Review Detail

I don’t know where to start! The Fractured Empire by Robin D. Mahle is the first in the World Apart series, and the first I’ve read of this author. I’m speechless! The world-building, Addie and Clark, Xavier and Gunther, even Nell and Perry, I loved it all. I cannot wait to read more of this series.

The Fractured Empire begins five years after the “silent explosion” that took the lives of many in the Ceithren empire, most notably Addie’s mother and older sister. Adelaide is the daughter of the richest man in the empire. He also happens to be the man pulling the emperor’s strings (at least that’s what everyone assumes). Since the death of her mother and sister, Adelaide has become a shell of her former self. She hides her emotions from everyone, and it takes a thief to awaken what she lost with her sister’s death.

Clark is the adopted son of the most hated man in the Ceithren empire, General Noble. The blame for the “silent explosion” was laid at the general’s feet. Convenient as he presumably died in the same explosion. Clark doesn’t accept it though. He knew the man that raised him would never do it. As a result, he’s spent the last five years looking for answers and trying to stay alive. His brothers convinced him to stop this mad search, but he continues in secret. When a lead places him in the center of a kidnap/murder attempt, Clark winds up rescuing the daughter of the man he hates.

Told from alternating points of view and alternating between past and present, I fell in love with Addie and Clark. Addie is hard to like as she is if you don’t get those snippets of her past. Those snippets make her human and give the reader a glimpse into her grief. For Clark, the past snippets explain his loyalty and love for a man that the entire empire hates. It also sheds light on the events leading up to the explosion. The plot here revolves around the Tear of Hila, an ancient necklace that somehow winds up on Addie’s neck. Together they must find a way to get it off and keep her alive. It’s a fast-paced adventure that left my mind reeling.

Overall I love The Fractured Empire. The relationship that builds between Addie and Clark is a slow burn and believable in its progression. The banter between Clark and his brothers is as endearing to Addie as it is to me. It makes her nostalgic and for just a moment forget the hole her own sister left. And the world-building! Modern technology combined with magical elements make this a unique fantasy unlike any I’ve ever read. If you are a fan of YA fantasy, I highly recommend it.