What do you think?
Rate this book
Keeper of the Dawn
Sometimes failure is just the beginning
All Lai has ever wanted is to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother before her, in service to their beloved goddess. That’s before the unthinkable happens, and Lai fails the trials she has trained for her entire life. She makes the only choice she believes she can: she runs away.
From her isolated desert homeland, Lai rides north to the colder, stranger kingdom of Alanum—a land where magic, and female warriors, are not commonplace.
Here, she hears tales about a mountain city of women guardians and steel forgers, worshiping goddesses who sound very similar to Lai's own. Determined to learn more about these women, these Keepers of the Dawn, Lai travels onward to find their temple. She is determined to make up for her past failure, and will do whatever it takes to join their sacred order.
Falling in love with another initiate was not part of the plan.
Keeper of the Dawn is a tale of new beginnings, second chances, and the endurance of hope.
All Lai has ever wanted is to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother before her, in service to their beloved goddess. That’s before the unthinkable happens, and Lai fails the trials she has trained for her entire life. She makes the only choice she believes she can: she runs away.
From her isolated desert homeland, Lai rides north to the colder, stranger kingdom of Alanum—a land where magic, and female warriors, are not commonplace.
Here, she hears tales about a mountain city of women guardians and steel forgers, worshiping goddesses who sound very similar to Lai's own. Determined to learn more about these women, these Keepers of the Dawn, Lai travels onward to find their temple. She is determined to make up for her past failure, and will do whatever it takes to join their sacred order.
Falling in love with another initiate was not part of the plan.
Keeper of the Dawn is a tale of new beginnings, second chances, and the endurance of hope.
205 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2017
33 people are currently reading
2162 people want to read
About the author
Dianna Gunn
8 books54 followersDianna L. Gunn has known she wanted to be a writer since she was eight years old. She wrote her first novel for Nanowrimo at the age of eleven years old, but quickly discovered that writing books is not an easy way to make a living. So she decided to broaden her horizons, seeking another career that still allowed her to work with words.
Her freelance writing career started when she became a marketing intern at Musa Publishing(now defunct) in September 2011 and quickly became a staff writer in charge of multiple imprint blogs. Since then she has worked with a variety of small businesses and non-profits to improve their online brands and create long term marketing strategies. Some of her most notable work has been for the tech education non-profit STEAMLabs and natural dog care company ProPooch. She is extremely dedicated to helping her clients build successful brands and making their dreams come true.
When she isn’t helping her clients bring their dreams to life, Dianna can be found busily working on her own dream of being a successful fantasy author. Her first YA fantasy novella, Keeper of the Dawn, is available now, and she hopes to announce a second release date soon.
Her freelance writing career started when she became a marketing intern at Musa Publishing(now defunct) in September 2011 and quickly became a staff writer in charge of multiple imprint blogs. Since then she has worked with a variety of small businesses and non-profits to improve their online brands and create long term marketing strategies. Some of her most notable work has been for the tech education non-profit STEAMLabs and natural dog care company ProPooch. She is extremely dedicated to helping her clients build successful brands and making their dreams come true.
When she isn’t helping her clients bring their dreams to life, Dianna can be found busily working on her own dream of being a successful fantasy author. Her first YA fantasy novella, Keeper of the Dawn, is available now, and she hopes to announce a second release date soon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
Read
April 7, 2017The first official title in the Novella Initiative! Cover by Reiko Murakami! <3
May 7, 2017
DISCLAIMER: I was given an ARC of this story in exchange for a honest review.
Content warnings for death, violence, fatphobia (in the use of tropes, see below), antisemitism (same trope as fatphobia, see below) and acephobia (in the way it presents asexuality, see below)
This isn't a bad book, but I found reading it endlessly frustrating because it sure as heck isn't a *good* one either. It doesn't help that this started with several things I really dislike:
- Everyone thinking the MC is special without us being given any reason why, really
- Pitting women one against the other (Lai vs other acolytes, Lai vs Loren (her stepmother))
- Teens (even adults, really) killing each other in a show of worthiness
- Binary AF worldbuiling (men are Keeper of the Dawns, women are priestess, nb people straight up don't exist I guess)
Furthermore, the prose is ... functional. It strings events together without much rhythm or depth (and fairly predictably). The entirety of the novel read like a string of events to me, and a lot of the time we're being told things are X, Y, or Z, without really an explanation. It's flat writing, flat worldbuilding, flat characterization. And like, I have read stories that failed these on some levels but still caught my interest, but this time? Nope. I got bored.
I'm done, and I am still not invested in Lai's or anyone's happiness in the least. Except maybe her Pa, who disappears a quarter through the story anyway. The entirety of this story revolves around Lai's faith and desire to serve her goddesses, but here's the thing: I got no idea why it means so much to her. It's just what her mother and grandmother did before her. There was no personal connection there. Frankly, I didn't get a sense of personality and uniqueness from almost any of the characters, and this includes Tara and Lai, so tough cookie on me getting invested in their relationship either.
