For something that was seen to be life or death, the result is lukewarm at best. When Alexa’s real sex is revealed, it is very anticlimactic. I hope that it becomes vital in the rest of the series, because otherwise it was a poor choice to be included. The rape house aspect of the kingdom was not necessary for the story at all. Then she seems to recover from long blackout periods with few ill effects. She is tough as nails, except for her skull. Alexa is constantly losing consciousness throughout the book. The ending is satisfying with a build up that adds to the tension.Īt the same time, the book does suffer from some debut mistakes. In particular, the prince himself is very well drawn as a mysterious figure that is constantly revealing new aspects. The pacing is fast, almost breakneck, making it a very riveting read. The jungle setting is refreshing as is the kingdom ruled by fear and cruelty. Larson has created a very compelling world here. But how will they ever accept her as a girl when they have only known her as a man? She finds herself drawn to the man the prince is behind his cold exterior and also drawn to the other guard, a man she has known for years. Then she is taken hostage along with the prince and another of his guard. Alexa finds herself guarding the prince personally after an attempt on his life. But the prince is aloof and cold to everyone, never showing any interest in becoming a ruler. She becomes one of the best fighters in the prince’s guard. This lets her disguise herself as a boy and avoid being taken to a rape house and used by the king’s soldiers. Alexa has been raised by her father to fight, something very unusual for a girl in their society. In a jungle kingdom with a cruel ruler, Alexa and her twin brother survive the murder of their parents. This debut YA novel is a mix of romance and fantasy.

Defy by larson