“We carry those we have lost in us and draw strength from them. That is a thing more powerful than spear of sword.”
Tori’s inaugural venture into the dark fantasy genre is a powerful statement of intent. Blood Stones, book one in the Legends of the Bruhai series, has exquisite world-building, masterful prose and richly created characters that will live in your head rent free for as long as they want.
Tori showcases her talent for character-driven narrative, pulling us in up close and personal so that not only do you live inside that POV character’s head, but you can literally feel their breath on your neck!
We primarily follow three POVs. Gehrin, the son of the ambitious and cold Counsellor Hallix, is abducted from his home and placed in a secret school with other boys, to be trained as on of the legendary warriors, the Bruhai. Gehrin’s older brother Xario must contend with the political turmoil as Counsellor Hallix looks to move his family into a prominent position to take the throne in the wake the assassination of the kings’ heir. Xario must battle between this and remaining on the path of his true calling as a soldier in the army of Katesh. And lastly, we have Syndri, the daughter of a chieftain, and her sister Senna, whose tribe is caught in a brutal cycle of tribal warfare. Syndri must overcome her own sense of revenge in the face of violent tragedy.
From the opening pages, Tori displays her ability to create tone and atmosphere. The dark and bloody introduction to this world not only sets up character, but introduces us to the concurrent themes of family, grief and identity that bleed through every pore of this book.
Gehrin’s arc is absolutely fascinating and perhaps the darkest aspect of the story for me. Subjected to brutal beatings and gruelling work, Gehrin must overcome his fears and weaknesses as his very name and identity is torn away from him. Gehrin, and the other abducted boys, have to battle with their selfhood and identity. They are essentially reduced down to a number and it is up to them to keep a sense of self through their formed brotherhood. Tori is masterly with her skill, weaving theme and character, which in turn manifests as a rich and nourishing reading experience.
Tori also does this exceptionally well with Syndri, whose rash actions cause a conflict that razes her very people to the ground. Consumed by vengeance and hate, she must find it within herself to navigate through grief and focus on her people. The theme of mental health and how grief manifests in diverse ways for different people runs strong through Syndri’s arc and for this, she became my favourite character. Tori is not afraid to explore Syndri’s flaws and dark thoughts. She is also an incredible warrior with fire in her heart, but it’s the struggle of balance that is at the core of her character.
As well as the principal characters, we have a whole host of intriguing and well-rounded secondary characters. Jai, Nin, Sabba, Ettlan and Hyshir are some of my stand outs and I can’t stop thinking about them. I have no doubt that anyone who reads Blood Stones will connect with a plethora of secondary characters and you will be itching to find out more about them.
The world that Tori has created is a multicultural kaleidoscope, vibrant with easily identifiable races, cultures, and societies. The use of runes and spirituality in the people’s lives adds yet another texture to this rich tapestry. The socio-political geography is well defined, and this is also helped with a handy glossary of in-world terms and dramatis personae.
Blood Stones is light on magic, but what we have is steeped in the spirituality and mystery of the world. Without giving away anything, the deep and ancient power that is explored later in the novel creates powerful connections to characters whose stories, so far, seem unconnected. One moment literally made my jaw drop. I cannot tell you how excited I am to explore this power more and why it connects certain characters together.
The use of symbolism in Blood Stones was another aspect Tori used that I found incredibly compelling and just added an extra layer of depth and history to the story. Drawing from European and Eastern animal symbolism, Tori is able to create cultural individuality whilst connecting comparable spiritual ideologies. This elevates the story and augments character in a incredibly satisfying way.
Another point to note is the narrative structure. The story is broken down into three parts each with a three-year gap in between. I was a little wary of this to begin with and it could have been quite jarring. But what I actually found was it allowed our characters, in the case of Gehrin in particular, to grow both in age and in experience. Gehrin and the other boys start as a group of terrified children from different backgrounds and become a brotherhood of men. The time gaps, I think, really help with the natural progression of this and allows the world around the characters to evolve.
Many mysteries remain unexplained as yet, Gehrin’s mother is one that I was particularly fascinating with, and many questions are put forward to the reader. Book two could not come sooner and my hope is Tori will build upon those mysteries and questions, giving us some answers, but also going deeper into the mystery, lore and power of this world.
Blood Stones was the kind of reading experience that I get up in the morning for. Thought provoking, beautifully written, rich in character and a narrative that is both eloquent and savage in equal measure. Tori has introduced us into a tumultuous world, riven by ambition, violence and the emergence of an ancient power. This was one heck of a read. Bring on book two!
