Why I Didn’t Enjoy Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Published: January 5th, 2016

by: Tor Teen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Format: ebook

Source: Library

My Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads

In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she’s a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden – lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult’s true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls’ heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

 

My Thoughts

Thank the gods that I didn’t buy this book. I should have known that there was something fishy about it. So, the majority love this book. It is not a bad book, it just didn’t deliver what everyone has been gushing about in their reviews. It’s hard to ignore the hype when a book has a cover like this one. Do I love the Throne of Glass series and Grishaverse (though I’ve only read Shadow & Bone and Six of Crows)? Yes! Red Queen, Falling Kingdoms, Snow Like Ashes? Yes! Do I love all things witches? Yes! Am I a fan of YA fantasy? Yes, yes yes! Then why didn’t I love this book, you ask? Because EVERYONE claimed it’s so epic and different from all the other books they’ve read. If I could count how many times the witch gangs on Twitter and Goodreads said this book is different, I’d still be counting right now. This book is no different from the other YA fantasy books that I love. That’s why I didn’t like it! I wanted it to be different, but I know that there had to be something similar. But still…….. I have no reason to start another series with the same things going on in the other series that I’m obsessed with. No reason at all. It’s time for a change. No more raving about these books that keep giving me the same insta-love and special heroines that make stupid decisions. Trust me, after I finish with the many series I’m obsessed with now, I’m gonna take a step back and just let everyone else keep going. 

Reasons why this book failed IMO……. This is not a review, but a rant.

– Safi and Iseult could have been the baddest chicks to ever grace the YA fantasy genre. Why aren’t they? Well, In the first few pages that seemed possible, but it took a turn for the worst. Safi is one of those heroines that do things on impulse that make no sense whatsoever. This girl flees the people who try to protect her. Where they do that at? She’s the Truthwitch everyone wants. Why? I haven’t a clue. If there was a hot commodity floating in this world, I would want the antagonistic Bloodwitch. Who gives a hoot about truth and lies when war is imminent? Give me the person who can fight in battle. Screw the politics – kill them all. Iseult should have been the special heroine all by herself. I’m not sure why that isn’t so, since she obviously has the power. This was so backwards.

– This felt like a sequel, because the author wrote this book as if we already know the hows, whys, whats, and wheres. No 2 sentence explanation about a specific witch will suffice for me. I want to know on a deeper level what they are and how all this came to be. We don’t know anything about the Witchlands or anything else thrown in, because it’s all explained in little detail. Maybe there should have been a prequel novella or something for this. Venaza City is what? Why are the people from Nomatsi treated poorly? So much world and people, but we have no clue as to what it all means. I’m wondering if we had to pick a team and play the witch games on the website before reading this book. It sure seems like it. 

– I want there to become a time when a heroine doesn’t need a hero to shine. I knew as soon as Merik entered the picture, he’d become something to one of those girls. He’s too ambitious not to be considered for the job. He’s not a bad character, but I just wish he wasn’t even included; or at the very least, be uninterested in Safi. They are in love and it’s so strong that the force will knock you over. No lie. It was instant and that saddened me because there was just no need for it. And let’s not forget the moment that they saw each other. Flying through the air with his shirt open? Really? Because bare chests are not uncommon to make girls swoon. It did not work this time. I’ve read enough of it.

This book is not at all like I thought. I had reservations about it before deciding to borrow if from the library, but I ignored my gut. If you are looking for something epic and different, this book is not it. However, if you are quite happy with the same-story-different-book thing, then you will not be disappointed in the least. There are a lot of things I could say were good about this book, if I was looking to read another one like all the rest. That’s the problem, I was looking for different and got nothing. I need more, and I’m quite sure book two won’t be read by me. You guys can have this one. See that gif above? That’s how I felt about this. I could have just finished reading the Grisha trilogy or read my copy of Glass sword, for all the good this book did me. If you loved this book, then good for you. If you haven’t read it, then think about it before you do. It’s not all bad, it’s just another story with an overshadowing romance and stupid heroine. Hell, I like Aeduan – the Bloodwitch. At least he takes no BS.