NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff (Review)

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Purchase on Amazon | TBD

427 Pages

Holy freaking hell. Let’s do this.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, a sixteen year old Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic ― the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her with the Church’s halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the only thing she desires.

I’m just going to note, towards the last 50 pages, this book had already done so much to my nervous-system that I was basically numb.

Review:

The beginning of this book had me a little skeptical, and let me first start off by saying this is not a YA!!!!

Now, to me, the fact that this is not YA is fine, and I knew it when I bought it, and also from the first chapter. But, I just wanted to warn any of you parents or young teens before you delve into this – make sure you know what you’re getting into.

Now, let me also say upfront that this was the best high-fantasy I think I’ve read since The Name of the Wind. Let’s note that I haven’t really read a ton of high-fantasy,as of late, but the storytelling and the depth and emotion that these characters and world make you feel is something so similar to the Kingskiller Chronicle.

First, the story is thrilling, it’s exciting, the main characters are mysterious. Mia, the main point of view in the book, is funny and likable in an antihero kind of way. The “love interest”, Tric, is amazing, too.

Basically, I hated the people I was supposed to hate and loved the people I was supposed to love. And that can be a hard balance for an author to find.

I know Kristoff helped write Iluminae, a book I didn’t particularly enjoy, but let me just say that this is on a whole other level. The detail (there are even footnotes!) is incredible and the complexity make this a totally immersive read, and Kristoff does amazing at this.

My only complaints would be (and there isn’t spoilers here), during the climax, when the villain is revealed, I almost felt like it was dropped out of nowhere. But, Kristoff manages to dig deep and provide the proof from previous in the book, which I greatly, greatly appreciated, or else I would have probably docked a star for not remembering the little hints scattered throughout the novel well enough.

If you enjoy high-fantasy, if you enjoy just a damn good story, you should really pick this up.

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