Rating: 5/5
Make a pot of some herbal tea before opening this book. Or boil wine with cloves and cinnamon. These pages will make you crave something warm and fragrant. Open the book, adventure in cold snow is calling! Seasoned soldiers with hidden aching wounds in their hearts will guide you.
Adrian, a soldier caught in the middle of a war between humans and Vila, is a repenting “sinner” determined to defend his people at all costs.
Enrico, a soft-hearted, sharp-tongued bounty hunter, is an exile willing to do anything to escape isolation, financial hardship, and life on a barren island cursed with cold and snow.
Their missions initially put them at odds with one another, but as they unsnarl a tangle of lies, subterfuge, and treachery, they grow to realize their interests align more than they thought–and that they’re falling for each other–something Adrian can’t afford after his last punishment. Saving their people is one thing, but Adrian and Enrico’s true struggle lies within–if they can accept themselves as human beings worth of love, respect, and the life they fight for.
Blurb of Hemlock and Exile by Christie Kenwyn
This novel was a joy to read and I am sure I will read it again in the future. I adored the beautiful language. The artistic choice of vocabulary enhances every paragraph. The world itself and its inhabitants are well-designed as well.
The characters move through populated cities, cold abandoned ruins, fortresses, and forests… Each place has its unique look and smell. The descriptions are abundant but never dragging and boring. They create a sense of awe and I do hope the next books will feature the already-known places and bring many more. The world lore and the characters’ past unfold in the rhythm of the story and Adrian’s and Enrico’s backgrounds enrich the current events.
Numerous cultures present themselves in the pages. Their religious or magic systems that bind their people are both well-working and flawed. As any political system, they sustain their societies and keep them going according to the specific rules. But individuals often suffer. Adrian and Enrico experience very different lifestyles. Adrian is a loyal member of a militaristic nation while Enrico enjoyed a sunny beach life while working in a family restaurant. And both of their lives became miserable when they fell in love in an unaccepted way. The hemlock and the exile are no accidents in the title. They are deeply rooted in the two cultures. The Vila have their fascinating magic and calm lives, far away from the humans they once were. But some of them see the isolation as a burden.
Dragging plot and boredom are not possible here. Just like the swift and beautiful descriptions, the plot itself is like a swirling colorful stream. Plain telling is scarce. The story flows through different actions, perspectives, and dialogues. I was pleasantly surprised by numerous engaging twists and unexpected actions. The beginning itself puts the reader into a seemingly boring march through a frozen forest. But the soft and undisturbed snow cover blows up in an event that throws Adrian right on the path of an (unwanted) adventure. The characters behave naturally as the plot twists make them ponder, react, rely on patience, or fight. Adrian and Enrico make wrong decisions, do mistakes, and regret them. But they also come up with clever plans and succeed in their goals. I also appreciated that Adrian and Enrico are both skilled and seasoned men instead of green newbies who push the plot forward by some cringy miracle. Adrian and Enrico use various skills to fulfill their duties or solve their problems. I especially liked Adrian’s army experience. He had his proteges to train, he grieves for the younger soldiers who died before him and shows his practical combat and survival skills. Enrico’s ability to sneak out or talk through various situations served as a good mirror to Adrian and they were able to overcome many problems by combining their different skills.
Religious beliefs play a huge part in the story and I appreciated how Adrian’s religious plight affected his actions. His torn feelings and desperate search for a solution that would allow him to stay true to his gods and be happy at the same time bled desperation from the pages.
The author made sure to let her characters display all kinds of emotions. And, what I appreciated the most, the author was not afraid to cause the characters lasting damage and use it for the story. The novel is also full of realistic details about amputees and soldiers covered with scars. More pleasant realistic details like pine needle tea, different ways of food preservation, soldier life, restaurant life, or music complete this well-crafted masterpiece.
I loved the bittersweet ending. The author remains aware of the complexity of the world and aware of the fact some things, like the hatred of homosexuality, simply cannot be changed with a finger snap. Beliefs and principles rooted deep in society for generations cannot be redirected or simply canceled in a week. Or in a decade. Even if the principles are wrong and they are hurting innocent people. But change is always possible with patience, leading by example, and a strong will. Adrian and Enrico do not end up in a fairytale romantic relationship in the final pages. They would indeed deserve such happiness. But their decisive actions and their bravery bring them a solid chance to influence the homophobia in their world. They are a seasoned sergeant and a capable bounty hunter. And they use their best skills to influence the human and Vila war to save the humans. They risk their own lives, their fragile bodies meet the Vila poisons and blades. And they manage to win human respect as powerful and self-sacrificing warriors, not homosexual sinners who deserve the Nothing. Will society finally admit the two men who fought like beasts and bled for them deserve to love each other? The final pages of this novel are full of danger and wounds. And death. But Enrico’s and Adrian’s fate still leaves an opening for the hope that the religious system will change and homosexuality won’t be a sin in the future.
While I think this book is well-written, I believe minor unresolved problems and certain events and characters did not get enough attention and would deserve a sentence or two. What about Benedikt? He disappeared early and I would like to know more. Adrian’s rise to the new rank would deserve an official ceremony. Enrico’s training in his new role as well. All these and other tiny unfinished issues do not damage the book. But they leave an opening for another one. The Vila could be developed a bit more. They are very interesting and there was a lot of space to introduce them in greater detail. Again, maybe next time?
My only true big problem with this book is its description. The blurb, in the form it was when I picked this book up, seems to be the weakest point of this masterpiece and truly makes it a true hidden gem. It is too vague and focuses on the relationship between the two characters. I chose to read this book just because I was in the process of testing various ARC book sites that offer soon-to-be-published books available for a review. And I usually don’t read romance and the current offer of the ARCs were all romance. This one seemed the least vile for me and I decided to give it a try. (And mentally prepared to read a romance without lowering the rating based on my romance dislike.) But this book hides so much more! Even the romance is so well-handled that I, a person who develops a rash when seeing a romantic movie, ended up rooting for Adrian and Enrico, enjoying their happy time together and grieving their fate. Reworking the blurb and making it more lively and specific could bring more readers to this book in my opinion. Because this book deserves it. I was really sorry this book is ending when I was nearing the final pages. This book deserves loving readers.
Glenn's Nest 