"Too many books, too few centuries"
— Chronicler Aelius —

Welcome peeps! Welcome to a new series of mine : "EXPLAINED! : Understanding the Epic Fantasy Series." This series would be dedicated to me reviewing an Epic Fantasy ( or High Fantasy) to help you understanding specifically the world building, since i've read it and learn it, you don't have to! Of course this will be the knowledge i got by reading this book only (not the whole series), since some world building in series will definitely changing throughout the book numbers added and sometimes would be spoilery. So, this one is dedicated only for the book i'm reviewing, not the whole series.

 This one, is my highly anticipated so i was expecting much a lot form this one. This suppose to be included in hype books series in my opinion, but since the number of review is less than 100k (which the number i set as hype books in my series) i was going to made it simply a normal book review, but by the time i finish this book i came to realize this book worth more than just a review but special series in my blog! And since it's my first Jay Kristoff's book, i really anticipate this one a lot! (yeah i said anticipate lots of time by now, you got the vibe already right?)

A bit of context here i got my copy not because of the famous Jay Kristoff (I know he's so famous because of illuminae files series) but because of the book cover is designed by my favorite artist, Kerby Rosanes. I actually know that this book is by Jay Kristoff AFTER Kerby posted in his instagram that he design the book cover. I've been waiting for the series to be end AND collecting it in my shelf before i start reading it, i got to say i got a big expectation in this series.  You will find my book review format is a bit different and long, since it's an Epic Fantasy i think it's more appropriate if i did more explanations. So, without further ado, let's dive in!

Synopsis

The story starts from our heroine, Mia Covere, a girl who witnessed her father got executed claimed as a traitor who lead a rebellion but failed. In order to avenge people behind her father's death, Consul Francesco Duomo the Grand cardinal of the Church of the Light, Marcus Remus the Justicus of the Luminatii Legion and Consul Julius Saeva. Okay a bit of background explanation might work for this.

The world, with three suns, which lead no darkness in two and half years (day and night, all shining bright), which become the god that they praise and pray for, the Aa. Since it's not always dark in when the night time it suppose to be, they call it Nevernight. So in the simple term, the world didn't have the "night" every night but around two and half years. 

The country didn't have the King anymore, and become "republican"  but with sole Consul, which is Consul Julius Saeva (which had been elected more than 3 times now). Mia's Father was leading rebellion for this, but failed, hence he and the leader of the rebellion General Gaius Maximius Antonius (yes, i know, long name) got hanged together, and all the followers got crucified and their scull become the foundation of stairs in Godsgrave (the city where the rebellion set, the city where Mia was born and live).

In order to get her revenge, she seek for a church, which is not the Aa's church, but instead the one which devoted to Aa's wife (and also his enemy, since he banished her, that's why nevernight happened) the Red Church, the church for the Maw ( Goddess of Light, Niah) which famous as the cult of murderer. And that's how the story start. 

Understanding The World Building

The world set in the place name Republic of Itreya, which in the map consist of 4 different islands (or we can call it region based on the tribe in it) We got the Itreya with Vaan island which is the big one, then Askah, which the people of Askah used to be, an Empire that ruled for seven centuries, famous with Sorcerer (which people who can do magic, or "Magik"  in this book terms) but already vanished or we can call them as the lost one, the vanished one, no longer anymore.

We got the other island which is Liis, which people in it called as Liisian. And then we got small island like a Crescent moon called as Dweym which their people called as Dweymeri, which people with big build body, darker skin, tattooed, mostly with salt locks and praise the Lady of Ocean, Trelene. 

And the last one is the city of Godsgrave which is not really showed in the map, just like a banner (but of course got its own map), but this one become the central of the republic, where the Scaeva live. The Republic itself considered really religious since they have lots of Cathedral sole for their suns god, Aa. 

