The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she's sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar. But protecting her father's kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked. Even worse, to unite the fractured kingdom she must marry Jarek, the cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom. Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard. And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy
Review
“Asha lured the dragon with a story.”
Such a great first line! Right there you get the tone for the whole novel.
Ciccarelli builds a creative new world with a complex political history, fascinating mythology, and DRAGONS!!! I love everything to do with dragons and the dragons in this book were fabulous. They are more than just vicious animals; they can actually communicate and bond with humans.
I love the role that stories played. You can probably draw all sorts of metaphors for how knowledge is power. I also love how it all ties in with the mythology of the land and the Old One.
Asha is a very compelling character. She has to face various truths and lies and breaks down her own walls to become who she was meant to be. I also like her relationship with the slave, Torwin, and how it builds gradually. I did feel like the secondary characters, like Asha's brother and cousin, aren’t fully fleshed out. The villains, who are really evil and sadistic, don’t have much depth to them either.
The plot at times was a little slow, but I was so absorbed in the story that it just swept me through anyway. Some of the reveals were a little obvious in coming, but I don’t think they were meant to be totally hidden anyway. Other twists I didn’t see but were cleverly hinted at and then revealed! I do hate the "girl has to escape from marriage" cliché as her motivation to action though.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and will definitely read the next one!
Rating
4 stars.
Details
Genre: YA, Fantasy.
Language: None or mild.
Sex: There are no sex scenes, but there are instances of sexual aggression.
Violence: Lots of violence, though not super graphic.
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