The Prince of no value
Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.
The noblewoman of no importance
Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.
Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.
THINKING OUT LOUD
This underrated fantasy romance is a must-read for fans of Marie Rutkoski, Leigh Bardugo, and Kristin Cashore.
“You know, except for the gray skin, black nails and the one glowing eye looking at me, I could almost mistake you for Gauri.” He gave her a sleepy grin. She paled and frowned at him. “And then you smile,” she said. “Bursin’s wings, but that’s a blood-curdling sight to wake up to at any time of the day.”
What kind of book did I find? The kind where characters shine because they’re funny and human to the core.
“There’s a lot to be said for a spare.” She drew a circle on his chin with her fingertip. “Your skin color reminds me of a dead eel I once saw on the beach.”
Brishen arched an eyebrow. “Flattering, I’m sure. I thought yours looked like a mollusk we boil to make amaranthine dye.”
I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The main characters, Brishen and Ildiko, first met on their wedding day. Their romance started from friendship to mutual respect and affection. I swooned; I laughed; I cried. Brishen and Ildiko were sublime. A quintessential engaging couple who shows us patience, understanding, and faith in the face of adversity.
She’d held tight to that philosophy: see past the surface to the tides below. In her very short time amongst his people, she observed many similarities to hers—a love of family, comradeship, loyalty to each other, grief over lost friends.
There are three allegories I have observed: culture, anthropology, cultural stereotypes. To provide a better explanation, the following are the definition of these terms respectively:
Anthropology is the study of the origin and development of human societies and cultures.
Culture is the learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods.
Brishen’s culture, that of the Kai’s, are afraid of sunlight. They have a reverse circadian rhythm, which means they sleep during the day then stay awake at night. The Kai have a hideous physical appearance—grey skin, black claws for nails, yellow eyes. This didn’t deter me from seeing the true nature of the Kai and their culture. They are radiant, hence the title, “Radiance.” The Kai are sensible and caring to their families and comrades. They have what they call a mortem light to carry the memories of a dead loved one. They feel grief and happiness like a normal human with possible fatal consequences. Carrying a mortem light requires both mental and physical agility. There was a scene where Brishen held the mortem light of a dead soldier, and it almost left him dead.
The setting reminded me of the Middle Ages and European monarchy. The amalgamation of different cultures—the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom—spoke of the author’s adeptness in worldbuilding.
The prose was accessible, with occasional use of esoteric terms particular to each culture. I liked the idea of the scarpatine pie and its importance in a wedding ceremony. Described as a disgusting dish by Ildiko, the scarpatine pie was a popular flavorful dish among the Kai. Eccentric food aside, there’s the amaranthine dye—the major commodity and source of trade between the two kingdoms. Overall, a well-written fantasy book I highly recommend for young adults and adults alike.
Star Rating: 5/5
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