personas que pudiéramos conocer e incluso identificarnos con ellos.
El único pero que podría ponerle es la sobrecarga de romance, me parece que fue innecesaria en muchas partes de la historia, aunque la trama esta muy ligado a ello y la manera tan bonita en que describe ese sentimiento lo compensa un poco, aunque como es un libro juvenil no podía pedir demasiado.
Quizá llegue a compararme su continuación o tal vez no, supongo que el tiempo lo dirá.
La verdad es que Sophie me dejó un buen sabor de boca, me gustó su forma de escribir y la forma en que nos fue narrando esta historia, la fantasía tiene tiempo que dejó de ser de mis géneros prioritarios pero gracias a este libro tuve ganas de leer más de este estilo.
Los personajes me parecieron otro acierto porque a pesar de ser libros juveniles y por tanto no nos pueden ofrecer un panorama muy profundo, poseen cualidades que si nos hacen ( al menos a mí) imaginarlos como personas que pudiéramos conocer e incluso identificarnos con ellos.
El único pero que podría ponerle es la sobrecarga de romance, me parece que fue innecesaria en muchas partes de la historia, aunque la trama esta muy ligado a ello y la manera tan bonita en que describe ese sentimiento lo compensa un poco, aunque como es un libro juvenil no podía pedir demasiado.
Quizá llegue a compararme su continuación o tal vez no, supongo que el tiempo lo dirá.
January 8, 2016
I really liked the premise of this and was quite eager to read it.
Love love loved Luna and Fowler. They're both strong and compliment each other so well. They both have secrets and it's interesting seeing the decisions because of them. Reading their relationship develop in the crazy world they're in was captivating.
There are a lot of interesting components to the story. While it didn't feel like we got the full background to the world building or what was happening, it is definitely an excellent start for a series. And yes, the ending is wicked.
I can't wait to get book 2 in my greedy hands.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Love love loved Luna and Fowler. They're both strong and compliment each other so well. They both have secrets and it's interesting seeing the decisions because of them. Reading their relationship develop in the crazy world they're in was captivating.
There are a lot of interesting components to the story. While it didn't feel like we got the full background to the world building or what was happening, it is definitely an excellent start for a series. And yes, the ending is wicked.
I can't wait to get book 2 in my greedy hands.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
February 5, 2017
“Real love ought to be more like a tree and less like a flower”
----Mya Robarts
Sophie Jordan, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a young adult fantasy series called, Reign of Shadows and the first book in the series with the same name is a modern-retelling of the most popular childhood fairy tale, Rapunzel. This story revolves around a teenage heroine who is an orphan royal princess, protected and sheltered by two caring and loyal couple in an abandoned and hidden tower, but this teenage princess longs to be free from the mundane life of the tower and roam freely into the darkness ruled by some dangerous blood thirsty creatures. And not long into the story her dream actually comes true but nothing good comes into life without paying a hefty price for it.
Synopsis:
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
Luna, the seventeen year old royal heir to the throne of the Relhok kingdom, has forever been living in a tower since her birth with her two carers who protect and shield the girl as well as her identity from the mad chancellor, who murdered her parents, and also from the Outside. But Luna craves for the Outside and to face the challenges that the 17 years ago eclipse brought along with itself, the night dwellers, that prey upon human beings, more like zombies. Luna's dream of facing the Outside all by herself comes true one night when she ventures out all by herself, only to find herself face to face not only with night dwellers but also with a pack of innocent looking human beings of her age. She bravely guides the pack of wanderers into the safe cocoon of the tower, but soon the location of the tower gets discovered by the new ruthless king's soldiers and Luna must get away leaving behind her carers and also with the leader of the pack, Fowler, whom she had already begun to fancy with all her soul. Together, Luna and Fowler, embark upon a quest to the land that is safe from everything but away from where they belonged from. With a sparkling chemistry, they begin their journey but little did anyone can guess about one another's complex secrets that can destroy the bond they are longing to have among themselves.
So that actually sounds more like a love story, rather than sounding like an exciting and adventurous tale about fantasy and magic filled with twists. And I really want to blame the synopsis for it, since it sounds extremely gripping and encouraging enough to pick a copy of this book. Beware, do not pick up a copy of this book based on what is written on the synopsis, you will be left fooled by the synopsis. I've never read anything such corny and distasteful like this book, where everything is about cheesy dialogues and predictable plot line. I mean, all through out the book, I thought that maybe after this chapter I would get to read about some risky and twisty challenges clawing upon both the main characters. Instead the story is all about stupid chemistry between Luna and Fowler.
The world building is very weak. I mean nothing justifies the world that the author has tried to manifest through this book. The fantasy world building is bleak, out of depth or any logic so I could not ask my mind to accept the world of Luna, which has been shadowed by an eclipse and now the long deep and dark nights are ruled by some human-flesh-eating zombies, whereas on the other hand, a mad king is on a crazy man-hunt to get his hands on the royal princess who survived. Then people use magical herbs to cure ailments whereas the protagonist has no magical power yet a supersonic power that makes her more able than a normal human being, in short, the girl is flawless to the very core. Also there are plenty of loose ends about the world that the author has projected into this story.
The author's writing is good but not that strong. The dialogues lack emotional depth thus they fail terribly to make the readers actually feel the rush of the emotions between the central characters. The prose is articulate but not well developed, hence the readers will fail to connect with the story line. The pace is super fast, somewhat rushed, especially near the end and not to mention with a cliffhanger like that, readers are going to bang their heads against the wall.
The characters, especially the main characters are very blunt. Well there are no such characters to write about except the main characters like Luna and Fowler, since the supporting ones just take a once-in-a-while-peek before disappearing into nothingness. Luna is unexceptionally gifted and proficient despite her one minor (actually its major, but sounds like minor!)shortcoming and her mind, body and soul behaves like some super human being, although the author constantly tried to depict her as someone humble and normal. Fowler is a typical teenage hero, whose demeanor is foreseeable and there is nothing interesting about him. Although his back story sounds enchanting, but the story is much more focused on the chemistry between the two young souls.
In a nutshell, this is a simply boring YA fantasy novel that gave me never ending yawns all through out the story line.
Verdict: Lands straight on my de-clutter piles of books!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
----Mya Robarts
Sophie Jordan, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a young adult fantasy series called, Reign of Shadows and the first book in the series with the same name is a modern-retelling of the most popular childhood fairy tale, Rapunzel. This story revolves around a teenage heroine who is an orphan royal princess, protected and sheltered by two caring and loyal couple in an abandoned and hidden tower, but this teenage princess longs to be free from the mundane life of the tower and roam freely into the darkness ruled by some dangerous blood thirsty creatures. And not long into the story her dream actually comes true but nothing good comes into life without paying a hefty price for it.
