This hot debut is the first book in an epic new series about a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to clear her name for her father's murder. In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls. When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew. Corruption rules the land, and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of her world. And there is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to its core: Ramson Quicktongue. A cunning crime lord of the Cyrilian underworld, Ramson has sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.
3.5 Stars
"Ana stretched her hands, feeling as though she was breathing in deeply for the first time in a long time. All this blood. All this power. All hers to command."
It's been a minute since I read a YA fantasy. The cover of Blood Heir snagged my attention - the girl with a crown looked like she wouldn't take any shit from anyone, and I had to know her story. I was even more intrigued after I looked into the synopsis. There was magic, trickery, battles for an empire! This story does not shy away from the dark. Come take a journey with some morally questionable characters, as they face both external battles and the battles within themselves. Blood Heir is set in the fictional empire of Cyrilia, along with several other empires. The landscape reminded me a bit of Russia. In this world, there are the Affinities and Non-Affinities. Those with affinities have power that others do not - some can control fire or earth, the winds or the mind. Zhao does a great job of creating specialties within each affinity. In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinities are forced into slavery by those who fear them and their abilities. They are labeled unnatural and dangerous, treated as less than human. But there is only so much oppression a people can take before they fight back. Our main character, Ana, is a blood affinite, able to control those around her, and she also happens to be the Princess of Cyrilia. After being accused of being behind her fathers murder, Ana escapes, faking her own death. She is determined to get home and prove her innocence, but first she has to find the real murderer. In comes our cunning con-man, Ramson. He will help Ana, but there will be a cost. In return, Ana and her deadly affinity will have to help Ramson in getting revenge on those who have betrayed him. There are twists and turns, unexpected betrayals, and danger around ever corner. I love the relationship Ana and Ramson have - they are each using the other, tricking the other, and it was bloody brilliant. Even though they made a deal to help each other, there was no trust, and honestly it was so much fun to read, because it made them unpredictable. This is not a love story. No, this is a story of deceit and danger, and perhaps even fighting for something bigger than oneself. I did have a few issues with this novel, which resulted in the 3.5 star rating. The novel does not start where it should. We have skipped the murder of the emperor, of Ana being framed, of her escape. We have jumped ahead a year after all of this, to when Ana is trying to cut a deal with Ramson to get his help. It felt like we were thrown in the deep end, and it left me reeling. The stage wasn't set properly, and it made it difficult to truly understand the reasoning behind Ana's actions. We were told, not shown, the reason that caused all the events in this novel to happen. There were also - can't believe I'm saying this - too many action scenes at the start. Ana was acting like a big baddie, which I wanted to love, but I felt like it wasn't earned yet. I'd much rather have a slow spiral into darkness than just turning off the lights. I feel like I cannot write a review on this novel without addressing the scandal that surrounded it before publication. I really don't understand why people were attacking this author. I've gathered it has something to do with the portrayal of slavery in the novel, but newsflash, slavery (unfortunately) is a part of history basically everywhere, and it is still alive today. To not talk about it or draw attention to it is to turn a blind eye and accept it. Zhao is brave for writing this story, and for calling attention to such an important social issue. I just hate the extreme battle she had to go through that almost prevented this novel from being published. I am very excited for this series. I think Zhao has taken a typical YA idea and leveled it up to a whole new game. To quote Zhao herself, "we cannot change who we are nor what we are born with, but we can choose what we do with what we are given." Ana and her people have been called monsters for too long, and their fight for a better tomorrow is only just beginning.
"Perhaps all monsters were heroes in their own eyes."
About the Author
Amélie Wen Zhao is a Paris-born Chinese national who fell in love with stories since she was old enough to hold a book. Raised in an international community in Beijing, she had the opportunity to grow up steeped in the values and teachings of three different cultures. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Les Misérables, and Wuthering Heights were among her favorite works. It wasn't long before she wanted to tell her own tales. After graduating from New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business in 2014, Amélie began working as a finance professional by day, and writing by night. Her young adult fantasy trilogy, BLOOD HEIR, debuts in 2019 from Delacorte Press / Penguin Random House. Amélie hopes to empower young readers with messages of acceptance, strength, and love through her works, and to continue to push the boundaries of young adult literature by exploring new, cross-cultural themes.