About this deal
I ignored Castus and laboured hard enough to roll one of them over. My suspicion was confirmed, and it didn’t sit easy. And this is where I have to talk about Raine. She is a challenging, flawed character, one who goes the route of rash decisions and auto-destructive behavior as we follow her journey. And I understand not everyone enjoys reading that, but McDonald managed to make me invested in her story quite successfully. She's complicated, she's messy and all that fits her age without making it her singular characteristic. Her romance drama got in front of more serious things several times in the book and I caught myself shaking my head because she can't deal with it at all which is funny considering she is ready to do more dangerous things, like assassinating or using Sarathi magic. But her instincts are on point and you actually can believe what drives her to help Ulovar because author made an effort to show us that her Redwinter family are worth fighting for: her friends are great, Sanvaunt is just dreamy, Erish is lovely, Castus is the best and all I can say is that I get her. I totally get her. :) It’s still a fantastic book and a fantastic series. I still love it. I’m still enjoying the magic and the characters and the world. I just think it needs some tweaking.
So go away. It’s a private thing. You’re too full of yourself to take it seriously. You make everything seem … juvenile.’ The first half of Traitor of Redwinter largely focused on character development and a bit of world-building. The narrative explored Raine's response to the horrors she experienced in the first book, and the impact of PTSD on her relationships. She understandably regressed as a character now that she felt the emotional weight of everything for the first time. She had nightmares and became addicted to drugs to numb herself, while also engaging in rash behavior. All of her new friendships fell apart, as she isolated herself from those she loved the most to avoid them seeing the parts of her that she considered rotten.
Customer reviews
After Daughter, I was wondering about the possibilities that this sequel might deliver to the reader, and really, plot wise, all expectations get exceeded. It's blown into epic proportions and major betrayals. But I have to say... I was always suspicious of our villain in this particular story. I knew it. I just knew it! Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC. It's a little late because I just HAD to get the audiobook. I adore the narrator. This is an honest review. Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a disappointment for me and I wanted to like it more than I actually did. Mainly due to the fact that I enjoyed the first book so much. I didn’t want to be pitied. What I needed was to feel that some part of me, any part of me, was normal. That I fit in among them. I couldn’t bear to be broken anymore.' Raine is a orphan who was brought to Redwinter, the home of great defenders of the realm, trained in their ways of magic and war, and made her name for fighting above her level, and making friends and foes equally. This has come at quite a cost to Raine. The mentor that saved Raine, Ulovar, and brought Raine to Redwinter is weakening, dying slowly in some unknown way. The powerful matriarch and defender of Redwinter has had her power and immortality stripped away. Revolution is taking towns, bodies are starting to build up, and the clans are starting to get uncomfortable. Raine is having problems dealing with all these things, along with the fact that Raine is keeping a secret. Raine can see the dead, and this skill is not looked at as something favorable. Raine has found a book, a cursed book to help her control these powers, but nothing seems to be helping. Emotions are running high, danger seems around every turn and every look, and the power that Raine has to communicate with the dead might be very busy soon.
This book seemed slower than book one, and whilst I was immediately drawn into book one, I think I was only as engrossed with book 2 as I was because of the phenomenal start of the series.
In writing TRAITOR OF REDWINTER it felt like author McDonald took DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER and exploded it. The storyline was absolutely thrilling. I am going to highlight two of my favorite aspects of the book. Traitor of Redwinter is the second in Ed McDonald��s Redwinter Chronicles, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers... and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem. Suffice to say the worldbuilding continues to be second to none here and TRAITOR OF REDWINTER dives even deeper into the history and tumultuous past events that have shaped the present. There's also a deeply hidden mystery that cannot be denied and I found myself wanting to know more with each enticing (although infrequent) revelation. Hey, we can't give everything away in the second book am I right? So as it happens that excellent worldbuilding and an interesting history are my two favorite elements in a fantasy book, I'd say yeah this one hit all of the right notes for me. I loved the additions to the world-building in Traitor of Redwinter. There was so much cool history exposed. The magic system is still one of my favorites ever, and I enjoyed getting to see it in action again, especially some of the more esoteric powers that came into play. Grandmaster Robilar was a key figure in the story, and it was fascinating to see how her history intertwined with the current conflict in so many ways. There was clan drama, as well, with plenty of political intrigue. I think my one complaint would be that for most of the first half all of the interesting political maneuvering was happening around the characters without actually involving them.
