Meet rumor with quiet, treason with cunning, and vicious with vicious.
Alliances shift and the consequences are deadly in this stunning fantasy debut from K. D. Castner.
Book Details:
Rated
2.97 on Goodreads
Released on April 5th, 2016
Read on January 16th, 2019
Hardcover Copy
Purchased at Book Outlet (referral link with a coupon attached,
here)
312 Pages
*This is part of my "Judge a Book by its Cover" series.
If you're new, I recommend reading in the following order:
1. $50 Mystery Book Haul (Intro)
2. Unboxing, Part One
3. Unboxing, Part Two
4. Reading Order, Book Descriptions & First Impressions (all book reviews in this series will be linked to this post)
5. Book Haul Stats
If you frankly just don't care, proceed onward and ignore this message.
One thing you may not be able to tell from a picture is that the cover has this odd smudge effect that is really fitting for the title (you know, so it looks "ruined" but still gorgeous).
My favorite thing about the cover is how desaturated the background is compared to the vibrant pop of red with the gold accents.
It feels like betrayal and excitement and instantly drew me in. The three other girls are in the background, so faint that you can hardly see them, and I want to know the story of these girls. Who is on the outside of the circle? Is she shunned, unwanted? Is she the one pulling away? Does it symbolize a divide between them?
The words on the back catch my attention:
"Together now lives foes of old,
Children of our King ambitious:
Daughter Meek and Daughter Bold,
Daughter Brave and Daughter Vicious."
It's drawing me in with the promise of
danger, of
viciousness and
cunning.
Beneath the dust jacket is a plain book, a deep red wine color with golden lettering on the binding.
This book is
beautiful (one of my favorites from my haul) and has so much to live up to.
Will it meet my expectations? Time will tell...
There are four kingdoms in this novel that play an important role. Ten years before the events in Daughters of Ruin, there was a war that changed everything. It started when the Fins (from Findain) killed the King and Queen of Meridan. Obviously, Meridan wasn't going to take that sitting down, and so the future King Declan rose up, took power, and sought revenge on Findain.
"Corent failed to uphold the alliance and refused to enter battle (with Meridan). Tasan jumped on the opportunity to grab land in the Corentine foothills. And suddenly war was everywhere" p. 237.
Ultimately, Meridan was victorious, King Declan formed a peace treaty and hosted an heir from each Kingdom (read: hostage).
But, here's what you need to know about each kingdom... what makes them unique, what they are known for:
Studious and intelligent as a whole; hosts huge libraries and academies.
Loves glasswork
and wind chimes. Their cities are built on terrain that is mountainous and windy.
They are known for spying and assassinating silently.
These Kingdoms all have different terms for their rulers (some of which I didn't really understand), and Corent is no different. Their major leaders are called Magisters (the heir called herself a "queen-apparent"). They are essentially ruled by King and Queen (I think - Corent was the least discussed and developed Kingdom).
I honestly don't know the colors of Corent - there's a good possibility I missed it, and if it was an eBook I maybe could have figured it out... If I had to make an educated guess, they seem blue and silver.
Green and black are the colors of Findain.They are sea-oriented. Called pirates and traitors (I mean, they did start that first war). They are deemed untrustworthy.
Misunderstood. Misjudged as being brutish and uncivilized (well, that last part is partially true).
But Findish people are more cultured than they believe. They have a grand delivery of histories and they debate of philosophies on the bows of ships, each one a stage they holler from in the harbors. They share comedies, tragic lovelorn tales, on the open seas. They participate in mummery and puppetry, art and performances.
They've become much weaker and poorer after the war, and there's definitely turmoil surrounding it. They used to have a bustling market place filled with exotic goods before the war.
Their ruler is called an Archon (or Archana), but there's no notion of royalty. There was a saying (that I don't have a page number for): Every Man. Every Woman. Made Findain together.
So... they don't even really have a "Queen". But I guess she's still the head boss, even though it didn't seem like her vote mattered (near the end) at all. I'm a little conflicted about this based on the title and the premise of this book, where the sisters grow together and learn to rule and avoid conflict in the future, when she doesn't have much pull.
