The Falling Kingdoms series is essentially a YA Game of Thrones, so for once the advertising for a YA book is correct! Usually when books have a 'If you like this… you'll love this' sticker, the book it's compared to is nothing like the new release. For example Throne of Glass had a sticker that read 'If you loved The Hunger Games, you'll love this!' but in my opinion the dystopian Hunger Games couldn't be further from the high fantasy Throne of Glass.
However, Falling Kingdoms has many different points of view from all over the continent and they all interlink with each other in the storyline. It is full of intrigue, betrayal, lies and love (even some mistaken incestuous desire) just like Game of Thrones, but containing less explicit content.
The first book starts off with two of the countries of Mytica deciding to usurp the king of the other country, Auranos. Everything that occurs after is the fallout from this move. It's interesting to read the points of view from different sides of this war. As the books progress the characters you'd want on the throne become far more numerous, and characters you previously might've hated, start to grow on you.
The characters are all very individual and very flawed, and as there are a lot of them trying to explain how much they need to read this book it's hard to coherently describe the links and all of the characters. When reading the book it's a little strange attempting to slip into this strange world straight away that has many characters in many places, but over time, you stop needing the (very helpful) character list at the front and can just enjoy the story.
I've never been so undecided about love interests in a book. Usually I read some interaction between two characters and latch on, unyieldingly. In the first book I had a clear OTP (one true pair) that continued into the second but everyone seems to kiss everyone at some point and Morgan constantly makes you question where the characters' hearts lie. So by the end of the third book, I don't know where my heart lies, or the heart of the characters.
Falling Kingdoms contains magic, but a unique sort and also the mysterious Watchers, who do what their name suggest: watch over the mortals of the world, but they clearly have a bigger role which is only just beginning to be unravelled in the third book after many little hints and appearances. It appears they've had much to do with Mytica's goings on, acting like Gods, which is very interesting to have these God-like beings interacting with the mortals.
Morgan isn't afraid to kill off characters too, constantly keeping you on edge and praying for the safety of your favourites.
Also, her writing style is so easy and smooth to read, making the books quick reads. I read each of these books in one sitting because you just get pulled in and once you're in Mytica, you're there until the book ends, it's just SO addictive!
The series has a planned 6 books and there will also be a spin-off series, so there should be much more great stories coming from this world!
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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