The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
Once there was a girl who was drawn to wicked things
| The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli | |
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| Category: Fantasy | |
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Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
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| Summary: Dangerous dragon hunting and beautiful stories are at the centre of Kristen Ciccarelli's stunning debut. With a complex plot and refreshing originality, The Last Namsara is a spellbinding book which definitely deserves to be read! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 432 | Date: October 2017 |
| Publisher: Gollancz | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1473222854 | |
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The Last Namsara revolves around Asha, a fierce young woman who has whispered stories to dragons all her life. But where once she told them in friendship, now she uses stories to hunt all those that still plague her father's fracturing kingdom.
For stories are dangerous and Asha knows better than anyone the terrible consequences of speaking them aloud. Trapped in a society of people she is sworn to protect but who fear her very existence, Asha is left unloved with only her past regrets to keep her company. Haunted by the treacherous deed she committed years ago, Asha slays dragons to atone for her part in almost burning her city to the ground. But there is one dragon she seeks more than any other; Kozu, the First Dragon, who left her burned and scarred. He is the dragon she longs to see again, for his death will bring Asha the true and absolute redemption she greatly desires. However, the ancient creature is more powerful than anything her world has ever known. It will take every ounce of skill and bravery Asha possesses and more, to confront the beast and discover the full truth of her past, as well as the path of her future.
Ciccarelli's debut is quite something. It's full of deception and tension, packed with action and also has a phenomenal plot which keeps the story flowing at great pace. And it's full of dragons. What more could you want?
I really enjoyed Ciccarelli's writing; there are beautiful descriptions that transport you into her world and the storytelling is exceptional. There were many stories, hidden between chapters, which I loved. They detailed ancient myths and legends of their world, and were intriguing, with a magic that only added to the central plot and immersed the reader in their world further. In the main plot, there were lots of different elements that made for a very well rounded read and there's something for every reader to enjoy. Adventure, battles, politics, love, friendship. You name it, The Last Namsara has it. I particularly liked reading about her relationship with both her brother and her cousin, but it would have also been great to find out more about their own backstories and glimpse their respective perspectives. But I have every hope that their characters will be expanded on further in subsequent books in the series.
Asha, the narrator, is definitely one of those characters who grows on you. I struggled to connect with her at first, but as the story unfolded she was forced to open up and I, as I imagine other readers will too, became heavily and desperately invested in her story. She's tough but isn't without vulnerability, and she's a legend but she's also very human. Most of all though she's a really great empowering heroine and I look forward to reading the sequel to see Asha open up even more.
A fantastic read, The Last Namsara is a great debut novel that definitely makes Kristen Ciccarelli an author to watch out for in the future!
Many thanks to the publishers for providing the BookBag a copy to review!
In terms of further reading, Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye by Alison Goodman is a highly entertaining and phenomenally written fantasy novel, drawing on Chinese myths and legends with a fantastic plot! Definitely one to read after The Last Namsara, we at the Bookbag loved it!
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli at Amazon.com.
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