Monday, April 3, 2017

{Book Review} The Assassin’s Daughter by Jameson C. Smith


For most of her life, Katira has trained to take on the role of assassin. While it’s far from the life she would have chosen, the law known as the Inheritance Proclamation dictates that she must follow in her father’s profession. At seventeen, she’ll be expected to use her training on a real assignment any day.

When new information about an old fugitive brings questions about Kat’s past to light, she must make a choice: Prove her loyalties to the Tederan Order and their laws, or become a fugitive to search after answers she may never find.


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Assassins. Sweet characters. Strife between lands. What more could you want?


I’ve been following Jameson’s blog for years. It’s been such a pleasure getting to know this sweet, talented girl. So when she announced she was publishing her novel…MUCH SQUEEING. MUCH FLAILING.



THE RUNDOWN


The Assassin’s Daughter is the first book in the Inheritance Proclamation series, set in a medieval-esque fantasy setting. The novel goes back and forth between Katira’s POV and her best friend, Ed, with a couple of other points-of-view thrown in occasionally. But the core focus is our girl Kat.


We start out in an academy where they train kids/teens to be professional assassins. Because, dude, math and history are too mainstream, let’s teach the kids to be MURDERERS. Sound plan. *nods*


Well, our sweet Kat doesn’t actually want to be a trained killer and be paid to murder people for the rest of her life. CRAZY, I KNOW. Unfortunately, due to a law known as the Inheritance Proclamation that claims children have to follow the profession of their parents, she’s got no choice. Because, ya know, her FATHER was an assassin. #DaddyProbs


When Kat is assigned her first official mission, it strikes a bit too close to home, and she has to decide if to defy the higher ups (which is a big no-no) or do the unthinkable.


CHARACTERS


The characters were hands down my favorite things in this novel. The relationships made the story.


Katira: (Or Kat, as she is mostly called.) I superbly appreciated Kat! At first, when I discovered Kat was one of the top rated in the academy, being super skilled with archery and sneaking and all that fun stuff, I feared a stereotypical “strong female character” which these days is pretty much synonymous for “emotionless, selfish, reckless female”. I am so sick of that kind of female protagonist! (But that’s a topic for another day.) Well, Kat wasn’t that way at all. *cheers and applauds* Kat has EMOTIONS. She’s not afraid to cry and love and be afraid. She doesn’t want to be an assassin because KILLING IS WRONG, KIDS. She doesn’t want to be in the academy because she can’t see her mother and baby sister anymore. She doesn’t have the, “I can do anything and don’t need help and am way too tough to cry,” attitude we see so often in female protagonists these days. But she wasn’t the weak and whiny character that happens a lot, too. Again, she’s one of the top rated in the academy. She can handle herself if she needs to. But, deep down, she was soft and sweet and, yes, made mistakes, but she cared about people. She was just a genuinely nice girl thrust into a world she didn’t want to be a part of. To me, she was a breath of fresh air in today’s view of “strong female characters”.


Edellion a.k.a Ed: In an academy where it’s frowned upon to have friendships because they can be a “weakness”, Kat and Ed go against the tide and form a team. Ed is Kat’s rock, and with good reason. He’s strong and protective and caring and makes witty jokes at any given opportunity. And he respects her, which was my favorite part about their friendship. When he knows she has a secret, he doesn’t push her to tell him, but lets her reveal things in her own time. When she’s going through a hard time or just needs a shoulder to cry on, he’s there. He never tells her to tough it out, he simply lets her be her and is always sympathetic. And that respects goes both ways. I think that’s another thing we just don’t see much anymore in YA novels. Aside from their relationship, Ed himself is just a precious human being. He can have a temper, and may rush into things a little too quickly, but he always tries to do what’s right, and that’s what matters.


Bayor: Kat and Ed’s mentor was a lovely addition to the story. He had that classic comfortable mentor personality that every fantasy story needs. He’s a little quiet and rough around the edges, but still makes jokes with Kat and Ed, and tends to care more about them than the law. His character was complex as well. You know he holds secrets, but never can figure out why he does the things he does. I desperately want to know more about this guy! I keep having to remind myself this is only the first book of a series. I’m sure answers will come. But but but I WANTS TO KNOW MORE.


There were a few others that played key roles in the story, but that may be getting into spoilery territory. So I’ll just say, all the characters were deep and complex and human. The relationships between each of them had such depth as well.


I JUST REALLY LOVED THESE BABIES.



I felt like the plot started out a smidge on the slow side, but it did pick up. Overall though, the plot was pretty simplistic. Nothing mind-blowing. BUT. I felt like the real focus of the plot wasn’t on the action, but on Kat’s inner turmoil. On her struggle to break away from a life she doesn’t want and find answers about her past.


With that said, there were still plenty of fun happenings. I was super intrigued by an assassins academy. And later on we get tangled into some strife between the different territories of the world.



I think my biggest complaint was the vagueness of how the government and things worked. The main point of the story is that Kat is forced into this assassins academy, and how the government is trying to take over everything. But…I was super confused how the government type stuff worked and how the academy functioned. There was also a ton of stuff about Kat’s past that never got explained at all. Every time it looked like we were about to get answers, the scene cut off or the characters were interrupted or something. I would have liked a whole lot more explanations and descriptions of things.


But, again, this is the first book of a series, so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It was a good setup to a much bigger story ahead—a great introduction to the characters, leaving me aching for more time spent with them and desperate for more answers. As any first book should be!

 

Content Cautions


Really…nothing! There were definitely some deaths, but they were never described in great, gory detail. There was also not a stitch of language and basically no romance (…yet *cough, cough, cough*). It was a refreshingly clean read!