Bloodred is the color of their kingdom (there's probably a secondary color... but you know, I really should have written it down... it's mentioned like once in the book - don'tjudgeme).
The way I see it is that this Kingdom is full of arrogant jerks who think they are better than everyone else. Although my opinion may be clouded by the less than enjoyable heir... more on that later.
They remind me of those high-end art gallery owners who turn their nose on the "lesser" arts. They only have the best of the best food, artisans, dressmakers, and musicians (and orchestras, Pilanpilan is mentioned multiple times - whatever that is).
They have red tapestry cities and painted walls and have been around for a thousand years (so, that makes them better than everyone else -- except they didn't win the war, so ha!).
Anyways... they are ruled by an Emperor. And he's soooo cultured.
I don't even have any notes for this Kingdom, other than their major colors are crimson red and gold.
There are several references to Meridan being uncultured and uncouth and the nobles strutting around like peacocks (essentially). Meridan seems cocky and takes from all the other Kingdoms. If Suki can be believed, most of the food, clothes, and art comes from Tasan. I'm not really sure what makes Meridan special - I guess it's just in the fact that they aren't special or unique at all.
Meridan felt lifeless to me; despite the majority of the book taking place there, all we saw was a house outside the capital city and the inside of the castle.
Oh, and I nearly forgot one of the most irritating things about this book!
What is it, you ask?
Short answer:
A competition between the four sister Queens where they show off what they've learned that year.
But, of course I can't just say that (because I'm a word-aholic that needs desperate help condensing)...
They each choreograph their own showing for the revelry (after a brutal arena battle where people die - but they don't take part in that). It may be a horseback riding exhibit, or a showing of combat or archery, or a grimwaltz (don't ask - it's weird). A HUGE portion of the book focuses on this, which I didn't like.
This is so frustrating in so many ways!
I mean, who watches these children (because they were aged 5-7 at the first revelry) perform tricks like dancing monkeys? And think about how bad it is for their self-esteem! It's setting them all up for failure, putting them in direct competition when they are supposed to be fostering camaraderie and closeness between kingdoms. Instead a spotlight is being shined on them and they have to perform or else risk ridicule.
"... the four queens could never be so casual and could never escape the fact that they were in constant competition" (p. 46).
If the sister queens are always in competition mode how are they ever supposed to form a sisterly bond? (Especially disheartening was the way the heir of Meridan took it when she lost to the heir of Findain in the revelry before this book began.)
Unless that isn't the point at all? Is the peace agreement and the host(age) just a huge charade?
That is a main theme throughout this book, so perhaps the Revelry is supposed to poke holes, but all I know is it bothered me immensely.
There's a lot of saying one thing and meaning or doing another, so you have to puzzle out true motives and discern what's actually happening (this is an aspect I enjoyed).
So the main premise of this book focuses on the characters, so understandably I have a lot to say about them (and this is the bulk of my review).
There's a lot of complicated relationships and plot lines in this story that I can't go over or explain, but know that they are there.
The character development is overall satisfying, and each have a unique voice that feels different from the rest. Even the writing styles change based on the perspective (which helps them feel unique).
Daughters of Ruin begins on a high note with a fast-paced action scene that sets up the personalities of the girls (very young at the time) perfectly. It shows how the girls all react to each other (poorly) shortly after they first are forced together because of the peace treaty after the war. It hints at alliances that will be made and enemies that will be had.
The story really begins ten years later, when the sister queens are in their teens. Much of their personalities stay the same from when they are young, only expanded upon.
Here enter our Queens (or, more accurately: Heirs):
"Cadis would fight like a typhoon and astonish them. Iren would flow as subtle and sublime as a zephyr, and Suki would shine like a wildfire" (p. 33).
And Rhea would just be...
"First from the others was Meridan's ownLost a mother when she won a crown
Her daddy jumped up and defended the throne
Dance little queen, but don't... fall...down."
- Children's nursery rhyme (p. 25)
Thick black curls. Slightly clumsy (stumbles at critical moments). She is hesitant and slow to react, always second guessing and looking to others for guidance.
