Victoria Aveyard
Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker #1) by Victoria Aveyard
Released: May 4, 2021
Pages: 576
Publisher: Orion Publishing
Overall: 4.5/5
Plot: 4.5
Characters: 5/5
Setting & World-building: 3/5
Emotional Investment: 4/5
"How fare the winds?"
"Fine, for they carry me home."
Victoria Aveyard, you might be my new savior. I don't think I have enough words to describe how amazing of an experience reading this book was.
Quick Summary: Even in Corayne an-Amarat's small village across the ocean she can feel the world shifting. But she has no idea just how much that would affect her. You see Corayne is the last of an ancient lineage- the only one with the ability to fix her world and the realms that are being broken apart. She now has to go on a voyage leaving everything she knows behind to save the world. Alongside her, she has a group of confusingly bound companions: a squire, an assassin, an immortal, a witch, a forger, and lastly a bounty hunter.
So first of all I wasn't sure if I would read this series because I didn't LOVE the Red Queen series. It had too much like action and fighting for my taste so I was understandably apprehensive. I really shouldn't have been though, because this book outdid itself. From the very first page, the atmosphere that Aveyard created was so beautiful. Every place described in the book had such beautiful imagery and thought behind it. Also, the map of the world was so incredible. The detail was insane because it was comprehensive and beautiful and helped me numerous times to keep track of where our protagonists are moving.
The big stars of this book definitely were the characters. Very few authors have the skill and/or ability to write a group of characters with such distinct personalities. Often they end up being different shades of one another, but not in this book. Corayne was optimistic and had a curiosity for the world that couldn't be hidden and often was mistaken for childhood naivety. Andry was the squire who was meant to be a knight and is horrified by the barbaric nature of the world, like gambling and brothels. Also, he is a soft boy that makes tea for everybody. Sorasa was the assassin with no moral compass to survive this cruel world but had a quick tongue and an inept ability of staying alive. Domacridhan was our loyal but sheltered immortal who is ready to lay his life for the good of the realm. Valtik was our mysterious old witch who only speaks in rhymes but tags along anyway. Charlon was the forger with a criminal record longer than my tbr. And finally Sigil, our mighty but violent bounty hunter with no loyalties except to the highest bidder and a strange friendship with Sorasa and Charlon. Despite all of their strange personalities, they complement each other, and together this group of strange heroes made me laugh so many times. They all range in age and experience and beliefs but they are the best found family trope I have read in a long time.
Sorasa has to hands down be my favorite character. She has so many secrets and has been brought up in a cruel environment where she became an assassin to survive. I weirdly relate to her despite my not being an assassin. She has this rivalry with Dom, which I think is the funniest thing ever. We have our loyalty less violent killing mortal and our loyalty bound hates violence but reluctantly kills immortal. They hate each other but are alike in their own goal to protect Corayne and save the realm. I feel like their tension is going to result in a beautiful romance. I ship super hard. The plot twist around how Dom got Sorasa to agree had me screaming. I hope this girl changes her mind. Like I need her to not go through with it because I need it to not happen. I also need her to realize she loves her weird family. Dom is also an idiot and loyal fool to agree but I hope everything changed. But... I don't trust Victoria so if one of them dies I'm gonna lose my shit.
Okay, the last thing I have to comment on is Taristan- our villain. He is trying to tear apart our realm and I should hate him but right now I think he is still a damaged man. Also (kind of a spoiler but not really but kind of), Erida the queen getting married to him because she wants power and to prove a nineteen-year-old queen can run the nation was brilliant. I'm ignoring their age gap because it makes me uncomfortable but their tension OMG. I am suddenly a fan of this villain romance. Like I know they are evil and morally grey but the way they talk to each other is so raw. It's so obvious while everybody else doesn't see Erida as a queen, he sees her as a true equal. She literally said "Take your sword and bleed for me, and I will bleed for you." on their wedding night. And later he responds "Let me bleed for you" as he lets her hold a sword to his heart. THAT WAS SO RAW. So now I don't know if I support the villains or the heroes. I kind of support both oh well.
Anywho this entire ramble was my long way of saying everyone needs to read this book like right now. Maybe she will write the second one faster if everyone does cause I need it sooo bad.
Quotes
"Today, we fight for tomorrow."
"An alliance bought is still an alliance made."
"Why bother reaching out a hand for what could disappear before you grasp it?"
"Well, if you don't belong to a place, perhaps we belong to each other? We who belong nowhere?"
"Boys do stupid things to feel like men, no matter how old they are."
"Only men can speak all day long and still think themselves silent."
"Fear should never be ignored, only controlled."
"There are no greater teachers than fear and pain."