Book Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Publish Date: January 7, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Similar Author/Books: The writing style reminded me of Graceling by Kristen Cashore.
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Plot (from Goodreads): A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.
Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from Netgalley. This in no way influenced my review.
Review
Defy is the book that I have been waiting to read for a long time. I do not mean that particular story, but the quality of work that was in this novel was what I was much longing for. I was longing for a fantasy novel that really delivered with a great, unique plot. I do have to say when I started reading this book, I did put it down. Here is a slight spoiler, but this is in the first 10 percent of the book so I do not consider it a major spoiler. The king took all the females in the kingdom and raped them in order to produce a larger army. As a victim of child molestation, I really hated that this was in the book, but I decided to give the book another chance. As the book progresses, you see that this part of the plot serves to show how evil the current king is and therefore also shows how evil this part of the plot is. The story progression was absolutely perfect. At the beginning of the story, you do not know a lot of information about the characters and I believe that this is wonderful. It gives you something to look forward to and question. I loved the characters that are in this book. They are so well developed and they change throughout the story. This is a book that I could (and totally will) fangirl over!
Final Statements
Recommended Reading Age: This book is definitely for mature teens and older due to the mature content of rape (no details were provided about the rape).
Overall Rating: 5/5
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