Book: Blood of the Blackthorn by Rocio Carranza
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4.5/5
This book has everything I love in a dark fantasy: political intrigue, betrayal, forbidden love, and villains you absolutely love to hate. To expand on that last part, I took great joy in bashing the ever-loving crap out of one specific character. If I had a practice target, I’d have his stupid face nailed right to the center of it.
Blood of the Blackthorn perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the series. It’s written in a third-person, multi-POV format (my favorite) that moves at a brisk pace. Carranza builds a world defined by oppression, where those accused of witchcraft are hunted and executed. Our central character is Eve, a half-blood witch living a life of luxury in the court of Givensmir. Unlike her presumed-dead sister, Eve has never shown signs of magic and is dismissed as a "magicless" lady of the court. However, as tensions rise, Eve’s rage at the injustices around her begins to trigger the very powers she was thought to lack.
The multi-POV narrative offers a unique look into various mindsets and hidden motivations. While this depth might be overwhelming for some, it was absolute catnip for me. I loved every second of it.
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely! Not only does it lay a stellar foundation for what's to come, but the sequel is already available, and the final book in the trilogy is arriving very soon. If you love dark fantasies with multi-layered plots, pick this up!