Bookworm Speaks!- Mask of Shadows Review

Bookworm Speaks!

Mask of Shadows

by Linsey Miller

****

Acquired: Amazon.com

Series: Mask of Shadows (Book 1)

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (August 29, 2017)

Language: English

Subject: Fantasy

****

The Story: Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home. 

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. 

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

The Review: Let’s get right to the detail that was most likely the main aspect that attracted a lot of readers to this novel, Bookworm included: The gender fluid protagonist. 

The author does not make it clear what Sal’s biological sex actually is. Sallot’s gender pronouns seem to be largely dependent on the variety of clothing they are wearing. It is implied that Sal is, if not a ‘girl’, can be described as feminine. In their interactions with Elise, however, there is a lot of masculinity to be had here. It was probably for the best that this book was written from the first person point of view. Referring to the character as ‘they’ throughout the entirety of the text would have gotten rather confusing very quickly. It is even a little confusing while writing this review. This is probably the very first book that Bookworm has read with a protagonist that can be described as transgender. Not the first with a gay protagonist mind you, but first with a transgender protagonist and definitely the first in a speculative fiction setting. It is treated as though it was no big deal, which is good step forward for this brand of representation. In order to achieve equality, one needs to treat gender rebels as ‘normal’  rather than the exception. 

It is never made entirely clear what the setting of this novel actually is. It takes place in a kingdom that has only recently come into existence after a brutal war. The setting does not appear to be especially distinctive. A medieval world of swords, horse drawn carriages, and castles. This has been done countless times over but much like Sallot Leon, the author manages to add some fluidity to it. Bookworm got the impression that this book took place is a setting more like medieval France or Italy

This is what sets the stage for Sal’s motivation for joining the contest. For one thing, Sal was willing to be thrown into the wolves den on her own volition. This sets it apart from other tomes such as Divergent or Red Rising, where the main character joins the contest because he or she is forced to do so or it is simply expected by the order of the current governance. Here, Sal discovers the contest by accident. 

Without giving to much away, Sal comes from a land called Nacea which was devastated in a war due to the machinations of the nobles of the kingdom. Were Sal to become the Left Hand of the queen, they would be able to take their vengeance. Revenge plots are nothing new, especially in this genre of fiction, but Sal’s story is special in that it actually feels more concrete than others. Sal has a goal in mind and actually takes concrete, rational steps, towards uncovering clues and means of enacting their revenge. It never leaves them, whereas in other stories, revenge is pushed to the background. 

The most glaring flaw with this book is its initial setup. One cannot deny that this book is yet another entry in a long line of books involving a teenage protagonist who competes in another ‘Battle Royale, Hunger Games” fight to the death. That fact alone may cause a potential reader to return the book to the shelf. Upon reading the story, the author thankfully took the initiative and added their own unique twist to the common YA format. The contest Sal and the other competitors is actually structured in a distinctive fashion. It is implied that the Left Hand Auditions have been done before, but only when a current member dies. Also, the structure of the whole contest is a lot more casual. Killing is each other is expected but there is little grandiosity in their deaths. Makes sense, considering that they are potential assassins. The whole affair feels rather informal, which definitely sets it apart. 

Nonetheless, writers and authors would be wise to break away from such a formula in the future. Hopefully, the second volume will stand on its own. The ending has already made Bookworm eager for the sequel. 

Finally, there is the romance. This book graciously avoids the insufferable love triangle and/or the fellow competitor trope. Elise is a proper lady that has unique tastes and the budding love between her and Sal feels rather heartfelt. Definitely still in the puppy love stage as it were for most of the volume but that slowly begins to melt away near the end of the story. The reader becomes genuinely invested in the characters and for Bookworm, they were some of their favorite scenes in the whole story. 

Final Verdict: Mask of Shadows is a unique tale of blood, love, honor, and vengeance. Bookworm hopes this book will stand apart from other novels for a long time to come. 

Rating: Four Opals out of Five

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