Published by: Corgi Childrens, July 6th 2017
Genre: YA, Historical
Pages: 480
Format: Ebook
Source: Corgi, via Netgalley
Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.
What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?
As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.
Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.
What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?
As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.
I did not think this book would ever surpass And I Darken, but boy was I wrong. I'm gonna lay out my thoughts:
-Lada is my fave ever. I love her viciousness, her drive to get what she wants, and how she fights for abused women. Hell yes.
- I freaking loved Radu???!!! So confused. I went into this not really fussed, but now I respect him so much and I love him. I think it's because we get to really see him as himself, away from Mehmed in this.
-Radu/Nazira are friendship goals and also marriage goals tbh
-I want to keep Cyprian forever and ever. He's (mostly) new to this book but I know everyone's gonna love him. Precious, kind, smol gay son.
-Daciana is my new fave (really hope I remembered her name right, because I almost called her Daniela) I love everything about her, and she and Stefan are super cute.
-Oh, and the brutality of the plot is awesome, this book is written INSANELY WELL and paced even better, and the war is so vivid and cunning and everything I wanted it to be. But mostly the characters! I love the characters, they're everything!
-My one complaint? I wish Hunyadi had lived!
-I finished Now I Rise and immediately missed it. I wish book 3 wasn't so far away!
Characters ★★★★★
Setting/world ★★★★★
Writing ★★★★★
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