Her sisters don't like her and she doesn't feel a sisterly vibe towards them. The youngest of the four, Suki, always chastises her for complaining and nagging, but the biggest strife is that Rhea is the heir of King Declan (of Meridan), whom took them hostage. Although they live a life of luxury and are mostly treated fairly, there is a ton of resentment between the sister Queens over their situation.
There's a sadness inside Rhea that is palpable. She feels like she is the worst, the least competent (and she's honestly not wrong), and always the odd one out.
She is set in her ways and ever trying to please her father. She searches for his love and attention throughout the entirety of the book, and it made me feel so sorry for her because King Declan is a jerk. He's distant and cold and doesn't give Rhea the affection he should.
The best piece of advice - and the rules she lives by - gifted by her
caring father:
"Meet rumor with quiet, treason with cunning, and vicious with vicious" (p. 57-58).
"Next came the Fin who dealt everyone false
Smiled at the others as she plotted their deaths
Hasty and brutish were just some of her faults
Broken nose... hideous... mackerel breath."
- Children's nursery rhyme (p. 65)
Long blonde hair, usually in thin braids with shells, coins, and gems woven in the traditional Findish marauding style. Wears a headband/sash in the colors of Findain (green and black). According to Rhea, Cadis enjoys looking in mirrors and is the most beautiful.
She sailed with pirates and is the most unread and uncivilized. She has a wanderlust that can't be stamped out and a desire for adventure and exploration.
"Cadis seemed the most shackled, the most caged. Rhea would happily open the cage, if she could, and wish good riddance of her so-called sister" (p. 53).
Cadis and Rhea are the most directly compared, since Cadis seems to do everything better than Rhea. There's tension between the two of them, and it can be hard determining the true values of these characters based on this (keeps things interesting).
She is more charismatic and deadlier than anyone else - or so it seems. She's a war general, through and through. The only one truly ready to lead.
She acts arrogant sometimes, and she tends to brag, but deep down all she wants is affection. She's deeply wounded by the distrust of the kingdom she spent most of her life in (Meridan) and wants nothing more than to win back their love and respect for her homeland (Findain). She works hard towards her goals and never gives up.
She's also very naive and trusting - which comes back to bite her many times.
Cadis is my favorite character of the bunch. She's so likeable and you want to root for her. I think she has some of the greatest strengths and the biggest faults, which makes her a strong character in my book.
"One came carried from Tasan's Imperium A sister dead, in a black dress clad
Spoiled and twisted by a rank delirium
Slowly and surely she... went... mad."
- Children's nursery rhyme (p. 82)
Wild and youthful. Rebellious and crazy. She wears pig tails, which I think says it all. Skilled with horses and great at horseback riding - something she picked up back in Tasan.
She is haunted by the death of her beloved older sister, who was killed by King Declan after a failed assassination attempt in the war (or was she?? Suki doesn't seem to think so!).
She is loud and exuberant at her best (annoying at her worst). Easily distracted. Jealous of her sisters (especially Rhea, who she hates and sees as direct competition) and grows increasingly paranoid.
She is annoying and irritating. And she really is mad - angry mad and delusional mad.
Her chapters were always interesting because she was scatter brained and all over the place.
The author portrays this by doing something unique (which a ton of people hate (because it can be annoying (and it's also a little confusing (and disjointing (because holy parenthesis (and it's probably why the score for this book isn't the greatest)))))).
Did you catch what I did there (although my example was a bit extreme)? See how irritating it can be? But I actually
really loved the way the author wrote Suki; it showcased the character well. It made sense because it showed the disjointed process flow of the crazy, kooky mind of Suki. I applaud K.D. Castner for really going for it, and for risking alienating some readers in order to stay true to a character.
With that said,
I hate Suki. Especially for what she does at the end of the book - no spoilers, but it's terrible. You can feel this madness building inside her throughout the entirety of the book (and the descent is so gradual you almost don't realize it's happening until she snaps). This character was written beautifully, almost perfectly.
"The last condescended from Academy spires
Pretended at life with a cold, dead heart
Face like a crypt, from a family of liars
Quietly, quietly played... her... part."
- Children's nursery rhyme (p. 91)
Short black hair, cropped in the Corentine style. She is lithe and makes little noise because she was trained in the way of the assassin. Elegant and regal.
