Nevernight

Nevernight is the first instalment in an adult Fantasy series The Nevernight Chronicle by best-selling author Jay Kristoff. Nevernight is a complex book with many wonderful aspects and qualities revealed amid the violence inherent to the story. It is told on a grand scale and never pretends to be anything else. Mia Corvere is the young female protagonist of Nevernight. As a ten year old, she is forced to witness the brutal execution of her father for treason and the imprisonment of her mother soon after. Escaping death, Mia survives the streets of Godsgrave, beginning a journey to avenge her once-privileged family, now destroyed by the Republic. When she turns sixteen, Mia becomes a student of the Red Church, an Order of the Lady of Blessed Murder, training the most-skilled assassins in the Republic. Among the Academy, Mia begins a new battle to survive her training and discover the secrets about herself and the unique affinity with the shadows which are both a power and weakness. In the halls of the Academy, Mia sacrifices much to gain the skills necessary to avenge her family and destroy the Republic but finds a new a sense of belonging among her new family of assassins in the Red Church.
Initially, I was hesitant of Nevernight until the epic style of storytelling became clear, reminiscent of troubadour songs and tales in classic mythology. Jay Kristoff writes with skill making The Nevernight Chronicles very enjoyable and the worldbuilding behind this first novel is incredible. I look forward to reading the next instalments in the series!