Sword and Verse

Sword and Verse is by debut author Kathy MacMillan

Raisa was only a child when she was kidnapped and enslaved in Qilara.  Forced to serve in the palace of the King, she's endured hunger, abuse, and the harrowing fear of discovery.  Everyone knows that Raisa is Arnath, but not that is a Learned One, a part of an Arnath group educated in higher order symbols.  In Qilara, this language is so fiercely protected on the King, the Prince, and Tutors are allowed to know it.  So when the current Tutor-in-training is executed for sharing the guarded language with slaves and Raisa is chosen to replace her, Raisa knows that, although she may have a privileged position among slaves, any slip-up could mean death.

That would be challenging enough, but training alongside Prince Mati could be her real undoing.  And when a romance blossoms between them, she's suddenly filled with dangerous hope for something she never before thought possible: more.  Then she's approached by the Resistance- an underground army of slaves- to help the Arnath people.  Joining the Resistance could mean freeing her people... but she'd also be aiding in the war against her beloved, an honorable man she knows wants to help the slaves.

Working against the one she loves- and a palace full of deadly political renegades- has some heady consequences.  As Raisa struggles with what's right, she unwittingly uncovers a secret that the Qilarites have long since buried... one that, unlocked, could bring the current world order to its knees.

And Raisa is the one holding the key.

The Breakdown:
1. First congrats to MacMillan on her debut novel.  I was fascinated by the world she created in this book.  It was interesting to see how writing was used as a tool to keep the lower classes down.  I also enjoyed that the start of each chapter was the snippet of the gods' story which lead to the writing segregation in the population.  It really added well to the overall story, and she ties it in so nicely in the end.

2.  I find Raisa an interesting character.  Torn by her love of the Prince, and her desire to help her people.  Many times she has to make some really tough decisions, and they don't always turn out well for her. I love her courage, especially in the end.  She is brave in the fight even if her greatest skill is her ability to write.

3.  Mati and Jonis each play important roles in Raisa's life.  With Mati, she finds love, and it is with him that she truly learns to trust and knows that there can be a better world.  Jonis, a member of the Resistance, helps Raisa to find her courage.  Although they had very different positions in life, they both were strong characters who were working hard to make better lives for their people.

4. I loved that this story really emphasized that knowledge is power, and that learning should not be a thing just for the few privilege.  It very much explored the idea that the pen is mightier than the sword, with lots on intrigue to keep me interested.

To Read or Not to Read:
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