The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.
Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.
The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world--one thought long depleted.
This year, thanks to a salacious tell-all book, the seven champions are thrust into worldwide spotlight, granting each of them new information, new means to win, and most importantly: a choice - accept their fate or rewrite their story.
But this is a story that must be penned in blood.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
*
I was provided with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw the description of this book, I knew I had to read it. I absolutely adored The Hunger Games and so when I heard this book was like a high-fantasy version, I was already sold.
When I started reading, I wasn’t too sure if it would be for me. There were a lot of different characters to follow and I struggled a little bit in keeping at track at first. However, when I got into it, I found it such a fantastic YA fantasy story! It had purpose, a great cast of characters, and real direction. I already can’t wait to read the sequel!
Rating: ✫✫✫✫
I was very concerned that this story was going to be a repeat version of The Hunger Games - and an inevitably disappointing one. Although it was a bit touch and go at the very beginning, I actually think All Of Us Villains stands up with its own merit. It does have obvious similarities, but it’s a very high fantasy, high magic type story that was really powerful and dynamic.
I think what made it so enjoyable to me was the structure of the story. We get the context of the world, then we jump straight into the tournament, and there’s a very natural progression. I thought the way the story developed felt very natural, which is something that I do look for in new stories. It felt like a really well thought out idea that set up the sequel perfectly.
The Characters
As I’ve already mentioned, there are so many characters in this story that it’s a little bit overwhelming trying to follow them all. However, as I got into the story, I really enjoyed exploring all their different personalities - their motivations and their backstories. They made for a really eclectic bunch, which I quite liked!
There was quite a lot to unpack which did make it difficult, as every character seemed to have multiple links to other people. However, it did make for an engaging story, and I loved seeing the different shades of morality in every player.
The Verdict
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It’s a fantastic YA fantasy story that really ticked a lot of boxes. I loved the way the world was built around high magic, and the characters really moved the story along.
If we’re being entirely honest, there are some similarities to other such books. However, it takes inspiration from other places and puts an original spin on those ideas. I will definitely be recommending this one, and can’t wait to pick up the sequel!
No comments:
Post a Comment