Book: The Freed by Megan Russ
Reviewed by Sheila Lopez
Rating: 5/5
The Freed is Railen’s backstory and it shows everything he went through before he had the chance to become more than the life others chose for him. He starts as a child born into slavery, loses so much too young and still finds a way to keep moving forward.
I really enjoyed this book. I felt so bad for Railen and all the bullying he got that I just wanted to hug him. I liked seeing how important reading, training and the Mercy Path became for him. His journey was not easy at all, especially because even after reaching the Monastery of the Leaf, many people still judged him for being human. The words “be as water, soft yet persistent” became such an important part of his growth.
Marcy and Iris were both important to Railen in different ways, and I also liked seeing Kairon slowly become more than the roommate who made Railen’s life harder. Their friendship took time, which made it feel more meaningful.
This is a sad and emotional fantasy backstory with slavery, grief, bullying and prejudice, but it also has hope. What stayed with me most was that, after everything Railen went through, he still did not let it stop him from trying to build a life for himself. He had every reason to give up, but he kept learning, training and fighting for his place. That made me want to see where his story goes next.