Week 50 Review: Swordheart

From Goodreads:

Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws… and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.

My Review:
Reading this book was so glorious! I really enjoy her writing, and I loved the first 2 books in this world, and I was excited to pick up this one. The whole set up with her (deceased husband's) great-uncle dying and leaving her everything, and having the family dispute that (including to locking her up) and her ending pulling an enchanted sword that was or contained a person? Yeah it was such a fantastic idea!

Halla is pragmatic and sensible-and curious. She knows how to fade into the background, putting an act of a silly woman, rambling and asking strange questions. And Sarkis, who is in an unfamiliar land, and is bound to serve the sword's wielder-but never before has there been a wielder like Halla. I adored them to pieces! 

Their romance was really sweet to read, with the power dynamics that they have, that he's a warrior so she might be scared of that, but then she's his wielder, so that's a position of power. That she's a respectable widow complicates matters, and I really watched as their relationship developed! Especially given their different outlooks, she is sure of the good of people, and Sarkis is sure everyone is out to murder everyone.

Banter was excellent in this book, which I think might be a staple of this series. Sarkis who keeps mentioned the decadent south, and such things, and oh, Zale, servant of the White Rat and Brindle, gnole! The humour and the wit, was so clever, and all together they were a great cast of characters

One big question I had, was what the sword said, because Sarkis kept thinking about it, what it meant, and what it would mean for them. So that part of the story was difficult, because they had just had some victories, and yeah, that was a complication.

Honestly, in the back of mind, I was waiting for Bartholomew to do something nefarious, because he wanted the sword that Sarkis was. Like when he was asked to be a witness of Silas being sound of mind when he made his will, I was afraid that he was going to lie. That he might have been the one behind the footpads that came after them in Archen’s Glory. So I loved how that part of the story resolved! 

This book was an absolute delight and I can't wait to continue on with this series! 

Author: T. Kingfisher 
Series: The World of the White Rat
Read: December 7th, 2024
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Bramble
Expected Publication: February 25th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars