Reviewer: rebecca_batteur
Client: xostardustx
Cover:
I think your cover is truly sublime, it looks exactly like what you would expect from a publishedbook and offers very pleasing imagery to the eye. It looks professional, in my opinion. Inaddition, it hides a set of very interesting details to notice as you read, which are ultimately veryimportant in the story. First, the blood moon in the sky. It appears to be the combination of thetwo elements of the title, "Moon" and "Blood", because of its scarlet color. But there is also morebehind it. We can perhaps assume that it symbolizes the Moonborns, or Calypso's family and thebonds she shares with them, or perhaps even the massacres carried out by Calypso's father usinghis magic of Moon. It could be a sort of warning, of the blood that inevitably comes with themagic of the Moon, of the threat that these people represent. There's a lot to interpret there. Ialso notice all these floating glitters which seem to symbolize the magic that Calypso glimpsedwhen using star magic for the first time. The blue-colored leaf is also intriguing. It reminds me ofthe tree that Calypso discovers on the island, which turned blue because of the magic stolen fromthe Moonborns that it has accumulated. I think it's a very well-found reference and it gives thebook a certain power to discover afterward all the preparation that went into the cover. I canfinally notice that the font used for the title and the author's name is very pleasant and fitsperfectly with the fantasy tone used in this story. Everything forms a very beautiful harmony, agray frame on which the title stands out well, as well as the red moon and the blue leaf, puttingthese elements well forward.
Title:
The title seems very poetic and well thought out. Again, I can only speculate on this but simplythe fact that I can hypothesize without quite finding an exact answer is indicative of the qualityof the work. The presence of the term Moon is obvious, it is linked to the magic of the Moon, tothe people of Calypso and her family. The term Blood leaves a little more to discover. I supposeit's because the story focuses on blood ties, between Calypso and her family, but also the bloodthat has flowed in the past, that of her people, that of the Starborns, of humans, and the Sunborns.The themes of the story indeed revolve a lot around the blood that was shed, and the violencethat was unleashed, but also around the Moonborns and the influence and place of the Moon inall of this. The wording of the title is also pleasant to the ear and sounds very good, I find thatplacing the "Of" at the beginning gives breadth to the title.
Blurb:
This blurb is very interesting in several ways and allows you to begin your immersion in thestory well. I only noticed minor errors that were difficult to find. First of all, in the last sentenceof the first paragraph, instead of writing "takes on the magic left behind from their dead brothersand sisters", I would advise instead using "takes on the magic left behind by their dead brothersand sisters". In the first sentence of the second paragraph, there is also an error regarding the verband the pronoun used, instead of saying "eldest brother becomes of age, her and her siblings",you should write "eldest brother comes of age, she and her siblings". Apart from these fewmistakes, this summary works very well given that it first introduces the general context of theworld and gives the crucial information that will guide the reader in just a few sentences. First,that the story takes place in a world that has suffered great destruction, and then that it is nowruled by the Van Blake dynasty. We also learn the name of the leader who will play a veryimportant role later in history, we also get the idea that this leader is not any sovereign but rathera kind of dictator or tyrant with terrible influence on the territory he owns, capable of decidingthe life and death of his subjects. Immediately, the phenomenal authority that Alberich Van Blakewill hold is established and we feel its magnitude. This summary also has the function ofintroducing us to the ritual which will provoke the entire plot and play the role of trigger, theMoon Gathering. This element also seems consistent with the authoritarian society that ishighlighted in the opening lines. We easily understand the objective of this ceremony, as well asthe issues behind it when we realize that the main character must participate in it. We alsodiscover some of the future adventures, as well as clues to the rest of the plot, such as the arrival ofthe whole family on the island, and the discovery of dark secrets, such as the true violence ofCalypso's father, as well as her true nature as a Starborn and the possible love she will experiencewith Maddox. The final question sets up the last issue, showing to what extent the main characterwill subsequently evolve as well as the great dilemma which will torment her. For me, thissummary is perfect for the story, since it begins with a contextualization necessary forunderstanding before focusing on the character that we will follow throughout the entire book.
Plot:
This is a very interesting plot that I discovered. I can't find any faults in it, everything isbeautifully put together with a certain logic and even a subtle complexity that provides materialfor the mind to make assumptions. First of all, the world is very well constructed, everythingseems to make sense, even if things remain mysterious and not fully explored. For example, westill have a lot of gaps around the history of the Van Blakes, of the father in particular, how did hecome to power? We know that he put an end to the cruel reign of Henrik O'Helio, abloodthirsty tyrant and also a Sunborn.
However, we learn little about this rebellion thatCalypso's father led. It is unknown how Alberich Van Blake was powerful enough to put an endto this tyranny, given that Sun magic is possibly the most powerful magic, or at least morepowerful than Moon magic. Not everything is certain on this side, although everything can beexplained, I suppose, and will perhaps be explained later in history. I find the dynamic createdbetween the different magics extremely interesting. The Moon and the Sun, the two oppositestars give two magics that can only be used under the corresponding star. All the Sunborns havebeen exterminated, this is said and stated from the beginning, however, we still note the existenceof Starborns, a kind of mutant magic about which we have little information at the beginning.The magic is subtly and pleasantly brought about. Thus, we quickly understand the importancethat the Moon Gathering has in their culture which emphasizes strength. In this world where tostay alive, you have to be among the strongest, the Moon Gathering allows a sort of naturalselection of the most powerful citizens and also strengthens all the members of the lineage,whether the ancestors or even after the descendants. Also, it is said from the beginning thatMoonborns cannot use their magic under the sun but that the most powerful are capable ofstoring a little bit of magic for later use, although the spells lose their power in the sunlight.Calypso, in all her peculiarity, is shown from the start to be able to use magic in broad daylight,unlike everyone around her. A strange peculiarity at the beginning which almost seems to beattributable to the fact that she is the main character.