Talking about Aa, and the goddess here, since i read Egyptian Mythology last January, i see lots of similarities between Aa and Egyptian mythology god of sun : Ra. But specially with Rick Riordan's theory. In comparison, Aa is the god of suns, married with his sisterwife Niah (which has lots of nick name here, The Maw, The Goddess of Night, Our Lady of Blessed Murder). Afraid of having a threat, Aa order Niah just to born daughters, no son allowed. So she gave Aa 4 daughters, Tsana the Lady of Fire, Keph the Lady of Earth, Trelene Lady of Ocean and her twins Nalipse the lady of Storm. 

But of course Niah also born a son, which made Aa so mad, banished her from the sky, that made the world only have a true night (which they call it truedark) only once in every two and half years. And the Son himself, is still become the mystery up until this first book ends. 

In comparison with Egyptian Mythology, Ra also didn't let Nut to give birth, which she did it anyway and born five siblings, Osiris, Isis, Horus, Nemphtis and Set, which the last one (just like the son of Aa) is told to be the one who will end Ra. 

The republic of course praying for the god of light, and banished the goddess of night too, so the church that built for her are destroyed, and mostly the one who still praise her in the red church counted as the sinner. That's why Red Church become kind of secret society in here, hard to find and become some kind of cult (in their term) of murderer.  

Understanding the Language

The language itself is unique. You will find that they call Miss as Dona, and Mr as Don. The character's name are mostly in Romanian era for me, and the language also quite unique more poetry at some point and Shakespeare-ish in some characters.

Naev for example, she always talk in third people dialogue, she never said I, you, but She and he even when she referring herself in the sentence.

Adonai and Marielle, the sorcerer (Sorcerii sometimes they called in this book) talk like Shakespeare time to me, with the "art thou", "thee", "thy" thingy. I don't know how to explain it but you'll see what i mean when you read the book. 

They also use different term about day, like Yesterday sometimes called as yesterturn or yestereve (based on time) and tomorrow as just morrow or morrowmorn (again, based on the time) well you'll got used to it tho.

My Review

Like i said, as a dark fantasy, it includes a lot of darkness side, Mia preparing herself to become the member of red church itself need a tithe that came from something or someone that she killed. And her journey to find the Red Church itself is not easy, and deadly.  Even after she got into the church, she constantly being tested, which every test might killed her (and of course lots of members killed in the process).

"Beauty you’re born with, but brains you earn "

What i really love is that Mia's love for books. She doesn't seem as a girl that read a lot because of how brutal her childhood was, but because of her background, a daughter of a Justicus of illuminati legion (which made her has "class" since in this world they still got slaves as the bottom class in the society). But again because of that fond of books, i met my favorite character in the book, which lead to the quote of this review, Chronicler Aelius.

I also find Mr. Kindly is so funny, with its sarcasm comment, you know how it goes with sarcasm to me

“... i think you had best visit the weaver after the boy ...”
“And why’s that?”
“... your brain and ovaries seem to have switched places ...”

And of course since it's an adult fantasy, it includes some sexy scene which is not for younger reader. Although if i comparing it with ACOTAR series, this one is less... uh... provocative? I mean yes it's kind of explicit but if i have to rate it, Acotar is more erotica than Nevernight. Probably because ACOTAR is based on the main character's pov and the Nevernight is based on third POV? or maybe because it's because the author's gender thingy? Nevernight just sounds more "professional" in my opinion, like it's there because it  must be included not because the writer want it as the main focus? I dunno, just my opinion.

 

My Rating

It's a Uh-Yeah for me  (please direct to my rating system in case you're new here). The book got solid good review for me, the only lack is my ability to adapt for the first few chapters of it (i even made my brain dump note solely for this book, since i'm an old soul and my brain just can't keep up if i just read it, believe me i read like 3 times for one explanation and i don't get it, then once i wrote it down i got it rightaway. Yes, i'm that old.) I even stop myself to read in few chapter left, just want to devour it slowly because i'm not ready to say goodbye to it yet. One of my fave read this year so far. 

 

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