Sunbolt Book One of the Sunbolt Chronicles by Intisar Khanani
Blurb:
The winding streets and
narrow alleys of Karolene hide many secrets, and Hitomi is one of them.
Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical
aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal
her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to
undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame.
When
the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detain—and execute—a
leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape.
But there are more secrets at play than Hitomi’s, and much worse fates
than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her
charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life.
Review:
This is a well written and erudite YA novel set against a
backdrop of mages, predators, and political wrangling. The world is nicely rounded out and isn’t
limited to one fixed culture and position, but rather branches out throughout
the novel continuing to broaden its style and introduce fresh and diverse characters.
The principal character written, is a young girl of 15
years who has been subjected to many changes spanning out through both her
education and experiences. Hitomi, is
left alone struggling to survive in a time of harsh changes amongst those
driven toward ultimate power and position.
Hitomi, due to her wild ways, becomes an even greater victim than just
her homeless position suggests. Cloaked
in secrecy she is bound by her own stringent code of honour to help those in
jeopardy, thus putting herself in constant danger.
Hitomi is continually forced into battle having to rely
entirely on her own resources as she attempts to extract herself from the
clutches of the opposition. As her
situation spirals out of control, circumstance leaves Hitomi colluding with a
natural enemy, ultimately leading her to discover new things about herself as
she embarks upon a journey that takes her far away from anything she has ever
known.
This tale ends beautifully as we await the sequel to
Sunbolt, clinging to the knowledge that Hitomi will reveal things that will
make her more the sum of her parts. I’m definitely holding out for the next
novel which comes out this year.
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