However, the explanation given for herdifference is interesting, to say the least, and turns everything we know upside down. It is thusrevealed that Calypso is a Starborn, capable of having access to both magics. Not only does thisplace her on a different level from her brothers and sisters but also from all those present on theisland where she will be locked up, and even sets up a conflict that lurks discreetly. It's what willcertainly end up pitting Calypso against her own father regarding the massacres that heperpetrated, all the suffering he caused but also his decision to hide Calypso within his family,while knowing full well that she was a Starborn when he had sworn to exterminate them all andforced his entire population to kill their Starborn offsprings. Calypso's father cannot be ignorantof the whole situation, with his extensive knowledge and skills like no other. He knows thatCalypso is capable of exercising her magic in broad daylight, he must have quickly understoodwhat that meant. This can be seen by the simple fact that he had forbidden her from practicingher magic in broad daylight. If she was just a more powerful than average Moonborn, why forbidher from using her magic in broad daylight? Wouldn't that show everyone the power of hislineage? Alberich Van Blake hides a lot of things.
It is also shortly after discovering Calypso's true nature as a Starborn that the full complexity ofthis intermediate class of magic is revealed. Starborns possess mutating magic between the Sunand the Moon. They were born from the extinction of the Sunborns on Earth, who passed onsome of their magic to the surviving Moonborns. Thus, they are capable of using both forms ofmagic, which makes them a certain danger to the population and this is what pushed AlberichVan Blake to order their extermination. However, we gradually discover how relative this orderwas, given that many Starborns are still alive, and that Calypso herself lives under the Van Blakeroof. A whole mystery is woven around Alberich and his decisions and we feel all the irony of thebirth of Calypso, capable of using the magic of his worst enemy, O'helio, in his own family.Why didn't he get rid of her? The fact that she was his daughter shouldn't have been enough of afactor, considering he didn't hesitate to put his entire family through the Moon Gathering.Alberich's choices seem very ambiguous, since his decision to allow the Van Blake siblings toremain close during their childhood and adolescence, which would necessarily make the MoonGathering more difficult for them and was not customary of the Moonborn, up to that of sparingCalypso... Alberich is described and shown in the book as a very ruthless man, however, in theserare exceptions, he showed an astonishing clemency and almost little agreement with thepersonality he seems to have.
Some pieces are missing from the puzzle and I find that theseelements, hidden here and there, allow for very pleasant and interesting reflections which allowus to formulate theories. What if Alberich himself was a Starborn or something close to it and,through the elimination of Starborns, he hoped to remove any threat to his rule, anyone capableof matching him? We already know that Alberich Van Blake is powerful enough to use a little ofhis magic in broad daylight, so this hypothesis cannot be completely ruled out. The reason whyhe could have kept Calypso alive would be that he wishes to make her his heir, being the one ofhis children most resembling him, even more than Atlas, and the only one, if he is a Starborn,with magic powerful enough to succeed him. These are just possibilities, but the fact that I can formulate them is quite indicative of the qualityof the plot as well as the different hypotheses it could explore.
I also find that the setting in which the story is transported, that of the island and the AutolycusCage, brings a whole new dimension to the story, almost literally. Already, the name, I don'tknow if it is voluntary or not, of Autolycus is quite significant given that, in Greek mythology,he was known as a great thief, the one who would have allowed Heracles to steal the belt ofHippolyte, queen of the Amazons. So, it is very significant to have named a spell that is supposedto steal the magic of others after him. I think it's very fine and very clever.
Then all the diversity and complexity that this island brings to the story is very well constructedand makes a lot of sense. Already, the specifics of the spell which locks individuals within theisland. The rules are quickly established and they are clear. No one can get out. The objective ofthe cage is to gradually steal the magic from all the Moonborns introduced into it. However, thelatter, if they managed to escape from the cage, would probably manage to recover their stolenmagic. The purpose of the cage seems to be for the Starborns to get revenge on the Moonbornswithout having to confront them directly and one by one. Thus, left on this island which we donot know if it is real or created by magic, they lose their magic and cannot escape. In addition,humans are present on site to stabilize the spell, it seems, but perhaps their presence is also meantto intensify tensions between the people and lead them to kill each other.
Then, I find that the context around the Moonborn's loss of magic is also very well written,everything is clear and these rules are never broken. Every time a Moonborn uses his magic, heloses it and is transported to another dimension where he is tortured by his worst nightmaresuntil he willingly agrees to give up his magic. In addition, the notion is also introduced that,when magic is lost, it is gathered in the immense blue tree of which we see a leaf on the coverand where all Moonborn return when they leave this dimension. It also seems that this tree istheir exit door to the real world and that it perhaps refers to a morbid story, since we learn thatthe vegetation only turns blue when a person possessing magic loses it by dying there. Thus, theblue lawns of Calypso's town take on a whole new dimension and add a new layer to thebrutality that seems to hide under the domination of the Van Blakes.
