Blood Over Bright Haven Paperback – July 17, 2023

An incredible tale of mystery, tragedy, and truth. How easily one can commit evil acts simply because they turn an oblivious eye to the truth. How change is possible with the right motivations. My heart has ached right along with these characters, I’ve cried, I’ve raged and I have smiled. I cheered on Scionia and Thomil and Cara and wanted so badly for a found family ending. But alas, my heart was broken. This will be a book that I will not get over soon.With such an intricate magic system, a mysterious blight that’s enough to terrify readers, and a society that seems to have it all but underneath lies something incredibly dark and sinister, and characters that are well thought out, flawed, but still wonderful, it’s no wonder I couldn’t put this book down. It will leave you on the edge of your seat and fearful of what’s to come but hoping for something better and wishing it wasn’t a standalone.

There is something captivating about how ML Wang writes that I struggle (in a good way) to describe to other people and Blood Over Bright Haven was no different. It didn’t grab me the same way Sword of Kaigen did but I was still sucked in and invested in what was going on. The story premise was very unique and I found myself reflecting on the very first chapter when similar examples came about as I read. I felt Sciona’s struggle as she learned, shared with the power that be, her shock there after sharing and ultimately what she does about trying to help/change the situation. The ending was shocking and just like SoK has me yearning for an aftermath follow up that may never come. Ms. Wang is a great writer and I am very happy to see her success growing with time. I anxiously await her next book and will quickly buy it as soon as it is released.

Dark, disturbing, and utterly addictive, Blood Over Bright Haven is an absolute must-read. I’m not well-versed in the dark academia subgenre, but you can’t go wrong with this page-turner. It delves into topics of imperialism, racism, elitism, and supremacy, but it’s a damn good book above all.The City of Tiran is impressive. Enclosed within a magical Barrier, it offers its citizens comfort and industrialization made possible by magic. Refugees from the outside, however, can’t expect equal treatment, and they usually scrape by in factories or doing menial jobs. Those who live outside? Dead or soon to be dead through Blight. This lethal light appears from nowhere and strips away layer after layer of human and animal bodies until nothing but blood remains.Within the confines of the walls, Sciona Freynan has the potential to make history as the first female highmage. She just needs to pass the final exam. Since work, studies, and magic are her sole priorities and she lacks social skills or real interest in other human beings, she feels she can do it. Driven by insatiable ambition and hunger for glory and gifted with a brilliant (if obsessive) mind, she has no equals. There’s just one problem - she’s a woman. And most mages believe women are not destined for greatness.To avoid revealing any crucial plot points, I’ll keep the synopsis brief. Wang gradually unveils the true origin of magic and sheds light on the mysterious Otherrealm - from which mages draw energy to power the city. Expect the unexpected. It’s dark academia, after all, where appearances are often deceiving.Blood Over Bright Haven avoids gratuitous violence but contains graphic scenes that may unsettle some readers. It excels at stripping its protagonist from her core beliefs while making her understand the monstrous secrets of Tiran.There’s, of course, a man and a potential for romance. Sciona faces many obstacles, and it is through the other point of view character, Thomil—a Kwen refugee—that we understand how limited her choices are. Their chemistry and dynamics are great. But here’s the catch - we’re talking about M.L. Wang’s book. In The Sword of Kaigen, she has proven to be unafraid of defying readers’ expectations and making bold, heart-wrenching choices. I have issues with parts of the story and the characterization of one of the bad guys, but the ending left me speechless and deserves all the stars.A word about the magic. I’m not usually a fan of magic systems, but I loved how similar to coding it was. How logical and elegant it felt. Bravo! The characterization of most players is top-notch, too.The book itself is relatively short (around 120,000 words) and tells a complete story. It skilfully explores themes of gender injustice, racism, faith, and consequences of intentions. All while providing suspense, action, and personal drama. The second half of the book is driven by anger. A righteous anger that serves as a catalyst for societal change, igniting a fire that propels the characters and their world forward.To provide a balanced perspective, it is worth mentioning that some readers may take issue with the somewhat simplistic depiction of certain characters and the use of narrative shortcuts to convey the message. Personally, I found myself emotionally engaged, and these aspects did not hinder my overall enjoyment of the story.In short, Blood Over Bright Haves is excellent. It tells a complete story, provides a satisfying ending, and is an emotional rollercoaster as the narrative takes bold risks and delivers gut-wrenching twists. Go ahead, give it a read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Blood over Bright Haven is a phenomenal, compelling story.The world building is intricate and the depth of the characters are well developed.Bright Haven of Tiran was built by man in order to protect it from winter and blight. Eternal spring. The Otherrealm is quite the opposite.After her mother passed away Sciona’s own father denied her having his last name. He sent her away to live with her Aunt. Now she denies him her glory. All of Sciona’s life she has wanted and she’s also worked hard on becoming a Highmage of Tiran. Magic and men run the city. The government needs those who possess the necessary skills of magic to come up through the ranks and keep the city running smoothly.Sciona wants to break barriers for women. Move past the good old boy network and become a highmage. There is so much working against women in advancing their career. Being a highmage is nowhere for a woman to be they say. This is a man’s profession they say.Sciona says - hold my beer, I’ll show you hellfire.I felt such empathy for Sciona and Thomil for being treated poorly. One, because she’s a woman highmage typically reserved for men, and Thomil, for being in a lower societal class called Kwen. Further in the story a friendship between Thomil and Sciona develops, making them a team.✅Thought provoking darkness✅Social disparity✅Absence of morals✅Intense strong magic✅Emotional✅Complex✅Brilliantly told legacy✅Strong FMCMany thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC.To M.L. Wang, thank you for telling such an impressive tale.

