Review: Falling Kingdoms

Falling Kingdoms

By: Morgan Rhodes

The first section of this review will be spoiler free.

Synopsis:

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.

Where to start? This is the first book in what is definitely one of my all time favourite series. It was presented to me as a “less intense Game of Thrones” and I was immediately intrigued. And now, it’s three years later and I just finished re-reading it for at least the 4th time! This book has amazing world building and lots of POVs. But, it never feels like too much is being thrown at you, somehow it just works together. There is suspense, magic, romance and twists I never saw coming. This is the type of series where your favourite character are not safe and it really kept me hooked until the last page. The series set up is definitely comparable to Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, or yes, Game of Thrones. Cleo, one of the main characters goes through such a transformation in the book, as do a lot of the other main characters. It is fun when a character I really disliked becomes my favourite or vise versa, it shows how good the character building is. I also really liked that there was male and female POVs, and that I could actually tell that there was a difference between them. If you have ever read a bad male POV in a YA you know how frustrating it can be (*cough* Allegiant). I am currently waiting for the 6th and final book of this series with bated breath. The release date has been pushed back and honestly my heart broke a little. I need to know what happens! I am so attached to these characters and their stories I feel like we are old friends (do you ever have that? Like the feeling that you need to protect book characters and ensure they get their happily ever after?). There really isn’t much else to say beside go read this book!
***SPOILERS***
Cleo was a very spoiled and delicate character in the beginning of this book. However, as the book, and definitely the series progressed she becomes such a strong and brave female protagonist. I will say right off the bat Magnus is my all time favourite character! I know there is the whole incestuous love thing but I maintain it was because Lucia is the only person who was ever nice to him, so he got a little confused. His complexity and character transformation reminds me a lot of Bellamy Blake from The 100 (the tv show not the books). He starts out as a character we have mixed feelings about but soon becomes a favourite. I will also say I was not a fan of Theon. He played right into what I thought was going to be a messy insta-love situation. However, I was almost pleasantly surprised when he was killed, I did not see that coming. I liked that the characters didn’t feel safe, that I could actually be worried for them. Honestly this series gets better with every book, and I will try to do a review for each of them since so much happens that I could never fit it into one review! Let’s just say some very interesting developments are on the horizon, and Morgan if you ever see this, please don’t push the release back again, I don’t think my heart could take it!

My Rating: 5/5 stars