Book Review | Crown of Feathers
Nicki Pau Preto
477 Pages
5/5 Stars
I had a sister once. I promised her the throne would not come between us.
But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.
Some times the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.
"I am a daughter of death. From the ashes I rose, like a phoenix from the pyre."
Crown of Feathers was the first book I read in 2020. It is a young adult fantasy novel (the first in a series) and told from the points of view of Veronyka, Tristan and Sev (third person). The chapters were interjected with histories and letters from characters which really helped with world building and driving the story forward.
This book gave me major Mulan vibes; Veronyka disguises herself as a boy to join the army of phoenix riders. I don't know whether this was intended but I really liked it. I also really liked how inclusive this story is, with racial diversity represented among the characters and Sev's growing discovery about his sexuality.
Veronyka is the character I liked the most. She's an appealing hero; quick, bright and tough. Her emotions are understandably complex and the tension between Veronyka and her sister stays taut throughout the novel. I loved her determination, her courage and her fast thinking. Her desire to join the phoenix riders, to have this sense of belonging, to have a community/family of her own makes her so easy to relate to.
Sev is a character that I grew to love. He starts out as an animage in hiding, working as a soldier for the empire, which is intent on destroying the remnants of his people, the phoenix riders and animages. Sev's story is interesting - through him we see the empire's side of the story and how it's crumbling from within. He also has such an emotional journey; from discovering his own sexuality to to grieving his family and then to rising up and supporting the riders. From where we left Sev, I definitely think he's the one to watch in the sequel.
Tristan is an apprentice phoenix rider with a fear of fire. He's a great character and easy to relate. He spends most of the novel trying to live up to his father's reputation and expectations, which doesn't always work out. Similarly to Sev and Veronyka, Tristan's journey in Crown of Feathers is linked to his own insecurities - this constant questioning of am I good enough? How can I be a phoenix rider if I fear fire? His development is strong and the overcoming of his fear feels real. Ultimately, I think this makes him a stronger character.
Val is a fabulous antagonist; she's convinced herself that her brutality is in the service of the greater good and her reveal at the end of the book is a fantastic turn. She definitely gives off some Danaerys Targaryen vibes; literally rising from the ashes, desiring a throne she knows is her birthright and her belief that she is doing the right thing, no matter the consequences - all of this builds her into a strong, brilliant antagonist.
Overall, Crown of Feathers is a glorious young adult debut. Its world building is excellent, its plot is amazing and the characters are strong and easy to love. I feel like this book and its characters encompasses what it is like to be a young person growing up. The desire to belong to something, to have other's approval, to achieve and to understand and know who you are as a person are all things that young people experience. This all felt real in this story and that's not always easy to do. Crown of Feathers is a really good book. I thoroughly recommend it.
Have you read Crown of Feathers? Tell me what you thought of this story in the comments below. As always thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next post.
This book gave me major Mulan vibes; Veronyka disguises herself as a boy to join the army of phoenix riders. I don't know whether this was intended but I really liked it. I also really liked how inclusive this story is, with racial diversity represented among the characters and Sev's growing discovery about his sexuality.
Veronyka is the character I liked the most. She's an appealing hero; quick, bright and tough. Her emotions are understandably complex and the tension between Veronyka and her sister stays taut throughout the novel. I loved her determination, her courage and her fast thinking. Her desire to join the phoenix riders, to have this sense of belonging, to have a community/family of her own makes her so easy to relate to.
Sev is a character that I grew to love. He starts out as an animage in hiding, working as a soldier for the empire, which is intent on destroying the remnants of his people, the phoenix riders and animages. Sev's story is interesting - through him we see the empire's side of the story and how it's crumbling from within. He also has such an emotional journey; from discovering his own sexuality to to grieving his family and then to rising up and supporting the riders. From where we left Sev, I definitely think he's the one to watch in the sequel.
Tristan is an apprentice phoenix rider with a fear of fire. He's a great character and easy to relate. He spends most of the novel trying to live up to his father's reputation and expectations, which doesn't always work out. Similarly to Sev and Veronyka, Tristan's journey in Crown of Feathers is linked to his own insecurities - this constant questioning of am I good enough? How can I be a phoenix rider if I fear fire? His development is strong and the overcoming of his fear feels real. Ultimately, I think this makes him a stronger character.
Val is a fabulous antagonist; she's convinced herself that her brutality is in the service of the greater good and her reveal at the end of the book is a fantastic turn. She definitely gives off some Danaerys Targaryen vibes; literally rising from the ashes, desiring a throne she knows is her birthright and her belief that she is doing the right thing, no matter the consequences - all of this builds her into a strong, brilliant antagonist.
"What did those great heroes do when the sun fell from the sky? They leapt onto those wild flames and learned how to fly."
Overall, Crown of Feathers is a glorious young adult debut. Its world building is excellent, its plot is amazing and the characters are strong and easy to love. I feel like this book and its characters encompasses what it is like to be a young person growing up. The desire to belong to something, to have other's approval, to achieve and to understand and know who you are as a person are all things that young people experience. This all felt real in this story and that's not always easy to do. Crown of Feathers is a really good book. I thoroughly recommend it.
Have you read Crown of Feathers? Tell me what you thought of this story in the comments below. As always thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next post.
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