Synopsis:
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
Luna, the seventeen year old royal heir to the throne of the Relhok kingdom, has forever been living in a tower since her birth with her two carers who protect and shield the girl as well as her identity from the mad chancellor, who murdered her parents, and also from the Outside. But Luna craves for the Outside and to face the challenges that the 17 years ago eclipse brought along with itself, the night dwellers, that prey upon human beings, more like zombies. Luna's dream of facing the Outside all by herself comes true one night when she ventures out all by herself, only to find herself face to face not only with night dwellers but also with a pack of innocent looking human beings of her age. She bravely guides the pack of wanderers into the safe cocoon of the tower, but soon the location of the tower gets discovered by the new ruthless king's soldiers and Luna must get away leaving behind her carers and also with the leader of the pack, Fowler, whom she had already begun to fancy with all her soul. Together, Luna and Fowler, embark upon a quest to the land that is safe from everything but away from where they belonged from. With a sparkling chemistry, they begin their journey but little did anyone can guess about one another's complex secrets that can destroy the bond they are longing to have among themselves.
So that actually sounds more like a love story, rather than sounding like an exciting and adventurous tale about fantasy and magic filled with twists. And I really want to blame the synopsis for it, since it sounds extremely gripping and encouraging enough to pick a copy of this book. Beware, do not pick up a copy of this book based on what is written on the synopsis, you will be left fooled by the synopsis. I've never read anything such corny and distasteful like this book, where everything is about cheesy dialogues and predictable plot line. I mean, all through out the book, I thought that maybe after this chapter I would get to read about some risky and twisty challenges clawing upon both the main characters. Instead the story is all about stupid chemistry between Luna and Fowler.
The world building is very weak. I mean nothing justifies the world that the author has tried to manifest through this book. The fantasy world building is bleak, out of depth or any logic so I could not ask my mind to accept the world of Luna, which has been shadowed by an eclipse and now the long deep and dark nights are ruled by some human-flesh-eating zombies, whereas on the other hand, a mad king is on a crazy man-hunt to get his hands on the royal princess who survived. Then people use magical herbs to cure ailments whereas the protagonist has no magical power yet a supersonic power that makes her more able than a normal human being, in short, the girl is flawless to the very core. Also there are plenty of loose ends about the world that the author has projected into this story.
The author's writing is good but not that strong. The dialogues lack emotional depth thus they fail terribly to make the readers actually feel the rush of the emotions between the central characters. The prose is articulate but not well developed, hence the readers will fail to connect with the story line. The pace is super fast, somewhat rushed, especially near the end and not to mention with a cliffhanger like that, readers are going to bang their heads against the wall.
The characters, especially the main characters are very blunt. Well there are no such characters to write about except the main characters like Luna and Fowler, since the supporting ones just take a once-in-a-while-peek before disappearing into nothingness. Luna is unexceptionally gifted and proficient despite her one minor (actually its major, but sounds like minor!)shortcoming and her mind, body and soul behaves like some super human being, although the author constantly tried to depict her as someone humble and normal. Fowler is a typical teenage hero, whose demeanor is foreseeable and there is nothing interesting about him. Although his back story sounds enchanting, but the story is much more focused on the chemistry between the two young souls.
In a nutshell, this is a simply boring YA fantasy novel that gave me never ending yawns all through out the story line.
Verdict: Lands straight on my de-clutter piles of books!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 7, 2018
Mädchen High Fantasy vom feinsten❤️ und das ende 😱.. Ich brauch den zweiten Teil 😍
January 27, 2016
This review can be found on One Way Or An Author!
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Harper Collins and Edelweiss!
As always, I am sweeped in by fairy tale retellings. This time we have a story loosely based on Rapunzel, where our main character Luna lives in a world where light is only shown for a couple of hours, leaving it dark the rest of the time. Monsters called “dwellers” plague the area and are predators to the humans. Luna is kept safe in a tower, but from the beginning of the book we feel her yearning to go outside and away from the only place she’s known for the last seventeen years of her life.
“Being satisfied with our lives was enough for her. She didn’t understand the need for more. My need for more.”
An opportunity to fulfill that desire proves itself when Luna meets Fowler, who is searching for a place where there is light and no dwellers lurk. These two characters were really dynamic and reading them change from when we first meet them to the end of the book was really enjoyable.
In the beginning, Fowler comes off as selfish, but once you get to know him you find out the reasons why he behaves the way he does. As he and Luna travel and spend time together, guards get chipped and the chemistry gets sparkin’. <3 I do love me some romance! There is no insta-love in this book, although we see some instances of instra-attraction, which doesn’t really bother me. I mean, chances are you like people you’re attracted to, right? It’s definitely a slow-burn romance that takes its time throughout the book, despite the attraction.
“I have never been my weakest as when I allowed love and hope into my heart.
I would never do so again.”
The political front didn’t really progress much in this book; from the blurb we know that Luna is the lost princess but not much happens in terms of that. It mainly focuses on Luna and Fowler’s adventure together as they try to survive. I didn’t know this book was planned for a sequel until the end, but now I see why things moved pretty slow – room for more awesomeness in the next book! Although it wasn’t as fast-paced as I thought it would be, I really didn’t mind in favor of the character development going on.
That ending had me gasping at 1 am in the morning and left me staring at the ceiling in disbelief! It was a cliffhanger, and a rather abrupt one at that. I love cliffhangers though, so I’m definitely not complaining, although it might have been executed better.
Overall, the dynamic characters, steamy romance and potential for more action has got me excited for the next book! This book is totally recommended for fairy tale retelling lovers, and people who can appreciate a slow-burn fantasy in terms of romance and plot.
----------------------------
8/29/15:
pretty close to 4.5.
Initial thoughts:
~ The world itself is pretty well-done, although the premise was nothing spectacular or original.
~ Character development is literally on point. I loved watching both characters (Fowler and Luna) grow from the beginning of the book to the end.
~ Romance is A++++++++. Sometimes it came off as insta-attraction, but NEVER insta-love. (Which makes sense, since, why would you like someone if you weren't attracted to them?) Thank ye gods for no love triangle and an OTP to match the OTPs. This book got me like:
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Harper Collins and Edelweiss!
As always, I am sweeped in by fairy tale retellings. This time we have a story loosely based on Rapunzel, where our main character Luna lives in a world where light is only shown for a couple of hours, leaving it dark the rest of the time. Monsters called “dwellers” plague the area and are predators to the humans. Luna is kept safe in a tower, but from the beginning of the book we feel her yearning to go outside and away from the only place she’s known for the last seventeen years of her life.
“Being satisfied with our lives was enough for her. She didn’t understand the need for more. My need for more.”
An opportunity to fulfill that desire proves itself when Luna meets Fowler, who is searching for a place where there is light and no dwellers lurk. These two characters were really dynamic and reading them change from when we first meet them to the end of the book was really enjoyable.