Wow!This is so good!Wang does it again. After The Sword of Kaigen, a book that took me by surprise and left a longing taste, Blood Over Bright Haven also took me by surprise, even tough the expectations this time around were higher.Wang's storytelling is enthralled, taking me to her world right at the first pages, with the intensity of Thommil run into Tiran, to barely scape the Blight. The name of the city of refuge is very suspicious and those suspicions will be confirmed as along the story we find out what the city is built on.And we do that, through Sciona's story. A woman mage trying to get in a circle dominated by man.To make a long story short, this book talks about sexism, capitalism and the refugee crisis. A not so subtle analogy to the world we live in, but a finely crafted one that got me turning pages with anxiety at the fate of everyone involved.

Such a good book. The prose is deftly crafted, the worldbuilding is clear, with complex histories and culture, yet in no way difficult to grasp. The main characters are strong, yet imperfect. I'll be looking for more books from M. L . Wang for sure.Some very heavy themes - genocide, persecution, racism, and sexism. Do be prepared for so e sexual harassment and one attempted assault (written for good reason, not graphic or gratuitous).

Un libro incredibile nella trama e la struttura dei personaggi, ti prende senza più lasciarti andare fino alle ultime parole , ritmo incalzante e mai noioso .secondo libro dell'autrice brillantemente scritto

Aunque el principio te lanza de lleno a la historia sin darte muchas explicaciones y resulta un poco complicado entender el mundo y el sistema mágico, además de tener un lenguaje que no es sencillo para quien el inglés no es su lengua materna, conforme va avanzando mejora enormemente hasta convertirse en un libro sólido, con un argumento muy bien construido e hilado, con grandes personajes que resultan muy reales y muchas sorpresas a lo largo de la trama que son impredecibles. Me ha enganchado y conmovido y me ha parecido muy original. Totalmente recomendable.

Wang knocks it out of the park with this one. I read this immediately after reading The Sword of Kaigen, and I had my doubts on whether Wang could repeatedly create masterpieces. But she does so again and in such a creative way in this novel.First of all - the world building and magic system here is absolutely insane. The detail that goes into explaining the magic system is incredible. It adds a depth to the world that marks this as reality. The world-building and explanation of the magic system doesn't fall into the pitfall of dumping this information on the reader. It drip feeds what is necessary at the time - it isn't barebones to leave readers confused but it isn't overwheleming to leave us confused - it is perfectly balanced.The characters themselves are so real, and remarkably well-written. Sciona as a protagonist is relatable but frustrating, at times endearing but also detestable, warm and kind but also cold like steel. There is something that is so incredibly human and real and intimate about Sciona that we as readers can't help but see parts of ourselves in parts of her.The book is also a great critique of power-structures in our own world and the hypocrisy present in said power-structures. The book being a critique of these power-structures doesn't add or detract anything for the story, it is more the methodology in which Wang brings attention to them which deserves praise. It is not heavy handed to the point where it becomes didactic, nor is it too subtle to lack substance. But Wang injects irony which in terms highlights the problems with many of these power structures.In short, yet another masterpiece from Wang. I'm waiting for the Threepeat!