Furyborn

I ordered three books and this one was the most expensive. I have two ex-library books, I was only supposed to get one and it wasn’t supposed to be this one. The pages color has changed and it’s clearly ex-library with quite a bit of use. I’m surprised this passed for Very Good Condition, as I would have marked it as Good Condition at best. I’m a little confused on how they are rated, admittedly, but I was hoping for better condition and for a notice it would be Ex-Library.

Oh where to begin?! At first I thought it would be a start from the beginning of the Daughter’s story but Claire intertwines both stories of the two main women wonderfully. Your heart will go out to the ladies because they are characters I think almost anyone at one point has related to in some Way. Wanting to be free, or keep their loved ones safe, make hard choices even though the consequences are heart breaking. And the magic! Will it be used for good or evil? For anyone who enjoyed the series Throne of Glass, this series is another one you can get lost in.

Lush, intricate, and filled with elemental magic, Furyborn is a gorgeous and rich fantasy that spans millennia. Alternating between the points of view of two central women: Rielle, the notorious Sun Queen, and Eliana, a current-day bounty hunter, the past and the present slowly merge into one fascinating and high-stakes tale. The entire premise is built around a prophecy that’s foretold within Rielle’s time -- “two queens will rise, one with the power to save the world, one with the power to destroy it”. As if that’s not fascinating enough, the prophecy is directly tied to the battle between humans and angels, the very same one that almost destroyed the world and killed thousands of humans in the process. The wall between the humans and angels has been built, but after so many centuries, the wall is failing and the angels would love nothing more than to finish what they started and gain control of everything. With so many details and intricacies contained in both characters’ narratives, I had zero clue how, when, or why these two characters would come together, or even if their stories would connect in any concrete way. Through the course of the story, Legrand weaves in so many threads, and even when some of them seemed inconsequential, do not be fooled. Every detail, even the smallest of small, plays a part in this sweeping fantasy, and Legrand deftly and meticulously ties each and every one into a reveal that I certainly didn’t see coming. At all. But of course, don’t expect easy answers and clear-cut explanations, as I have a feeling that while certain things and relationships seem a little murky for the time being, future books in this trilogy will bring a little more clarity with each installment. The pacing in Furyborn isn’t particularly speedy, and I’m certainly glad for that. As I stated before, this book is a very detail-oriented book and each and every detail, big and small, plays a part and had the pacing been quick, I’d have been lost for certain. Although that’s not to say the entire book is slow-going, as there’s quite a number of fights and trials, and certainly plenty of violence and backstabbing, which made my dark heart happy. Bottom line — Furyborn is definitely going to be a series that makes it to my favorites shelf. With its super-interesting and magical storyline, strong female characters and equally strong friendships, a hint of romance and some positive bi representation, it’s a book that’s got a little something for every fantasy lover. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment in this trilogy and seeing how the characters advance after such life-changing revelations.

Furyborn had a strong world-building as the author made it clear what the magical system was like. The premise and/or idea had been intriguing. The beginning (first few pages) had been my favorite. I was invested in the novel because there clearly was a threat and I wanted to know why. It seemed like this book's intense: Two queens battle (one of light and one of blood) that will either bring destruction or salvation. The author immediately hooks the reader in the story because of unanswered questions: who will win and what will be the aftermath of this battle? The author's writing was beautiful and it drew me in the story. I liked how it didn't have an abundance of descriptive words. Overall, before going into this novel, I immediately thought I was going to enjoy this one.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration if I said that this book has literally garnered all the hype in the world. Almost anywhere you turn, no matter what social media site you're using, it seems as though everyone is talking about this book. At times, such hype can be alarming since it can lead to disappointment if something doesn't live up to your expectations. However, Furyborn is a book which definitely withstood the hype test in my eyes and is deserving of all the commotion it has been making. First and foremost, I have to say that this was a very unique book to read. Not only was the premise and style inventive (I really love the world this story is taking place in), but the fashion of jumping between separate-but-connected timelines was refreshing. Such a unique style of story-telling is uncommon for my reading taste so it was strange at first but also very fun to jump into. Furyborn's cast of characters were also very fun. For the first half of the book, I didn't particularly care for Eliana but I really liked Rielle. However, as the story continued and readers were given further perspective into character's backstories and characterization, I began to quickly warm up to Eliana. Then, by the end of the book, she was undoubtedly my favorite character! Though she has a long journey to take in terms of growth, she is a character whose character arc I immensely look forward to. I am likewise intrigued by Rielle and her character arc, especially since the various time frames this story is told through hints at multiple directions that have yet to be realized. I'm very interested in seeing how such paths come into play, and if they are as good/bad as the future makes them out to be. Overall, I thought this was a great first book in the series. I look forward to reading the sequel!