REVIEW: FALLING KINGDOMS BY MORGAN RHODES.

Title: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1)
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Edition: Hard bound
Published: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 412
Source: Bought from Fully Booked
Category: High fantasy, Magic, Romance
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword. . . .

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Falling Kingdoms is absolutely terrific!

This one is another title that made it to my 2012's most anticipated novels. I've had it for quite a while and just like my other books, it has to unfortunately go through the long queue of to-be-read books. I've heard nothing but whimsical things about it and my hopes for it soared high above the sky! The time for it has come and I am seriously lost for words.

Mystica comprises of three lands: Limeros (ruled by King Gauis Damora), Paelsia (headed by Hugo Basilius) and Auranos (ruled by King Corvin Bellos). Thousands of years ago, these lands are all being guarded by the Watchers and sorceress lived among the people. Greed for power of the Elementia and seduced by mortal love, the chaos started. Sorceress kept the Kindred hidden and killed one another. Now a child has been prophesied to be born with the elementia powers and witches drew blood and stole the child. Sixteen years after, a war is about to happen. Triggered by a wine seller's son's murder by a boastful Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros joined forces to conquer Limeros with their secret weapon.

Falling Kingdoms deserves all the praises I could bestow to it. The magical world it resolves to not only took my breath away but also mesmerized my imagination to the fullest. The dying lands and the bountiful one believed to be under magic were just beautiful to imagine. The people and kingdoms overwhelm my love for high-fantasy. Mystica is such a rare world breathing magic from its heart. I loved how Rhodes came up with such truly wonderful universe to play my mind on.

The plot felt familiar yet still strategically written to tickle reader's minds. The war between the kingdoms, blood, death, treachery and vengeance are all expected to push rage to one's chest while reading. I loved how Rhodes made me pull my hair, curse and scream during all those heart-wrenching scenes I never thought she would be brave enough to do! The fact that tons of losses could sometimes break a novel didn't hinder Rhodes to do what she's expected to do and though I honestly felt pain and shame losing characters I thought would stand till the end, I salute Rhodes for taking risks because it truly made the novel beautiful! Some of the twists were predictable at first (and some still are) but as I go deeper, I completely lost my sense of prediction. It felt as if I was at the end of a maze only to find out I was still in the middle. Such mind boggling sub-plots and life-ruining romance made my heart seriously skipped a bit every time I come across my favorites!

The characters are very much indistinguishable. This is only the novel I couldn't select which team I would be on! I strongly feel that the princesses would face each other soon but Princess Cleo is just simply someone who says whatever she has on her mind and acts to whatever she thinks she has to do. Princess Lucia on the other hand, I find very gullible. As if she doesn't have the capability to choose thus do whatever she's told. Prince Magnus is a little astray and blinded by the love he feels and I don't know about Jonas, I am still confused about whether to like him or to hate him completely. These characters acted the way they should've and it doesn't matter what I feel about them, without one, the story wouldn't be as intriguing as it is.

My review wouldn't make justice to how wonderful Falling Kingdoms is. It's full of mystery, action and blood. Its heart-shattering romance, knee-buckling loses and mind-blowing magical tyrannies would keep one holding on from page one till the very end! Asking for more wouldn't suffice how much I itch to read the sequel! At this point, I am damaged beyond repair!

VERDICT:

"Even in the darkest and most cruel person, there is still a kernel of good. And within the most perfect champion, there is darkness. The question is, will one give in to the dark or the light? It's something we decide with every choice we make, every day that we exist. What might not be evil to you could be evil to someone else. Knowing this makes us powerful even without magic."