Reviewed by Chris J Kenworthy, for Armadillo magazine.
“I hate feeling as though I don’t fit right in my own skin […] anxiety takes up too much space, pushing me aside.”
‘Blade of Secrets,’ by Tricia Levenseller, is a fantasy novel that follows Ziva and her sister Temra as they run away from a sinister plot of world domination.
Ziva is a socially anxious teenager, working as a blacksmith to create powerful weapons with her magical gifts. She goes on the run with her sister when she learns that the true intentions of her latest customer – a powerful warlord – is to use the magical sword forged by Ziva, to enslave the world under her rule.
As Ziva has social anxieties, it is clear that she prefers metal to people, and the dynamic between Ziva and her sister changes throughout the novel. Initially, she is co-dependent on Temra and especially protective of her, but as she discovers that Temra has wildly different ambitions to her, therein begins a conflict between the two. It was fascinating to see them learn to respect each other’s wishes, and grow into themselves – particularly Ziva, whose running away from the warlord made her the reluctant heroine of the story, going in search of either a worthy wielder of the magical sword she’s forged, or a way to destroy it.
The two sisters are joined on their adventure by a handsome mercenary, and a young scholar whose extensive knowledge of the magic of the world’s humans will help them with their cause. This is where Levenseller skilfully combines fantasy adventure with a slow-burning romance, which is fun to read.
Normally, stories that focus on social anxieties are genre-specific, so the representation of social anxiety in a fantasy novel is refreshing. Ziva’s family support her with her anxieties, even admitting fears of their own, which portrays the importance of a supportive environment to young readers.
Levenseller’s ‘Blade of Secrets‘ is a masterpiece of fast-paced Young Adult fantasy adventure, and slow-burning romance. Throughout the novel, the reader will develop sympathy towards Ziva for the internal battles she has with herself, and also empathy with how she learns to grow and develop as a person.
Stowmarket Reporter 