Poison Study

“But joy was like a butterfly alighting on a hand; a brief rest before flying away.”

I only found this book by accident while browsing for others and was intrigued by the premise. Yelena has been a prisoner in the dungeons of Ixia for almost an year waiting to be executed as a murderer. When the day arrives, she is summoned by the security chief of the kingdom Valek himself and offered a choice – take the noose or take the position as the Commander's personal food taster. For her, it's a simple choice because she wants to live. But she doesn't realize how tough her job is going to be; there are always going to be people who want to kill the Commander, but seems like there are people who want to kill her too. Additionally, Valek's training regimen also involves poisoning her food and asking her to identify it, if any. Escaping General Brazell's assassins, honing her skills, making friends and uncovering the biggest threat to the kingdom in a long time are just some of her accomplishments through the remainder of the book.

“Maybe if I stayed here long enough, my heart would turn to stone. Then betrayals, tests of loyalties and poisons would have no effect on me.”

I loved Yelena's character. Initially, we can see that she is troubled by her past and has nightmares. We only get to know the truth slowly, as she is coming to terms with the abuse and torture she was subjected to. We realize why she had to commit the murder but she tries to justify what she has done because despite the truth, she still feels guilty. Slowly, with attacks coming from all sides, she decides to take matters into her own hands and takes up self-defense lessons. Death is staring at her everyday, but she still tries to help whoever she can and always regrets leaving others behind in the past. The way her magical powers form an intrinsic part of her is well described in the book and we can feel the way she uses it when she is desperately in need. Her character growth is exceptional and the writing is so impeccable that we feel ourselves on the same journey of growth as her.

“But you've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.”

Valek initially seems like a loyal advisor to the Commander but a psychopath because he torments Yelena. However, we get to know him better through her eyes and he grows on us just as she understands his motivations and his personality. He is extremely brave, loyal and a master strategist and what I loved most about him was that he never left her behind. He was always there for her when she needed him and encouraged her to be self sufficient in case he couldn't be. As she falls for him, I did too and it just felt right. The romance angle was very subtle in the book but still gave me all the feels. Yelena also befriends Ari and Janco, Captains in the military and they grow so protective of her that they don't hesitate to put themselves in danger to protect her. I really hope to see more of them in the next book.

“Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever.”

On the whole, this book really surprised me. It wasn't the usual fantasy story. There was a lot of discussion about politics in a military establishment, the injustice in the proclamation of blind justice that doesn't take intention into consideration, the fact that abundance of opportunities don't necessarily compensate for curtailed freedoms and the guilt that ravages the heart of a rape and abuse survivor. We see all this and more through Yelena's eyes and find the flaws and faults that can exist even in a kingdom run by an efficient Commander. The characters are great, the plot is mysterious and the writing very imaginative. I really look forward to reading all the books in this series as soon as I can.

“Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It's called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don't do it halfway. Don't linger in whiner's limbo.”

Once ruled by a King, Ixia has been overtaken by the Commander. All magic has been outlawed and any found to possess it will be put to death. A new Code of Behavior has been put in place, and while it may seem like a harsh world to outsiders, everyone has their place in the newly built society. And the new Code has saved Yelena’s life, allowing her a slim chance of freedom. Imprisoned for murder, Yelena is sentenced to death. But as she is led to the gallows she is given a choice. As the next slated for execution she can either proceed to her appointed death or become the new poison taster. Grasping at the chance to live, Yelena agrees to become the new taster. But there are those who will never forget the murder she committed. As Yelena must stay on guard against poisoned food, she must also protect herself from those who would exact their revenge.

Poison Study is a unique story, where much of the politics and back door deals are heard in snippets from Yelena’s viewpoint as she taste tests the Commander’s meals. Some of the political drama does involve her directly, and as such she runs into quite a few mishaps. But she is determined to stay alive and is quick to think on her feet. It also helps there is a mystery surrounding her and the circumstances that forced her to commit murder. With each new encounter, she finds ways to strengthen her resolve and build her skill set. Yelena refuses to be easily overtaken.

Readers will also spend time with Valek, one of the Commander’s advisors. Maria V. Snyder does a fantastic job building up a harsh character who follows a strict moral code. His defenses are high, and very few are able to see beneath the rough exterior. Yelena and Valek are well matched and their clashing provides entertaining animosity. While Yelena tries to push the rules, seeing where there might be the tiniest of cracks, Valek is quick to snap back and try to keep her in line. If only to keep the poison tester alive long enough to not have to train another one.

The one downfall of this novel was the way Yelena built a romantic relationship. It seemed to snap in place without much of a lead into the reasons behind it. Yelena’s flustered feelings were quite easy to depict, but the other party needed a few more hints to drop. Body language, or some sort of dialogue scattered throughout the story to leave a bit more of a breadcrumb trail to what was going to happen. Whereas the friendships she formed took time to develop, over the course of missions and shared pursuits. I quite enjoyed Yelena participating in training with her friends and sharing sarcastic jabs with them.

This is a high fantasy story driven by loads of character development and it does not have an overdose of politics. Yelena is a strong female lead to follow and I was pleasantly surprised by the representation in it. I first read Poison Study 12 years ago and I easily enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time.