This was quite the… interesting book. I’m actually quite impressed by the writing style- Even though I couldn’t really understand what in the blazing city was going on, it still hooked my attention and gained 3.5 stars verging on four.

So basically, Jorg is a fourteen-year-old prince in an area (suspiciously) geographically similar to our France. Except, well, he’s on the road with a band of rather unsavoury characters seeking out revenge for the deaths of his mother and brother, and being a general jerk about it. They reminded me somewhat of Robin Hood and his Merry Men except for the fact that they aren’t relatively good people. They steal from the rich and the poor, burn their land, pretty much destroy their lives, and relish in it. It’s a stabby little band of darkness.

Did I mention that the kid’s fourteen and the leader of this? He’s one little package of anger and darkness and blooooooooood. Also sharp objects. Jorg does enjoy his sharp objects.

As aforementioned, however, I was totally lost plot-wise and setting-wise. I think it’s supposed to be set in some sort of alternate-France? But minus the culture. The culture’s fairly similar to medieval England. Except for the fact that there are a few elements that lead me to believe that it might be set several thousand years in the future. Plus, there’s magic involved. Just… there’s general confusion regarding basically everything in the setting, and hopefully the next books will explore that a bit more? Idk.

The characters, though… the characters were what I stayed for. Jorg might be a stabby little prince of darkness, but his sense of humor is A++. All. The. Sass. He’s so sassy and cynical and sarcastic and basically every little mental retort I have. Minus, you know. The fact that I’m not threatening to kill quite as many people. Jorg has quite the hit list.

If you do choose to read this, though, be warned- this is very, very, very dark. Jorg is a villain, and an unredeemed one at that. Think Joffery Baratheon’s POV and that’s what you should expect. I do talk about how I love his voice/general take on the world, but basically everything he does is awful. He is a horrible human being, and given how young he is it’s legit terrifying. This is not YA. This is DEFINITELY not YA. I did really enjoy this- I adore dark, gritty antihero stories- but be ready for it. Don’t go into it expecting knights in shining armor and acts of valor.