Quick Thoughts: The Darkening (The Darkening #1) by Sunya Mara

The Darkening

(The Darkening #1)

by Sunya Mara

July 5, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen's soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman's axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen's soldiers--led by a paranoid prince--catch up to Vesper's father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, she'll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm.

Review

How gorgeous is this UK cover of The Darkening?!?! Besides loving this cover, I really enjoyed the writing, the characters and the story- how the choices we make impact more than just ourselves.

What I Liked:

- pretty writing that was easy to understand

- an interesting world that consists of "rings"

- super conflicted characters

- the most gut-twisting decisions (with unknown but most likely negative outcomes)

- Vesper's growth through her numerous sacrifices

- the ever- changing feelings between Vesper and Dalca

- a theme of loyalty

- the bittersweet cliffhanger ending (I need to know what happens next!)

The Not So Much:

- I was mildly confused by:

   - Dalca's constant change in attitude towards the end of the book

   - shouldn't the Great King be happy to be reunited with the Great Queen???

"A lifetime is made up of dozens of lives, tied together only by shared memory." (p.157)

"For all his show of perfection, it's his flaws that help me understand him." (p.219)