The constraints inherent to this place make it an interesting place thanks to the limits found thereas well as the possibilities it brings and also because Calypso finds herself immune, as a Starborn,to the effects of this cage. The way this revelation is delivered is also very well done. First of all,we think that the moment she uses her magic, she will lose it forever. We, therefore, assume thatshe will keep it in reserve as long as she can to only use it in cases of absolute emergency.However, this situation happens much faster than expected and she is forced to use her powers tosave herself and her sister, so it is expected that she will now be deprived of her magic. At thatmoment, I found it to be an ambitious choice, to rid the main character of her magic so early inthe story and to have her fend for herself during all this time.
But, quickly, everything makes sense when we realize that, if Calypso had really been able to loseher powers, if she had really been a Moonborn, she would have already disappeared into theother dimension, triggering a cataclysm on the island.
I really like the kind of game that is created, where the only way to enter the other dimension isthrough a Moonborn who voluntarily gives up his powers, and the only way to come out is tovoluntarily give up his magic, more than simply saying that you want to give up your magic,you have to sincerely want it, which makes leaving this nightmarish dimension morecomplicated and which means that Atlas, Calypso's big brother, remains locked there for a longtime, or even that Juniper, who declares that she agrees to renounce her magic as soon as shearrives, is unable to immediately leave this dimension.
And finally, the last layer of this well-oiled operation: the magic of the Starborns and thepossibility that it opens. We know that the latter can move freely on the island and in each of itsdimensions, it is in this way that they manage to lock people within the island, a way of lockingup their enemies more effectively while they invade their lands.
It seems that for this they must have a sword at their disposal. The sword is strangely in the handsof mere humans at the beginning of the plot, without knowing why until the well-thought-outintroduction of a Starborn, Leo, who lived on the island, who attempted to allow prisoners toescape using his powers and who died under mysterious circumstances.It seems that it remains to be clarified who is the enemy on this island, Cyrus, Dolion, orMaddox, what happened around the death of Leo, discover what is taking place in reality, withthe invasion of the Starborns against the capital of Lunaria as well as the shenanigans of AlberichVan Blake who also seems to be playing a double game and possibly being the great enemy inthis story. Finally, perhaps also discover the truth around Henrik O'helio, a truth which isperhaps hidden between the pages of the diary of his mortal daughter, now in the hands ofCalypso.
There may still be another question: who is Maddox? What is he capable of? It would not appearthat he lied about his identity as a Moonborn, since, if he could have escaped the cage withStarborn powers, he would surely have done so much sooner, or would have used this magic tomake her task easier and overcome the diabolical dimension that makes her relive her worstnightmares. I don't completely rule out the idea that he could be a Sunborn, although I'm farfrom sure. However, some of his spells seem to guide us in this direction, the one that boils waterfor example, as well as his extremely in-depth knowledge of magic. But what makes me thinkthat is especially the burn on his back with a very strange shape. We know that his village wasattacked by fire when he was a child. However, the burn he now bears does not appear to havebeen caused by accident but on purpose. Did he himself cause the fire in his village? Was thisanother Sunborn looking to kill him? How is he responsible for Leo's death? Is he really trying tokeep all the prisoners locked up to maintain his domination and authority over them? Why staywith the humans who hate the Moonborn if there is one? Why does Cyrus tolerate him if he is aMoonborn?
All this makes me think that this plot is very deep, very well developed and constructed, and stillkeeps a lot of secrets that are impossible to decipher at the moment. This is a testimony to thequality of the story since I am unable to predict the continuation or the end. It is a sign, for me,of an innovative story that goes in very unpredictable directions, while always making sense andslowly building an edifice of great originality.
Characters:
Calypso:
Calypso is quite an interesting main character due to the unique characteristics she exhibits as a person. Indeed, it is established very early on that, among all the Van Blake siblings, Calypso is the one who most easily keeps calm, and who seems permanently distant and reserved. This shows in all of his interactions and his life in general. She has to force herself to appear cheerful to the people around her, otherwise her tone is naturally too cold. She doesn't really know how to comfort her brothers and sisters because of her often very pessimistic point of view. Unlike Orion, she never hopes that their father ends up canceling the Moon Gathering to spare them. Callie is rational and almost cynical, she seems distant from most things and lives a very solitary existence. She avoids the royal palace like the plague because of the permanent coldness she finds there, she avoids her mother whom her curse has transformed and whom she cannot bear to see so changed. It generally seems that she is not quite at home in this world, despite the indifference she appears to display at first. Her house does not please her, with its statues and its dark and gloomy rooms, which still haunt her, with the permanent darkness that seems to reign in the long corridors and the loneliness that she seems to feel, despite his large family. Even though she and her siblings seem close, there is still a certain distance that the years have established, with Atlas growing distant, growing closer to their father in his quest for power, Callie naturally very withdrawn into herself, Orion and Eros always stuck together and Juniper much younger than her. Ultimately, even though Callie loves and is close to her family, I wouldn't say there is a sufficient level of intimacy to chase away her fear of the dark for example. But what she especially missed were parental figures that she was unable to find in her mother, ravaged by illness and sometimes even violent with her from what I understand, her father, was concerned because of the deplorable state of the love of his life and always busy in war and conquest. His father does not seem to have abandoned them but he was never as close to them as he could have been. Apart from Atlas perhaps, he hid a lot of things from them and he hid Callie's true nature from the whole family without ever explaining anything to them.
