Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel (Unabridged)
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4.4 • 145 Ratings
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen.
“Powerful, thought-provoking. . . . Fans of R.F. Kuang’s Babel will find much to admire here, from the intricate magic system to the unflinching exploration of societal issues.”—Booklist
AN ELLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry.
When Sciona finally passes the qualifying exam and becomes a highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome—and, instead of a qualified lab assistant, they give her a janitor.
What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was not always a janitor. Ten years ago, he was a nomadic hunter who lost his family on their perilous journey from the wild plains to the city. But now he sees the opportunity to understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the privileged in power.
At first, mage and outsider have a fractious relationship. But working together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first.
Customer Reviews
Very engaging
Poignant story of struggle, between realizing an individual’s greatest potential and the moral choices one faces when climbing the ladder of success.
Racism, sexism, bigotry with a touch magic
Oh and religious zealots using gods name to oppress and kill. Yikes.
Was Not For Me
Book: 2/5⭐️
Narration: 5/5
Blood Over Bright Haven begins on a very strong note. From chapter one, the promise is there: a unique magic system, serious stakes, and a setting that asks big questions about power, privilege, and truth.
Narration done beautifully. Sometimes, it was hard for me to understand her accent especially in the first chapter, but overall very enjoyable.
***Spoiler***
I was drawn in by Sciona’s ambition—to become the first woman Highmage—and by how the world around her forces her to confront uncomfortable ethical issues.
The book doesn’t shy away from sexism (“little” too much for my taste), colonialism, discrimination (also “little” overwhelming), and the tension between intention and consequence.
The moral issues, prejudices, institutional wrongs—while important—are sometimes aired in ways that leave little room for ambiguity. Some found this less subtle than I would’ve preferred.
Sciona is a compellingly flawed protagonist, but I felt her growth, her changes in perspective, or her relationships (particularly the ones crossing lines of privilege, oppression, etc.) were uneven. At times it seemed that the pace of her moral awakening or the reactions of those around her were dictated more by plot needs than organic character work.
I usually breeze through a book this length in less than a day, but this one took me three. I just couldn’t stay fully drawn in the way I’d hoped. Even though Blood Over Bright Haven has a lot of what I want in dark-fantasy: ambition, ethical complexity, emotional gut punches, and imaginative magic, I came away with mixed feelings because of its overwhelming negative message. It was just not for me.