Well damn, I going to be thinking about it for awhile. Blood Over Bright Haven is the perfect story for the person who wants to rage at the system of oppression against women and also the way in which religion and history are often used to tell a story that continues to make a person or people group be regarded as less than. Just add a technical magic system called “siphoning” and a group of mages who use their skills to learn where to siphon magic in order to power their city. Sciona is fueled by her desire to be the first woman accepted into this society of mages. She cares about nothing and no one else other than her work and her ability to be the best and make a name for herself when the majority believe as a woman, her delicate disposition will be her downfall. Nothing could be further from the truth because truth and magic are her focus, and nothing will stop her from seeking it. But what if the truth reveals something that completely changes the lens and paradigm of how you view the world? What then? Perfect for fall, perfect for the reader who wants to RAGE at the impacts of colonialism, racism, sexism.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang, (List Price: $29.99, Del Rey, 9780593873359, November 2024)
Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina