And I Darken by Kiersten White
We first meet Lada Dragwyla at the tender age of two years old. She is brandishing a knife. At her father. No scene could more succinctly introduce the character of our heroine: she is brutal, fierce, bordering on sociopathic. Kiersten White explained that And I Darken tells the story as if Vlad the Impaler had been born female, and what she has created is one of the most exciting and original characters in fiction that’s been seen in a very long time.
Lada’s story starts at the very beginning, in Wallachia, where she desperately tries to win the affection and respect of her father. But Lada is a girl, which means she is virtually invisible in the time of the Ottoman Empire. She has a younger brother, Radu, who could not be more different to his sister. Where Lada is ruthless and daring, Radu is gentle, sensitive, cautious. Just as Lada is yearning for the validation of her father, so too Radu tries desperately to win the respect of his sister. But Lada is only interested in the adventures she shares with her playmate Bogden; Radu is often forgotten.
Lada loves her homeland Wallachia with a fierce reverence that others reserve for religion. But Lada and Radu are ripped from their home when their father trades them as hostages to the Ottoman Empire in a political move that places them in the palace of the Sultan. There they meet Mehmed, the Sultan’s son and the three of them — Lada, Radu and Mehmed — embark on a friendship that will shape their adult lives more significantly than they could ever imagine.
And I Darken is an ambitious tale of epic scope. We begin with Lada picking up her first knife, and see her all the way through to adulthood where she leads a band of fierce mercenaries. She is constantly coming against the restrictions of being a female, the expectations that threaten to cow her, the disadvantages of being a woman. She is amongst the most compelling and original heroines I’ve read, reminiscent of Lyra from Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in the U.S.) and Arya from A Game of Thrones. In fact, it is the characters that make And I Darken such a wonderful read, and this is perhaps why it’s garnered the comparisons to the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series. Lada’s relationship with her brother Radu is tested beyond its limits as they find their footing in an unstable kingdom, and the exploration of their bond is often moving. Then there is Mehmed, who threatens to come between them both. He comes closer than anyone to being Lada’s undoing.
The tale is beautifully written. Unlike many YA offerings which often sacrifice beautiful prose for the sake of plot and placing, And I Darken manages to hold the tension whilst painting a vivid picture of the ancient Turkish Empire. It is impossible not to feel deeply involved in the story and it is quite probably the best book you’ll read this year.
Sequel!:
Dang,I want to read this!
wow–never would have noticed this or picked it up if I had. Thanks for a great review to put it on my radar!
Ditto what Bill said.
This would never have come to my attention, but wow! And what a great place and time period to set a woman-warrior story in!
Can’t recommend it enough!
Oh, wow! I’ve got to read this!