Plus, the rather bleak outlook of the Moon Gathering can't have helped someone as pessimistic as Callie bond as much as possible with her family. It seems that generally speaking, regarding the subject, she adopts a defeatist attitude and does not even try to fight. She thus resolved from the start to let herself die during the Moon Gathering, doubting whether she would be able to defeat her brother and categorically refusing to harm her siblings.
However, I would argue that there is much more to Callie's character than that to begin with. Indeed, even if she has a rather cold appearance, even if she does not seem very warm, being unable to truly console her younger brother about the prospect of the Moon Gathering because she does not know how to lie to him, Callie is much more affected by those around her than she shows it at first glance. She is much more emphatic than one might think. From the start, she questions the principle of Moon Gathering, doubting whether it is truly reasonable to sacrifice their kind again and again simply for a boost in power. She refuses to live in her parents' castle, preferring the simple and familiar cottage of her grandparents, not out of rejection of all wealth, but because this cottage has always seemed to her like a place of real warmth, of real closeness between his. Callie is afraid of the long dark corridors of the castle, she is afraid of the multiple statues there, and she is afraid of loneliness. Callie cares a lot more about things than she seems and I think, I'm almost certain, that she would have preferred to sacrifice everything, not to be considered a princess to lead an ordinary life where she could have been close to your brothers and sisters.
As it was, Callie's already quite solitary nature was further reinforced by the isolation her status provided her. Thus, it is said that she has very few friends and knows even fewer people. His only real friend is Nova and that's only because Nova is his brother's girlfriend. Apart from her, Callie doesn't seem to be close to anyone.
She only travels a little, not following her father on his warlike expeditions; the people they meet are always kept at a distance from her because of her membership in the royal family. We feel that this same status weighs on her, she does not want anyone to bow before her, and she is well aware that her place in the hierarchy is not due to her own accomplishments but simply to those of her father and how lucky she was to be born as his daughter. As a result, even people who are supposed to be close to her are not on equal footing with her, and there is nothing she can do about it. Thus, Nova's mother, when she enters her shop, despite their proximity and the fact that her own daughter is dating one of the sons of the royal family, addresses her as "Lady Calypso ", and bows his head when he enters the room and generally acts with great deference towards him.
I think this lack of interaction caused a lack of development in Callie. She was not able to experience life in contact with others, learn with them, or get used to group situations. Callie doesn't have all of these experiences. It also seems that his learning has been strangely slowed down or not yet pushed to its maximum. Although it is mentioned that Callie can use magic and that she was an excellent student at school, I have the impression that this prowess is not highlighted enough on the island. So even though Callie has taken self-defense classes, forced by her brother and father, she doesn't use them as often as she could or should. She uses it in particular when she arrives on the island, on the beach but, subsequently, I feel less of this ability to defend herself at home. Dolion easily surpasses her in terms of physical prowess. I suspect that his male body must benefit him but, as the daughter of the great Alberich Van Blake, I had the idea that her training would be more complete or would at least allow her to act a little more. It is well said that Callie knows how to use daggers and hatchets with great skill, however, she does not seem to have the opportunity to show off her abilities. The same goes for its speed. She easily falls behind most of the people she faces on the island. I know they have different bodies than hers as boys but it seemed to me that the training she did should have allowed her to be a little more on their level. How are they, who seem to be ordinary citizens, capable of such physical abilities? Did they follow special training about which we know nothing? I can't say anything for Dolion since I don't know what kind of life he led. He may have been a soldier but the others... Nothing is said about them. I guess this remains a mystery that will perhaps be explained later.
What I also find quite astonishing is the large gaps that Callie seems to have around magic. I know that few people can be at Maddox's level on the subject, however, there are many things that she ignores or does not do. I have the impression that his knowledge of spells is very limited. She almost exclusively uses a single spell to fight and uses the one Maddox showed her many times. Isn't she supposed to know others? Or when she wants to make ice like Atlas in the middle of the ocean and realizes that she doesn't know his spell. I know Atlas has more practical experience than her, but how come she can't do much more with her magic? We don't know the physical limits of magic and it can, a priori, accomplish almost anything. However, Callie's use of it is very limited, she makes do with a reduced range of spells. When Nova casts a spell to abruptly stop the hatchet that Dolion threw in her direction, Callie remarks that she is not familiar with this spell at all and that she does not know what it does. It seems surprising that the sweet and innocent Nova knows things about magic that the reasoned Calypso could ignore, especially given the education to which she may have had access. Perhaps, however, it was a voluntary choice to have left Callie as ignorant as she is, not to have included her in the war like Atlas. Maybe Alberich intentionally disabled her. Or maybe it's just a way for the story to be resolved too easily. Callie indeed has quite an advantage over all the threats in the plot, given that she permanently retains her magic and can use it at any time of the day or night.
I would say that his personality and especially his evolution are very interesting to observe. Callie is not described as a social person, nor even someone very brave or very rebellious, she is more the type to resign herself or to let things happen when she recognizes their rightness. So, when his father tells him that the Moon Gathering will take place and that it will allow their mother to finally recover her health, he decides to speak to her rather than to another of his brothers and sisters, because he knows that she is the only one who can understand what he means, not react out of proportion, not turn against him and perhaps be relieved at the idea that, if their death is inevitable, it will be able to prevent that of their mother. She is implacably logical and, in this sense, she is a lot like her father. Contrary to what might seem at first glance, Atlas is not close to Alberich, even though he has participated in many battles at his side. Calypso is the one who most resembles her father, in her actions, and in her thoughts. Perhaps this is why, despite the prohibitions he himself had put in place, Alberich refused to take her life. Perhaps this is why he is determined to maintain the Moon Gathering for his children; he thinks his favorite daughter, as a Starborn, will be the survivor.
