Published: October 2020
Pages: 454
Series: Between Earth and Sky #1
Summary
A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sun
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
My thoughts
Inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.
This book had me at crow gods, I am a simple person. As well as sun priests, mysterious sailors, obnoxious lords and a puzzling plotline running through it all. This is a heavily political world deeply routed with their gods and amongst the varying clans. Deeply traumatic histories, subjugation, assumptions and a hint of rebellion. The perfect recipe.
The start of this book had me gripped, I could not believe what I was reading, I felt it deep in my heart. It was a sign for what was to come because it had me and it didn’t let me go. I was emotionally invested in this story, there was just one character who’s naivety started to really grate on me, but otherwise all other characters had captured my interest and a couple took my heart.
“Yesterday had started out with so much promise, but between then and now, she had taken a beating.”
In this world those at the bottom of the barrel no of it dearly. Poverty and harsh conditions they are treated terribly. No matter what they do they will never be seen more than the place they were born. Even if they were able to rise through and become something great, those higher in society will never let them forget it. They don’t belong with them. And like the broken parrot I am, if you read my reviews you know I love an underdog!
“Once you were poor, people hated you for it even when you weren’t poor anymore.”
So much of this story is deeply routed in sacrifice. The sacrifices some will make to get a better life, to have a chance at happiness, to give their children something more. In different ways each character sacrifices although all for slightly different reasons. Some I didn’t agree with but understood, others made me feel so sad.
“It is said that crows can remember the faces of men who hurt them and do not forgive. They will carry a grudge against their tormentor until their deaths and pass on their resentment to their children. It is how they survive.”
The scales are deinitely tipped to those in power and those luckily born into the right families. It’s all luck versus skill or devotion and although some at the top are considered progressive and don’t let status impact their perception. They are also revered for their progressiveness. There’s a lot of this book that you can bring into our world.
The characters I loved so much I can’t speak of them as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. But I have a strong feeling if you read this book you’ll know which one’s I’m talking about.
I wasn’t a huge fam of the sun priest. I understand her but her ignorance and naivety was incredibly annoying as I got further into the book, which shouldn’t be the case if she worked herself all the way to become sun priest how can she be so stupid? Maybe there is some redemption coming in book two? I will let you know!
There is a bit of romance which was just so pure and honest. If anything is bringing me back to this series, this sub plot is a very strong one. I do love the overall message and the politics and of course there is a larger mystery going on we need to learn more of. But this small smidge of romance has been written so well and the characters totally have me.
“I am the only storm that matters now, and there is no shelter from what I bring.”
And let me end on our beloved Serapio. I received The Broken Binding edition which has some fantastic art of Serapio and the pictures absolutely capture the feeling. This is a young man on a lifelong mission and nothing will get in his way. Yet with such a mission he is still so compassionate and strong yet open-minded. I just love him. He’s not arrogant for confidence sake. He is very self aware. My heart aches for him but I need more Serapio so I can find out more.
Would I recommend?
Yes I really enjoyed this. It has been on my list for a while so The Broken Binding editions were a good excuse to bump it up my TBR. I ate up this book in a day and book two will be read very, very soon! If you like politics, vengeance, mystery and a slight romantic subplot then you may like this a lot!