Read All About It: Truthwitch

Susan Dennard wrote a book stuffed full of magic, an adventure on the high seas, and everlasting friendship, and the result was Truthwitch, the first novel is what is sure to be a successful series. Combining endless action with rich characters and a hearty dose of intrigue, Dennard creates an intriguing piece that is sure to inspire a multitude of epic fantasies in its wake.

Truthwitch is an interesting combination of intensity and sarcasm, and I enjoyed it immensely. Easy to read and mostly engaging, it was easy to get lost in the story and its struggling characters, but it lacked a true sense of worldbuilding and focused on high-stakes adventure and romance.

Safiya and Iseult are two powerful young women who might just hold the balance of the world in their hands. Safi is a Truthwitch, hiding her valuable powers from the world to keep herself safe. Her headstrong manner and ability to sense truth from lie help her strike the perfect balance with Iseult. Iseult is a Threadwitch, seeing the ties that connect everyone but herself. Her friendship with Safi has opened up her world to adventure, and her cool attitude is just the right counter to Safi's impulses.

With war on the horizon, all Safi and Iseult want is to live free. But when Safi is entangled in political intrigue against her will, the two must run from Witches, emperors, and mercenaries who are all desperate to get their hands on a Truthwitch. Safi and Iseult can only trust each other as they seek to find freedom from those who seek their lives.

---

I enjoyed the magic of this novel, and its interesting world. Dennard builds up empires stretched across an entire continent, with a gorgeous map included, and shows how corruption and war can spread more easily than peace can be won. Truthwitch is a fun, easy novel, that you can get into without much depth or concern for a wider background. It is centered around a solid female friendship, stoic princes, and enough magic to steal their air from your lungs, and a beautiful core of diversity.

Throughout this novel is a strong sense of justice, and of a constant fight against prejudice. Focusing on the strength of character and magic, Dennard prepares her world to show us how that struggle can be pulled and prodded to create tension and give readers a glimpse of inner strength and a resolve to fight against such things.

The magic of this universe is carefully crafted, even if it's not the most unique. Spread thin across her world, with a variety of practitioners and effects, Dennard spreads her craft with practiced ease and bases it off the principle of elements. I very much enjoyed how the magic was spread through the various empires and cultures, with no regard for borders and the magic itself fits smoothly into the plot, and is used to beth help and hamper the protagonists without feeling stretched.

Another one of the more striking aspects of this novel was the depths of relationships. By creating a character who is able to actually see the bonds that run between almost every person she sees, Dennard gives us a visual aid and the potential for heart-break in every loss. By giving her readers this connection, and making it a solid piece of the lore of her novel, Dennard creates a truly visually stunning work. Her talent at crafting these bonds helps manipulate how readers empathize with her characters, and it definitely helped me bond with her characters as they rushed headlong into adventure.

In short, Truthwitch is fun and quick, with an easy-to-follow plot and enough romance to keep it exciting. The story continues in Windwitch, and has four other books currently in the works according to Goodreads. This series has definite potential, and I am looking forward to reading through it! Until then, keep a keen eye out for wonderfully solid companions and loves.