[Review] Now I Rise - Kiersten White

Titel: Now I Rise

Series: The Emperor's Saga #2

Author/Autor: Kiersten White

Publisher/Verlag: Delacorte Press

First Released/Erstmals erschienen: 27.06.2017
Format: Kindle, 480, english

Synopsis: GoodReads

Review: 4*

TBR/Leseliste: -

Buy: amazon

Da dieses Buch noch nicht auf deutsch erhältlich ist, gibt es diese Rezension auch nur auf englisch!

 

Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

-->GoodReads 

 First of all, let me put a spoiler warning here for anyone who hasn't read the first book yet! As this is a sequel I might mention some things that could be considered a spoiler for the first book.

I requested this book on NetGalley quite a while ago and then totally forgot about it, even though the first book 'And I Darken' was sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. So when not only I, but also my bestie, got approved for the book, we decided to read both asap.

As with the first book this is a historical fiction, taking place everywhere between Wallachia (Eastern Europe) and the Ottoman Empire and recounting actual historical events.

The Plot picked up right where the first part left of, and I liked this one even more, because it was interesting and fast-paced from the very beginning.

To me the important thing in this novel is the character developement. While I didn't like Lada in the very beginning of the first book I really thing she underwent an immense character developement and really grew into hersef. She is still mean and self-serving but she isn't needlessly cruel anymore. What I love most about her is that, even though her love or Mohammed grew stronger and she is aware of that, she is able to distance herself from those feelings and even go against them. Usually, in cases where the goal of the female protagonist is ad odds with the goal of her love interest either of them gives and is turned to the others side or they turn into enemys and their love is swept under the rug. In this case she does struggle with her feelings and is tempted to give up her quest to join his, yet she never seriously considers it. 

Radu on the other hand has undergone a developement I don't like at all. While at the beginning I didn't like him, because he seemed very whiny and weak, I did come to like him toward the end of the first book. But, as soon as he grew ino someone I could like, he showed his meanstreak. His obsession with Mohammed became even more all consuming and he was perfectly willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for it, even his sister and himself. Toward the end this changed somehwat and he realized how important his sister was to him and he started to let other people in and there might even be a new love interest in store for him in future books. 

To be perfectly honest I don't want to make a proclamation on whether or not I like him, because so far his personality has seemed very fickle.

Then of course there is Mohammed. My opinion of him hasn't changed much since the first book because I don't think he hasn't changed much. He has become somewhat more ruthless in his persuit of what he wants and I do resent him for the way he treats Radu, fully aware of how Radu feels for him. But, again, I do believe he really loves both Lada and Radu and truly either thinks he's doing what is best, or in some cases doesn't realize how wrong he is.

All in all I rated this book 4 stars, just like the first book and i can't wait to continue on with the story!