Crier's War by Nina Varela Series: Crier's War #1
Published by HarperCollins on October 1, 2019
Genres: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Diversity & Multicultural, Young Adult Fiction / Dystopian, Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ, Young Adult Fiction / Science Fiction / General, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Class Differences
Pages: 464
Format: eBook
ISBN: 9780062823960From debut author Nina Varela comes the first book in a richly imagined epic fantasy duology about an impossible love between two girls—one human, one Made—whose romance could be the beginning of a revolution.
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will. Now Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death…by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
Crier was Made to be beautiful, flawless, and to carry on her father’s legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla.
Now, with growing human unrest across the land, pressures from a foreign queen, and an evil new leader on the rise, Crier and Ayla find there may be only one path to love: war.
The world-building, the characters, even the romance was all excellent. I couldn’t get enough of this book and only sleep kept me from it.
I absolutely found the entire world that Varela created was so fascinating. It was definitely a bit creepy thinking about AI taking over (a nightmare of mine). The tension between humans and Made kind was so well done, and it reminded me of colonialism/appropriation with the conqueror bastardizing the culture of the people they’ve overtaken. The strength of this duology is the fact that not everything is revealed in this first novel. I’ve read quite a few fantasy and romantasy novels in the past year or two were the first book reveals the mystery, secret, etc. and the rest of the series isn’t bad per se but removes much of the suspense going forward (or the focus shifts to the romance). I’ve really enjoyed reading the letters, journals, excerpts about the history of Zulla in this first one, as well as finding out about Kinok’s plans alongside Ayla and Crier. Yet, I love that there’s still some secrets to be revealed in the sequel.
Speaking of reveals, I absolutely love how Storme was revealed to be alive. This is one of the few fantasy novels I’ve read where I was actually surprised by this reveal for multiple reasons. One, the reader is told that Ayla found her parents and, what she assumes to be her brother’s, bodies next to each other. Usually, in fantasy novels when a loved one is dead, it’s from a battle or off in a foreign land. Both the readers and characters are in the dark about where the body actually is, and here we are (supposedly) not. Two, it wasn’t revealed at the end. Having the Storme reveal in the middle and in such a blase way was so brilliant and different. It was such a “oh, look” and then a “omg, WHAT?!” moment for Ayla and myself.
I was definitely hesitant on the romance front because the imbalance of power gives me an icky feeling. But Varela handles this in a considerate way that doesn’t feel wrong. For one, yes they’re from different classes, but Crier is having the rose-colored glasses removed from her in this novel which help sets up a more equal relationship. (I’ve already started the second one and know she flees her wedding. Now as a traitor, she’s fully forsaken her own privilege and is actively working with the resistance most definitely levels the playing field). It’s also more palatable knowing that nothing really happens besides a kiss between Ayla and Crier, with Ayla still rejecting Crier afterwards. This is really just the ground work for their romance.
All the men in the story really annoy me! I don’t just mean the usual ones of Kinok and Hesod cause yes, they’re assholes. But even Benjy and Storme frustrate me at times. Both of them at different times basically tell Ayla to not be so hysterical or calm down (in so many words), and I do not like this. I was also a bit upset that at the end Benjy reveals he’s in love with Ayla. Why, oh why, do we have to have the male best friend be in love with his female best friend? Can’t we just have them be friends with no romance? Apparently, I’m asking too much!
As I said, I’ve already started Iron Heart (immediately after finishing this one, I went I started this one), so that review will be coming soon.
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