And I Darken

To be honest, I went into this expecting vampires.

I guess between the visual tone to the cover and the fact that this was purported to be a gender-swapped variant on Vlad the Impaler (inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula), I had vague expectations that this story would, at some point, pan out to be fantasy--or at least a touch paranormal.

Non-Spoiler Alert: It does not.

I suppose I'd have to call this an alternate-reality historical. For the most part, not the kind of historical fiction that will passively teach you much about history (aside from some scenery and terminology, unless you feel driven to research all the many ways in which it diverges from the actual time period and events.) And with a very YA Game-of-Thrones feeling (feminist?) revenge element...
So, it kind of qualifies as a fantasy? >.>

Set somewhere in the 1400's (in the midst of the crusades), the story alternates between the POVs of a close-in-age sibling set who hail from Wallachia (i.e. modern day Romania): Vlada, who is her father's daughter practically from birth--the temperamental, conniving, emotionally constipated, and aggressive. And the younger brother, Radu--the delicate, intuitive, emotionally emetic, and needy.

The first 1/3rd of the book tracks the Dracul siblings from birth through their absent father's promotion to puppet ruler and the coinciding abandonment of their mother, to their use as hostage collateral by the Ottoman Sultan and their father's eventual forfeiture of their lives, and into their role as companions to the Sultan's youngest and least legitimate son. All the while, the Draculas come of age in a precarious and unforgiving world of power and corruption. The "beautiful" Radu grows out of his incessant bleating into charisma and manipulative capacity, while coming to accept his captivity... And homely Lada trains with the slave soldiers, growing in combat prowess, vindictiveness, and intense nationalism for the homeland she was stolen from.

Early on, Lada reminded me of Arya Stark. A LOT.

Though, where femininity was merely a liability to Arya, to Lada it is an obstacle of perpetual contempt. Despite women side characters being shown as wielding or bending power in their own more subtle ways, she persists in perceiving them all as weak. Which leaves her less with the impression of a gender non-conformist and more as an example of a self-rejecting misogynist.

And then... there's the Dracul sibling's only shared interest, which steadily grows into an inexplicable obsession for both. Mehmed, their playmate companion and son of their captor.

That's where the story started to lose me. Mehmed always seemed pretty weak and two-dimensional as a personality. Even as he establishes his power base later on and becomes more decisive, his fanatical determination to expand the Ottoman empire in the name of Islam made it all the harder to sympathize with him. So... what was his quasi-magical appeal to the Draculas? Some kind of toxic trauma bond mixed up with a severe case of childhood Stockholm syndrome?

By the end, it seemed as though the point of this book might have been to showcase the mental illnesses inherent with power-mongering dictators. Yet, there was an awful lot of defense of Mehmed (the Conqueror) and his policies...

Both Lada and Radu contribute to building and maintaining Mehmed's influence in their own ways, but its Lada who ends up pulling more weight. And so the rivalry between brother and sister, and their divergent destinies, becomes increasingly thematic.

In the final analysis, my feelings are mixed. The prose is solid--well above par. But the pacing did a lot of languishing. The setting, location, and politics are unique in the YA lit realm, but I didn't find myself rooting for anyone outside of the wet nurse (who ends up completely forgotten early on, despite serving as a surrogate mother to the two main charcters) one character's farcical wife, and the expendable infant pawns. And once Lada and Radu left childhood behind, I found I'd lost connectivity with them. My investment in their goals bled out, and my understanding of their motivations suffered immensely. Normally I love an anti-hero, and am drawn to strong female MCs. But as it's clear Lada's power-mongering cruelty will only escalate in later installments, I don't have any burning desire to observe her descent... and so can't see myself reading on in the series. Not even to see what might become of her somewhat more likeable brother.

Summary: This series looks to be hefty on the fiction, sparse on the historical... and so far, 100% devoid of vampires. >.>

I can't describe how intriguing I found AND I DARKEN to be. From what I've heard, it is not dissimilar to GAME OF THRONES. However, as someone who is neither fond of pirating or has HBO, I'm a little lost at that allusion at pop culture. But I can see parallels between Lada Dragwlya and Vlad the Impaler. It is not surprising when one considers the fact that the character of Lada is inspired by the author's own imagination of a female Vlad.