In the beginning, Fowler comes off as selfish, but once you get to know him you find out the reasons why he behaves the way he does. As he and Luna travel and spend time together, guards get chipped and the chemistry gets sparkin’. <3 I do love me some romance! There is no insta-love in this book, although we see some instances of instra-attraction, which doesn’t really bother me. I mean, chances are you like people you’re attracted to, right? It’s definitely a slow-burn romance that takes its time throughout the book, despite the attraction.
“I have never been my weakest as when I allowed love and hope into my heart.
I would never do so again.”
The political front didn’t really progress much in this book; from the blurb we know that Luna is the lost princess but not much happens in terms of that. It mainly focuses on Luna and Fowler’s adventure together as they try to survive. I didn’t know this book was planned for a sequel until the end, but now I see why things moved pretty slow – room for more awesomeness in the next book! Although it wasn’t as fast-paced as I thought it would be, I really didn’t mind in favor of the character development going on.
That ending had me gasping at 1 am in the morning and left me staring at the ceiling in disbelief! It was a cliffhanger, and a rather abrupt one at that. I love cliffhangers though, so I’m definitely not complaining, although it might have been executed better.
Overall, the dynamic characters, steamy romance and potential for more action has got me excited for the next book! This book is totally recommended for fairy tale retelling lovers, and people who can appreciate a slow-burn fantasy in terms of romance and plot.
----------------------------
8/29/15:
pretty close to 4.5.
Initial thoughts:
~ The world itself is pretty well-done, although the premise was nothing spectacular or original.
~ Character development is literally on point. I loved watching both characters (Fowler and Luna) grow from the beginning of the book to the end.
~ Romance is A++++++++. Sometimes it came off as insta-attraction, but NEVER insta-love. (Which makes sense, since, why would you like someone if you weren't attracted to them?) Thank ye gods for no love triangle and an OTP to match the OTPs. This book got me like:
February 26, 2016
Originally posted on Super Space Chick:
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a series (it’s unconfirmed whether it’s a duology / trilogy or other but it feels like a duology) that is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. I hadn’t originally planned on reading this one until I read positive pre-publication reviews and then the closer I looked at the cover the more I fell in love with it. And of course, once I found out the Rapunzel aspect I couldn’t wait another minute for it! The story follows a girl named Luna who’s spent her life living in a secluded tower due to her complicated royal family history and a boy name Fowler who has a past of his own to contend with. The pair are living in a world where an eclipse occurred 17 years ago and there hasn’t been light since. Humans live in fear of dangerous creatures called Dwellers and bats have grown to four feet in size.
Throughout Reign of Shadows there were plot twists at every turn. I do not want to spoil anything because it was really exciting to discover new things as the story unfolded and I would hate to take that away from anyone. As the story progressed, I developed very strong feelings for these characters. They’re polar opposites and the relationship they form leads to a deep connection. Luna is a unique heroine for several reasons, all of which will not be revealed here. She is not your typical gorgeous lost rightful heir to the throne. Luna is a kind spirit and she makes decisions with her heart even when they might not be the best ones whereas Fowler has lost someone in his past and refuses to allow himself to care for anyone because of how bleak their society is. He’s purely logical in his decision making and despite his rough exterior, he lives by a code of conduct. My heart was racing during the last 50 pages or so of the book and I needed a hug once I finished reading.
I loved seeing all of the parallels to Rapunzel in Regin of Shadows and I’m curious if they’ll continue in the second installment or if it will branch off into even more of its own story, similar to how The Lunar Chronicles handles itself. Sophie Jordan did an incredible job with the worldbuilding and convincing me that this is a society I would never want to experience. I couldn’t imagine the constant feeling of living in fear with little hope that anything will change in the future. The imagery of the forest and the scenes with the Dwellers painted such a clear picture in my mind which doesn’t always happen for me while reading. My only complaint is that while I was initially excited that the book is so short (without acknowledgements it’s under 300 pages), I really wanted more, especially upon reaching the end. The story ends very abruptly with a gut wrenching cliffhanger and I need the second one as soon as possible.
Final Thoughts: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a fantasy series set in a world which is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. Jordan crafted an enchanting story in a terrifying and bleak society and I couldn’t get enough of it. I have so many feelings for Luna and Fowler and I need them to be together because I am shipping them so hard. Opposites attract and while they could not be more different, each has found their way into my heart.
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a series (it’s unconfirmed whether it’s a duology / trilogy or other but it feels like a duology) that is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. I hadn’t originally planned on reading this one until I read positive pre-publication reviews and then the closer I looked at the cover the more I fell in love with it. And of course, once I found out the Rapunzel aspect I couldn’t wait another minute for it! The story follows a girl named Luna who’s spent her life living in a secluded tower due to her complicated royal family history and a boy name Fowler who has a past of his own to contend with. The pair are living in a world where an eclipse occurred 17 years ago and there hasn’t been light since. Humans live in fear of dangerous creatures called Dwellers and bats have grown to four feet in size.
Throughout Reign of Shadows there were plot twists at every turn. I do not want to spoil anything because it was really exciting to discover new things as the story unfolded and I would hate to take that away from anyone. As the story progressed, I developed very strong feelings for these characters. They’re polar opposites and the relationship they form leads to a deep connection. Luna is a unique heroine for several reasons, all of which will not be revealed here. She is not your typical gorgeous lost rightful heir to the throne. Luna is a kind spirit and she makes decisions with her heart even when they might not be the best ones whereas Fowler has lost someone in his past and refuses to allow himself to care for anyone because of how bleak their society is. He’s purely logical in his decision making and despite his rough exterior, he lives by a code of conduct. My heart was racing during the last 50 pages or so of the book and I needed a hug once I finished reading.
I loved seeing all of the parallels to Rapunzel in Regin of Shadows and I’m curious if they’ll continue in the second installment or if it will branch off into even more of its own story, similar to how The Lunar Chronicles handles itself. Sophie Jordan did an incredible job with the worldbuilding and convincing me that this is a society I would never want to experience. I couldn’t imagine the constant feeling of living in fear with little hope that anything will change in the future. The imagery of the forest and the scenes with the Dwellers painted such a clear picture in my mind which doesn’t always happen for me while reading. My only complaint is that while I was initially excited that the book is so short (without acknowledgements it’s under 300 pages), I really wanted more, especially upon reaching the end. The story ends very abruptly with a gut wrenching cliffhanger and I need the second one as soon as possible.
Final Thoughts: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a fantasy series set in a world which is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. Jordan crafted an enchanting story in a terrifying and bleak society and I couldn’t get enough of it. I have so many feelings for Luna and Fowler and I need them to be together because I am shipping them so hard. Opposites attract and while they could not be more different, each has found their way into my heart.