This resemblance seems obvious, everything points in this direction, Calypso's cold logic pushes her not to trust anyone easily, to try to protect herself as best as possible from the power that others could have over her, not hesitating to steal objects from the camp of humans who had welcomed her just before in her escape with Juniper, as well as this way of only resorting to violence as the only way out, avoiding any confrontation that she knows she is incapable of winning, for example, she decides to teleport in broad daylight with Juniper to escape from Cyrus because she does not want to have to fight directly against him and knows that it is easier to flee to where he cannot reach her, especially if he doesn't believe she's capable of using magic in broad daylight. Likewise, she never lets her guard down easily. She procrastinates at length about her ability to trust Maddox or not, she does not take Dolion's words for granted, and she shows herself to be much more refined and fierce than one could imagine, making use of her intellect, as in her exchange questions with Dolion, where she manages to make him realize that she is devious enough that he should be wary of her and her strength. She does not have the impulsiveness of her brothers or their sensitivity, the easy anger of Atlas and his violence which is unleashed much too easily, the dangerous righteousness of Orion in this situation, the gentleness of Eros... Calypso seems to be most likely to survive in a hostile environment. She does not hesitate to defend herself with all the means at her disposal, as when a dark creature begins to attack her while she is in the dark, she decides to use a spell that she does not have. heard the name only once and tries everything in a very pragmatic way to keep herself alive, managing to master the spell in just two blows, when she learns of Atlas' disappearance, she immediately thinks of the compass he has bewitched to allow him to find him and does not wait any longer to come to his aid, knowing the content of the situation. She knows how to use words and information gathered from her potential enemies, like with Cyrus after what Dolion taught her.
However, I think that Calypso is much more than this cold envelope might suggest and, in this sense, her father's words about her are particularly true: Calypso feels as much as the others and perhaps even more than all others. This sensitivity seems at first buried beneath his deep resolve to save his family, putting them first over everything else. However, it seems to be emerging more and more from its shell and showing that it is much more than this cold and insensitive surface.
Calypso differs greatly from her father in all of this. So, she cares about her brothers and sisters, perhaps even more than her father realized. She does everything to protect Juniper for example and is ready to sacrifice her magic for her. Callie evolves and becomes more than she was before.
She begins to get used to living in a group and takes a liking to the people she meets, like Vivian and her half-brother Ares. She begins to understand people, to have more empathy towards them, like Dolion when he had to kill his family during his Moon Gathering or when she realizes that Leo, the Starborn who died, was the lover of Cyrus. At these moments, she demonstrates a sensitivity that is truly unique and specific to her, which has always been within her but which she lets speak more and more.
We also see that she is capable of change. Thus, when Orion argues with her during the attack on the camp by the humans, refusing to flee as she suggests, she ends up being reached by his words and the cold and distant Calypso listens to her brother and realizes the rightness of his arguments as well as the need to care for others. Constantly running away won't always bring her what she's looking for. So, for the first time since the beginning of the story, she voluntarily braves danger without a plan in mind, without weighing the risks, and without it being in her interest. Calypso is much more human than she seems, she is much more alive, and more tender than she seems, she simply has not had the time to develop these assets.
She's not just like her father. She quickly recognizes that the hatred that humans have towards the Moonborns and her family is legitimate, she realizes that her father's actions were not always fair and calculated. There begins to be a real opposition between the point of view that Dolion brings to her, that massacring all these innocent populations was justified given the potential danger they represented, and the opinion that she is forming, as someone who is not just her father's daughter but the person she chooses to be.
For me, a very important element of his transformation lies in the person of Maddox. Maddox brings Callie a renewal, an unexpected element in the face of which she doesn't know what to think, she doesn't know how to act. He disrupts the data she may have, he disrupts her calculations while she is lost between her rationality which suggests she does not trust him, to listen to her brother for example who would like to leave him behind, and her empathy who refuses to give up on Maddox after everything he's done for them. Abandoning Maddox would perhaps have been what Atlas would have done, perhaps even what his father would have done, because Maddox is a risk, Maddox is the unexpected and an unknown power whose limits we do not know well, Maddox has an influence on Callie's person and her fate. Abandoning him isn't Callie's choice, however.
She convinces herself that her quest to find him is carried out solely to calm the quarrels between humans and Moonborns and also to save her seriously injured brother Orion. But we can sense and she admits that there is more than that, that the trust she has begun to have in him also comes into play. Maddox rises to prominence in his life like no one else before has like no other before could have done, and as such he is one of a kind. It reveals another personality in Callie, a personality that is sometimes surprisingly tender, although still very suspicious at the moment.
Callie worries about him, she wonders about him, no longer just as a possible threat but as a friend and maybe even more.
Maddox becomes someone special in her eyes because, at her side, her fear of the dark and loneliness finally manages to dissipate, when she holds his hand, the monsters in the darkness that surround them dare not no longer attack them, proof of the attachment that begins to connect them.
Callie is much more vulnerable around him, in multiple ways, first physically but also emotionally. Callie wants to believe him and trust him, she wants to be able to count on his presence at her side and I think that, in the future, Maddox will continue to be a crucial factor of change in Callie so that she is finally ready to confronting his father's authority, with all the lies and secrets he may have kept.
