The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

Available on
Amazon.com * Amazon.de * Goodreads
Synopsis:

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

Review:

How about I start this off with what I liked about The Bird and the Sword? I liked the idea of the world a lot. That there are gifted people who have powers, but they have to keep them secret or they will be killed. The opening was great with Lark making the poppets do things and I thought this is going to be amazing! I also loved how Lark could connect with animals and helped them when they needed it. Like the eagle in the beginning. It was really beautiful to read at times. 

Now what didn't I enjoy? The rest of the book. The characters were not so good. I couldn't connect with any of them so I finished and felt like I still don't know them. The biggest issue is Lark herself. She always seems to not want to do what others are making her so it makes it uncomfortable to read at times. Like Tiran was always pushing her to be with him and everything and she kept saying no, no, no and he wouldn't listen. I understand having her fight against wanting things she doesn't think she should want, but I never got that that was what she was doing. I never got that underneath everything she did want to be with him and such. Instead it was just him forcing himself on her and it was not cool. For most of the book Lark seemed to fight against Tiran until suddenly they were apparently in love and couldn't be without each other. I didn't understand that. It didn't work. I forgave not knowing Tiran a bit, I just assumed he cared for Lark more than he would say, but I don't know Lark at all or what she really wants. Not good. 

Then the storyline was a bit of a let down. After that great opening and the current situation where their lands are under attack I was hoping for more. Like them out fighting and stuff, not just Lark locked up in a tower for most of the story. Sure she can have some freedoms if she wanted, but she doesn't. Disappointing. Oh and the ending - I rolled my eyes so hard so many times. It was similar to what I anticipated, but just was too cheesy for me. Like everything suddenly was resolved and it again didn't work for me. 

Overall not the book for me. I couldn't connect with the characters so I didn't believe the story. 

Rating: ★★