Now I Rise

Lada Dracul was supposed to be the prince of Wallachia, but she finds herself with no powerful allies and no throne with only backstabbing enemies. She has to depend on herself and just her small caravan of loyal men because everyone else proves to be easily swayed. Radu, Lada's brother, is commanded by Mehmed to become a double agent in Constantinople, the city Mehmed must have according to prophecy. Although he longs to stay by Mehmed's side, he outwardly denounces the sultan and joins the Christian city with his wife. Both sibling faces practically insurmountable tasks and must decide how much they are willing to compromise or sacrifice to get what they want.

I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but Kiersten White's writing has sucked me into this world of political intrigue and strife in the 1400's. Lada and Radu are well drawn characters that I root for although their goals are at odds. Lada is still a force of nature even though she's at her lowest point. Her rage is considerable and her vengeance is brutal. I love how White balances Lada's character. She's capable of much violence and strength, but she's still a teenage girl figuring out herself and her emotions. The appearance of her childhood nurse embarrasses her in front of her men and it's a humanizing moment that puts the story in perspective. Lada also still loves Mehmed, but recognizes that Mehmed doesn't value her dreams or accomplishments. She would have to give up everything to be with him and she isn't willing to do that. The moment when she realizes that he wants her to be queen is the moment he exposes himself as being like all the other nobles, only viewing her as a decorative broodmare instead of what she is.

Lada finds herself in the political realm and faced with difficult decisions. When opportunities arise, she must choose to follow people who wronged her family in the past or hold on to that grudge at the expense of her dream. The best thing about her is her love for Wallachia. Although she has many ambitions for herself, her ultimate goal is to save and elevate her country and its people. Along her journey, peasants are saved from starvation and murder. Many of them march with her because of the change she could bring to their lives. Lada must also decide if she will follow the deeply flawed political system that has allowed for so much greed, exploitation of the poor, and the decline of Wallachia or if she will blaze her own bloody path. Without Radu, Lada is forced navigate the niceties of court on her own, where she is lost. She does learn a considerable amount, such as the true weakness in other countries. Every experience, no matter how bad, teaches her how to make the right decisions for her future rule of Wallachia.

Radu, on the other hand, has to compromise his own integrity to be what Mehmed wants him to be. Still smitten with Mehmed, Radu would do anything he asked and discovers that the whole Christian vs. Muslim situation isn't as cut and dry as he would like it to be. While in Constantinople, he discovers the truth of the city: the overwhelming amount poor, the religious fanaticism, and the weathered, almost dilapidated state of the city. Radu is present when the siege starts on the city and works at the side of the people there, forming friendships and bonds, while he simultaneously sabotages their efforts for Mehmed. He and Cyprian form a friendly relationship that runs deeper. I was so excited for Radu to have a romance that isn't completely manipulative and one sided. However, it complicates things when he sympathizes with the people Mehmed seeks to destroy. He witnesses harrowing events and experiences the horror of war first hand. Eventually, Radu must decide if his newfound relationships are enough to turn against Mehmed. Mehmed's perfection started to wear away before Radu even left when he murdered envoys from Constantinople. Radu rationalized it at the time, but he is slowly seeing how disposable lives are to his love.

Now I Rise is even better than And I Darken. The story takes off much faster and I had a hard time putting it down. Both siblings are fighting their own very different wars and White manages to make both of them sympathetic and easy to relate to. The minor characters shine as well, especially Radu's wife Nazira and Hunyadi. Nazira is so clever and skilled that it's crazy. Her love for her wife and her friendship for Radu are shown through her devotion and care. Hunyadi, the man who murdered Lada's father, proves to be a father figure for her who is much better than her own father. She relates to much more than she expected. The end was epic, especially Lada's last letter to Mehmed, and I can't wait for the next book.

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins