a very violent, very strong, and very well-written story with phenomenal world-building and a powerful ending. i was not expecting this book to be what it was (it truly puts the dark in dark academia), but i was genuinely impressed by it — and had a hard time not devouring it all in one sitting.

m. l. wang uses fantasy, specifically through a corrupt magic system in an urban setting, to explore colonization and the tools used to establish and uphold it, including misogyny (especially in terms of limiting educational access, reproductive control, and the weaponization of white femininity), racism, fascism, classism, environmental destruction, religious extremism, and so on.

i think that in many ways this novel speaks to the real world we live in, particularly in terms of the violent oppression of indigenous peoples (such as in the case of Palestinians, now and ongoing for nearly a century), which is partly what makes it so impactful. it also poignantly explores the power of protests and how the machinations of society often feed on flesh and blood — as well as the mixed reactions of "common civilians" to those harsh realities. i also think there's something to be said about the role that violent uprisings and (the cycle of) martyrdom play in creating hope for change for future generations in this book.

[anyways, i'm always in favor of a guillotine renaissance]

i highlighted so many passages and took so many notes while reading, so i'm saving some that stuck out here:

- After all, the true nature of Blight fit with everything he already knew of Tiran: that the city was a monster built by takers for takers. ... Somewhere in his time playing mage’s assistant, he had forgotten what he was: not a citizen of this city, just flesh that it fed on.
- The path to God wasn’t laid for women like her. It was laid on their backs.
- “That’s your idea of a nice day out with your mother? Plotting the destruction of a government?” “Why? You have a more fun idea?”
- "Hell, if more men were like you, I might not be so…”  “So what?” “Vehemently opposed to them.”
- But the Kwen didn’t stop coming. Why should they? Their ancestral land was ravaged, their kin Blighted, their future stolen. What did they have to lose? And who in the wide world could tell them to stand down?
- “I didn’t want the innocent people of Tiran to suffer. But that collapse out there”—she gestured to the rising sounds of chaos from beyond the gates—“That was the inevitable fate of a rotten city built on lies.”
- Each gear turned tidily into its neighbor in a soul-grinding system designed to sustain the men who had named the pieces and made them so: damsel, devil, servant, wife.
- “It’s what she wants,” Carra said softly but with certainty beyond her years. “You understand that, right? She wants to die sticking it to those men.” “How do you know?” “Trust me, Uncle. It’s a girl thing.”

 

How far would you go to discover, and honor the truth, even if it meant upending everything you know about history and god, and what is right and wrong? 

 

Although light on detailed intricate world-building (eg., The Fifth Season Game of Thrones, etc.), everything else about this dark academia fantasy from Sword of Kaigen author M.L. Wang is top notch and is a 5-star book for me. Character development and depth, dialog and banter, unique magic system and depth, plot and story pacing and writing are all excellent. It was a page-turner for me, addictive and fast-paced despite the length. 

 

The story follows a talented and ambitious young female aspiring mage named Sciona as she becomes the first woman ever to be admitted into the High Magistry in an industrial utopia called Titan protected and fueled by a unique magic system similar to coding and programming. Facing challenges and bullying from most of her new male colleagues, she does as she has always had to do - work twice as hard to get half the recognition and overcome their assumptions about whether a woman is even fit or capable of being a High Mage. 

 

Along the way she is assigned a janitor as her assistant as part of their cruelty, a man who escaped the harsh winterlands and vicious Blight that killed everyone he knew in their trek to find refuge in the magic-protected city of Titan. 

 

As they work together on a special project to expand the magical bounds of the city, they start to uncover an ancient secret that could change things forever, if it doesn’t drive them mad or get them killed in the process. 

 

I think opinions will be mixed on how "happy" or "hopeful" the ending is, but just like in real life, I think some things can be both happy and sad, hopeful and tragic, redemptive and heartbreaking and thought-provoking, all at the same time. The truth of the past, the truth about history, is rarely golden and blemish-free, and uncovering the truth about the past can often be uncomfortable. It's what we do with that knowledge that matters, if we accept the status quo, or choose to do something with the knowledge, that makes us who we are. 

 

 

 

Notes about content and themes: 

There is some graphic depictions of violence that are central to the plot and the overall core of the world and struggle between the protected civilization under the dome and the people they exploit for resources, with strong themes of patriarchy and misogyny, genocide, exploitation, racism and xenophobia, classism, religious supremacy and intolerance, and hints and allusions to imperialism, colonization, that are reminiscent of the dark past of western history. Romantic elements are not overt -- there are feelings and inklings of love between several key characters in a doomed forbidden romance, but no spice.  

This book wrecked me.
It took me a long while to finish it, because I kept picking it up and immediately putting it down, not in the mood for something so heavy, so infuriating, so painful.
M.L. Wang knows like no other how to invoke emotions.

ML Wang, un nome una certezza: dopo questa lettura e The Sword of Kaigen, si conferma come autrice di cui leggerò i libri senza pensarci due volte.

