Sometimes a girl is touched by Mother War. Thorn Bathu is one of those girls. She wants nothing more than to fight. But when she is accused of murder, she has no choice but to place her fate in the hands of Father Yarvi and accompany him across the Shattered Sea as he seeks allies against the ruthless High King. Also on the journey is Brand, a gentle young warrior who hates to kill - and believes himself a failure. Both have a chance at redemption, if only they survive a journey across half the world.
Honestly, this dark fantasy YA series is just so good! This second book picks up the story from Half a King, but the focus shifts from Yarvi to two new protagonists - Thorn, a prickly young woman angry at everything and everyone, and Brand, who wants nothing more than to stand in the light and do the right thing. As with Yarvi in the last book, both characters are incredibly flawed and make mistakes, but their insecurities and struggles are both very real and understandable. Also, Yarvi - probably one of my favourite characters in the fantasy genre - is a total badass in this book, which I love. Aside from the characters, the plot twists and turns, often in unexpected directions, and the stakes just keep getting higher for everyone.
Joe Abercrombie is one of my favourite authors. He writes dark gritty fantasy with complicated characters and clever plots - and his venture into YA is well worth the read.
Read On: The last book in the trilogy is Half a War, which I'll be reading very soon.
