For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

(2. - 1246.) For She is Wrath by Emily Varga - I had not ventured into the world of YA romantasy before reading For She is Wrath. My son Michael, who is a law school classmate of Emily, gave me a signed copy for Christmas and encouraged me to read the book. 

Dania (Dani to her family and friends) has been in prison for 364 days charged with a murder she did not commit. She has been tortured by the warden, Thohfsa, for many of those days. Dania has carefully worked out an escape to take place on a day Thohfsa is absent from the prison. With precision she slays a guard and escapes to the prison yard where she is surprised to find Thohfsa and other guards waiting. She is captured and tortured and returned to her cell.

Dania meets a fellow prisoner, Noor, who has been working on an escape for 3 years.

They live under the rule of the Emperor Vahid who struck a deal with djinn, who “were powerful magical beings”, to acquire zoraat seeds. The zoraat “had given him healing magic, an endless food supply, and an indestructible army”.

Dania, daughter of the emperor’s sword maker, is most comfortable with a sword in her hands.

Noor and Dania make a dramatic escape from the prison.

Dania has revenge in her heart. She is intent on avenging her betrayal by Mazin Sial (she knows him as Maz), the ward of the emperor, with whom she had grown up. She had given him her heart.

Her fury is multiplied when she is told of the death of her father by the emperor through betrayal by her father’s friend Casildo.

Noor, though no warrior, is equally intent on retribution.

While they are avenging personal loss they are also planning to take down the emperor and his regime.

Hunted by the Emperor’s soldier and guided by the stars, they journey through mountains seeking the site where Souma, for whom Noor blended seeds, hid zoraat seeds and his treasure.

The seeds give great power but are deadly if mixed improperly. Noor blends seeds to create a powder that allows Dania to transfigure herself into a different appearance.

Magic changes Dania. She calls herself Sanaya Khara, the daughter of a warlord in the north.

Patience comes hard for Dania. She is not a subtle person. She struggles to quell the emotions pulsating through her body when, while visiting Casildo’s home he unexpectedly introduces her to Mazin, now the emperor’s second-in-command.

Maz sees Sanaya:

I was a frivolous, beautiful confection. Not a warrior. But he didn’t know warriors could wear jewels just as well.

Her wrath requires more than the death of her enemies but ruthlessness does not come naturally to Dania. I was glad she had a conscience.

There are dangers with any drug and zoraat is no exception. The veins in her wrists become black tendrils for longer and longer periods of time.

Dania’s mind is complicated by conflicting emotions as she pulls Maz ever closer to Sanaya. I was caught up in the challenge of dealing with someone you once cared about who is now drawn to a different you but only you know you are the same person.

Dania is stalwart, bright, lovely and a powerful warrior. She risks her future with powerful magic. She is not perfect. She can be petty and impetuous and righteous.

Varga delves into the dangers of certainty based on incomplete knowledge and assumption. There are strong reasons for requiring proof of guilt in criminal trials beyond all reasonable doubt.

My next post will examine Dania dealing with revenge and its costs.

The narrative moves briskly. As the end nears there are striking twists involving magical power that neither I nor Dania / Sanaya foresaw. They had me racing to finish the book.

Varga has succeeded in creating that rare thriller that is action packed and thoughtful. I think it is an excellent book and deserving of its success.