February 25, 2017
Diese Rezension gibt es auch auf meinem Blog: neylakunta.wordpress.com
Fakten über das Buch:
Verlag: Harper Collins Germany
Seitenzahl: 384
ISBN: 9783959670708
Preis: 18,00€
Lesezeitraum: 26/01/17 - 04/02/17
Kurzbeschreibung
Tiefe Finsternis, die seit siebzehn Jahren über dem Reich Relhok liegt, und die dicken Mauern ihres Turms – etwas anderes kennt Luna nicht. Sie muss sich verstecken, damit die Welt sie für tot hält, nachdem ein Verräter ihre Eltern ermordete, um sich der Krone zu bemächtigen. Als sie fliehen muss, weil ihr Leben in Gefahr ist, hilft ihr der Waldläufer Fowler. Er erfüllt ihre dunkle Welt mit Licht, doch nicht einmal ihm darf sie sagen, dass sie die wahre Königin Relhoks ist. Denn der neue König sucht nach ihr, um sicherzustellen, dass sie niemals ihren Thron besteigen wird. (Quelle)
Cover
Das Cover ist ja mal
wunderschön
. - Auch wenn ich es gar nicht verstehe. Kann mir bitte jemnd erklären, was genau das darstellen soll? Naja egal, ich finde es cool, dass der Hintergrund so grau ist und die Bläterranken schwarz. Das Altrosa passt in die Kombination auch sehr schön mit rein, so dass ich eigentlich hier gar nichts daran auszusetzen habe.Handlung
Dieses Buch habe ich wieder zusammen mit der lieben Jessi gelesen bei der ihr auch eine Rezension zu dem Buch auf ihrem Blog findet :)
Seit 17 Jahren liegt über dem Königreich Rehlhok Dunkelheit und mit ihr kommen die Finsterirdischen, die die Bevölkerung in das Verderben stürzen. Nur eine Stunde am Tag klärt die Finterniss etwas auf und die Sonne kämpft sich durch. Doch mit nur einer Stunde Sonnenlicht lässt sich keine Ernte hervorbringen. Besonders dann nicht, wenn die Monster aus dem Boden schießen. Nur in befestigten Städten ist es noch sicher.
Ah diese Idee finde ich so cool! Natürlich ist es tragisch und traurig und alles aber es ist auch cool, denn das bietet an sich schon ganz schön viel Handlungsspielraum. Das wurde auch sehr gut umgesetzt ;)
Luna kennt nichts anderes als die Finsterniss und das Innere ihres Turms. Hier ist sie vor den Finsterirdischen sicher und gemeinsam mit ihrer Haushälterin und ihrem praktischen Ziehvater lebt Luna seit 17 Jahren mit der Hoffnung auf ein Leben im Sonnenlicht.Es gibt einen Grund, warum Luna im Exil leben muss: Sie ist die wahre Königin Rehlhoks doch das weiß niemand. Ihre Eltern wurden kaltblütig von einem Mann getöt der nun der neue König ihres Landes ist. Luna hasst ihn, doch was soll sie schon tun?
Das finde ich eine richtig schöne Idee, doch sie ist nicht einzigartig - aber wann gibt es denn schon mal eine Idee, die noch nie jemand vor einem hatte? Aber hier muss ich sagen, wurde es nicht so "kitschig" umgesetzt. Es spielt ein Rolle im Buch, defintiv, doch auch andere Dinge sind durchaus wichtig.
Doch es kommt wie es kommen musste. Der König erfährt, dass Luna noch lebt und so muss sie aus dem Turm fliehen wobei ihr Fowler hilft, ein junger Mann dem Luna das Leben retette als sie außerhalb des Turmes war.
Dieses Treffen mit Fowler fand ich richtig überraschend und ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass sie sich so kennenlernen. (Auch wenn ich nicht weiß, wie sie es sonst hätten tun sollen.) Dabei birgt das ja auch selbst viele Gefahren für Luna in der Dunkelheit hinaus zu gehen. Aber diese Aktion und viele weitere zeigen ja wie gut ihr Herz eigentlich ist.
Gemeinsam nehmen sie die Gefahr auf sich, die diese außergewöhnliche Reise mit sich bringt. Nur um auf eine Insel zu kommen, auf der angeblich noch immer die Sonne scheint, und die Menschen in Frieden leben können.
Leider machen nicht nur die Finsterirdischen Probleme. Nie hätte Luna es für möglich gehalten, dass auch andere Menschen so böse sein können.Und Fowler nimmt auch einen größeren Wert in ihrer Gedankenwelt ein als sie eigentlich wollte...
Schreibstil
Ich gestehe: Ich liebe den Schreibstil von Sophie Jordan. Die Sicht wechselt immer zwischen Luna und Fowler hinterher und das hat sie super umgesetzt. Sie beschreibt alles immer so toll aber auch nicht übertrieben, dass ich mich schon vom ersten Kapitel an in das Buch verliebt habe. Das schaff erstmal einer!
Charaktere
Luna mochte ich von Anfang an. Sie taff und stark, ist aber auch nicht herzlos was sie immer wieder beweißt. Sie wandelt auf einem Grad dazwischen, auch wenn sie nicht für die Welt gemacht ist, in der sie gezwungen ist zu leben. Doch sie meistert es, mal mehr mal weniger gut. Da sie bisher nur Kontakt zu zwei Menschen hatte nahm ich ihr einige Dinge auch gar nicht übel. Ich mein, woher soll sie denn das alles wissen? Sie war eingesperrt und kennt doch gar nichts von der Welt. Doch sie lernt und stellt sich nicht dumm an. Ich mochte sie sehr.Fowler war mir am Anfang total unsympathisch obwohl ich mir schon dachte, was da kommen wird. Doch auch er hat seine Gründe sich so zu verhalten, das muss man mal so sagen. Als ich das gelesen habe, war ich ziemlich baff und es hat mich von Fowlers Charakterstärke überzeugt und mir ebenfalls gezeigt, dass mehr in ihm steckt, als ich am Anfang für möglich gehalten habe.
Natürlich entwickelt sich eine Beziehung zwischen den beiden. Das weiß man ja sofort. Aber es war gar nicht kitischig und ahh so schön. An einigen Stellen bin ich fast gestorben aber das ist ok. (Auf eine gute Weiße gestorben meine ich.)
Fazit
Dieses Buch hat mich einfach überzeugt und das Ende hat mich zerstört. Komplett. Natürlich gab es Schwächen, manchmal hätte ich Luna und Fowler am liebsten geschlagen aber deshalb fand ich es nicht schlecht. Es ist nun aber auch nicht ein neues Lieblingsbuch von mir da auch einige Fragen offen geblieben sind. Dennoch: Die Wahre Königin erhält von mir 4 Schlüssel.
