" There are two kinds of guilt," I said softly. " The kind that's a burden and the kind that gives you a purpose."
When Laia's brother comes home with a mysterious notebook containing very dangerous information, Martial guards break into their house and kill the whole family with the exception for Laia that ran away. Knowing that they wouldn't kill her brother because they need to know his sources, she hopelessly tries to find the secret organization that her parents used to work in, the Resistance, to help her save her brother. But when they send her on a nearly impossible mission that every spy has failed before, will she find the necessary informations and make it in time before her brother gets executed?
Elias is a Martial soldier. He was planing to desert in order to escape his horrible life filled with torture and violence even though desertion is punishable by death. The day before leaving, an Auger tells him that if he stayed, he would have a chance to be truly free. But first, he has to pass many trials and be a Blood strike (which is like the right hand of the emperor). Will he make it or will fate reserve something even crueler for him?
To be honest, the best part about this book was the violence and the cruelty in it.
It was gory and bloody and wasn't brushed off and painted over with butterflies and rainbows and that, for me, is what made the story feel so much more realistic.
What I also loved was the amazing confusion-proof yet complex wolrld building. The conflicts between the countries were very easy to follow and didn't feel at all info dumpy.
And then there were the characters: all of them different yet all the same. They're fighting through their own battles and that made me reflect on myself a little. We never really know what others are living through don't we? It's only when we get to know them really well that we know that life is shit not just for us, but everyone else too.
I also want to add that the romance is quite... Interesting. It's practically what it is in real life. Two words: messed up. Boy 1 likes Girl1 but Girl1 likes Boy2 and Boy2 actually likes Girl1 too but Girl2 likes Boy2. I didn't really mind it though. It was very entertaining and sweet at moments.
The only real problem to me was the number of coincidences. Why does Laia always appear when Elias is there? Why do they always stumble upon each other? Once is fine, but more than that is a no for me.
Other than that, I liked it a lot. Definitely recommend.
4.5 Stars
When Laia's brother comes home with a mysterious notebook containing very dangerous information, Martial guards break into their house and kill the whole family with the exception for Laia that ran away. Knowing that they wouldn't kill her brother because they need to know his sources, she hopelessly tries to find the secret organization that her parents used to work in, the Resistance, to help her save her brother. But when they send her on a nearly impossible mission that every spy has failed before, will she find the necessary informations and make it in time before her brother gets executed?
Elias is a Martial soldier. He was planing to desert in order to escape his horrible life filled with torture and violence even though desertion is punishable by death. The day before leaving, an Auger tells him that if he stayed, he would have a chance to be truly free. But first, he has to pass many trials and be a Blood strike (which is like the right hand of the emperor). Will he make it or will fate reserve something even crueler for him?
To be honest, the best part about this book was the violence and the cruelty in it.
It was gory and bloody and wasn't brushed off and painted over with butterflies and rainbows and that, for me, is what made the story feel so much more realistic.
What I also loved was the amazing confusion-proof yet complex wolrld building. The conflicts between the countries were very easy to follow and didn't feel at all info dumpy.
And then there were the characters: all of them different yet all the same. They're fighting through their own battles and that made me reflect on myself a little. We never really know what others are living through don't we? It's only when we get to know them really well that we know that life is shit not just for us, but everyone else too.
I also want to add that the romance is quite... Interesting. It's practically what it is in real life. Two words: messed up. Boy 1 likes Girl1 but Girl1 likes Boy2 and Boy2 actually likes Girl1 too but Girl2 likes Boy2. I didn't really mind it though. It was very entertaining and sweet at moments.
The only real problem to me was the number of coincidences. Why does Laia always appear when Elias is there? Why do they always stumble upon each other? Once is fine, but more than that is a no for me.
Other than that, I liked it a lot. Definitely recommend.
4.5 Stars