Weekend Reads: Guardian of Ruses by Kate Stradling (Sarah)

 

 

“The empire was dying. Its murderer lay in the heart of Lenore. If she could not sacrifice her own safety to free her nation from the evil that preyed upon it, she deserved every unkind word, every skeptical sneer she'd ever received…”

When a tender-hearted assassin-in-training Rosia accompanies an invasion of Lenore, she has one goal: kill the Eternal Prince and save her people. Never mind that she has yet to successfully harm a living soul, she’s determined to find a way.

She’s always given her full devotion to her country—despite the treatment she’s received in return—but when the best laid plans go awry and she spends longer than expected in Lenore, she finds herself questioning long-standing beliefs. Few things are as they appear. But making changes is never easy, and Rosia is in for more than her share of turmoil and heartache as she confronts secrets on every side—her own and others.

Guardian of Ruses incorporates the enemies to lovers trope, which I love if it’s handled well (as it is in this tale). Rosia and the man she comes to care for are both endearing characters and watching them sort out their feelings and loyalties makes for engaging reading—as do the delightful twists along the way.

The world and the magic it contains have a bit of a fairy tale feel to me, yet there’s also real thought put into politics, policies, and inter-kingdom relations, which I appreciate.

The secondary characters add depth to the tale, and for those who have read the first two books in the series, Guardian of Ruses offers a nice glimpse into the lives of previous protagonists and how they (and the kingdom) have fared in the ten years that have passed between stories. It’s possible to read Guardian of Ruses as a standalone, but it will be a much richer experience if you go through the series in order. The entire Ruses of Lenore series is delightful, so if you haven’t read it yet, definitely check it out!
 

Weekend Reads: Brine and Bone by Kate Stradling (Sarah)

I’m a huge fan of fairy tale inspired stories and retellings. That said, The Little Mermaid has never ranked among my favorite tales. While the themes are meaningful, the plight of the mermaid in the original tale is a tragic one. And I’ve only ever seen bits and pieces of the Disney movie, perhaps the most well-known variant of the story.

So it’s saying a lot that I actually picked up Brine and Bone, Kate Stradling’s version of The Little Mermaid—and that I ended up thoroughly enjoying it! Brine and Bone offers a hope-infused retelling with an original stamp that still remains true to the key elements of Andersen’s tale.

Instead of a mermaid protagonist, Stradling presents Magdelina, a healing magician with a prickly personality, who has known and loved the prince since childhood, but harbors no hope of him ever returning her affection. When he disappears at sea, the kingdom goes into mourning.

After all expectation of his recovery is lost, Magdelina finds the prince washed up on shore and helps restore him back to health. But she soon discovers there’s a mystery surrounding his survival, one that may threaten him still. When an enchanting newcomer appears at the palace, her suspicions are roused, and she’s determined to protect her friend from the snare laid for him. But how, with dark and powerful magic arrayed against her?

The mermaid in this tale far more closely resembles that of classic folklore than the enchanting mer-creatures featured by Disney. She’s an eerie, at times even frightening figure, but one that in the end wins some sympathy. She has her own redemptive road to travel—or not—as she chooses, right alongside Magdelina.

While only novella length, the story grapples with the concepts of love, immortality, and sacrifice. And it all winds together in a satisfying way, touched by sorrow, yet on the whole uplifting.

Are you a Little Mermaid fan? Do you have any retellings you’d recommend?