Anmerkungen
Leute ich habe so viele schlechte, englische, Rezensionen gesehen und gelesen. Mein Herz! Ich meine, ich sags jetzt einfach mal so: Ich fand die Handlung toll und sie war mir auch nie langweilig und es gab immer einen Grund für mich weiter zu lesen. Und bei diesen "Rant"-Reviews wurde einfach alles zerstört, jeder kleinste Satz etc. Meine Meinung ist ja, das solche Rezensionen die ehrlichsten sind, aber wie kann man sich über jeden kleinen Satz lustig machen oder ihn als "abnormal" hinstellen? Ich weiß, ich weiß, ich habe auch Bücher die ich schlecht fande, aber ich frage mich, ob man da nicht wenigsten seine Meinung begründen und Argumente bringen kann? Leider war das bei keiner dieser Rezensionen der Fall. - Aber jeder muss ja immer selbst entscheiden, was er liest und wie er es bewertet.
Dies ist ein Rezensionsexemplar, welches ich über Netgalley vom Harper Collins Germany Verlag erhalten habe. Als Gegenleistung lese ich das erhaltene Buch und veröffentliche eine Rezension darüber. (Read-to-Review Basis.)
July 27, 2016
Me gusto mucho este libro, me gusto la trama, la relación de los personajes, sus personalidades. Fowler *-*
Reseña completa en Gracias a los Libros.
Reseña completa en Gracias a los Libros.
Read
May 6, 2016Awesome world building and a swoony hero. What's not to like? Really love Luna and her take on how the world works. Really creeped out by those eel things and biting carp! Shudder. Can't wait for book two.
May 7, 2017
Updated Review 04/22/16:
This time around I decided to give the audiobook a try and I really enjoyed it. I think I may have enjoyed it more . The narrators, Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey, played Luna and Fowler perfectly. With them at the helm I didn't find the beginning so sluggish and the voices for each character was more clearly defined. I remember that being my biggest pet peeve when I came across the first chapter dedicated to Fowler. I couldn't discern that it wasn't only his voice in that section but, in fact, it was his and the voices of two younger characters as well. The audiobook cleared that confusion up really well and I think it gave the start a better opening.
I also remember that this book was marketed as a Rapunzel retelling but I found that it had very little ties to the fairytale apart from the tower in the middle of the forest. The rest of the world building was very unique and I found that overall it was well developed for such a short book. The way the world was changed and the way societies adapted to this darkness was equally interesting and something I took better note of this time.
As for my impressions of the characters, Luna wasn't as annoying to me this time. Was she willful and naive? Yes, but it wasn't annoying. I think as I have read more books, I have come across more annoying characters and she is mild in comparison. I liked Fowler more over all as I paid more attention to his back story and his growing feelings for Luna. I loved his character growth and the slow burn romance. I felt it progressed naturally and it was very sweet and by the end I was rooting for them to be together.
I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it even if its a bit trope-y. I still had a great time reading it and my 4 star rating still stands.
Happy Reading
Jo
-----------------------------------------------------Now this book started out really rough for me. I was definitely thinking that there might be a high chance that I do not like the book. Im glad that once we got the pretentiousness of the beginning out of the way, we were able to start the journey. I like Luna more in the later part of the book cause she is less annoying as she becomes less naive. I like Fowler more as he gets softer. I feel like in terms of content this book is a 3.5 star rating as the characters are ok and the overall plot is generic but because it makes me want to know how it all ends and I would read the second book if it was sitting in front of me right now, I bumped it to 4 stars. I do also want to say that even though Luna , I didn't find the book laden with descriptions from either Fowler or Luna. I liked that it was just enough. I am excited for the next one so till then :)
This time around I decided to give the audiobook a try and I really enjoyed it. I think I may have enjoyed it more . The narrators, Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey, played Luna and Fowler perfectly. With them at the helm I didn't find the beginning so sluggish and the voices for each character was more clearly defined. I remember that being my biggest pet peeve when I came across the first chapter dedicated to Fowler. I couldn't discern that it wasn't only his voice in that section but, in fact, it was his and the voices of two younger characters as well. The audiobook cleared that confusion up really well and I think it gave the start a better opening.
I also remember that this book was marketed as a Rapunzel retelling but I found that it had very little ties to the fairytale apart from the tower in the middle of the forest. The rest of the world building was very unique and I found that overall it was well developed for such a short book. The way the world was changed and the way societies adapted to this darkness was equally interesting and something I took better note of this time.
As for my impressions of the characters, Luna wasn't as annoying to me this time. Was she willful and naive? Yes, but it wasn't annoying. I think as I have read more books, I have come across more annoying characters and she is mild in comparison. I liked Fowler more over all as I paid more attention to his back story and his growing feelings for Luna. I loved his character growth and the slow burn romance. I felt it progressed naturally and it was very sweet and by the end I was rooting for them to be together.
I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it even if its a bit trope-y. I still had a great time reading it and my 4 star rating still stands.
Happy Reading
Jo
-----------------------------------------------------Now this book started out really rough for me. I was definitely thinking that there might be a high chance that I do not like the book. Im glad that once we got the pretentiousness of the beginning out of the way, we were able to start the journey. I like Luna more in the later part of the book cause she is less annoying as she becomes less naive. I like Fowler more as he gets softer. I feel like in terms of content this book is a 3.5 star rating as the characters are ok and the overall plot is generic but because it makes me want to know how it all ends and I would read the second book if it was sitting in front of me right now, I bumped it to 4 stars. I do also want to say that even though Luna , I didn't find the book laden with descriptions from either Fowler or Luna. I liked that it was just enough. I am excited for the next one so till then :)
March 31, 2016
Whhattt. What kind of ending is that? It ended too soon *sighs*
February 8, 2016
I want to thank Harper Teen for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
I really love Sophie Jordan and her writing. She has yet to write something I don't adore. So of course this is no different! And I love a good fantasy. This one presents a very unique world where people live in darkness and in fear of the monsters that lurk.
I will say this story definitely started off with a Rapunzel feel. You know right away this is what the book is based upon. Luna has been hiding in the tower all her life. Keeping her identity secret after the world has been cloaked in an almost permanent eclipse. I really enjoyed learning about Luna. She was a strong heroine completely capable of handling herself in fighting situations. A bit stubborn in situations and definitely proud of who she is and what she's been forced to endure during her lifetime. Of course being cooped up all her life gets to her. And it's no surprise she wants to venture out. But you can imagine that doesn't turn out well for her and she finds herself on the run after her tower is invaded and those she was raised by are taken from her.
Fowler was an interesting addition to the story. Saved by Luna, along with his friends, he has a bit of debt to her. And despite him putting up as many walls as he can, somehow Luna slowly wiggles herself into his brain. But he's determined to keep her out. I really liked this character. He was strong and stubborn, and quite selfless when it came to push and shove.
