Review of Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
DESCRIPTION
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed… and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
It’s the eve of war…. Choose your side.
Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.
Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.
Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword….
REVIEW
I am SO glad I’ve decided to binge read these and highly anticipate this becoming another favorite series of mine. The set up for this story and world is gritty, relentless and has the building of something epic. This is the type of series that has great crossover appeal, to every sex and age!
“Even in the darkest and most cruel person, there is still a kernel of good. And within the most perfect champion, there is darkness. The question is, will one give in to the dark or the light? It’s something we decide with every choice we make, every day that we exist. What might not be evil to you could be evil to someone else. Knowing this makes us powerful even without magic.”
If you’ve been around YA fantasy for any amount of time you’ve probably heard of this series and have probably even had some parts spoiled for you (like me, hah!). I’ve heard nothing but GOOD about this and can safely say I am hooked. Despite the spoilers I’ve had, I’ve been assured there are a ton of plot twists in the series and can say I was surprised a number of times in this book! I listened the the audiobook (fantastic narrator!) and immediately jumped on downloading the sequel, Rebel Spring, the moment I finished this.
This first installment is largely character driven, with the likes of Princess Cleiona of Auranos, Prince Magnus of Limeros, Princess Lucia of Limeros and rebel Jonas of Paelsia taking the forefront. From the first pages, this story builds upon itself until you expect spontaneous combustion when everyone crosses paths.
“Then his heart, now broken into a thousand pieces, slowly began to turn to ice.”
Magnus, Prince of Blood. HAH. Better yet, Prince of let me hold you and comfort you, I’m sorry this has happened to you, don’t be an ass and stay pure. I LOVE Magnus’ character and expect a ton of growth from him as the series goes on. That said, I feel Magnus has a dark path to walk before he can find any semblance of happiness. BUT I AM HERE FOR YOU MAGNUS. I’ll hold your hand through the dark.
Cleiona experiences so much in this book. Her fierce love for her sister is undeniable, however her actions are what you might expect from a teenage princess, always sheltered amongst the court and her castle. My hope is to see her become stronger and more cautious in her actions. She makes some really poor decisions in this that lead to the pain of others!
Lucia is completely blindsided in this book by revelation after revelation and I cannot help but wonder how utterly alone she must feel! I can only hope she will find the tutelage she needs, plus some sort of reconciliation with her brother.
Jonas! I loved his character as well and the final pages really have me looking forward to the role he’ll play in future books. He goes through so many shades of grief in this, I love how complex his character is and cannot wait to learn more about where his path will take him!
Oh hi Aron. I hate you. Shut up, go be drunk somewhere else. You suck and started this WHOLE FREAKING MESS.
NIC! I love Nic’s character. Funny, pure and perfect best friend material. Excuse me while we go get into trouble somewhere.
“Hate is such a strong emotion. Much more powerful than indifference. But those who burn with hate can also love just as intensely. Can’t they? When you hate–or love–do you do so with all your heart? So much that it feels as if you might die from it?”
Overall, this is one of those series I own every book of but still had not read. One of those series I kept telling myself: YOU NEED TO READ THOSE. Well, I can assure you this will be my next favorite series.
Order Falling Kingdoms from these booksellers
Library in the Country 
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