Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White

This book had me hooked from the first page. This gender bender take on Vlad the Impaler is all I never knew I needed. The writing is exquisite and you can tell that Kiersten White did her research. I cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy to come out.

Lada, our female Vlad the Impaler, refuses to except her role as a woman in this society. Even from a young age Lada is fierce, feisty and at times a little bit crazy. She wants to show her father that she can be just as ruthless and dangerous as men. Lada is such a complex character, who seems to be stuck in this constant state of denying her femininity and defending it. She knows what she wants and doesn't mind being cruel to get it. Did someone say badass? Unfortunately this is also Lada's downfall as she doesn't just use her brutality as a weapon. She often uses it as a tool to protect the people she loves, but more often than not ends up hurting the same people she is trying to protect. Ultimately Lada abandons those she loves and the life she could have had, to take what she wants.

Radu, Lada's younger brother, is the complete opposite of Lada. He is gentle and kind and rather than using brutality, he uses politics to get what he wants and to help those he cares about. Radu is such a thoughtful character and it was really interesting to read about is internal struggles about religion and his sexuality, and how he starts to make peace with them. He was a badass in his own right and I can't wait to see him develop some more without Lada around.

Mehmed, the son of the Sultan, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with. On one hand I find that he really loves Lada and Radu and considers them family. On the other hand I find that he can be bit manipulative and a sexist. I hope to see him grow up in the following books.

There was a fair bit of focus on religion in this book, Islam and Christianity, and I found that Kiersten did a really good job at integrating the religious aspects without shoving it down your throat. It was also really nice to see a YA book, surrounded by a lot of hype, show off Islam in a nonviolent way, unlike the media outlets.

And I Darken was an absolutely incredible book, unlike any YA books I have read before. It was gruesome and intense and can I have the sequel now?

5 out of 5 stars.

xx Holly.