Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang - A Review

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Blurb - As Per Amazon
The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen.
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry.
When Sciona finally passes the qualifying exam and becomes a highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome—and, instead of a qualified lab assistant, they give her a janitor.
What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was not always a janitor. Ten years ago, he was a nomadic hunter who lost his family on their perilous journey from the wild plains to the city. But now he sees the opportunity to understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the privileged in power.
At first, mage and outsider have a fractious relationship. But working together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first.

Click the picture to check out more details on Amazon.

Now For The Review

Standalone or series?
Standalone 

How did I get this book?
I was offered it for review on Netgalley. (Although the eBook is available now it looks like the Hardcover is releasing in October.)

Why did I choose to read this book:  
I really like mage magic in general and dark storylines when I am in the right mood. 

Genre:
Dark Fantasy

Who would enjoy this book:  
Readers who are familiar with mage magic theories. This wasn't a "light" read.  There is some quite graphic violence throughout the book. 

And Now To The Review!

First Impressions:
This is a harsh start and really sets the tone for the rest of the book despite it being told from a completely different perspective than the main story. It's quite a harsh pivot that comes with no initial explanation but it DOES all tie in eventually.  
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General Review
This was my first introduction to M.L. Wang and it was a good one. The book is very "Mage Magic" heavy so may not appeal to everyone but it reminded me of a cross between the Alex Versus novels By Benedict Jacka and the Shadow and Bone series. The world-building is strong, with a heavy emphasis on women generally being second-class citizens, but still above settlers from another part of the country. I enjoyed that there was a serious cost that came with magic, and I don't think anyone will be prepared for what that cost ends up being.  

Final Thoughts
Overall I am not sure if enjoyed is the right word for how I felt about this book, but it was good. I thought the ending was particularly well done but know that many may disagree with what the author decided. I would definitely read other works by her. 

Rating:
Overall a solid 4 stars, because I felt some of the characters weren't quite as developed as I wanted them to be, and the mage magic was a little heavy on the theory side at times even for me.

As always let me know what you think in the comments!


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