The Unbroken

By: C. L. Clark

Narrated by: Rasha Zamamiri

In an epic political fantasy unlike any other, two women clash in a world full of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire.
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Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to her homeland to stop a rebellion, and the ties of blood may be stronger than she thought.

Luca needs a turncoat. Someone desperate enough to tiptoe the bayonet's edge between treason and orders. Someone who can sway the rebels toward peace, while Luca focuses on what really matters: getting her uncle off her throne.

Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren't for sale.

Colonialism S U C K S

Heartbreakly and endearingly human. The characters are so well written and the storyline... I hope in this case life will imitate art one day soon. 12/10

Historic Fiction, but Make it Fantasy

I was a bit nervous about this book, I don’t read a lot of “adult” fiction as I still enjoy young adult and new adult literature despite my age. However, my concerns quickly proved to be unwarranted. This book was amazing! Like, the kind of amazing that makes it impossible to fully describe without spoiling everything. I love all the representation they managed to put in the book without anything feeling forced; multiple LGBT characters, disable characters, and strong POC females! It was refreshing.

My favorite characters were Touraine and her mother, Jaghotai. Both are such strong, bad-ass women who have been through hell. Touraine was kidnapped as a small child by the Balladairan Empire and raised to be a mindless, obedient soldier. Jaghotai mourned the loss of her child with no body to bury, only to have that child come back nearly 20 years later and hang her brother for being a rebel. Touraine’s life was not easy in Balladaire; she was punished harshly as she was growing up, often for other people's infractions, and rewarded for good behavior, as though the military was training dogs – not children. Her goal for her future was to become a captain, the captain of the Sands. She believed that by doing so, she could protect them and better their lives. And perhaps it would have worked out for her, had it not been for her run in with the rebels. Everything changes rapidly and what follows is possibly one of the best examples of human resilience and personal discovery I have ever read.

If you are looking to read this novel because it is labeled as a “sapphic romance”, do not go into it expecting that. There is pining and the characters do seem to love each other (or at least the idea of each other), but romance is far from a focal point. The romance doesn’t even go anywhere in the long run. It’s much more action focused, taking the rebellion to the next level. The fighting scenes were well written, even if the descriptions for scents tended to be... disgusting.

The book seems to be influenced by the French occupation and colonization of North Africa there is no lack of realistic tension. The influence also helps as a segway into why everyone in the audio book is French; a fact that thoroughly confused my brain, but the narrator was fantastic. I am also rather pleased with how the book ended. No revolution is ever going to be bloodless, and I hate that we lost some truly wonderful characters, but it made it more impactful that way. I look forward to picking up the second book and continuing the series.

love a sapphic, anti-colonialism fantasy

this gave me everything i needed. i am sad the sequel doesn’t drop on audible for another month and some change.

hmmm..

I loved the story telling and detail. I really didn't like the back and fourth of the lieutenant. like, blink and she's on another side and acting so high and mighty, blaming everyone else.. when a lot was actually her fault! also.. wtf.. you flip flop so much but get mad at others who aren't agreeing with you!? I kept rolling my eyes. Then have the gull to say "if the princess doesn't free me (after everything aweful you did..) she doesn't really care? whaatttt??????

action filled

narrator was very engaging. action filled story with a slow burn love story that dosent deter the main characters from their obligations. I finished the book in three days.