Kiersten White, And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga #1), Corgi Children’s/Penguin Random House Australia, 28 June 2016, 496pp., $19.99 (pbk) ISBN 9780552573740
Do not be misled by the opening reference to Vlad Dracul. This is not a vampire novel, though the heroine is certainly prone to biting. It’s also not a fantasy novel, as some reviews claim. And I Darken is historical fiction set against the backdrop of the 15th century Ottoman Empire. It features Vlad the Impaler, only in this novel the Impaler is not Vlad Dracul III, but the young Ladislav (Lada) Dragwlya, and what a girl she is! Think young Princess Leia crossed with Katniss Everdeen. We’re talking serious rage against the machine.
The story begins with Lada’s early years in Wallachia (now part of Romania), along with her sensitive, gentle brother Radu. At a young age their father, Vlad Dracul II, trades Lada and Radu as prisoners to the Ottoman Sultan Murad, in exchange for Ottoman support for his rule. Lada and Radu are understandably bitter about the exchange, a bitterness that Lada uses to fuel her constant anger and vindictive behaviour. She loves Wallachia and refuses to accept her new country. Enter Mehmed, third son of the Sultan, neglected and lonely. The three become friends, and this unbreakable bond becomes the theme for the book. The love they feel for each other, both platonic and romantic, shapes their choices and frames their regrets as Mehmed later becomes Sultan, his life ever under threat.
Although the perspective often switches between Lada and Radu, it is Lada who captivates. From her earliest memories and actions she is shown as a fighter who pulls no punches. A young woman, refreshingly lacking in beauty (unlike most heroines), who plays dirty and never surrenders. Furious that her gender should consign her to a life of arranged marriage and domesticity, she takes every opportunity to surpass her male peers, becoming an expert in combat and military maneuvers. Her relationship with Mehmed both protects and weakens her, but she fights her emotions every inch of the way and remains fiercely independent. By contrast, gentle Radu becomes an expert in charm and manipulation, privy to political secrets and intrigue. He is the perfect complement to Lada’s vicious nature, though they clash over their love for Mehmed. Radu’s conflicted feelings towards his own homosexuality and unreciprocated love for Mehmed is touching and genuine. Although he was born a male, with the associated entitlements that Lada envies, he is trapped by his own sexuality.
I’ll admit that I found some of the early chapters a little slow, though I recognise the significance of including Lada and Radu’s early experiences in Wallachia. However, once the two arrived in the Ottoman Empire I was hooked. I read the book not knowing it was part one of a trilogy, and was excited to learn that the story will continue. I’m keen to discover how Lada explores her potential, and at what cost to herself and those she loves.
Recommended for readers 14+ due to mature themes, including violence and sexual content, though the content is handled carefully and is far from graphic.
Kiersten White lives near San Diego and is the New York Bestselling Author of many books, including Now I Rise, the Paranormalcy trilogy, the dark thrillers Mind Games and Perfect Lies, The Chaos of Stars and Illusions of Fate. Visit Kiersten online and @kierstenwhite on Twitter.
Reviewed by Georgina Ballantine