So much of this book just happens without being explained. Events are built up as terribly difficult or impossible Or the writing isn't tense and we all know what will happen. And often they happen only to be never discussed again, or integrated in Lai's character arc.
EDIT: Was forgetting something massively important. The only characters characterized in this book as fat are, you guessed it, evil. Or at best, needlessly glaring at our beautiful young MC. I may have missed fatness attributed to a minor character because I was skimming for half of it, but I doubt it.
EDIT2: BONUS, it has been pointed to me that the Evil Fat Merchant trope is antisemitic to boot, as Jews were merchants and money-lenders and often depicted as greedy and lusting after Gentile women. SO. Another reason not to!
For the record, the blurb covers 70% of the story too. Really shouldn't have read it first.
What about the ace rep? Mostly, that's okay, except this story will reinforce that asexuality is *abnormal*. It won't say BAD abnormal, but still.
I would, however, mention the spring festival thing. Where everyone is expected to go down, dance, and fuck. "Mate". And Lai has to go to fit in, because that is what normal people do in this culture. THANKFULLY Lai slips away (after being forced to dance, so boo there on respecting boundaries) and doesn't do any of it, and it is not held against her, but :/ This abnormality is *directly reinforced* later on when Tara says sex is what normal couple do. And that it's strange Lai never thought about it. Again, THANKFULLY, this doesn't lead to a scene where Lai gives in to sexual pressure for the sake of her partner, because I would be ripping this book to pieces. And yes, I will readily acknowledge these situations happen (ALL THE TIME, in fact) in real life, but while KEEPER OF THE DAWN doesn't push them to the unfortunate conclusions they so often have in real life, it doesn't underline they aren't OK at all either. Contrast this with how it makes it clear that while two girls together aren't normal in Lai's home tribe, it totally is in her new one. Guess I'd put something like 3-4 stars there.
Content warnings for death, violence, fatphobia (in the use of tropes, see below), antisemitism (same trope as fatphobia, see below) and acephobia (in the way it presents asexuality, see below)
This isn't a bad book, but I found reading it endlessly frustrating because it sure as heck isn't a *good* one either. It doesn't help that this started with several things I really dislike:
- Everyone thinking the MC is special without us being given any reason why, really
- Pitting women one against the other (Lai vs other acolytes, Lai vs Loren (her stepmother))
- Teens (even adults, really) killing each other in a show of worthiness
- Binary AF worldbuiling (men are Keeper of the Dawns, women are priestess, nb people straight up don't exist I guess)
Furthermore, the prose is ... functional. It strings events together without much rhythm or depth (and fairly predictably). The entirety of the novel read like a string of events to me, and a lot of the time we're being told things are X, Y, or Z, without really an explanation. It's flat writing, flat worldbuilding, flat characterization. And like, I have read stories that failed these on some levels but still caught my interest, but this time? Nope. I got bored.
I'm done, and I am still not invested in Lai's or anyone's happiness in the least. Except maybe her Pa, who disappears a quarter through the story anyway. The entirety of this story revolves around Lai's faith and desire to serve her goddesses, but here's the thing: I got no idea why it means so much to her. It's just what her mother and grandmother did before her. There was no personal connection there. Frankly, I didn't get a sense of personality and uniqueness from almost any of the characters, and this includes Tara and Lai, so tough cookie on me getting invested in their relationship either.
So much of this book just happens without being explained. Events are built up as terribly difficult or impossible Or the writing isn't tense and we all know what will happen. And often they happen only to be never discussed again, or integrated in Lai's character arc.
EDIT: Was forgetting something massively important. The only characters characterized in this book as fat are, you guessed it, evil. Or at best, needlessly glaring at our beautiful young MC. I may have missed fatness attributed to a minor character because I was skimming for half of it, but I doubt it.
EDIT2: BONUS, it has been pointed to me that the Evil Fat Merchant trope is antisemitic to boot, as Jews were merchants and money-lenders and often depicted as greedy and lusting after Gentile women. SO. Another reason not to!
For the record, the blurb covers 70% of the story too. Really shouldn't have read it first.
What about the ace rep? Mostly, that's okay, except this story will reinforce that asexuality is *abnormal*. It won't say BAD abnormal, but still.
