Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
First line: “They say the first of my kind was a woman named Alasdair, a human raised by hawks.”
Summary: Hawksong tells the story of the ancient world of shapeshifters and the bloody war between the avians and the serpiente. Danica Shardae, the young princess to the throne of the avian shapeshifters, has had enough of the fighting. After losing nearly her entire family in war, Danica decides to make a sacrifice for the good of her people and the good of the world; she agrees to marry the prince of serpents, Zane Cobriana. Though both she and Zane believe their union will bring peace, not everyone agrees with their decision and soon Danica learns that she can’t trust anyone as both her people and her heart are put at the greatest risk.
Highlights: Atwater-Rhodes has created a unique world and a deep mythology for her readers to enjoy. This novel is excellent for anyone with a taste for science fiction, fantasy, ancient worlds, adventure, and political intrigue. The story also provides an endearing love story that doesn’t come off as forced or insincere. Readers will find themselves invested in Danica and rooting for her throughout the story. As betrayal and heartbreak come to her, the reader is caught up in ho
w Danica will free herself from this war and from the enemies around her. Hawksong is visually stunning. Atwater-Rhodes has created such incredible landscapes and backdrops for these characters, and it feels almost cinematic in its description.
Lowlights: The most difficult aspect of the book is the unique language that Atwater-Rhodes designed for her world. The book doesn’t have a dictionary or pronunciation key in the back (nor really any references online) so it makes it frustrating for readers to understand certain made-up words that the author has put in the story. The book is also fairly short. Written in a time when young adult novels were almost always less than 300 pages, the novel tends to move very quickly, passing through sections that really deserve more attention.
FYI: This book is the first in the Kiesha’ra series which contains five books in total. The second book continues the story of Danica and Zane and the other three present new characters. The author of Hawksong is also widely known as a prodigy, having published her first novel at thirteen. If you enjoy this book, we have many of her other books available in the young adult section of the library.
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