Ruinsong by Julia Ember
Summary
Ever since she was young, Cadence has served a tyrannical queen who uses Cadence’s magic to torture the nobility. Her voice is her strongest weapon, yet she cannot use it to defend herself or innocent citizens. When fate reunites Cadence with her childhood best friend, a nobleman’s daughter, she is faced with two paths – become the mage the queen wants her to become or free the country from its suffering.
Review
Ruinsong is a fascinating fantasy read. The setting really captured my attention from the start. In many instances magic is channeled through the voice, often by way of spells as vocal commands, but this is the second story I can think of where magic comes from song. In this universe, mages avoid using magic on themselves because of its dangerous potential. Both of these elements lend themselves to some interesting concepts. As much as this book explored those concepts, I would love to read more into this world and further explore the potential of magic.
The two main characters are also beautifully complex. They have dreams, desires, and motivations that are both personal and involve each other. As the story progresses, both grow greatly as characters. Even at points where they seem to act or react in ways that seem regressive to their development, their development ultimately influences them to consider things differently. I do wish some of the other characters were as developed. The side characters and even antagonists felt like they could’ve used more fleshing out. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Ruinsong and would love to see more books in this universe!
Yours in love and literature,
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Content warning(s): violence, torture, murder, animal death, emotional distress, manipulation, body shaming, illness
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