The most uninteresting feature of a book series is how repetitive it becomes after a while. The authors take it for granted that the readers have not read any of the prequels of the particular book series in question and keep spending more and more time on recapitulating the incidents that have already taken place. This gets further annoying when you are reading a series all at one go, you know what has been said and all that has taken place, and you keep getting those same events and words repeated to you. So, when I started reading this trilogy, and found that Ash Princess was captivating enough to make me look forward to reading the sequels right away, I was dreading this repetition. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when it did not occur. But I came to this striking realization when I was halfway through the second book, which speaks volumes about how engaging this series has been. There are various other distinct features of this series that have made it the absolute delight that it revealed itself to be.

I first heard about this book on JesseReads’ YouTube channel, where he attempted and successfully read all three books within 24 hours. I took about 3 days for each book. I am not the biggest fan of the writing style of Laura Sebastian, lines like, she exhaled a breath she did not know she was holding and others had quite the unpleasant effect, but the storyline is crisp and the overall progression of the plot is extremely refreshing. But it is the editing that really has to praised. At about 1500 plus pages, this trilogy can hardly boast of brevity but the sharpness of the pen is apparent and exciting. There are times when you are forced to wonder why the characters are not more careful in the face of imminent danger to recede the number of meaningless lives lost, but those moments are few in numbers. Full of strategizing, battles, magic and revenge, the focus of the plot remains on the internal conflicts of the protagonists.

The characters are brilliantly sketched, and their development through these books are satisfying, to say the least. Book Two seemed a little anticlimactic considering the demise of a prime antagonist but the writing keeps the interest alive for the next book. Without giving much away, I would just point out how refreshing the plot is despite falling into the usual fantasy tropes. It kind of challenges the stereotypes of the genre and the characters are not just accessories for the progression of the plot but end up adding to the enchantment of the story.

The complicated relationships, emotional turmoil and strained friendships were the highlights of the plot. The humiliations and horrors that Theodosia had been subjected to lingers till the end of the series. I like the fact that she doesn’t attempt to be the savior of her people and graciously accepts her role in the rebellion. The scared little girl growing into the queen ready to lead her people is the character arc that makes up for the plot holes and somewhat sloppy execution. The strained parent-child relations were also brave themes to take up.

The aspect of colonization and the angst of the colonized people makes the story doubly interesting to read. The treatment of the natives by the colonizers, slavery, mine madness and the shocking murders have an altogether different background forming for this story. The fact that it was a queendom that ruled the nation before the Kaiser, has also been one of those refreshing bits.

It is the challenging of conventional gender roles that takes the story to its heights. Soren has to be the most open minded and honest prince to ever exist in any fantasy book. He is not excluded from the guilt of his father and clan, he does not get anything in return from anybody when he betrays what he sees as wrong, and he never lifts a finger against Theodosia though being different from her. His understanding, his transparency is shocking to an extent. I kept expecting him to betray the queen but he stood beside her through all the obstacles they faced. He kept helping the rebellion against his father and his ways for the sole purpose of abolishing what is wrong. He exercised his influence and military intelligence to help them forward, knowing all the while that he might not have a place beside the queen. He sacrificed himself more than twice to save Theo and did it without complain. He wholeheartedly believed that he deserved to be punished for the sins of his people. His own thinking capabilities and growing away from his father’s influence are most fascinating moment in the books.

A satisfying but tragic end made me realize how very invested I was in this trilogy. Women taking the lead and men displaying emotions while the gay characters added substance to the plot and wasn’t there for representation, this book smashes all the labels required. The magic system is complex and the touch of spirituality was just suited to my taste. Though the author did not delve too deep into it, the religious aspect of the magic system was an intriguing discourse. 3 stars for all of this and one more for the vicious pirate everyone assumed to be a man.