The world is very different in this fantasy. Imagine living at a time when light barely showed itself. And at the same time having to fight off creatures in the darkness who are only interested in one thing: eating whatever comes across their path. I can't imagine trying to avoid these creatures and not being able to see where you are going! I will say I found it odd that there was forestation in this book. I mean, plants need sunlight to live. Or did these plants adapt? We don't really get that background. Same with the humans, how have they adapted to not having sunlight since humans truly need light to live.
Jordan's writing is wonderful. Her descriptions are through for the most part. And the pacing of the book is fast with lots of action. I could have used a bit more world building. Because this was missing it didn't feel as much like a fantasy as I would have liked. More like a mix of dystopia and fantasy for me. And of course she infuses a bit of romance. I liked the romance because there was no insta-love. Instead you get a nice slow build with tension thrown in. My favorite type of romance.
And of course I need to read on because THAT ENDING! Talk about a huge cliffhanger. Jordan is a bit cruel with this at the end! There's no way you will not want to read on once you see what happens.
Overall I think fans of Jordan will enjoy her diving into this type of world and how she constructs it. With action and plot twists throughout, it really keeps you on your toes and makes you want to push on so you can see how it ends.
I really love Sophie Jordan and her writing. She has yet to write something I don't adore. So of course this is no different! And I love a good fantasy. This one presents a very unique world where people live in darkness and in fear of the monsters that lurk.
I will say this story definitely started off with a Rapunzel feel. You know right away this is what the book is based upon. Luna has been hiding in the tower all her life. Keeping her identity secret after the world has been cloaked in an almost permanent eclipse. I really enjoyed learning about Luna. She was a strong heroine completely capable of handling herself in fighting situations. A bit stubborn in situations and definitely proud of who she is and what she's been forced to endure during her lifetime. Of course being cooped up all her life gets to her. And it's no surprise she wants to venture out. But you can imagine that doesn't turn out well for her and she finds herself on the run after her tower is invaded and those she was raised by are taken from her.
Fowler was an interesting addition to the story. Saved by Luna, along with his friends, he has a bit of debt to her. And despite him putting up as many walls as he can, somehow Luna slowly wiggles herself into his brain. But he's determined to keep her out. I really liked this character. He was strong and stubborn, and quite selfless when it came to push and shove.
The world is very different in this fantasy. Imagine living at a time when light barely showed itself. And at the same time having to fight off creatures in the darkness who are only interested in one thing: eating whatever comes across their path. I can't imagine trying to avoid these creatures and not being able to see where you are going! I will say I found it odd that there was forestation in this book. I mean, plants need sunlight to live. Or did these plants adapt? We don't really get that background. Same with the humans, how have they adapted to not having sunlight since humans truly need light to live.
Jordan's writing is wonderful. Her descriptions are through for the most part. And the pacing of the book is fast with lots of action. I could have used a bit more world building. Because this was missing it didn't feel as much like a fantasy as I would have liked. More like a mix of dystopia and fantasy for me. And of course she infuses a bit of romance. I liked the romance because there was no insta-love. Instead you get a nice slow build with tension thrown in. My favorite type of romance.
And of course I need to read on because THAT ENDING! Talk about a huge cliffhanger. Jordan is a bit cruel with this at the end! There's no way you will not want to read on once you see what happens.
Overall I think fans of Jordan will enjoy her diving into this type of world and how she constructs it. With action and plot twists throughout, it really keeps you on your toes and makes you want to push on so you can see how it ends.
December 22, 2017
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One of my goals this year was to step out of my reading comfort zone. While I know I enjoy YA, I am still getting my feet wet with the fantasy genre. I think this was a step in the right direction; Reign of Shadows was a pleasant surprise for me.
As a rule, I’m not a fan of first person dual POV. The switch is sometimes confusing and even in this one, there were times when I had to scroll back to the first page of the chapter to see who was narrating. Surprisingly, this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I love the premise of this book – the presumed-dead heir to the throne hiding out in a tower in the middle of the woods relatively safe while outside of the walls surrounding her, chaos reigns. Luna was an interesting heroine. She was very sheltered and, in some ways, naïve, but she was a good judge of character. For being so in tune to what was going on around her, I’m surprised she was as adventurous as she was. That’s one of the things I really enjoyed about her character – she didn’t allow fear to rule her. Fowler was even more fearless than Luna was. He’d made a solid effort to shut out the world and not make attachments, but his compassion rises up at the most inopportune times. His resourcefulness and determination have kept him alive, but with Luna now by his side, the stakes are higher than ever.
Reign of Shadows flew by for me. It was one adventure after another, and while I could always tell where Fowler was coming from (he was the more logical of the two,) I sometimes questioned Luna’s decisions. They felt a bit hasty, but as I mentioned before, she was sheltered and still young, and I think she was a bit of an idealist. The world building in this one was very interesting. One hour of sunlight a day keeps the monsters at bay, but for the other twenty-three hours, it’s every human for themselves. And I loved the backstory of how Luna’s kingdom fell apart; I’m hoping for more of that in the next installment.
I really enjoyed Reign of Shadows. Luna’s heart was always in the right place, and she finally gets to a point where, ruling or not, she’s going to do what’s right for her kingdom no matter the cost. There were a few surprises along the way, and as for the end…oy. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, but I will say this one at least left us in a place that felt natural. It’s clear we’re being led into a different chapter of Luna and Fowler’s story, and it served its purpose. I’ll be back to find out what happens!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
One of my goals this year was to step out of my reading comfort zone. While I know I enjoy YA, I am still getting my feet wet with the fantasy genre. I think this was a step in the right direction; Reign of Shadows was a pleasant surprise for me.
As a rule, I’m not a fan of first person dual POV. The switch is sometimes confusing and even in this one, there were times when I had to scroll back to the first page of the chapter to see who was narrating. Surprisingly, this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I love the premise of this book – the presumed-dead heir to the throne hiding out in a tower in the middle of the woods relatively safe while outside of the walls surrounding her, chaos reigns. Luna was an interesting heroine. She was very sheltered and, in some ways, naïve, but she was a good judge of character. For being so in tune to what was going on around her, I’m surprised she was as adventurous as she was. That’s one of the things I really enjoyed about her character – she didn’t allow fear to rule her. Fowler was even more fearless than Luna was. He’d made a solid effort to shut out the world and not make attachments, but his compassion rises up at the most inopportune times. His resourcefulness and determination have kept him alive, but with Luna now by his side, the stakes are higher than ever.
