Air Awakens (Air Awakens, book 1) by Elise Kova
Genre: Young Adult High Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Ebook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Air Awakens (1)
A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...
The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.
Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.
Review:
There's a point when stories become predictable maybe because you read a lot, watched a lot of movies/TV shows, and are generally good at picking up on cues. Well. I am good at all of those. Predicting how a story is going to turn out is easy. (Visualize a very smug smile.) So what happens when a book bitch slaps you with an amazing plot twist, right after you've SMUGGLY called the plot and have decided how this promising read is going to crumble? When it proves that the author will go there, and yes characters shall die!!!?
Well for me, I throw a mini party. Which involved dancing for a short amount of time before I immediately went back to reading. Eating up Air Awakens to it's promising conclusion, and even better promise of where this series is going to go!
So I had been picking up on some genre tropes. Also I had it in my mind that this was a High Fantasy and it is, but there are more romance elements then I had anticipated. The first half of the book is predictable for the most part. There's a “Heartbreaker Prince” and then the Royal heir to be who happens to be “cold” and broody. You get me. Some men keep telling Vhalla how special she is. “You are special” was in fact used by one character, and many variations of it where made.
However, Kova was a master of smoothing it all over. (Accept for one major idiotic moment. And memory loss.) The saving grace is that Vhalla is a wonderful character. It's in her favor that she's a librarian apprentice—great character—but she's well thought out. She's naive, kind, and smart. I enjoy that she's not closed off about sex (don't worry it's clean for the kiddies) she's on the cusp of becoming a women and I loved how it was all handled. This is a true book of growing up, but in a more adult vein. She's a women, but she realizes how much her life needs to grow emotionally and in experiencing life. Living through her books alone isn't enough. Most importantly she realizes how as a girl she's never made a lot of big decisions for herself, and the women she wants to become is a decision maker!
Her world had grown, as a child, she had accepted that better than as a young woman.
Why did growing up shrink her mind?
The magic of this book is interesting, and unfortunately not as explored as I would like. But it fit with the book and where Vhalla was at. What is given is super fascinating and I LOVE the world that Kova has created. Her writing was spot on, and only a few misworded moments could be spotted. Humor, emotions, danger, battles, and the budding feelings of friendship (soon-to-be-full-blown-undeniable-love, come on) are expertly delivered. Ha, witty dialogue, I've missed you.
“Fire needs air to live. Air fuels fire, stokes it, and makes it burn brighter and hotter than it ever could alone. But too much air will snuff it completely, just as too many flames will consume all the air. They are far greater than the sum of their parts together, but are equally as dangerous to each other's existence.”
Kova does a wonderful job of not only bringing Vhalla to life (her name makes me want to call her Valhalla!) but her side characters and male lead as well. Characters that just seem like stereotypes find surprising depth, or a surprising twist in the story line. Though that's not to say they aren't a stereotype, but their well realized enough that I enjoy their presence in the story. Sadly a lot of them went there in the story, until Vhalla needed them. Some were just bare window dressings. Also loved the hint that one character might be homosexual? Hm? (Sadly one character who was neglected.)
Air Awakens reminds me of the awesomeness of Mercedes Lackey's Arrows of the Queen. While there's no magical white horses and . . . well they really don't have too much in common. It's the tone and the amazing growing up part that they have in common. Plus, both books signal amazing sequels to come. Hopefully with more side characters getting decent page time. Vhalla is one of the most unique, interesting, and well developed leads I've read in a while. Most importantly she's different.
Sexual Content: Vhalla has had past experiences, there is some frank talk about sex (nothing too scandalous for the chillen), maybe hints of homosexuality (or I'm reading too much into it), some kissing, and sexual humor. (Bless this book.)
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
| Reviewed on BW: | Amazon: | Goodreads: |
| Air Awakens (1) Fire Falling (2) Earth’s End (3) Untitled (4) Untitled (5) | Air Awakens (1) Fire Falling (2) Earth’s End (3) Untitled (4) Untitled (5) | Air Awakens (1) Fire Falling (2) Earth’s End (3) Untitled (4) Untitled (5) |
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