Traitor of Redwinter: The Redwinter Chronicles Book Two

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But others have plans for Raine too, and as the king's health fails, rebellious lords begin to vie for power. Her former friend Ovitus seeks Raine's support as his clan turns to him for leadership, while the grandmaster seeks to harness Raine's potential as a deadly weapon to be launched right into her enemy's heart as even Redwinter scrambles to hold onto power. Thank you to Tor Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

There’s so many secrets, secrets everywhere mixed with betrayals and more betrayals, it’s hard to know who to trust. Theres also some focus on family and it was interesting to learn more about this relatively unique magic system Raine’s character development in this installment was truly remarkable. In contrast to her impulsive and impatient teenage self portrayed in Daughter of Redwinter, she exhibited a newfound maturity in Traitor of Redwinter. Taking the time to reflect and carefully consider the consequences of her actions, she became a more sensible and relatable character. However, her self-sabotaging tendencies, though present, added an additional layer of depth to her persona, making her all the more intriguing. Yes, she was overly cautious when it came to her romantic relationships but given her history of abusive and toxic past relationships, I actually sympathized with her in this regard. Understanding the challenges she had faced in the realm of relationships, it was natural for her to prioritize self-preservation and be hesitant to trust others easily.

Read Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

This was an engaging and often emotionally moving book 2. McDonald covered a lot of narrative ground here on both a sweeping plot front and character arc front and has me itching to continue the tale to see where things go from here in the finale. Whilst this does a fantastic job at exploring love and romantic interests, it did, occasionally, feel over the top. They’re about to be killed, be devoured by a demon, go to war; and they somehow have time to have deeply profound conversations and self-loathing monologues about their emotions? 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.

Ed McDonald has, once again, presented an excellent fantasy adventure in a world that parallels our own. With a Scotland-inspired protagonist who rivals Brave‘s princess Merida, Traitor of Redwinter is an incredibly solid second entry for this series. Greater depth is given to all of our returning characters, and the world is fleshed out considerably more. Political intrigue, romance, violence, and magic blend brilliantly. I love the time I’ve spent in this world, and I look forward to hearing the audio version of this one as well. 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. Again, I don’t know if McDonald intended that or not. I could be reading way too deeply and putting my own thing on the text.I only got a few moments. A glimpse of the young man’s last few breaths. He’d struggled at the end. Shouted, just one shout among many. A distinctive accent. And then there was a face, stark and porcelain white in front of his, so thin she could have lived through famine. And then she opened her mouth, and her teeth were jagged yellow points. Most of his last moments were fear, and terrible pain, but he thought of a woman before he died. Resentment that he’d not get a chance to live out his life with her. And that was it. Done. Meanwhile, Uvotis has been gone for months to the capitol, Ulovar has fallen gravely ill, rose thistle has become a little too good of a friend, and Raine can’t seem to decide whether to push or pull when it comes to Esher and Sanvaunt. Nevertheless, I felt like this expanded Raine’s understanding of herself and showed us her flaws as she struggles to be fair and good to others. A main character with flaws, yes!

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.But it is a rare act of kindness—rescuing an injured woman in the snow—that becomes the most dangerous decision Raine has ever made. Dangerous because the woman is fleeing from Redwinter, the fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, warrior magicians who answer to no king, and who will stop at nothing to reclaim what she’s stolen. A battle, a betrayal, and a horrific revelation force Raine to enter the citadel and live among the Draoihn. She soon finds that her secret ability could be the key to saving an entire nation.

I've finished reading an arc of Traitor of Redwinter some time ago and I've been struggling to gather my thoughts honestly. It's been a wild read and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I half-slid down the bank and into the ditch. It was dry, everything was dry, the grass was baked yellow and the leaves were turning crisp on the trees. It was a summer for dying things. I reached out to touch the face of one of the dead, but despite the day’s savage heat, he was cold. He’d been in his twenties. Not so old. Not old enough to die. His throat was a ruin, the blood that had cascaded down the front of his shirt was brown, and dry as the land around it. The dead man had been wearing a night shirt. The flies hummed loud, clogging the air, clogging nostrils and mouths. Poor bastards. The people, not the flies.Amidst the multifaceted plot, McDonald introduces a compelling array of political machinations, fueling a sense of foreboding and treachery that permeates the story. Raine's struggles are compounded by the conflicting allegiances and the shadowy motives of those around her, culminating in a series of unexpected twists and revelations that heighten the intensity. Ovitus is the worst and I continue to despise him. If you’re thinking of taking up looting, I disapprove,’ Castus said from behind his bunched handkerchief. ‘They don’t look to have had very good taste.’ Sometimes we act on instinct. Sometimes things can be forgiven when they happen automatically, a knee-jerk reaction to something out of the ordinary. Like when I’d fed my strength into a ghost to topple Kaldhoone LacShale. I hadn’t known what I’d been doing, not really, and I’d been desperate. We forgive those things. Or we should. This, what I was about to do, I should perhaps have feared more. I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.