I was lucky enough to read this book after the author reached out to me. I hope the prospective reader will read this review fully before making any prejudgments on the book. I will give the book my thoughts. These thoughts are completely my own and not swayed in any way by anyone else’s reviews or opinions.
“At midnight, she would receive a visit from one of the formidable night senders. Only the ladies of the court knew about these creatures, half-man, half-demon, with enormous black wings that allowed them to fly unseen through the night like bats. The physical descriptions were strictly rumors, as court law prohibited the girls from seeing their night sender. They were forced to wear blindfolds from the moment they went to bed. Most of the girls thought of the blindfolds as a mercy, but to Rose, they were a nuisance. She was sure that at some point within the last few decades, at least one woman had to have stolen a glance at them. At midnight, these creatures would swoop in through their bedroom windows and, according to the court, turn them into women.”
Christina Tsirkas- The Night Sender
There are many questions when it comes to the night senders. They are surrounded by secrecy and no one really knows where they came from. Rose has been warned to know when the night senders approach, on her 18th birthday, to be scared. She does not fear them. In fact, she is fascinated by them. Roosha, Rose’s night sender, has given Rose something that she has been missing. Although, Roosha can never return again as she is bound by sacred law. Rose knows that she has to go on a mission to find out more about these creatures. She is not prepared for what happens and she forms an alliance. Can she trust this alliance? Is she prepared for the consequences of what happens when you take an unknown risk?
When I think about characters that have a generic feeling, such as teens and young adults, I get worried that they will all be written the same. The need to fit in during that period of time generally overtakes the need to be different. At that moment in my life, I felt I wanted to fit in more than stand out. So when I read a story that has a young adult that isn’t the run of the mill cookie cutter princess, but a strong, hard headed mastermind, I jump at the chance to read more. This was Rose for me. She was daring and as mysterious as the night senders themselves. I found myself drawn to her while wondering what she would do next. I see the crisscrossing of lives between Rose and Roosha and I have to remind myself that they are so different, even if sometimes opposites attract. It is a forbidden bond that can’t be broken. I am rooting for them to9 succeed individually and together.
Fantasy is a wonderful and immense genre. There are many ways that someone could write a fantasy novel. The world is the most important part. You are essentially creating it from scratch. I loved the world that the author created. She brought me something unique and I was always left what was happening next. I felt as if I was in a dreamscape. I was with Rose, but I was also in the world Roosha is in. This concept in unique and something I can honestly say that I have never experienced before.
My Rating: My honest rating is 4 out of 5 stars. For a debut novel, this was unique and different. I really enjoyed it and I want to read more. This world feels so much larger that one book. I am ready to sit down and experience more night senders and their tumultuous relationships. This novel gives off a feeling of excitement and all I want to do is sit down with any book this author writes and get away from my every day life.
On Review by Sara 