To be published June 23rd 2022…
There is a strict hierarchy in the Warden’s Empire. At the bottom are the clear-blooded Ghostings, the silent and submissive servant class. Next are the Dustings, their blue-blood built for labour and hardship. The Embers are the lucky ones, their red-blood capable of bloodwerk and marking them out for the wealth and luxury of nobility. At the top are the wardens, red-blooded of course, and rulers of the Empire: one for truth, one for duty, one for truth, one for knowledge, and one for strength. Sylah is an anomaly, a dangerous anomaly. Born with red blood, but raised as a Duster. Raised as a soldier, raised to be Warden, raised to start a revolution. Unfortunately, plans rarely play out as intended.
Sylah’s origin story is obvious from the very first pages. However, the brutal reality of that story is unravelled slowly throughout the book and it is this reality that has made her into the character that she is. This slow unravelling allows the hard outer layers of her character to gradually peel away, their pace somewhat matched by the slow shift in her ideals. And this shift is similarly matched in the character of Anoor who is, in a way, a reflection of Sylah. It is this reflection between the two characters and their lives that creates much of the magnetising tension in the latter parts of the book.
I found the themes of this book particularly interesting. The themes of racism and rebellion were clearly dominant and unflinchingly explored in all their gory detail. Yet it was the subtler themes which gave true depth to the story. Whilst the goal of the plot focussed on achieving the power of a Warden’s seat, the characters themselves seemed to value strength over power. Sylah’s red blood could have given her the power she needed, but it was the strength of her upbringing that drove her forwards and gave her the tools she needed. Likewise Anoor’s position in the Ember court offered power, but it was her strength and determination to earn that position in her own right that made her character so successful. On a wider level, the Ghostings had no power but the strength of their memories and their community allowed them to move in ways that those in power did not expect.
Even the use of magic as a narrative device reflects this theme of strength over power. In itself the bloodwerk magic is a symbol of the Ember’s power, but its presence sits in the background rather than the forefront. It is often almost an afterthought. Despite being presented as an important definer of hierarchy and power, there are very few dramatic demonstrations of this power. This has a humbling effect on the narrative and allows the reader to focus their attention on the more personal traits of the characters.
Escape to the Bookshelf 