Rounding up to 3 stars. Despite being a little torn about this book, I would overall give it a thumbs up. There is a lot about The Bird and the Blade that feels different from your average fantasy novel, and I really enjoyed that. This is a standalone historical-fantasy set in the Mongol Empire. We follow a slave girl named Jinghua who sets off an a journey with Prince Khalaf, a descendent of Genghis Khan, to help save his kingdom.
There is a nice balance of character focus and action, and Bannen's writing has a romantic quality to it that reminded me a bit of Renee Ahdieh's prose. Despite the romance lacking some of the angst that I so dearly love to revel in, I ended up really liking the characters, especially Junghua, Khalaf, and Khalaf's father Timur. Timur especially is like that dry-humored old curmudgeon who slowly starts to grow on you as the plot progresses. There is a riddle aspect to this story that is riveting to watch play out, and I thought the ending was, dare I say it, a truly refreshing one. My only real qualm about this book is that the beginning throws you into a first-hand narrative without a lot of context. Once I figured out that the book jumps back-and-forth in time, and switches perspectives, I finally put together what was going on and was able to fully concentrate on the story.
While I enjoyed reading this, I don't know how long the story will stay with me. Even if it wasn't my favorite fantasy in the world, I am glad I picked it up. Overall, if you enjoy ghosts, slow-burn romance, and unique historical fantasies, then The Bird and the Blade is definitely calling your name.
Goodreads Description
Release Date: June 5, 2018
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