Reign of Shadows flew by for me. It was one adventure after another, and while I could always tell where Fowler was coming from (he was the more logical of the two,) I sometimes questioned Luna’s decisions. They felt a bit hasty, but as I mentioned before, she was sheltered and still young, and I think she was a bit of an idealist. The world building in this one was very interesting. One hour of sunlight a day keeps the monsters at bay, but for the other twenty-three hours, it’s every human for themselves. And I loved the backstory of how Luna’s kingdom fell apart; I’m hoping for more of that in the next installment.
I really enjoyed Reign of Shadows. Luna’s heart was always in the right place, and she finally gets to a point where, ruling or not, she’s going to do what’s right for her kingdom no matter the cost. There were a few surprises along the way, and as for the end…oy. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, but I will say this one at least left us in a place that felt natural. It’s clear we’re being led into a different chapter of Luna and Fowler’s story, and it served its purpose. I’ll be back to find out what happens!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
![Profile Image for Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1477498129i/41378358._UX200_CR0,77,200,200_.jpg)
February 14, 2016
I feel as if my opinion has been influenced by another review. Maybe my opinion wouldn't have been so strong, but here i am.
The story is quite unlikely. Luna has lived all her life in a tower with her protectors. She is blind. And since she was born, she world has been plunged in darkness for 23 hours a day, which is physically impossible, i believe. Anyway, at night, creatures come out.
I don't think i can continue talking about it, i need a new fix of Too good to be true books. Frankly, i don't know why i gave it 3 stars, 2 seemed harsh, because the book wasn't that bad. Plus, i'm feeling lazy.
Luna was just unrealistic. She is blind, yet she glances at things, she knows exactly where swords are pointed at and so on. I would expect her to be a bit less agile. I'm all about a kick ass heroine, but umm... I'll just leave it at that.
But, it doesn't matter. I don't think I'll read the next one.
The story is quite unlikely. Luna has lived all her life in a tower with her protectors. She is blind. And since she was born, she world has been plunged in darkness for 23 hours a day, which is physically impossible, i believe. Anyway, at night, creatures come out.
I don't think i can continue talking about it, i need a new fix of Too good to be true books. Frankly, i don't know why i gave it 3 stars, 2 seemed harsh, because the book wasn't that bad. Plus, i'm feeling lazy.
Luna was just unrealistic. She is blind, yet she glances at things, she knows exactly where swords are pointed at and so on. I would expect her to be a bit less agile. I'm all about a kick ass heroine, but umm... I'll just leave it at that.
But, it doesn't matter. I don't think I'll read the next one.
Want to read
June 27, 2015UPDATE:
Woah, that cover.
This sounds freaking amazing.
Woah, that cover.
This sounds freaking amazing.
March 10, 2017
Einfach großartig ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 3, 2016
All images courtesy of Pinterest.
TOUGH BLIND PRINCESS
GRUFF SEXY ARCHER
SLOW-BURN ANTAGONISTIC ROMANCE
A WHOLE LOT OF SHIPPING
AND THEN DYING BECAUSE HOLY CLIFFHANGER!
I've had ups and downs with Sophie Jordan's books in the past. After her Uninvited duology ended in a way that I wasn't happy about, I was a little hesitant to pick up anything else by her. But when the cover and summary for Reign of Shadows released, I had a hard time being able to not resist the story. I mean it is a story about a blind princess hiding in a tower after all! How could I even resist that?
Our lost princess, Luna, was a fierce, strong and tenacious character who refused to let her blindness get in the way of what she wanted. I respected and admired that about her very much. She was as capable of doing things as anyone with normal sight was and I loved that she had worked hard to actually get there. I also loved that Luna was a character who grew throughout the story. Sure she started off as an already strong character, but throughout Reign of Shadows she matured into an even more intelligent, caring and selfless young woman. Her character growth was undeniably amazing. Reign of Shadows was also told in the dual POV of Fowler, an archer who wound up having to aid Luna as her tower was attacked. I wasn't sure what to make of Fowler at the beginning. He was rough around the edges, reserved and came across as cold at times. But throughout the book, he slowly peeled the layers to his brusque exterior and allowed readers to see the truly golden heart he possessed. By the end, there was no doubt that I was madly in love with Fowler and his protectiveness and kindness.
My favorite part about Reign of Shadows was the romance. I know from having read previous books by the author that she is incredibly talented at writing stunning romances that make you feel with every fiber of your being. I personally think the romance between Luna and Fowler in Reign of Shadows was Sophie Jordan's best yet. I shipped Luna and Fowler so much, I just needed them to have their HEA. Theirs was a romance that slowly built up over the course of the book - there was nothing instant about it. They were initially wary of each other, but in the process of overcoming all sorts of obstacles, the two of them, grew to trust each other and ultimately fell for each other. They had a lot of chemistry which was so palpable all throughout, especially during the swoony kissing scenes.
In terms of the world building, there was just enough for me to be satisfied but I'm hoping that readers get a clearer picture of Relhok, its past and how the eclipse cloaked it in darkness in the next book. There's a ton of potential for the sequel and I'm excited for all the possibilities. I'll admit that Reign of Shadows wasn't extremely plot-driven. In fact, the whole book felt like it was a set-up for the sequel, where the plot will hopefully come more into focus, but I wasn't bothered by it because the book still managed to be entertaining from start to finish because of the characters and Sophie Jordan's addictive writing.
Reign of Shadows was a success in my boat and I'm truly excited to see where the story heads to next, especially with that evil (EVIL) cliffhanger. I'd recommend this one if you're looking for a romance-driven YA fantasy book with a super swoony romance and loveable characters.
December 27, 2017
3.5 out of 5 stars!
This book... has left me feeling very conflicted over how to rate it. But deciding to settle on 3.5 for a number of factors that I will be sharing in this review! Luna is the princess of a kingdom which her parents (the King and Queen) were killed and she sent away into hiding up in an old tower and out of the public eye. She wants more freedom and on exploring the surrounding area, she meets Fowler who holds secrets of his own and is an archer. Both get to know each other however the tower is then attacked by soldiers who want to take Luna away. Together, both escape and travel on a journey to avoid being captured and killed. The chapters were short and were clearly labelled which ones were from which character. I struggled however to fully connect with both Luna and Fowler, once I did feel some understanding for them, it was almost at the end of the book. The ending was a cliffhanger which I personally prefer everything to be resolved and not leaving the reader hanging on. There were moments of action which kept me wanting to read on and travel alongside Luna and Fowler. Pace-wise, it was fast and easy to begin reading which is how I ended up reading the whole novel in a single sitting. I look forward to reading Rise of Fire!
