THE PRISON HEALER
LYNETTE NONI
*****
Hodder & Stoughton have very kindly asked me to participate in their official blog tour for The Prison Healer which is out TODAY (13th April). I am really excited to take part in this tour as the book is one of my KINDIG GEMS for 2021 and I can't wait to tell you all about it! I'll start by introducing you to the book and giving you all the latest info about the upcoming 'A Night In with Lynette Noni' event (including where to buy tickets) and then I'll jump in with my review!
THE BOOK
At Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself.
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.
Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming.
The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
From bestselling Australian author Lynette Noni comes a masterful and action-packed YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.
UPCOMING EVENT!
You can catch Lynette for 'A Night In with Lynette Noni - in conversation with Jessica Townsend' on 14th April at 1830 UK time. This is Lynette's only UK event and she will be exploring the inspiration behind her new novel, and what else we can look forward to in the series. In conversation, Lynette will also touch on her beloved characters, how she got into writing for young adults, and her top tips for aspiring writers.
Don't miss out - you can book your tickets HERE! There's also an option to buy the book at the same time for UK readers.
THE REVIEW
*****
I feel like I’ve been a bit out of step with the fantasy genre lately, even though it is one of my favourite genres to read. It was therefore really nice to feel like I’m ahead of the curve by reading the ARC of The Prison Healer and knowing that it will be an outstanding hit when it is released in April.
The Prison Healer has it all; there’s a feisty and strong female lead, a harsh prison setting, a series of trials to overcome and many secrets to be unveiled. I enjoyed every minute of reading it and finished it in a day – that’s how engaging the writing is. Noni is an assured and confident writer, drip feeding enough backstory and world building throughout the entire story in a way that kept us informed but still holding things back, although not enough to be frustrating. I enjoyed the cast of characters, especially our main character Prison Healer Kiva who will always try to treat someone no matter what they have done in their previous life. There is also a great supporting cast including the sweet Tipp – a young boy with a stutter, prison guard Naari and the noble new prisoner Jaren. I felt they were all well rounded and liked getting to know them further throughout the book.
I also really enjoyed the setting - the prison of Zalindov felt realistic and gritty, with a hint of internal politics at play as well as a dirtier underside. There are some twists and turns as the trials progress and a few reveals that I did not see coming close to the end. This is the start of a series so there is a cliff-hanger ending and I cannot wait to read the next one (I believe it is out in October so there isn’t too long to wait!)
I only have a few very small criticisms; one is that I didn’t understand the need to show the coded messages that Kiva receives from her family. It also seemed to take up one page of my kindle whether it was a one-word message or a few sentences which didn’t make much sense. Looking back on this I do wonder if it’s a code meant for readers to crack (a bit like in the Artemis Fowl books) – if this is the case, it’s a nice easter egg! I also felt that at times the writing was a little repetitive, with author Noni holding the readers hand to walk us through the plot at various points and remind us of what had just happened which could have been edited down.
Overall, The Prison Healer is one of my standout fantasy books for 2021 and I cannot wait to read the next instalment. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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