Maddox manages to see in her all the potential she can have and he is also the first person not to restrict her but on the contrary to guide her towards the peak of her abilities. He is also the only one who fully knows what it is and who accepts it for all that. And I think that her attachment, her support, even when her brother told her that she should never have been born, particularly helped Callie not to sink, to get up and take initiative.
With Maddox, Callie learns to think differently. To think like a human without powers to be able to get out of the most difficult situations, but also to see beyond the limits that she knew, as when she begins to learn the art of healing and therefore of distinguishing the details beyond appearances.
This learning to which Maddox introduces her is very symbolic of what their relationship brings to Callie, the ability to no longer rely on her primary judgment, to see further than what only her eyes reflect to her to question the truth and discover the secrets hidden beneath the surface.
Maddox:
Maddox is, in my eyes, the character who best complements Callie in every sense of the word. If Callie is cold, manipulative, and dangerous on the surface because she was never allowed to be anything else, Maddox displays a caring nature, easily accepting everyone and easily granting his trust. He willingly helps those around him. However, just as Callie had a much more sensitive aspect deep inside herself, Maddox hides a much more calculating, dangerous, and powerful personality inside of him.
The two balance perfectly, because, if Maddox brings out Callie's caring and caring side, and calls into question her lack of trust in others, Callie manages to shake Maddox's always calm and gentle surface to reveal his truest trauma. Both seem able to see in each other what others cannot.
Maddox is also very interesting as a character because of his mysterious past, the fire that surrounds his world, which took everything from him, his strange proximity to mortals supposed to hate the Moonborns, or his undetermined involvement in Leo's death, foiling his plan to allow them to escape the island.
In the end, we know very little about Maddox, only what he was willing to reveal. He hides a lot of things that he seems a little quicker to reveal to Callie, being forced by events in particular. It is unclear to what extent Maddox was able to manipulate the situation, whether it is truly his goodness of heart that brings him back to Callie's side or his desire to get rid of anyone capable of threatening his authority by bringing them back to reality. world.
Naturally, thanks to Maddox's kindness, we would tend to believe him. However, he has repeatedly shown the danger he can pose as well as the surprisingly in-depth knowledge he possesses of all magic, even those he is incapable of using.
His spells are easily fatal, such as when he boils the birds that attack them on the spot. He also has rare and precious abilities, particularly those of healing. Everyone knows that he is not to be underestimated. Even Dolion, who believes himself to be superior to him physically, does not wish to go against him at first, for fear of the secrets he would be able to reveal. Cyrus himself admits that Maddox is a walking encyclopedia of magic. Even Atlas sees in him a possible threat or at least a danger that he sees as better avoided.
But, despite all this, Maddox remains a highly appreciable character, due to his beneficial and positive characteristics, his kindness towards Callie, their very complicit relationship, and their astonishing dynamic. Their dialogues are pleasant, like Maddox's tendency to call her Love and Callie's tendency to correct him. Recently, what got me was the moment he came to his senses, finally addressing her as Callie. He begins to treat her more and more as an equal, to recognize her value, to become close to her. He has many kindnesses towards her, such as retrieving Atlas' compass for her in her room despite the danger.
He wants to teach her not to be so distant from him, to dare to ask him the questions she is keeping from him out of distrust. Callie is almost entirely honest with him, a first for her it seems. Until now, she has always had to hide her powers a little from her family, then, on the island, her nature as a Moonborn, then the fact that she is a Starborn, or even her membership in the Van Blake family. But Maddox knows all these secrets and he remains close to her as well. It's very symbolic, I think, in their relationship. Maddox is, ironically, the one who knows the most about her. More than his father, more than his family, more than anyone so far. He is the one with whom she can most easily be herself and the one who seems to understand her the most easily. He pays attention to each of her feelings and pushes her to admit her greatest fears.
Dolion et Cyrus:
I like how even the secondary characters are treated with great complexity and talent. We don't know much about each of them. We first learn only their most obvious characteristics which designate them as threats or outright enemies. Cyrus' natural aggressiveness towards all Moonborns and newcomers, his ruthless character, Dolion's unleashed violence, and the fact that he knows so much about Callie against her will. Everyone represents a danger.
However, they are also enormously human and their relationship with Callie is far from being entirely negative. Dolion demonstrates unique sensitivity in explaining why he agreed to help Callie. Because it was her. He too saw how she could differ from everyone else, how empathetic she was. Unlike all the other Moonborns who only viewed Dolion's victory at the Moon Gathering as honorable, his actions as justified, it did not give him the impression that the death of his siblings was a good thing. She saw beyond this cult of violence and strength that the Moonborns seemed to exercise. This facet of Dolion's personality makes him someone much deeper, who is not necessarily violent by nature but became that way through a twist of fate because he acted as was expected of him. Dolion is often wild and dangerous, but it seems that a sensitive part remains in him, a part that still mourns the death of his little brothers. A part that is also capable of getting closer to people, like Maddox and Cyrus before they parted on bad terms.
Surprisingly, despite his radical personality, Dolion understands Callie very well. He quickly discovers the secrets she wants to hide and quickly recognizes the danger she can represent. Although his interests remain shady and difficult to determine, it seems that he does not want anything bad to happen to him, at least at first, since he recommends that he not look for Maddox lest the latter end up eliminating it. We don't feel that his concern is sincere, so perhaps it should be taken with caution.
