Bright We Burn
Bright We Burn
by Kiersten White
5 out of 5Synopsis
In this thrilling finale, Lada realises that it is only by destroying everything that came before - including her relationships - that she can truly build the country she wants. A lonely Mehmed knows that if Lada continues in her defiance, only death will prosper, and with Radu’s return to the capital, the two must now stand together against the woman they both love, in a war against the girl prince.
Who will live? Who will die? And who will rule triumphant?
Review
After once being its most-trusted protector, Lada is now the biggest threat to the Ottoman empire. She has proven that Wallachia is free, and its people don't need ruling sultans ever again, they only need their dragon.
I read all three books in this trilogy in quick succession, so forgive me if I mess up on what plotline is in which book. I couldn't put them down! I loved following Lada's story, even as she forges down some very dark paths. After all, she is not a hero, she is a dragon.
In Bright We Burn, Lada has established herself as Prince of Wallachia, without any aid. Every ally has betrayed her and broken their promises, so she had to forge a new path to the throne. Lada is now very much the people's prince. As much damage and death she has wrought, perhaps the biggest change is the fire she has created in the commonfolk of Wallachia. They are no longer downtrodden slaves to the boyars and ruling classes, just because that is the way it always has been. They now see their own worth, and see how they can earn a different future for themselves and their families. That is a revolution that will never truly be stamped out.
As such, Lada is now the biggest threat to the Ottoman empire. She refuses to acknowledge that they are in charge, and refuses payments or providing Wallachian men for the sultan's armies. Mehmed has to make an example of her, otherwise other countries might follow and rebel.
Mehmed and Lada are a perfect match, they are intense and unyielding. If they were on the same side they would be undefeatable. Unfortunately, fighting against each other means the death of thousands, because these two rulers will never bend, so everyone else must break.
Rada, on the other hand, is all about compromise. He is the sole person who can try and temper the actions of Mehmed and his sister. He can charm the old ruling class, and forge peace for this new Wallachia. And he definitely has his work cut out for him.
Rada's narratives were always softer, offering some light relief to a book filled with violence and death. It was lovely to see him finally getting the man he deserved, and establishing a somewhat unusual family dynamic, with his wife and her wife.
I really enjoyed this series, and I can't wait to read more from Kiersten White!
Comments
Post a Comment