“No mourners. No funerals.” 

 

I love the quotes you can take away from this book. Simply unforgettable…

“A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who has become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.” 

A direct quote with the most accurate description of the main characters in the book.

Each one is different; different race, different upbringing (background), and different layers that make them up. Each has their own amazing talents and things that make them special.

We have Waylan, who doesn’t seem like much other than a pampered child, but is nerdy adorable. Nina, the wild in-your-face smart-mouthed witch. Mattias, he’s the stoic wounded soldier. Jesper, our adorablea comedic relief. Inej, our girl who becomes more than her past. And Kaz with his heartbreaking past and all his problems, to the little boy still inside himself looking for something that the bad boy won’t let out.

“Many boys will bring you flowers. But some day you’ll meet a boy who will learn your favorite flower, your favorite song, your favorite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won’t matter because he will have taken the time to know you as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.” 

Kaz my absolute favorite, with his tragic back story, his flashbacks, his street smarts and logic, just about everything.            My heart broke for him, he’s a poor kid that had it rough from a young age. He hardened his heart and himself to make it and now can’t seem to get around that, if he really wants to.

 

 

 

*** Spoiler Alert***

 

 

This book should include some trigger warnings…

We’ve got:

• kidnap and slavery
• Genocide and racism
• Addiction (gambling)
• Metal illness, main focus on PTSD
• Homosexuality
• Gladiator type fighting
• Lots and lots of manipulation, death, hard lessons

 

When I first started reading this book, I was less than thrilled. The first few chapters start off super slow, it really didn’t pick up -for me- until quite a few chapters in.

I was also deterred by the fact that this book jumps from character point of view to character point of view. I don’t mind two or three, but this one had seven…. seven different points of view. I love feeling what that characters are feeling and I enjoy know what they are doing when the others are doing whatever, but sometimes there’s just too much.

There is a lot of secret keeping from the gang members, from each other. Things that help the plan, but it’s easy for something to go wrong with not everyone is in on the secrets… right?

Apparently not. Its those things you try to keep secret, but in reality everyone knows this secret and now your enemies know it too.

I was angry with Kaz… he seemed so greedy and the he didn’t care about anyone. He gives you tiny glimpses that he cares, I knew almost instantly that he had a thing for Inej…. but she deserves better.

Inej has a thing for Kaz, as well but know she deserves better. She even gives him that change to be better, but he just shuts down. It’s super sad, and because Kaz isn’t as hardened as he thinks he is, his enemies know about his feelings for her. And they exploit that.

I loved Jesper, as well. He was my second favorite. He is very lovable, a great shot, has a great sense of humor, but perhaps trusts too easily.   I’m pretty sure he has/had a thing for Kaz, maybe now Waylan?

I was only able to rate the book three stars, mainly due to the perspective jump (after jump, after jump), as well as the slow build up.  That being said, I will probably download the sequel to see what happens with the gang… and so I can get another glimpse of Kaz & Jesper. 😉

 

“The heart is an arrow. It demands to land true.”

 

-C