La mia lettura è iniziata al quanto alla cieca, senza eccessive ricerche riguardo ai grossi temi affrontati dalla storia. Le alte aspettative e il mio eterno cinismo mi hanno reso un po' scettica sullo sviluppo adeguato della storia, soprattutto visti i ritmi del primo arco narrativo molto frettolosi e densi. 
Sono estasiata nel dire avevo completamente torto.

Tiran, città emblema dell'innovazione e cuore pulsante della civiltà, dimostra come il progresso avrà sempre un costo, che inevitabilmente viene pagato con il sangue. La grossa ferita che traspare nel corso della storia non viene sminuita con un misero cerotto di eccessivo eroismo e ingenua positività:

Sciona non diventa magicamente l'emblema dell'altruismo e amata dal popolo, Carra non cresce come bimba indifesa e innocente, e Thomil è chiaramente eroso da un decennio di maltrattamenti.

I personaggi appaiono così vivi e autentici, rispecchiando la realtà in cui vivono attraverso i loro difetti e le loro azioni non sempre sagge. 

Ho apprezzato particolarmente la fine di Sciona: fino all'ultimo ho temuto che il suo sacrificio sarebbe andato a cancellare il peso delle conseguenze delle sue azioni perdonando il fatto che per tutta la sua vita fosse parte del sistema oppressivo, a prescindere dalle difficoltà che ha dovuto affrontare lei stessa.

Si nota come l'autrice rispetti il lettore, in quanto non usa il banale elemento shock rivelando informazioni senza fondamento, e preferisce far fiorire i temi trattati attraverso le esperienze dei personaggi e conversazioni organiche tra di loro(looking at you Babel). 

Mi trattengo dal dare il punteggio pieno per il ritmo troppo veloce iniziale: trovo che alcuni momenti emotivi molto intensi abbiano perso parte del loro impatto per l'eccessivo susseguirsi di avvenimenti. 

Detto questo, blood over bright haven mi ha dato nuova speranza con la ricerca di fantasy di mio gusto in grado di trattare tematiche serie in modo realistico e rispettoso, e per questo devo molto alla Wang. Non vedo l'ora di leggere altro dalla sua brillante mente.   

This book came highly recommended and it didn't disappoint. I hadn't read any books by M.L. Wang before though I know of her and Sword of Kaigen. It's been in my TBR for a while now. This one on the other hand came out of the blue as far as I am concerned. 

Sciona and Thomil are the two protagonists. Sciona has been a prodigy, a genius and she has spent her life oblivious to everything and being as self absorbed and selfish as a person can be in her pursuit of magic. Magic is what makes the city of Tiran where she lives go around, and it is a gift from their god who embodies truth and a spirit of enquiry. In a world where women are expected to be the lesser citizens and denied opportunities for higher research, she is determined to succeed. But her entry into the High Magistry doesn't open doors as she expected it to. Her male colleagues are determined to think she didn't get in on her merit and shows their disdain by giving her a Kwen Janitor as an assistant instead of a qualified university graduate.

Kwen are the outcasts, the ones who comes from the wild lands beyond the barrier that keeps Tiran safe. The lands beyond are subject to the Blight, a bright light that strikes from above and kills instantly, by unravelling flesh and muscle till only blood is remaining of the victim. The Tirannish hold that it's a punishment from God for the ungodly ways of the Kwen. Tiran, under her magical barrier, is protected from the Blight. 

The janitor, Thomil is a hunter who had seen his entire family except his niece die from the blight before his eyes. He and his niece, Carra who he raises, are the last of the Caldonnae who once numbered in the thousands. The lands outside are rendered inhospitable since the Blight takes animals, plants and men alike. 

Sciona and Thomil form an unlikely friendship as they delve into Sciona's project: the expansion of the barrier. If she can come up with a viable method that's better than that of her peers, she can prove beyond doubt that she is worthy of being in the High Magistry, that a woman is capable of doing as well, if not better, than men in her chosen field. But her attempt to come up with a better way leads to her discovering the buried truth behind Tiran's magic and prosperity. It's a truth that destroys everything she believes in, and alienates everyone around her.

There were places in the book where I wanted to kick Sciona and places where I wanted to shake her. But thankfully, it all changed soon. I was so anxious for her that I had to stop reading and breathe for a bit. 

To say this book ripped the heart right out of my chest from chapter one is not an understatement. It was so intense, and I had so many emotions. The ending was strangely cathartic, and despite how sad I was, realistically, no other ending would have worked. 

This book deals with a lot of themes. Feminism, sexism, misogyny, colonialism, bigotry, racism, and the ills of all these are brought out in one way or another. Some of the characters are almost like caricatures, but even then, they remain representative of the evils they embody. 

I loved Sciona's character development as well as Thomil's. Even though she makes her appearance only after the mid way point, Carra is also a memorable character who grows in the space given to her. 

I needed two days to settle down enough to write this review. This book impacted me that much. Even now, I am not sure I'm doing justice to it. 

I would recommend it to anyone who loves epic fantasy, high fantasy, complex and well defined magical systems, character driven stories, and anyone who loves M.L. Wang's books. There's nothing about this book I didn't love. 

Just go and read it. You won't regret it!