The same goes for Cyrus who, although he is very vehement towards the Moonborns and what they represent, seems to have solid reasons for thinking this way. He also seems to have a much more tender and understanding side to him, especially when it comes to Leo, his deceased lover. He guides Callie with surprising patience to use the sword to find Maddox. He also seems to want to help her keep the fact that she's a Starborn a secret, even though he has no real interest in doing so.
I think that both of them are still expected to evolve in the future and what is interesting about them is that they can evolve equally for good or evil and become allies or enemies of Callie, the two options are not necessarily to be excluded.
Lesson From Blake:
Each member of the Van Blake family, while they haven't all had a lot of time to be developed, is interesting and brings a lot to their relationship with Callie.
I already think it's an excellent idea to center the story around a large family with lots of children, it gives a lot more possibilities for making interesting relationships and dynamics. I also liked the fact that they quickly find themselves on the island so that we can see their relationships in action. I find that the stake that each member brings to the plot is enjoyable to explore. They all have a well-defined personality and also all seem capable of evolving in the future.
Atlas is the eldest, and paradoxically the closest and most distant from Calypso. He is very different from her in the sense that he is the son you could want, strong-willed and talented, he has already witnessed many battles alongside his father, and he is experienced. But, on the other hand, we quickly see that he is also quite manipulative like his father, he keeps the secrets they share and must necessarily have taken part in his father's massacres. His violent and radical side is easily visible, we feel how impulsive and also authoritarian he can be. He is the eldest and he is imposing. He must not have had many people to stand up to him during his life. Calypso, by her self-effacing and rational nature, had to avoid any conflict with him during their childhood. The age difference with his other brothers and sisters immediately commanded respect and set him apart from the rest. I would say he has what Calypso lacks, combat experience, practical knowledge, and also a strong sense of initiative. But Calypso also has a lot of features that Atlas lacks. She is more mature, and more thoughtful, does not immediately jump into action, and manages to judge those around her with more accuracy and tenderness. Atlas could have technically been the main character. He has the necessary resolve, he is the eldest and, therefore necessarily the one who has the most impact on the rest of the siblings. He is strong. However, he lacks a lot of empathy and compassion. He often has difficulty putting himself in the place of others, understanding them, and seeing them beyond what can be useful to him.
Unlike his father or Calypso, his power and energy are centered on the violence and physical power, the charisma that he emits. He doesn't see other people's points of view or the rightness of their situation. If Calypso is suspicious, she is also much more tolerant than it seems and, even if she does not trust Dolion, Maddox, or even Cyrus, she has managed to form a fairly strong bond with them which is at least whether they respect or fear her, they all consider her a key asset. Atlas does not have the same patience. He only sees what matters to himself and not to others. He almost mocks Calypso when she tries to put things into perspective on the attack of the Starborns that Eros has just witnessed, by declaring that she knows nothing, that she did not fight the war alongside them. When he learns what Calypso is, he immediately rejects her with harsh words that affect Calypso much more than she lets on. Because, for him, there are only a few categories of people, those who are subject to him, under his order and his protection, and those who are opposed to him, and therefore dangerous and to be eliminated. With the exception, no doubt, of their father, probably the only one who can assert his authority against Atlas, although it is already said that Atlas has a character strong enough to rebel against him or at least against him. act out of anger. Atlas has a very strong ego, this is clear from the moment we first see him.
Atlas can easily be an ally because of his strength and experience but also an obstacle because of his stubbornness and intolerance.
Atlas is dangerous, and Callie knows it. He can easily lose his temper, and become angry and violent. Everything he saw during the war also posed a threat. He has been changed by these experiences and that is something Callie knows nothing about.
We see in their relationship that Callie is divided between the desire to trust him, to believe that he will protect her since she is his sister, and the fear she has towards him, fear of everything that 'he could do to him. Because Atlas is, theoretically, capable of anything, even against her. Since the reveal that she is a Starborn, we have yet to see Atlas again, but we don't yet know what his behavior will be when he meets his sister again, now a potential threat and, given the way he has been raised, it will tend to eliminate this threat rather than letting it grow.
Atlas is quite ambiguous in the sense that he seems to love his family dearly, to truly want to protect them but is also capable of unleashing violence, both physical and moral, against his family, in particular Calypso, the closest of him in age. To what extent could his moral domination have had an impact on the psyche of Calypso, accustomed to living in the shadow of this lively and flashy brother, quick to physical declarations of affection, she who does not like to reveal yourself too much? It seems that Atlas overshadowed his sister for much of their lives, perhaps overprotecting her. So, from a very young age, he bewitched the compass to allow him to find it in case of trouble. This is quite an amazing characteristic in someone as bossy and proud as him but it seems that he is also capable of caring about others when it comes to his own family, although his love is like him: stifling and oppressive. This affection he has for them could push him to change unexpectedly. Thus, it was his love for young Juniper that pushed him to agree to give up her powers to be able to join her in the main dimension of the island and protect her against the dangers it contains. It was an unprecedented action for a character such as him and perhaps proof that Atlas still has surprises in store for us.
