Shut your windows. Draw your curtains. Lit a candle and let the pages suck you in. This is a gritty chilling, and dark story. So, let’s cross the bridge. Or maybe stay sitting where we are?
The story unravels in a fascinating world. Poverty, danger, and desperation breathe on the reader right from the first page. Grim and grey atmosphere of an apocalypse will fill you as you progress through the story. A smell of salt and blood almost emanates from the pages. Despite all of the desperation the end of the world brings, there is a sense of beauty and coziness. Occasionally even humor. And it all creates an engaging balance.
This fictional world has an incredibly rich past. A past that led it to the point of utter destruction. This kind of setting is truly unique. The whole plot is revolving around the Blight devouring all life in the world. When the reader enters the book, Terren is one of the last unaffected cities. And the literal and undoable end, the Blight, is approaching from behind the horizon. The ultimate end spreads and spreads. And it gives the book its value.
The plot has many pleasant twists and the characters can surprise with unexpected actions that reveal more about their hearts. The cast consists of young and old, brave and cowardly, strong and resigned… And each character contributes to the plot in a unique way.
Elika, the main protagonist, is an ideal character for a fantasy novel. She can make the readers walk the dangerous streets of a fictional city with her. A city on a brink of a total disaster. The readers can struggle with her, dream with her… She is a strong survivor with an inspiring sense for loyalty and care for others. Elika goes through a number of life challenges and she reacts in a very believable and relatable way. She sometimes makes mistakes and assumes wrong conclusions. She always tries to do her best and think her actions through before she acts, even when she fails. She often makes smart decisions and deductions as well. And her life story is simply fascinating.
The bridge itself is an important construction. A physical and philosophical one. A representation of what magic is. And a kind of a book character as well. It is a real bridge between the known world and the dark unknown magic lands. It is a menacing entity and gives the book an acute apocalyptic atmosphere. Even if the bridge is not often visited, it is always present in the characters’ thoughts. For some, it is a terrifying place and they would fight tooth and nail to avoid stepping on it. Especially during the first book chapters. But as the plot progresses the bridge becomes a luring path to… What exactly? No one knows. But the unsettling creeping and growing thought that it is better to try the bridge instead of staying in this world keeps growing with every page.
While the book is certainly worth reading and rereading, it suffers from a typical book malady. There are parts that do not flow. Instead, the plot and wordbuilding collide and screech under the pressure of plain telling. Especially the beginning is filled with paragraphs about the past and the long explanations cause boredom. But I need to stress this is just a small issue and I really recommend this book. And I cannot wait for the second one!
Glenn's Nest 