Daughter of Redwinter has it all: enigmatic characters, shady politics, secret cults, ancient evils, and a young woman grappling with her own shattered identity while navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem.”—Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld However, the final quarter of the book when everything comes together is just phenomenal and I couldn’t put the book down. I also love the fact that the story ended at a pause point rather than a cliff hanger. It's hard being a Sarathi among the Draoihn, but it's even harder being young and not knowing what to do with all the feelings. Ed McDonald has followed up last year’s Daughter of Redwinter with a roller coaster of a second volume. This is a brilliant epic fantasy and has everything that a lover of fantasy novels could possibly need.But the grandmaster has her own plans for Raine, and the deadly training she has been given has not been conducted carelessly. In Raine she seeks to craft a weapon to launch right into her enemy’s heart, as Redwinter seeks to hold onto power. The last quarter of Traitor of Redwinter had me in a choke-hold that would not let me put the book down. I read until 4 AM just to see how it all ended. There were so many payoffs for small things from throughout the first two books, and the author's attention to detail and ability to build an intricate narrative shined through in those moments. The ending was both tragic and hopeful, and it had me wanting to scream in rage at certain characters.
I know that I am in the minority here and loads of people have lapped up this book, but it wasn’t for me, and this may be the point where I tap out of the series. Sorry! But there you go, not every book is for everyone! There were some pacing issues especially in the middle of the book when I began to get a bit bored. Sadly, the e book of the ARC is badly formatted with random numbers inserted into the text as well as a lot of very random line breaks which broke up the sense of the writing and made it hard to focus on what was happening. His assessment didn’t sit right with me. I looked up and down the ditch at the poor, dead, trussed-up people. No, they weren’t a town council. They were too young. None of them looked past thirty. They’d been helpless, slaughtered like swine, and there were rules in conflict, even for the likes of Arrowhead who was doing his best to foment unrest and was stopping short of outright rebellion against the king, and Redwinter, by a hair’s breadth. Grandmaster Robilar was an interesting character in the first book. McDonald gave a good teaser about her, and in this book, readers get to know more about her. I loved it. She is, of course, powerful, knowledgeable, and cunning. When reading, I did the feeling that she was so much more capable than Raine. There is definitely a reason she’s the grandmaster. Her addition to the book was great.
Similar Books By Other Authors
Sanvaunt continued to shine as an exceptional supporting character, just as he did in the first book. The same can be said for Esher and Liara, who added depth and richness to the story. While I had reservations about Ovitus in Daughter of Redwinter, my dislike for him deepened exponentially in Traitor of Redwinter, leaving me with an intense loathing for his character. lol! I am itching to into details but alas spoilers…. The development of the relationship between Esher and Raine was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, filled with tender moments that touched my soul. Similarly, the dynamic between Sanvaunt and Raine evoked bittersweet emotions, tugging at my heartstrings. First of all, the first book was absolutely amazing, I've loved it with my whole heart and the audiobook for it is the best thing that exists. The second in Ed McDonald’s Chronicles of Redwinter, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers… and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem. While this novel, unlike the first, occasionally grapples with the portrayal of the female experience, particularly in Raine's depiction, McDonald's exploration of her youth and emotional vulnerability lends insight into her often tumultuous decision-making process. The complexity of her character, though frustrating, ultimately adds a layer of authenticity to her portrayal, contributing to the overall depth of the narrative. Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.