Orion is a very interesting character and one that partly resembles Calypso, or at least the more compassionate part of her. He has a keen sense of justice and cannot tolerate violence. It is this same characteristic that launches the plot by pushing him to flee the palace, taking Juniper and Eros with him to save them from the Moon Gathering. I like the fact that this characteristic is constant in him. He wants the happiness of those around him, he wants justice. He does not hesitate to go against the orders of their father and the customs of their violent people to save his own. I have the feeling that Orion can make a difference in the future. He knows he will die if the Moon Gathering continues and he also knows he wants to do good while he can. I find this desire very interesting and I am delighted to see that this character has already evolved a lot between the start of the plot and the moment when we left him in the hut, dying because of his injuries. Despite the death that awaits him, Orion has never been as strong as at this moment, asserting his will against that of the rest of his family, his father, and his sister. He stands up to Calypso, his elder, the pragmatic and reasoned Calypso, whom he knows is much more logical than him. He stands up to her because he believes in what he does and his confidence is so powerful that he has influence over Callie and manages to change her mind. For me, this is an extremely strong character moment since we can see the two change throughout the conversation, Orion asserting his will and his opinion in the face of Calypso being authoritarian and not very determined to listen to him. Ultimately, her fervor and the power of her conviction transform Calypso's vision, pushing her for the first time to take action in a situation where she is not sure she can escape.
Orion is a positive character in my eyes who has a beneficial influence on Calypso and who will continue to play an important role later. Hoping he survives.
Eros has less time to assert himself, being only slightly present in the story at the moment, however, we already feel what kind of person he is. He has a lot of gentleness and empathy, we see it in his actions, when he runs to warn his family of what has just happened, the fact that he is the one who stayed until the end at the royal palace in the hope of keeping his family together and continuing to take care of his mother... He is the closest to her and perhaps the one of the Van Blakes who looks the least like his father.
Juniper is an interesting character, although she doesn't have much depth yet, being still very young and not able to play a major role. However, I like the place she holds in the siblings, we can see, thanks to her, the affection and compassion of everyone who, despite their differences, are all ready to protect her. She is also much braver than she looks, and much more resourceful too. She left a trail of stones to Orion, she does not hesitate to use a violent spell against Dolion when he attacks them... She shows qualities that can develop in a very interesting way in the future and I also think that the fact that she is still innocent and knows nothing about what is happening around their father and his wars could also play a role in denouncing their father's tyranny.
Alberich is also a very complex character, although we see him very little, his influence is present everywhere, and he is mentioned many times. Indeed, it is because of him that the plot unfolded, without his systematic elimination of the Starborns, they would not have tried to attack the Moonborns. Without the massacres perpetrated against humans, they would not have had such animosity against the Moonborns. He is unique in the sense that he is not hateful, he indeed seems to genuinely love his children but his affection seems as complex as he. He brings security to his children, we feel it in his relationship with Calypso. But he is also willing to sacrifice them because he knows that making a difference between his family and the rest of the Moonborns would be very frowned upon. However, this initially justifiable position is called into question when we learn that he has already broken the law he had put in place to eliminate all Starborn children by sparing his daughter. We can't figure out whether we should be suspicious of him, what his real plans are, the reasons why he saved his daughter while he accepts that the rest of his children kill each other. It would seem, or at least that's what Calypso tells us, that he has a part of him, just like his daughter, much gentler, especially in his relationship with Luna, the mother of his children. He gave his name to the capital of his empire, and he grew Lunarias everywhere because it was his favorite flower. He cannot avoid the Moon Gathering of his children but he hopes that they will be relieved at the idea that their mother will be saved.
All of his choices are very ambiguous, as is his past. We don't know why he decided to let his children grow up so close to each other when they were destined to kill each other, why he didn't instill in them an upbringing that makes them as violent as the Moonborns and the culture that he established. We don't know what his plans are for Callie, or why he didn't push her to go to war like him and Atlas. He seems to have a very special relationship with her, but for what purpose? Did he spare her out of love or was it something else? Under what circumstances did he kill Henrik O'helio?
It seems that by confronting him, most of the remaining questions in the story can be resolved.
Pace:
The pace was pleasant, I rarely found myself bored while reading. At the end of each chapter, a question was left which made you want to continue reading. I found this part to be well handled, however, I have to say that the various chapters are perhaps a little long for Wattpad average. If this were a paper book, the length of the chapters probably wouldn't matter as much, but here it can perhaps discourage readers, despite the quality of the story. Breaking the chapters into several smaller parts might be helpful, although not necessary. Apart from this purely optional remark, I got caught up in the story, there were always elements that made me want to continue reading.
Writing Style:
I find your style very good, with fluid and pleasant language to read, no mistakes, precise and varied vocabulary which gave depth to the story, and also very beautiful descriptions, particularly in the second dimension of the island, when they traveled from place to place, I was truly transported to the places described. There's also a lot of style to the characters' dialogue, giving each person a personality based on the way they speak. I'm thinking in particular of Maddox, his accent, and his habit of calling Callie Love, or Dear. The characters have a presence that you can feel and I have to congratulate you for that.
Personal Enjoyment:
I enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed writing this review just as much. This allowed me to explore your story in an even deeper way and only made me appreciate it more because of all the details I was able to notice while thinking. The length of the review is a good testament to the level of investment I put into this work. I would have had a much harder time doing the same with a book that I don't like.
This book is very pleasant to read. At first, I felt a little discouraged by the length of the work that awaited me, but the quality of the work was sufficient to dispel any boredom. This book is of sufficient quality to be published and I hope it will be one day. I also hope that more people end up reading it since it certainly deserves more attention. I finished reading all the published chapters and realized at the end that I would have wanted more to read, given that the chapter with which the work ended left me wondering. I can say that I will happily continue reading the book for my pleasure and to find out the end of the story.