The story and its plot showcases Lada, her brother (Radu), and Mehmed. The beginning starts off with Lada's childhood and her strained relationship with her father. It's a surprising place to begin, but it is incredibly relevant to Lada's characterization and character growth. In fact, Lada's rough and borderline cruel character contrasts sharply with Radu's softer nature. The contrast and differences between the two siblings is an unusual introduction, but it fits Lada and Radu perfectly and hints at their future.

The setting is incredibly complex, and I feel as if I need more historical context, because there are many points in the book where I falter and wonder the "whys" of the background. Why do the Ottomans react a certain way to people from Wallachia? Why are the underclass of the Ottoman treated with a different standard? What are the politics behind the two different places? But the author graciously provides some context, which is more than enough to paint a bright, dark, and colorful picture of the Middle Ages. The author should be given cookies for setting up the story in a country that is not England, France, or Spain.

The relationships and interactions between Lada, Radu, and Mehmed are fascinating to watch. The relationship between Mehmed and Lada alone is intensively complex with manipulation, love, and a bundle of other feelings. I can dive into the strange relationship between Radu and Lada, where familial feelings are not always enough to make up for the cruelest and seemingly heartless actions. It is the relationships that are pushed forward in AND I DARKEN and what truly gets me interested in the book.

The ending leaves off at a dramatic point, and I can't wait to see how Lada evolves into a more dark version of herself. I will also look out for Radu and Mehmed interactions, because they truly are some of the high points in this novel.

Overall, AND I DARKEN is a dark, fascinating novel. It's the type of book containing a controlled and planned car wreck we rubbernecks can't help but watch. I'll definitely keep my eye out for more of Lada's journey and her rise into power.

Rating: Four out of Five

And I Darken is a compelling historical retelling that will stay on the minds of every reader who comes upon its pages. It's wildly dark and alluring, a fierce read that reimagines the life of Vlad the Impaler, but on the shoes of a young girl as vicious as a mighty dragon and her kind-hearted brother.

This book constantly alternates between Lada's and Radu's POVs, meeting them in the early stages of their lives and following along as they are left in the Ottoman empire to secure the loyalty of their father, Vlad II Dracul, voivode of Wallachia. After several years of being privileged prisoners, Lada and Radu form a special bond with the future sultan of the Ottoman empire, Mehmed, yet are forced to survive in a cruel environment that will always see them as slaves. They rise, they fall, and rise again in a deadly world where they must sacrifice what they love in order to claim what is theirs.

I was unfamiliar with the story behind Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia before reading And I Darken, so I couldn't tell then if it's historically accurate or not besides the gender switch, but after finishing it, I immediately researched about this enigmatic character since I was left highly fascinated with Lada and I wanted to know more. I'm still no expert on the subject, but I can see now how certain things were tweaked to fit the storyline better and in awe with the way Kiersten White pulled these changes.

My favorite aspect of this book is how the author handles the character growth between Lada and Radu. Both characters start off as opposites and they remain that way throughout the story, but they each find middle ground in their strengths by the end of this installment. The way I would describe their dynamics is by picturing them as a seesaw or scale. In the beginning you can find Lada at the bottom since she is headstrong, defiant, ruthless and the one working hard to gain power. Meanwhile, Radu can be found at the top of the scale or dangling his feet up high on the seesaw, weightless for his gentleness and kind soul seeking to be loved and cared for. However, while the story progresses, they each level up and become stronger in their own ways, enhancing their skills and personalities for the better good.

Another great thing about this book is how it portrays greatness, encourages gender identity and acceptance. How even back in those times where women were only viewed as wives and were replaceable, Lada manages to seek and forge her own power. Beauty is not on her side, yet this doesn't bring her down, even from finding someone worthy of her passion. She's not by all means a nice person, but she is someone that gains respect. The same goes for Radu, who wonderfully grows up into a charming man who works on accepting his preferences, and yet uses that uses this to his advantage, as a weapon.

Although the pacing of this book comes off as slow, and at times uneventful, it doesn't ruin the chances for the reader to enjoy the story and to anxiously await its sequel. Kiersten White's captivating storytelling make a full comeback in this tale about birth rights, vengeance, slow-burning passion, and the odds of embracing what you are meant to be.