 

Conclusion


If you enjoy standard, medieval fantasy with good, down-to-earth characters this is the one for you! The world and plot were pretty straightforward and simplistic, but that just made for a quick, comfortable, clean read.


I cannot wait for book 2!



What think ye, O Readers? Does the idea of an assassins academy intrigue you? Have you read The Assassin’s Daughter? Or ARE you going to?? (Because you should.)

23 comments:

  1. Ooh, I've wanted to read this since it came out, but I haven't got my hands on it yet - but HOPEFULLY I WILL SOON xD. This post was LOVELY, I always love reading your reviews. And also ARE THOSE LEGOLAS KNIVES?? They are incredible and I love them and I need them, oh yes xD.

    ~ Savannah
    scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com

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    1. YOU NEED TO TRY IT! It's a really cool book! And thank you so much! I'm happy to hear it. ^_^

      YES THOSE ARE LEGOLAS KNIVES. Except...red instead of white. I don't know why and it kind of bothers me, but I found them for a crazy good price so OBVIOUSLY I wasn't going to pass them by. I do so love them!

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  2. YOU HAVE ELVISH KNIVES!!!!! *clears throat* anyway.... I put this book on my reading list when you first put it in that one post. It sounds cool and it has a pretty cover XD can't wait till I get it! I love when you do book reviews! They are so good!

    Christine, your pictures!! I can't even.

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    1. YES I DO!!! :D

      Pretty covers are totally valid reasons to buy books. #Guilty But yes, it is a fun story!

      EEP. Thank you so much!!! I'm thrilled you like my book reviews! ^_^

      Stop it with all your niceness, girl, I can't!

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  3. This has been on my to-read list ever since you mentioned it the first time AND NOW I WANT IT MORE! It just sounds so good. o.o And I loved your review! This was my favorite part: "Because, dude, math and history are too mainstream, let’s teach the kids to be MURDERERS." Ahahaha! XD Your reviews are priceless. :D EXCEPT YOU MAKE ME WANT TO READ BOOKS AND MY TBR DOES NOT THANK YOU NOR DOES MY NONEXISTENT POCKETBOOK. XD Ahem. But someday, SOMEDAY I will read this! I think it sounds like great fun and I'm always up for reluctant assassins, medieval fantasy, and characters like Ed and a mysterious mentor. ALL THE YES! Loved your review; thanks for sharing. ^_^ (ALSO YES TO YOUR LEGOLAS KNIVES AND PHOTOGRAPHY. <3)

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    1. I THINK YOU'D REALLY LIKE THIS ONE!!!! It was a lot of fun! Just the type of medieval style we both love. ^_^

      Lolzy! I'm glad you enjoy my reviews! Though I understand, because YOUR reviews do the same for me! You ALWAYS make me desperately want whatever you're reviewing. So rude. :P

      Thank you, Celti!!! <3

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  4. Normally I'm not one for assassin stories, but you descriptions of the characters have me interested. I also like how clean the content is. I will have to keep an eye out for this one.

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    1. It's a great story! And the assassin part isn't too bad since the main characters DON'T want to be assassins. Again, it's not so much about the action and things as it is about Kat's inner turmoil. So no horrible gory deaths right and left and stuff. Jameson did a great job with it!

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  5. I think I will read this one now. Great review, Christine. The characters sound amazing.
    Also: I NEED KNIVES LIKE YOURS SO I CAN SMITE MY CHARACTERS.
    XD
    thefloridsword.blogspot.com

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    1. Awesome!!! It's really fun!

      LOLZY!!! XDDD I think they do strike fear in my poor characters... #EvilAuthor

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  6. I have never read this book, but now I desperately need to!!! >o< It looks so good!!!!
    Thank goodness we live so close to the library! :D

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    1. YES. I think you'd really like it! Unfortunately, I don't think it'd be in the library. It's an independently published book, and only just came out. So it's not going to be in a library. *sniffles*

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    2. NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! *cries bitterly*
      Ahem.
      I will find it.
      xD I will search to the ends of the earth!

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    3. IT'S SO SAD I KNOW. D: If only libraries could magically have ALL the books! XD

      Delete
    4. I know.... *cries again*
      I might just have to get it off Amazon or something... xD

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  7. THIS BOOK SOUNDS SO GOOD!! And extra points for the protagonist not being a Katniss Everdeen! (*applauds*)

    Awesome review, Christine!!

    (By the way, I've tagged you in the Sunshine Blogger Award: Bookish Edition on my blog, if you're interested: http://livkfisher.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-sunshine-blogger-award.html. :)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. IT'S REALLY COOL! I think you'd enjoy it! And yes, it was so great not having a Katniss character, because that was what I was expecting.

      Glad you liked the review. Thank you! ^_^

      AWK. That was so sweet of you!!! Thank you! I'm going to check it out right now!

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  8. Loved your line about math and history being too mainstream. You're hilarious! XD

    This books sounds like a fun read, and I like the sounds of the characters! Especially Kat and Ed's relationship, because you're right, that kind of respect is rare in YA. (Maybe in any genre?)

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    1. Lolzy! Thanks you!!!

      It is! I think you'd enjoy it. And YES, it may not be just in YA. I don't know why respect in relationships just hardly exists in fiction in GENERAL anymore. I guess 'cause it's not "dramatic" and doesn't "add tension" if there's respect. *rolls eyes*

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  9. So I broke down and got a copy of this the other day when it was 99 cents. :D Excited to read it someday! (Y'know, when I have... *cough* ...time.... >.> :P) Anyway, you convinced me with your awesome review and I'm looking forward to it! :D

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    1. YOU DID??? EXCITING!!!! :D :D :D I hope you enjoy it when you read it. (But boy do I understand the time thing. Silly life keeping us away from the 2349324 books we need to read. :P)

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