Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel

Came in good condition, can’t wait to read it.

This book is over hyped. And the plot was evident from the get go. This is just my opinion. I know people rave about this book like it's something truly amazing.. But I do not find it any where close to the hype. The magic system is new, and for that I give it 3 stars.

Book cane in perfect condition and larger than it looks in the picture

Blood Over Bright Haven is an incredible book, but definitely not a light and easy one. It stayed with me for quite a while, it entertained, but even more it made me think. I guess that is the best you can ask from a book, right?! The book starts with a genocide: Almost a whole tribe is eliminated when trying to reach the city of Tiran in order to survive the blight – something inexplicable that destroys every single living thing, plants, animals, humans. The only save place seems to be the city of Tiran with its magical barrier. But non-natives, from the city-born called Kwen, are only allowed to stay if they are able to work. They are less than second class-citizens, little more than slaves. Thomil, one of two main characters, is one of two Caldonnae that survived the blight and made it into the city together with his baby-niece. The exact opposite of the Kwen are the mages who maintain the barrier and try to enhance the life for the Tiranians by providing them magically powered industrialization. Sciona Freynan is the first female mage to become highmage, until then a strictly male caste who basically run the city. She is the second main character of the book (and the one with more stage time). Becoming a highmage is by far not the end of her struggles in this male-dominated society, it’s pretty much just the beginning. M.L. Wang tackles a lot of difficult topics in this relatively short book: racism, sexism, classism, colonialism, morality, to name only a few – and she does it convincingly. Most of these topics are also part of her other books, but in my opinion not to this degree. The two main characters are both subjected to different forms of discrimination, but they are also part of this system and accordingly act discriminating themselves. Only through working together do they learn about the problems not only the other character has, but the problems of the whole society. Especially Sciona is a great character: As the first highmage in history she is antagonized by a lot of her peers (male and female), patronized by a few others and constantly has to fight for acceptance, for acknowledgement. But by the beginning of the book, she is not a likeable character: She is completely focused on herself, on her career, her possible impact on this world, her future legacy that she hardly cares about anything or anyone else. The male chauvinism of the other highmages is basically only another problem for her to be overcome. Sciona is also driven by her scientific curiosity and can disregard pretty much everything else if it helps her learning, progressing, inventing. But she changes. Slowly. Painfully. But she changes and this change is masterfully done. Blood Over Bright Haven is a dark academia-book at it’s best: the wonderful blend of magic and science, the aspect of power and responsibility, of morality and progress. And ‘dark’ here does not only appeal to the bleak world or the brutality, but to the whole social system. All the books by M.L. Wang that I have read so far are brilliantly written and this is no exception, the story gripped me from the very first page and didn’t let up until even after finishing. There is plenty of action, but mostly not in the sense of physical confrontations, still, it’s a very fast-paced book, nay, masterpiece. Bravo!

The story may be taken place in a utopian world but it feels like an accurate description of the kind of world we are living in. This book left me thinking (A LOT) about how much we are willing to not see and acknowledge so we can live a comfortable life

What a fantastic unique magic system and world building. The relationships built between characters and character development is moving. Sciona has devoted her entire life to the study of magic and beats all odds to become the first ever female High Mage admitted to the High Magistry…where she is undermined at every turn… in a culture where women should be meek and serve… she uncovers a deadly truth behind their magic and way of life. - Unique magic - Change and growth in FMC - Found family

Bez zarzutów, polecam!