Reviewer (text)
Jeanna Michel
Kali is the heir to the sky, several floating continents above earth. When she is crowned, she vows to help her people thrive. When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom, her dreams are far from dashed, promising to find a way to return from the monster-ridden earth. She requests the help of Griffin, a monster hunter, to guide her back home. Weeks pass; Kali begins to uncover the truth of the floating continents and realizes she didn’t fall off the edge --- she was pushed off it.
Amanda Sun, author of the Ink series, returns with a fantasy novel that will pull at your heartstrings. HEIR TO THE SKY is a gorgeous book, filled with wonderful descriptions of fantastical creatures and a romance that will knock your socks off. Sun’s writing is as beautiful as ever, capturing the charm and cruelty of her world. Sun’s building of this fantastical world is superb; however, it does lack an origin story. Readers are left with thousands of questions. To begin with, how is earth suddenly infested with monsters?
"HEIR TO THE SKY is a gorgeous book, filled with wonderful descriptions of fantastical creatures and a romance that will knock your socks off. Sun’s writing is as beautiful as ever..."
Something I’ve found in all of Sun’s characters, including her Ink series, is that the protagonist often lacks complexity. Despite Sun’s wonderful descriptions of worlds and gorgeous writing about monster wars, readers will certainly miss the depth of Kali, HEIR TO THE SKY'S main character. For both an heir and protagonist, she is a tad dense. The reader is able to predict upcoming events that Kali herself never sees coming, which makes the book a bit predictable.
The romance, however, is unlike the rest of the plot in that it is completely unexpected. It is this sweet romance that entices people to keep reading. Griffin was a magnificent character and I’m hoping for a spin-off book in his perspective. The monster hunter, Griffin, sounds much more interesting and unpredictable than an heir to a kingdom. Readers will find themselves wanting to know more about Griffin’s experiences on this unsafe earth.
Despite being predictable, HEIR TO THE SKY was a great book. It held that spark of freshness, where the protagonist is experiencing a whole new world for the very first time. Similar to the plot of SOUNDLESS by Richelle Mead, HEIR TO THE SKY introduces a new dystopia which is just beginning to grow roots. Overall, Amanda Sun’s HEIR TO THE SKY was beautifully-written and wonderfully romantic. Fans of SOUNDLESS by Richelle Mead and Sun’s previous series will be sure to fall off the edge of the floating continents to experience the journey with Kali and Griffin.
Teaser
As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits: by her duties as a member of the royal family, by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman, and by the edge of the only world she's ever known --- a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her.
Promo
As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits: by her duties as a member of the royal family, by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman, and by the edge of the only world she's ever known --- a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her.
About the Book
As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits: by her duties as a member of the royal family, by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman, and by the edge of the only world she's ever known --- a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. She is the Eternal Flame of Hope for what's left of mankind, the wick and the wax burning in service for her people, and for their revered Phoenix, whose magic keeps them aloft.
When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her across a world overrun by chimera, storm dragons, basilisks and other terrifying creatures. But the more time she spends on earth, the more dark truths she begins to uncover about her home in the sky, and the more resolute she is to start burning for herself.
