He is such a good addition to the team!īut once again the heart of this series is Alizhan and Ev, and seeing them get closer and the YEARNING and the PINING is incredible, especially when Certain Things happen that limit Alizhan's normal means of communicating. It is so refreshing to come across a fantasy novel with MULTIPLE (well, two) well-developed trans characters, and Thiyo in particular is so complex and interesting. I LOVE the way this series deals with different languages in this universe - characters speaking different languages, or characters having to translate for each other, or having to adapt to a different language to make themselves understood even though they're not very good at it, or the ways that some words in one language are derivative of the word in another language, or even things as simple as when one of the characters comes across a word they're not familiar with! I love it and it makes the whole thing feel much more real. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I think it's a much stronger novel than Thornfruit in terms of its pacing - maybe partly because a lot of the heavy exposition about the world and society had already been done in the first book, but it felt as though even the new settings weren't laid out so heavy-handedly, and it felt more like the author knew we could keep up rather than holding our hand through everything.

Plus, Iryiat, I still am fascinated by the woman and I need more from her That finale was like a huge slap on my face, and now I cannot wait for the final instalment of what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite fantasy trilogies! It all feels so natural, they flow so easily, as does the plot.

I found myself connecting even deeper to the characters that travelled from book 1 to book 2 and weaving a firm bond with the new ones, and that's thanks to the author's mastery in presenting readers with a tight, cohesive line of work in the way she tends to the story and the construction of these characters. I can find myself relating to Ev at odd moments, but then to Alizhan, who sees the world so differently, and then I am Thyio for a stint, using sarcasm and humour as a shield, a defense. I am also in awe - and in love - with the characters, and the way they're all so unique in their personal voices. It's a delight how this world is built and brought to us, I am in awe of the intricacies and details put into it. Their journey into Estva becomes intriguing and filled with foreboding, but the time spent there with the characters is an interesting one, as more secrets unravel before our eyes. Following Ev and Alizhan into Nalitzvah, the reader is presented with a few new secrets and a few new characters, of which Thyio immediately becomes a firm favourite.

Nightvine by Felicia Davin