The Unbroken by C. L Clark

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Is it just me or has March felt endless?  And it's been awhile since I've read an epic fantasy. I really had to take my time with this one. It's based on the French rule of North Africa which is not something I have much knowledge in. So now I'm interested in doing my own research. And if you're interested as well this article is a great place to start. I received a finished copy from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review for Caffeine Book Tours. 

Touraine is stolen as a child to be a soldier. She currently back in her homeland where she is kidnapped, tortured by rebels, stripped of lieutenant ranks, and then the princess show mercy on her by making her one of her servants. 

Luca has much to prove before she can take her rightful place on the throne and rule the Balladairan Empire. Dealing with her disability is hard enough but with a rebellion growing stronger she wants to make peace in Qazal. And she wants Touraine to be her go between as someone on her side who the people will trust. 

This story starts off very fast paced immediately throwing you into the action. We get a brief introduction to Touraine and her life as a solider before everything is ripped away from her and she's close the execution block before Luca saves her to use her as a pawn.

Part 2 of the story is dense and slower as Luca and Touraine really have to question everything they've been taught. Touraine is faltering with her loyalty to the Empire as she realizes her entire existence has been to serve someone else. I wasn't quite sure at times whether we were supposed to route for a relationship between Luca and Touraine. They grow closer the longer they are together and rumors of them being lovers begin to circulate around the kingdom. But it's still a master vs servant relationship with Luca holding the power. She's a literal colonizer! So it was hard to read about them falling for each other. And with both women being indecisive there were parts where it felt like the story was stalling.  

This book tries to get the reader to understand just how deeply colonialism impacts a society and its ripple effects. The Qazali people just want their basic human rights. They want the right to live, earn at least minimum wage, the right to bear arms, and own businesses on their own land.

Luca convinced herself she was making things better for the Qazali people by giving them a fraction of the rights back. She's only as sympathetic and apologetic about the Balladairan's treatment of the Qazali to a fault. When her position is threatened it's all about what's best for her and the rest should take what she offers. She also is playing nice with the rebels to gain access to their magic for her people.  

Touraine may be a former soldier who is fighting that mentality to break free from her oppressors but she's also no saint. Just as Luca's selfishness causes hundreds of innocent people to end up dead so does Touraine's. She's grappling with the childhood she was robbed of and the customs and language that was stolen from her. Touraine's complicated relationship with the rebels has her often undermining both sides.

The world is so richly described and sucks you in right away to the point where you can almost feel the sand and sun on your neck. One of the things I look for in a fantasy is the atmosphere and she delivers. I pictured Luca's home as this grand kasbah with elaborate rooms. I would've liked to see the religion and magic system a little more developed but I'm sure that will happen next book. Over all this is a solid start to a new series. And the audiobook is narrated by the same narrator who did Mirage so I kind of want to do a reread with the audiobook because her narration is A1 for these types of stories.