She is well-read and educated from growing up in the Academy spires of Corentine (what they are best known for). She speaks like a Magister, showing her education.
Cultured. A gifted craftsman and musician (she plays the harp). Iren makes colored glass wind charms and crochets large tapestries. She has great attention to detail and her skills represent discipline, constancy, and attention.
She is the only girl who consistently corresponds with her family. In particular, she writes very long letters to her mother about undramatic things (three pages about buying a tapestry!!!).
Serious, the least humorous of the four.
Most of all,
she is not what she appears to be.
That others thought her shy and gormless.
The snow-singer bird had a similar reputation.
Always wide-eyed and preoccupied.
A hare might not even notice as the bird bounced along the snow, distracted by every trick of light.
But the hare would be mistaken.
Even if the snow-singer had her back turned.
The poison's in the tail, after all.
And hares are tasty food.
(p. 103)
She is secretive and interesting and probably the best developed character out of them all, though not my favorite. She doesn't appear to play favorites, but she keeps things close to her chest and reveals little. Her chapters tend to feel clipped and short, emotionless, displaying her personality perfectly.
... Enter our love interest, the source of a ton of tension and drama between Rhea and Suki...
Though, honestly, I still don't know if he realizes he
is the love interest. It's not a developed romance, more crush-like (or obsession-like, depending on who you ask). There's a lot of reading between the lines that has to be done, plenty of inferring.
But I definitely wanted him to court Rhea (UGH, I have such bitter feelings towards Suki - whom I refuse to call Susu).
Charming, sweet, funny Endrit. He could be quite sassy and improper, but that's part of his appeal.
As you can see, I had much more thoughts about the sister queens.
I truly loved all of these character to pieces. The supporting cast was even strong (although the villain could have been better developed). It was exciting and intriguing determining which characters I could trust, which were truthful and which were devious and cunning.
- There are several twists in this book that I didn't see coming and was excited about.
- Is it weird I don't know what any of these characters look like? I can be forgetful of things like this... but I really don't think it was mentioned or described enough for it to sink in.
- I loved the author's voice, which was at times poetic, and descriptive. I always felt like I had a good idea of what was happening and going on, despite the sometimes contradicting reports based on which character was telling the story.
- The queens were consistent in their voices and all felt special and different from each other (a hard feat to accomplish).
- My biggest complaint is the pacing.
- It was really slow for the first hundreds pages or so. I could set the book down and not want to immediately pick it back up. I wasn't thinking about anything that was happening, or daydreaming about the characters. Nothing bad was happening, really, just nothing outstanding either. It was just an average read for me.
- But then something clicked. I began to LOVE this story at around the halfway point. Perhaps there was some better character development, or the pace just quickened (or that stupid revelry we discussed ended). Maybe all of the above. But from there on out I was content.
- Then I hit the last hundred or so pages, where the pacing increased tenfold and so much happened in such little time that I felt a bit dazed. I wished the ending had more time spent on it (and I hate that a dramatic moment was told in Suki's point of view - who at that time was mental and all over the place). There were several major twists, and this is where I hated Suki with a passion...
I want a second book! It didn't end on a cliff, but there definitely are plot lines that a second book could explore.
Daughters of Ruin was a really solid read for me. I loved this book a lot, despite its flaws, and it got me out of my reading stump I'd been in for the past few months, so for that I'll round up.
This is a tale that Veela, my (not-so-friendly) frost dragon, really enjoyed. She was awake almost the entire time, except for that long nap during the beginning. She wasn't blown away, but she was engaged by the complex and intricate plot lines, the consistency, the eloquent voice and the interesting main characters (which stayed in her mind for many days after).
She gives it a
4/5 egg rating, she would hear it again. And she cannot believe that the people on Goodreads and Amazon rated it so poorly!
(And, if you have no idea what I'm blathering on about, feel free to read my
Rating Information)
Finally, to answer the final question (and the point of my Judge a Book by its Cover series):
Yes! It definitely lived up to the expectations set. No regrets.
What are your thoughts on this book? Is it something you'd be interested in?
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts with me!
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