I received this book to for free to review from Blogging for Books.
I honestly don't know where to start or how to review it. There is just so much we learn here. It was quite captivating. It is definitely a different take on the epic fantasy type novels. You have Divinities thought long dead, an oppressive "home" country, a decimated continent and magic. This book touches on very real societal problems, it just masks them with Divine Edicts and complete insanity. When we first meet Shara she is scary, intimidating, she almost seems unreal. You think she is coldhearted but she really isn't. She thirsts for knowledge even if said knowledge is considered somewhat illegal. She is insanely smart. She has a "savage" as a "secretary"/dear friend and she was/is in love with a man who happens to like men more so than women. She is the most real character I have read about in quite a while.
***SPOILERS***
Saypur was a colony of The Continent. The Continent was ruled by the Divine, it was "blessed". Saypur was thought of as below them...they were there to be slaves and nothing more. They did not have a Divinity...it is almost as if they were "forgotten" or not seen as real humans. At some point the Divine/The Continent went too far and they had an uprising lead by the Kaj killing off most of the Divinities and their creations, leaving the Continent a right mess. We come in to this 70 years in the future. Saypur is the ruling land and The Continent is in ruins. About 1/2 of everything that was on the Continent ceased to exist once the Divine died, everything changed in a "blink". The Kaj's decedent is an operative for Saypur living on the continent. It's a story about oppression and blind obedience. Yes you conquered them but to enact your views on future generations as punishment is no better than what was done to you in the past by the Divine and their Blessed. It really is disturbing how people will try to justify their actions even when they are clearly immoral.
What we learn. Sigrud (Shara's secretary) is from a land of Pirates. He is the lost Prince that people "sing" about. He feels he is unworthy and doesn't wish to return home. He is thought to be dead. Vohannes (Vo) is Shara's Ex. Someone she loved dearly. They began a torrid love affair when they were in school but she eventually learns he is gay. He is from the Continent so being gay is against his beliefs. She is hurt and pushes him away. Then there is Mulaghesh, the Saypur Governor running Bulikov (the once capital city for the Divine). She is ex-military and she is rough around the edges. She wants to just not be involved in anything anymore but she is goodhearted and keeps getting pulled in to doing the right thing. There are other characters but these are the main ones. These are the ones you remember (besides the Divine).
I had a feeling Shara was touched or Blessed or whatever. Her power is weakened by the mixing of bloodlines but she has enough to get by. She doesn't know this until the end but you start wondering when she is performing all these "Miracles". Throw in how weird her Auntie is acting and you know something is up. I liked that her and Vo kind of made amends. She loves him & accepts him for who he is and he loves her because she is amazing and she does accept him. He likes men so what...well his "God" Kolkan thinks this is bad and must be punished. Yes the Divine are thought to be dead but clearly one/some have survived. When he is killed I was in denial. I thought they made a good team so I was hoping he lived. Alas, he did not but she honors him which shows how deeply she did care.
The mixing of the two remaining Gods is just disturbing. Jukov is a trickster, a lover of the flesh and indulgences. Kolkan is a judge, you should not indulge in anything. Enjoying the flesh is not allowed...especially with those of the same sex. They are complete opposites but are fused together making for one insane Divinity. Of course Olvos being still alive isn't surprising...that Shara is her decedent is slightly surprising. I don't know that I trust her...she is a Divinity after all but she seems to be the most sane of the bunch. I am sure we will see more of her in the future.
It really is quite an adventure we go on. We are trying to find out why some Miracles still work, which Gods might have survived and how to fix the relationship between Saypur and the Continent. There is murder and mayhem. There is betrayal. There is so much that happens and so many creatures of nightmares. My brain is a scattered mess trying to summarize it all. All I know is good prevailed, I think, but there is still so much to be done. I can't wait to read more about the lands and people we learned about in the City of Stairs.
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