Reviewer: Ryan O’Boyle
Book: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
Author: Roseanne A. Brown
Magic can be enchanting. It can also be used malevolently. In A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, written by Roseanne A. Brown, two polar opposite teenagers discover themselves and their magic as they race against the clock. For Malik, one of the two teenagers centered in the story, he has the ability to see spirits and use his magic to create illusions. A freak mishap leads his sister to be snatched by a sinister spirit. Speaking quicker than he could think, he offers the spirit a deal. He would complete a task for the spirit or they could have his soul in addition to his sisters. The spirit asks the impossible. Malik must figure out how to accomplish his task quickly. Princess Karina of Ziran, the other focal point, discovers a book of magic that will help her reach her dreams, but it comes at great cost and must be enacted in less than two weeks from the time she reads it. She must wrestle with her guilt whilst taking part as overseer of the biggest festival in Ziran, Solstasia. An adventure and a half, this story unfolds in a brilliant display of storytelling and suspense.
Explosive action permeates throughout, suffusing suspense, intricate corollaries, different perspectives and keeps the pages turning. The tale resides entirely in the city of Ziran. Hints of a broader world keep the reader on pins and needles. Magic lies in the air but common knowledge says it has died out. Safe to say, common knowledge doesn’t know the half of it. I felt the elements were well put together and seemed to unfold naturally. The transition between the perspective of Malik and Karina offered a new perspective of events each time it switched. I thought the story it had to tell about the horrors of oppression and what you can miss if you have built in privilege was a marvelous subplot. A fascinating take on magic and magical lore, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin should be your next read.