The synopsis of this book was enough for me to claim it as one of my most anticipated releases this year. That, and the gorgeous cover, of course. But clearly, these were not enough to prepare me for the magnificence of this book. The Unbroken is a military fantasy that is tense, brutal, and unabashedly frank about the complexities of love, loyalty, and imperialism/colonisation.
The Unbroken revolves around our two main characters, Touraine and Luca, coming to El-Wast in the country of Qazal, a colony under the Balladairan empire. Despite being polar opposites (one being an indentured conscript and the other a princess and rightful heir to the throne), their destinies entwine. We see Touraine and Luca try to deal with the impending rebellion with different ideologies and loyalties, and we see them go through betrayals, bad decisions, battles, pining, and attempted assassinations.
First of all, the writing style in this book is exquisite. It’s gritty, honest, and suspenseful in its own way. The pacing was slow, yes, but it was deliberate and necessary for this kind of story. And even though you think, there’s not much action, you’re actually absorbing a lot of details as you go on. Details about their world, the politics, the characters, the magic. It was all so well-executed for me.
The characters here in The Unbroken definitely surprised me, Luca most of all. I thought I already knew what kind of character she would be, but as I was reading, I found out she was so much more. That said, she was not perfect of course. And Touraine. I loved Touraine’s character. I loved her because throughout the book, I was able to see her loyalty get tested, I was able to see her character shift, I was able to see her learn and grow and change. Touraine’s character arc is no small feat, and if anything, it’s a whole damn journey. And as a reader, I felt so honoured that I got to witness that.
The romance and the dynamic between the two characters is quite interesting for me. Though the chemistry is there, there’s still some significant differences between Touraine and Luca’s personality, and we see this affect their relationship throughout the book. That said, there was pining and angst between them you can’t ignore.
The plot, on the other hand, keeps you on your toes. This book dives deep into politics and military tactics, and at first I thought I would have a hard time following it all, but instead, I was enamoured. I was enamoured because the way this book discussed the intricacies of political ideologies and military strategies were so detailed and real. Instead of getting confused, I gained an intimate knowledge of the politics present in the story which just made the plot and the overall situation so tense for me.
The Unbroken also showed the complexities of colonisation so openly in this book which I really appreciated. I think it’s rare that I get to see a fantasy novel like this, where colonisation is such an integral part of the plot and a significant theme in the story. We see just how much it can divide a country and its people, and affect generations and generations of lives. We also see how the loyalty of people can shift once they see reason, once they embrace their identity, once they believe in something and want to fight for something. It’s one of the reasons why I loved reading the story through Touraine’s perspective, because she was there experiencing all of these herself.
The worldbuilding and the magic system were fascinating as well. The magic is not that widespread, unfortunately, since in their world, they think believing in magic or having magic is uncivilised. It was also interesting to see that magic in the different countries was tied to their faith or religion, and it was a turning point in the story, especially for Touraine. I would have loved to know more about the magic itself though, and the other countries and its people. I’m hoping we get to see more of that in the second book.
Overall, The Unbroken was an epic journey from start to finish. It’s brutal, it’s suspenseful, but most of all, it punches you right in the feels.
The Unbroken is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 23rd 2021.
Will you be picking up The Unbroken? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to her homeland to stop a rebellion, and the ties of blood may be stronger than she thought.
Luca needs a turncoat. Someone desperate enough to tiptoe the bayonet’s edge between treason and orders. Someone who can sway the rebels toward peace, while Luca focuses on what really matters: getting her uncle off her throne.
Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren’t for sale.
