But, I think Theo is confused by him too so I guess that's kind of the point. Soren - I have so many mixed feelings about this character!!! He's pretty useless to be perfectly honest. The other characters in the novel are also really well done: I actually really love the symbolism of the ash crown, as horrible as it is, I can picture it clearly in my mind, and love the imagery. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles anyway since someone almost always gets hurt (you know, unless the author decides to resolve it in a seriously creepy way *cough*Twilight*cough*). There is a love triangle aspect to this book which I really, really wasn't a fan of. 'My body remembers - even when the rest of me forgets - that I am not made for curtsying.' I'm truly looking forward to discovering what she's capable of as the series progresses. I do love Theo's strength, especially as time progresses, I love that she's not afraid to recognise that she will never be who she once was, who she was supposed to have become, that she's been moulded and forced into a different version of herself, one that even she doesn't yet understand. 'You are our people's only hope, Theodosia.' Her voice didn't waver, even as drops of blood bloomed where the blade cut her skin. And the second chapter even further cemented all that she's lost and who she's been forced to become. The opening of the book is brilliant! The first chapter was so compelling that I became instantly invested in Theo, wanting revenge for her on all who'd destroyed the very fabric of her world.

Watching her evolve from the character we meet at the beginning of the book to who's revealed at the end is quite an adventure. The pain that she deals with each day from her memories, her subjugation, and her own inner conflict is staggering. Theo is a fantastically compelling character, she has all the qualities of a badass heroine she's strong, loyal, fierce, driven and tortured.

The interweaving cast of characters are each driven by their own motives but tied to the past actions of their predecessors and those influencing them, making it so that even at the end of this book, I still wasn't quite sure who's side I was on or who to root for. Whilst the storyline does seem a little familiar, an avenging princess is a fairly common theme in YA, the author executes this narrative extremely well through the complex characters. I've been hearing soooo many things about this book that I had to check it out for myself as soon as I saw it come available on NetGalley.

Laura sebastian books in order