Year of the Reaper

CW: plague, medical experimentation, near drowning, burning, assault and whipping.

I have been seeing early review for this book for a while now and even though they were pretty gushing ones, I never felt like I wanted to read it. For whatever reason, I wasn't a huge fan of the cover either. But recently, I happened to see vaguely a couple more lovely reviews and decided that maybe I should give it a try. I'm so so glad that I didn't miss out on it because of my cover vanity.

This is in the description, so it's not a spoiler but I never actually thought I would read a book, albeit a fantasy, featuring a plague just when it feels like the omicron variant of the coronavirus is gonna wreak havoc soon. But I dared myself and picked this book up and it was a wonderful decision. Yes, this book is dark with gory descriptions of the plague and it's aftermath, the devastation it leaves behind, the legacy it leaves behind for those alive. The author doesn't shy away from describing it all in intricate detail - the landscape and the corpses and the stench and the castles and hospitals full of dying and helpless people - it is not an easy read but it is also not gratuitous, it's just the truth. Amidst this backdrop, we also have an assassination attempt, the digging through the past and following of clues to uncover the culprit, and twists and turns which just left me on the edge of my seat, unable to put the book down at all.

While it feels like the whole book is dark and tense and mysterious - and it is - that's not what one feels upon completion of it. Because in its heart, this is a story about hope and resilience in times of adversity, and the power of family and friendship. There is genuine love and joy to be found in these pages and I'm actually surprised and in awe of the author's skill in writing such a hopeful book with a very opposing bleak backdrop.

I can probably count on my fingers that number of YA fantasies I've read with a young man as the main protagonist, so that was a nice change here. And Cas is a brilliant one to follow along. He suffers greatly in prison, walks out alive almost like a miracle, sees the past and present devastation caused by the plague with gruesome clarity - but all he wants is to go home. He is not the same scrawny young boy he was at fifteen when he left on a routine mission, but the love he has for his brother and everyone present in Palmeran keep is immense and it is equally reciprocated. He needs time to recover but when a mysterious assassin keeps trying to kill off the Queen's retinue, he can't help but follow the trail of clues and unmask the truth. He is persistent, dutiful and compassionate in everything he does and it was so easy to appreciate him for everything.

He is ably supported by a young historian Lena who also happens to be the King's half sister. She is determined to follow the legacy of her historian grandfather and finish his account which was cut short. She is also very understanding of Cas's circumstances, both the after effects of his imprisonment and his new found weird powers. She is lovely and cheerful, and maybe just the right person to befriend Cas in this new life, where he is still figuring out what he needs. Their friendship is another highlight of the book and I adored that any progression of their relationship was very natural and never forced, at a pace that felt true to Cas's character arc.

Ventillus, Cas's brother is a solid presence and his love for his sibling whom he thought dead was palpable in his every word and action. He may still think his little brother needs to be coddled and protected but it is still out of love. But he is also someone who has been devastated due to too much death - both war and plague - and only wishes for peace and prosperity for his remaining loved ones. Queen Jehan is kind of the central character around whom the mystery revolves but we don't truly get to know her well. But she is a good mother and an even better Queen, who doesn't consider some tasks beneath her just because of her status. King Rayan also seemed like a reasonable ruler who values the good people around and treasures his relationships. There were also quite a few others who had minor but very heartfelt and impactful presence in the story and I'm glad we got to meet them all.

In the end, I just want to say that don't let the premise of the book scare you away. The book may seem bloody and bleak but it has some wonderful characters, especially Cas whom I really want to be best friends with, and a tale which is full of hope - hope that when we all work together full of love and compassion for each other, we will be able to overcome adversities. And I think it can't be denied that in these trying times, it's our bonds of friendship and family that have lent us strength to survive and hopefully continue to do so as we all navigate our pandemic stricken world.