Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Rating: 4.5/5 Reading level: Young adult
Synopsis: “On a continent ruled by three empires, everyone is born with a ‘witchery,' a magical skill that sets them apart from others. Now, as the Twenty Year Truce in a centuries long war is about to end, the balance of power-and the failing health of all magic-will fall on the shoulders of a mythical pair called the Cahr Awen. The biggest thing on Safi and Iseult's minds is saving money for their planned future in the Hundred Isles. Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the emotional Threads binding the world. Safi, on the other hand, is a Truthwitch-she always knows when a person is telling a lie. A powerful magic like that is something people would kill to have on their side-or to keep off their enemy's side-and so Safi cannot even admit what she truly is. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and a ship's captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must rise above their doubts and fight to learn who they are and what they are made of, if they are going to stay alive and preserve the balance of their world.” — Amazon synopsis
Personal review: I picked up and read this book because my favorite author, Sarah J. Maas, rated it very highly on Goodreads. Additionally, the plot line intrigued me and I was in the mood for a book that had a little more substance than the summer throwaway romances I’ve been reading lately, which are good for what they are, but not something I want to write home about, or review for that matter. So, armed with a favorable review and a hunger for something new, I picked up Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch and was not disappointed. The story starts fast and stays that way for the most part. Activity after activity, battle after battle, race after race besieges the main characters, namely Iseult and Safiya. Whether it’s a driven bloodwitch, sea foxes or a mysterious puppeteer, it’s an action-packed novel to be sure. While this pacing drives the story forward, I think to some degree it’s to the detriment of the characters and their development. Really all of the main characters had room for a lot more development that they just didn’t get the chance for. Furthermore, when the development opportunities came, they were abrupt and almost always formatted as an epiphany. One epiphany per book is believable. Several across multiple characters is dubious. As a final critique (I promise I really did like the book), I really think this book would have benefited from a glossary of sorts in addition to a map. Readers should pay close attention and I wish luck to anyone who chooses to read it as an audiobook (I initially tried, but found I couldn’t keep up as easily as I normally can). A simple, cheat sheet type of system as to who the different gods, the different instruments, etc. would have made the book much easier to follow. Now then, I realize that seems like a lot of criticism for a book I rated a 4.5/5, but with the exception of those complaints, I really thought the book was phenomenal. First and foremost, the world Dennard created is truly unique and special. It has religion; it has many languages; it has wars; it has prejudices; it has legends. It is so tricky to create such a comprehensive and immersive universe, on the scope that Dennard has, but she does it so eloquently. Her imagery is fantastic and her writing really puts the reader in the world. Hell, she even created symbolic dances her characters performed during the novel. That level of detail which Dennard utilizes really paints a colorful for readers to jump into. I also loved the way the friendship between Safiya and Iseult is written. They trust each other, they believe in each other and they support each other. It’s been a while (if ever) since I’ve read a novel which put such an emphasis on the importance of friendship and platonic relationships over romantic relationships. The main male characters, Merik and Kullen, share a similar bond, and male friendship is even rarer, especially in young adult novels where the male character is often either superficial or isolated in some way, afraid to show emotion or fondness toward another male character. And anyone who knows me knows I’m a hopeless romantic, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the romance in Truthwitch. It’s very understated and certainly not the main plot line of this book, making it a good book for everyone, even those who don’t care much for romance. But those who love a good romance won’t be disappointed, either. The romance that’s there, while passionate and instant, is still believable and follows that ever popular “enemies to lovers” trope that, at least for me, is always a joy to read. I’ve already snagged a copy of the second book, Windwitch and am looking forward to starting that and hopefully picking up where I left off. Readers who enjoyed Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series or Morgan Rhodes’ Falling Kingdoms will similarly enjoy this book.
Recommended?: Definitely!
Reviewer’s note: SO sorry for the inactivity. It’s literally been a year since my last review. I may go back and review some of the books I’ve read since then, but I’m not sure. I won’t make any excuses, but for those who still read this, thanks for your support! --Sam
