Synopsis
Aina’s world is governed by Toranic Law, a force that segregates people into upper and lower realms. It’s said that if the sinful lowers commit themselves to kindness and charity, their souls will lighten, allowing them into the peaceful upper realms.
But Aina, one of the few lowers to ever ascend, just wants to go back home.
Aina is desperate to reunite with her mother, hoping she’s survived the beasts and wars of her homeland alone. After failing to weigh down her soul with petty crimes, Aina joins a rebel group defying the authorities and bringing aid to those condemned to a life of suffering in the lower realms. Alongside Aina are two new recruits: Meizan, a ruthless fighter trying to save his clan from extinction, and Aranel, a spoiled noble spying for the powers that be.
Before long, the rebels find themselves in the middle of a brewing war. On one side, a violent king of a lower realm is bent on destroying Toranic Law; on the other, the authorities of the upper realms will do anything to stay on top. Now the young rebels must face both sides head-on if they want to stop a conflict that could break not only Toranic Law—but the universe itself.
The Good
I. Discussions
This has one of the best if not the best discussions on privilege, religion, purity, caste system, and inequality that I have seen in a fantasy. Immediately, it stood out to me how privilege is not done in a way many other stories do aka put lower castes on some sort of moral high ground. Since they are not on the moral high ground, they are allowed to be a part of the critique.
The themes and fantasy mesh well.
II. World
World is well thought out and fits with themes it is talking about.
magic system – connecting magic system to morality, purity, and the critique that comes with that.
Creatures – I like all of them.
There is so much world to explore.
III. Miscellaneous
Good conflict at center of the story.
Map – there is an inscription that is clever, reader gets to see an interpretation how different creature look.
Glossary – things were explained well but did enjoy having glossary at end of book.
There is so much to explore, and questions left that I could see this being a meaty series.
The Meh
Is this book too long? On other hand I feel that to deal with all discussions it does it makes sense the length.
It spent a minute on the world building and messages (both I enjoyed) but that slowed down the action of the story.
Thoughts
I. Book length of young adult novels:
– Is this story too long?
-Meant for older ya? My cousin wanted to listen to this book after hearing me talk about it which got me thinking about how it probably would be too long and not actiony enough for him.
-What if there was longer series but shorter stories?
-Stories are written in a way that is in a way more issue driven than story driven (or at least the issues are what is interesting to me).
-Reading tie-ins and specifically novelizations really show you the difference between the pacing of regular novels and movies.
II. Seeing other people react to Spin of Fate has been fun:
I won this from Penguin Teen via Bookishfirst
themollyweather 