★★★ ½ @Pegraelian @BookSirens #ReAlliance
New to me author, Ms. Milne pulls me into a dystopian world where people are separated by magic versus non-magic DNA. The first couple of chapters I am a bit lost even if this is the first book in the series. This is intentional as we learn more about "Darling".
Darling is trying to create a safe haven where people who are on opposing sides of the "political" divide can be treated equally. This neutrality is an idealist concept borne of a guilty conscience. I am not sure exactly what our main character Darling did to her muggle parents but it looks like it isn't good. Often hot-headed self-righteous youth think they know better and that the world is in black and white. We have fortunately already skipped that part in Darling's life and dive straight into life after the war and trying to do right by people.
Darling is a bit of a problem for me. She's a golden child who aces through school with her talents and doesn't really prepare herself when she is without her talent. She seems woefully unprepared to back up her cafe of neutrality. Sure, she can project a pretty awesome look, but her offense and defense seem to be severely lacking. Her flaws actually make her more human, even if it is frustrating. I found that the characters in this book are not really all good or bad. They are somewhere in between. I like this kind of character creation which means I will definitely read more of Ms. Milne's books.
The themes in this book are representative of our times. It makes me wonder if more people were to read books, especially ones like this one if they would be more open and understanding. Because perhaps they would learn empathy for the other side. Thought-provoking aside, I enjoyed the adventure in this story. The action is well written and the pace is at a speed I enjoyed. There is a bit of a romance and some sexy times. They were just enough and in the right place. They also didn't detract from the main plot which I appreciated. This urban fantasy is recommended to dystopian readers who root for the underdog and fight against mandates.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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