Strong female - Rated 
It's been a while since i've devoured a book. This happened with poison study. This female character has fire, power and courage, as well as habilities. But what I like the most is that she does't just have the strenghts and uses it, like we see in so many books, she has to work them. She struggles through life as a girl and developes skills that slowly makes her a powerful woman. Even the romance that eventually happens isn't too lame. A nice story, that ends as good as it starts.
NO SPOILERS HERE.
Seriously good - Rated
I bought this book the other day and wasn't able to put it down from the moment i turned the first page. Yelanna's story is captivating, and Snyder's writing style creates a world as real as Tolkien's middle earth. I havent enjoyed a fantasy book this much in a long time!!
Strong Start to Fantasy Trilogy - Rated 
Yelena is about to be executed for murder. With her life on the line she's offered a choice - attend her execution or become a food taster for the Commander of Ixia, a man under constant threat of assassination. She accepts the job offer, aware that whilst it may be merely a delay of her death, it also offers her the opportunity to escape.
Poison Study is set in a society (Ixia) which is Totalitarian. But it's made clear that in some ways this is better than the monarchist system it replaced. The people as a whole appear to be better off under the rule of the Commander - everyone has a job, there are no homeless, people are expected to contribute to society. But it's also a rigid system with high standards, there is little flexibility. The use of magic isn't tolerated. Creating another problem for Yelena when her magical abilities start to develop. Unfortunately even within this controlled system there is still room for unscrupulous people to manipulate things to their advantage.
The story did start out slowly for me. Though I was hooked by page 81 and at that point basically read until I'd finished the book. Initially the story seems very simple. Yelena is the hero, we're on her side. The people who've imprisoned her are bad - but it's more complicated than that. As we progress through the story it becomes more complex and layered - especially as Yelena doesn't know who it's safe to trust. Every time she confides in someone it's a risk and you feel that as you're reading. And in sharing her secrets is she endangering the people she's come to care for?
What made this book for me are the relationships between Yelena and the other characters. Not just Valek her mentor and more, but Ari, Janko and also the characters she didn't get on with. You feel like this is a story about a real place and real people, even though some of the circumstances are fantastical.
Valek slightly reminded me of Anafiel Delauney from the Kushiel series, he's one of those men who sees everything. And the author doesn't betray his character. At the end when he has the most difficult choice to make. He makes it, but he makes it his own choice. It's the relationship that develops between Valek and Yelena that kept me turning the pages. How it progresses from jailor and prisoner, to mentor and student to more.
If I had any complaints it would be that some of the resolution was a little convenient and wasn't as involving (for me) as I hoped it would be - slightly too much running from place to place. Apart from that, this is definitely a book I'd recommend. And I've already got Magic Study on my TBR pile ready to go.
Obvious...but thats not a bad thing - Rated
This has all the makings of a traditional semi-fantasy trilogy: Castles, soldiers, magicians, forests and poison. The fact that I was so gripped by this that i read it in 5 hours proves that its a good, well written book (also not difficlut to read). Its only with hindsight that I start to think its got elements of many other fantasy novels, mainly Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy (lone girl forced into training in role she doesn't want falls in love with her superior) but we'll have to see how it goes - and I absolutely want to read the next books.
If you want the details - Yelena is about to be hanged for a murder that she did commit, but Valek the Commander's right hand man gives her an alternative fate. Become a poison taster for the Commander. Not a bad deal except for the certain death. Cue many adventures and lots of running round castles and forests.
All in all its a good book, a little predictable, but still very entertaining!
Brilliant - Rated
This was absolutely fantastic and I loved it. It was so entertaining and enjoyable I was drawn and locked into the story almost immediately. Snyder's development of the characters and plot was so skilfully done with just the perfect amount of intrigue to keep me utterly hooked - I read over 200 pages in just one sitting. I wasn't sure I would like the fantasy genre and worried that it might work for a younger reader and miss it's mark with me but I was very pleasantly surprised. The relationships Yelena develops with those around her were spot on as was Snyder's ability to weave such a good story that you really didn't know who to trust leaving you with an immense empathy with Yelena.
Will be reading the next instalment as soon as I can get my hands on it. I only hope that some of the old characters remain with her on her next journey otherwise I'll be disappointed - it was nice that although the story revolved around Yelena it was the core team of those she finally trusts that made this as enjoyable as it was. I'm so glad I gave this a chance.
|