This book... has left me feeling very conflicted over how to rate it. But deciding to settle on 3.5 for a number of factors that I will be sharing in this review! Luna is the princess of a kingdom which her parents (the King and Queen) were killed and she sent away into hiding up in an old tower and out of the public eye. She wants more freedom and on exploring the surrounding area, she meets Fowler who holds secrets of his own and is an archer. Both get to know each other however the tower is then attacked by soldiers who want to take Luna away. Together, both escape and travel on a journey to avoid being captured and killed. The chapters were short and were clearly labelled which ones were from which character. I struggled however to fully connect with both Luna and Fowler, once I did feel some understanding for them, it was almost at the end of the book. The ending was a cliffhanger which I personally prefer everything to be resolved and not leaving the reader hanging on. There were moments of action which kept me wanting to read on and travel alongside Luna and Fowler. Pace-wise, it was fast and easy to begin reading which is how I ended up reading the whole novel in a single sitting. I look forward to reading Rise of Fire!
December 20, 2018
Two stars.
There were many things I liked about this book, such as the unique world. The world is set in a constantly dark world due to an eclipse that has lasted for 17 years. There are dark creatures that roam the land, and every day is a fight for survival. I liked the writing style of the author, mostly because of the use of description when writing about smells, feelings, warmth and cooking. Plus, this is a Rapunzel retelling, and who doesn't love a retelling?
However, there were many, many things I did not like about this book. The main glaring issue was the insta-love, vomit-worthy mushy-gushy dialogue, and the inaccuracy of characterization. The love interest, Fowler, is described as being a stubborn, selfish heartless survivor. However, after only knowing the main character for one day he is instantly in love with her and vows to always protect her. He suddenly has reasons to live and professes his undying love.
I wish the author had focused more on the world-building and character development. I would rather have seen more of this unique world and how the darkness impacted the humans and the lifestyle they had to adapt to rather than a boring, juvenile, 100 times already done romance.
There were many things I liked about this book, such as the unique world. The world is set in a constantly dark world due to an eclipse that has lasted for 17 years. There are dark creatures that roam the land, and every day is a fight for survival. I liked the writing style of the author, mostly because of the use of description when writing about smells, feelings, warmth and cooking. Plus, this is a Rapunzel retelling, and who doesn't love a retelling?
However, there were many, many things I did not like about this book. The main glaring issue was the insta-love, vomit-worthy mushy-gushy dialogue, and the inaccuracy of characterization. The love interest, Fowler, is described as being a stubborn, selfish heartless survivor. However, after only knowing the main character for one day he is instantly in love with her and vows to always protect her. He suddenly has reasons to live and professes his undying love.
I wish the author had focused more on the world-building and character development. I would rather have seen more of this unique world and how the darkness impacted the humans and the lifestyle they had to adapt to rather than a boring, juvenile, 100 times already done romance.
March 28, 2016
ORIGINALLY POSTED: http://bibliomantics.com/2016/03/28/t...
A wholly originally Rapunzel retelling, I was initially drawn to Reign of Shadows because the cover is beyond amazing. I mean, how could you not love it?
Reign of Shadows is set in a world plunged into almost complete darkness because of a total eclipseof the heart that took place 17 years ago. With the eclipse came the rise of the dark dwellers, a race of underground humanoid creatures with poor eyesight, but a great sense of smell and an unholy blood lust. Think if the monsters from The Descent and star-nosed mole rats had a baby.
Born into this frightening world is Luna, a princess who was whisked away by a loyal guard and an even more loyal wet nurse after the assassination of her parents on the night of the eclipse. To keep her safe and secure her inevitable reign, Sivo and Perla keep Luna, the true queen of Relhok locked in a tower in the middle of the woods away from the clutches of the new and very mad usurper.
Alternating between two POVS, that of self-assured Luna who has a unique POV I've never read before and the street smart (woods smart?) love interest Fowler, Jordan takes us all over her new world (a map would be nice in book two!), a place where bats have grown to enormous sizes and humans are the real monsters because aren't they always.
You know how I know humans are the real monsters? Not only do they willingly murder and sacrifice their own kind, they also name their children horrible things like Madoc and Dagne.
While I enjoyed the world that Jordan created, I didn't find Reign of Shadows to be the strongest novel writing-wise (except for a few brief moments of brilliance), perhaps due to its simplicity, or possibly because I read it in between the beautifully penned A Gathering of Shadows and Wolf by Wolf , both of which were superb.
In fact, had it not been for two crazy plot twists, I probably would have rated this book slightly lower than I did. As a lifelong reader, I'm usually pretty good at guessing things like this in advance, but these twists caught me completely off guard -- that's how subtle Jordan's breadcrumbs were.
Regardless of my minor complaints, I'm looking forward to book two in this series (trilogy? duology?), not only to conclude that ridiculous cliffhanger but also to hopefully get more insight into the even more frightening world that Relhok has become.
THE GOOD
-Loved the idea of a world driven into complete darkness
-Luna has a completely unique POV, one I've never read before
-Crazy plot twists I did not see coming
-4 foot bats!
THE BAD
-Writing bordered on too simplistic at times
-Those character names
A wholly originally Rapunzel retelling, I was initially drawn to Reign of Shadows because the cover is beyond amazing. I mean, how could you not love it?
Reign of Shadows is set in a world plunged into almost complete darkness because of a total eclipse
Born into this frightening world is Luna, a princess who was whisked away by a loyal guard and an even more loyal wet nurse after the assassination of her parents on the night of the eclipse. To keep her safe and secure her inevitable reign, Sivo and Perla keep Luna, the true queen of Relhok locked in a tower in the middle of the woods away from the clutches of the new and very mad usurper.
Alternating between two POVS, that of self-assured Luna who has a unique POV I've never read before and the street smart (woods smart?) love interest Fowler, Jordan takes us all over her new world (a map would be nice in book two!), a place where bats have grown to enormous sizes and humans are the real monsters because aren't they always.
You know how I know humans are the real monsters? Not only do they willingly murder and sacrifice their own kind, they also name their children horrible things like Madoc and Dagne.
While I enjoyed the world that Jordan created, I didn't find Reign of Shadows to be the strongest novel writing-wise (except for a few brief moments of brilliance), perhaps due to its simplicity, or possibly because I read it in between the beautifully penned A Gathering of Shadows and Wolf by Wolf , both of which were superb.
In fact, had it not been for two crazy plot twists, I probably would have rated this book slightly lower than I did. As a lifelong reader, I'm usually pretty good at guessing things like this in advance, but these twists caught me completely off guard -- that's how subtle Jordan's breadcrumbs were.
Regardless of my minor complaints, I'm looking forward to book two in this series (trilogy? duology?), not only to conclude that ridiculous cliffhanger but also to hopefully get more insight into the even more frightening world that Relhok has become.
THE GOOD
-Loved the idea of a world driven into complete darkness
-Luna has a completely unique POV, one I've never read before
-Crazy plot twists I did not see coming
-4 foot bats!
THE BAD
-Writing bordered on too simplistic at times
-Those character names
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,460 reviews