We were cruising down the road the other evening and I told my husband that it is that time of year again -- the candy tax season. The kids are collecting buckets of Halloween candy and I feel I could dive into it and eat it all up.
And that is how I feel about my most recent read: Falling Kingdoms.
I failed to snap a picture of the book // book cover while I had it -- and sadly, returned it to the library. But I somehow managed to document pictures of my kids returning our library loot.
Hopefully one day soon, I'll have a really wicked bookshelf to photograph.
War is coming. In a land divided into three kingdoms, old resentments ignite when a young lord slays a merchant boy of the neighboring and long-oppressed Paelsia. Hungry for justice and power, northernmost kingdom Limeros allies with Paelsia, and both swear to bring the extravagantly wealth southernmost kingdom, Auranos, to its knees.
But feuding kingdoms are only the backdrop for the personal journeys of the young people whose lives are upended by the conflict. Princess Cleo of Auranos struggles to be a perfect princess, but her headstrong will to secure safety and happiness for herself and her loved ones thwarts her efforts. Jonas of Paelsia loses his brother to an arrogant young lord and vows to seek vengeance for him. Princess Lucia of Limeros conceals a dangerous secret from her family. Her brother, Prince Magnus, yearns to prove himself to his formidable father and tries to suppress his love for someone he cannot have.
Falling Kingdoms is told from the alternating perspectives of these four characters. Occasionally, a chapter follows the mysterious spirit Ioannes, who surveys the activities of select humans through the eyes of hawks. His appearances read as setup for the novel’s planned sequels, which are sure to delve more deeply into the mythology established in this volume. Suffice it to say that the world of the three kingdoms used to be one kingdom in which elemental magic was practiced, but a conflict between goddesses led to the scattering of the elementia, gems essential for the mastery of such magic, and the possibility of such power began to fade from the dividing world.
The strength of this book lies in its often morally ambiguous characters and plot twists. It gives the reader plenty of opportunities to pick sides, and the choice is never entirely straightforward. Who will win the war? Who should win the war? Should Cleo fall in love with the arrogant nobleman, the chivalric guard or her loyal best friend? Perhaps even the Paelsian rebel? The surly Prince of Limeros.
I feel that Falling Kingdoms is compared to George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, more commonly known as “Game of Thrones,” the title of the television series based on the books, because they share similar plot goals. Making me feel Falling Kingdoms is honestly a bit unoriginal.
While FALLING KINGDOMS has a narrower scope, focuses almost exclusively on teenage protagonists and involves a much heartier helping of romance, the comparisons are not entirely unfounded. Both Rhodes and Martin are unflinching in their willingness to kill even the characters you thought were the safest. Both achieve their shining moments in their portrayals of morally ambiguous characters. (The chapters featuring Magnus, the angry and tortured Prince of Limeros, are consistently the most engrossing because the reader cannot quite decide how to feel about him.) Further, Rhodes’ and Martin’s high fantasy stories include the return of magic, scheming witchy advisors and royal incest.
Obviously my love for Game of Thrones is stronger here. I feel the Fire and Ice series is untouchable on my favorite list. George R. R. Martin's writing techniques are more serious, adult novels and truly embraces fantasy. It's one of my flaws with Falling Kingdoms. The language of the book sometimes sounds too modern for the Middle Ages-esque setting of most high fantasy novels and occasionally makes reference to cultural touchstones of European origin. In one such moment, a character says, “My kingdom for a handkerchief,” a play on a famous line from Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” which the inhabitants of Auranos have certainly never seen. Regardless, Rhodes also writes her characters with plenty of passion and forces her readers to feel every longing and betrayal.
Despite feeling like Rhodes often writes more modern -- and feeling like her high fantasy novel isn't as thick in lore -- feeling like her writing is watered down -- I ate it up like candy. I just couldn't get enough of this series.
I know Rhodes writing in this story fell flat to a lot of readers and after watching plenty of reviews about the first book - I completely understand why. The writing is a slight turn off to me -- as a twenty-six year old woman -- it is geared for a teenage audience. However it didn't stop me from powering through the book within two days.
In fact, maybe that is why it made this book so easy to read and made it a guilty pleasure read. Unlike most high fantasy novels, this book was direct and to the point. The book wasn't written at a slow pace and didn't stop to drag out descriptions. It wasn't deep into the lore.
Sure, I would have loved reading a more serious fantasy novel but I have other series for that. I can always switch over and power through Game of Thrones for a deeper adult story.
Falling Kingdoms is excellent for what it is. An introduction into a teenage high fantasy novel.
I think the author tried to place her story up there with George R. R. Martin's novels but that is simply a unattainable goal. I don't think people should even honestly compare the two series because this is a YA series and Game of Thrones is an adult high fantasy series. George R. R. Martin owns that adult fantasy level. Falling Kingdoms should be appreciated for what it is.
And honestly, it reminded me of my guilty pleasure -- the CW's Reign TV show.
I ate this book up. I have read so many reviews that were so/so about the first book but I found it fun and easy to read. I dived straight into the world and I'm anxious to power through the series.
So would I recommend this book to my fantasy loving friends? Yes, I would.
xoxo,
Tiffany
