War is fearing the air, the shadows, fearing the silence. Death will come and I won't even see it.
Golden Son
by Pierce Brown
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
About: Darrow's training is almost complete. The Academy has taught him all it can on warfare but there are some enemies it left him unprepared for. High as he's climbed, many scheme for his fall. But Darrow is more than a man: he is Eo's dream and The Son of Ares's only hope. If he's to fall, he'll put his training to use and bring war like the Conquerors of old.
The Good
As clever as the plot is (and it is!), what draws me into this world are the characters. If someone insults Darrow, I feel insulted. His friends are my friends and there's reason to fear for them all. This world is deadly and Pierce Brown teaches his readers to trust and mistrust everyone who enters the scene. There's great subtly in why allegiances change. It isn't a matter of good and evil, it's layers of lies and centuries of corruption. Darrow makes mistakes, his friends make mistakes, and his enemies are the product of what's happened to them and their Society. It's impossible not to feel emotionally attached to almost all of the characters, especially the ones Darrow loves. His heart spills over the pages and you understand why so many are willing to die for him.
The Bad
Darrow is told time and time again to not distance himself from his friends. To trust them. It's a hard lesson and understandable in its way. However, he keeps plans from not only his friends but from the reader as well. Just when you think all hope is lost or a shut-your-book-and-breathe twist happens, Darrow will reveal that he knew all along what was happening. It becomes just as frustrating for the reader as it is for his friends and I don't think it was always necessary to keep the reader in the dark on Darrow's plans: there are enough twists from other characters!
The Somewhat Iffy
Cassian isn't in the story as much as I was expecting, given how much Darrow and him are set up as rivals. And when he is in a scene, it just doesn't feel like the same character anymore. Does he hate Darrow? Does he care for Mustang? What are his motivations? We don't get much from him, and another character seems to replace Cassian's role by the end.
Overall
The ending makes me want to immediately pick up the next book, but I also think I need some time to process everything. A lot happens. It's emotional, twisty and oh so good.
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