"The Stricken" by Morgan Shamy

 

"The Stricken" by Morgan Shamy is an original and creative YA fantasy novel that revolves around 17-year-old Clara, who finds herself at the center of a conspiracy.

In Clara's world, a storm that erases memories occurs daily, affecting everyone except Clara. A voice in her head keeps her sane, but she eventually discovers that there is more to this phenomenon than she initially realizes. The plot thickens as she escapes from the Diviners, captive souls who feed off memories, and finds herself in Khalom, a city of nobles with powers. There, she learns about shadow armies, different abilties, the masters of Diviners, parallel worlds, and her own dangerous power. Two mysterious figures, Cael and Nowen, tug at her heart, but can they be trusted?? Clara finds herself in the crosshairs of some dangerous enemies and must harness her powers to save the worlds before all is lost. What follows is exciting tale, as Clara is thrown from one ordeal into the next, unsure of whom to trust.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and did not find it confusing at all. The plot races along from the beginning, constantly gaining pace and growing darker as it progresses, ultimately immersing the reader deep into the world. There are many adventures and mishaps along the way, and I appreciated how the reader is thrust directly into the story, discovering it alongside the heroine.

The world-building is brilliant, and I could vividly envision the various worlds and their inhabitants. I loved the different abilities and types of the nobles and the way they could use them to travel between worlds, move around, or create/destroy things.

However, the book does have some formatting issues, such as missing letters at the beginning of the first sentences, different-sized fonts, and adjacent words without space in between, which need to be addressed before the final release of the book. Additionally, the heroine initially comes across as a bit infantile, with her focus on kisses being somewhat irritating, but it is understandable due to her young age.

This plot is one of the most original that I've read. The story is presented in the first-person point of view of Clara. The author skillfully weaves together an excellent, unique book and infuses it with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. The world-building is just as intriguing as its inhabitants. The book is filled with unforgettable characters and moral messages, dealing with themes of a grand struggle against evil, friendship, loyalty, honor, and moral conflicts.

I'm typically not a fan of love triangles, as they can become repetitive, but in this book, it was handled with panache and an original angle. "The Stricken" has everything you'd want from a fantasy novel: complex characters, intrigue, a captivating story-line, and even a touch of romance. If you were wondering about the title's significance, it becomes clear in the book. I loved the book and would be eager to read more works by this author. I highly recommend the book to anyone seeking a fresh and out-of-the-box tale.

* Thank you Edelweiss and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Stricken" by Morgan Shamy