I would, however, mention the spring festival thing. Where everyone is expected to go down, dance, and fuck. "Mate". And Lai has to go to fit in, because that is what normal people do in this culture. THANKFULLY Lai slips away (after being forced to dance, so boo there on respecting boundaries) and doesn't do any of it, and it is not held against her, but :/ This abnormality is *directly reinforced* later on when Tara says sex is what normal couple do. And that it's strange Lai never thought about it. Again, THANKFULLY, this doesn't lead to a scene where Lai gives in to sexual pressure for the sake of her partner, because I would be ripping this book to pieces. And yes, I will readily acknowledge these situations happen (ALL THE TIME, in fact) in real life, but while KEEPER OF THE DAWN doesn't push them to the unfortunate conclusions they so often have in real life, it doesn't underline they aren't OK at all either. Contrast this with how it makes it clear that while two girls together aren't normal in Lai's home tribe, it totally is in her new one. Guess I'd put something like 3-4 stars there.
April 9, 2017
This was a fantastic, quick read with beautifully written characters and a wonderful plot that examines how dreams and goals can be accomplished in a variety of ways. I also enjoyed the female/female romance that built in a gratifyingly natural way. It's a great beginning to the Books Smugglers Novella Initiate!
A more in-depth review will be available on Redd's Reads very soon.
A more in-depth review will be available on Redd's Reads very soon.
April 22, 2017
I loved this fantasy novella! I picked it up mainly because I heard the protagonist was asexual (true), and I ended up with a novella that was beautiful in so many ways and really resonated with me.
Lai’s mother and grandmother before her have been priestesses, and Lai can’t imagine any other life for herself. In order to become a priestess, she must win through the trials, for only one girl can be selected by the gods as the next priestess. But what about after the trials? What will happen to the friends she’s in competition with? And what if… she fails?
If you read that blurb and start thinking, “Oh this is a competition plot line like so many YA books recently,” let me stop you right there. The trial takes up at most the first third. The majority of the book is not about the competition, it’s about what happens afterwards. Honestly, that was a relief. I’ve read so many books along the lines of “teenagers must battle for X” that I’m not super interested in another. Not everything needs to be the Hunger Games.
Gunn packs so much into this little novella. True, the supporting characters could be developed more, but I think there’s just not space and that doing so would make the story drag. Lia is squarely the focus in Keeper of the Dawn.
I knew Lia was asexual going in, but it still struck me how similar her perspective could be to my own, in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen from another YA protagonist. It’s more in the details of her narration than anything else. Like the way she describes people as beautiful but not as hot or attractive. It felt markedly different from what I usually encounter and a lot closer to how I actually think.
Lia’s asexuality is explicitly addressed in the book. In the second half she has a romance with another female character, and she discusses it with her love interest at one point. It’s unclear how Lia identifies in regards to romantic orientation, but I feel like she could be similar to me. Since I realized I was ace, I’ve been searching out books with asexual protagonists, but Lia is the one who’s asexuality seems most similar to my own. I honestly didn’t expect to have this sort of reaction to Keeper of the Dawn.
In addition to everything else, Keeper of the Dawn is just so beautifully written. Gunn’s prose is so elegant and graceful, and she’s remarkably successful at making her world feel truly magical. I adored all the attention she paid to the mythology and world building. This is a truly lovely novella.
In short, I came for the ace representation and stayed for a sincerely great story. I have little doubt that this will end up being one of the best fantasy novellas I read in 2017.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
Lai’s mother and grandmother before her have been priestesses, and Lai can’t imagine any other life for herself. In order to become a priestess, she must win through the trials, for only one girl can be selected by the gods as the next priestess. But what about after the trials? What will happen to the friends she’s in competition with? And what if… she fails?
If you read that blurb and start thinking, “Oh this is a competition plot line like so many YA books recently,” let me stop you right there. The trial takes up at most the first third. The majority of the book is not about the competition, it’s about what happens afterwards. Honestly, that was a relief. I’ve read so many books along the lines of “teenagers must battle for X” that I’m not super interested in another. Not everything needs to be the Hunger Games.
Gunn packs so much into this little novella. True, the supporting characters could be developed more, but I think there’s just not space and that doing so would make the story drag. Lia is squarely the focus in Keeper of the Dawn.
I knew Lia was asexual going in, but it still struck me how similar her perspective could be to my own, in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen from another YA protagonist. It’s more in the details of her narration than anything else. Like the way she describes people as beautiful but not as hot or attractive. It felt markedly different from what I usually encounter and a lot closer to how I actually think.
Lia’s asexuality is explicitly addressed in the book. In the second half she has a romance with another female character, and she discusses it with her love interest at one point. It’s unclear how Lia identifies in regards to romantic orientation, but I feel like she could be similar to me. Since I realized I was ace, I’ve been searching out books with asexual protagonists, but Lia is the one who’s asexuality seems most similar to my own. I honestly didn’t expect to have this sort of reaction to Keeper of the Dawn.
In addition to everything else, Keeper of the Dawn is just so beautifully written. Gunn’s prose is so elegant and graceful, and she’s remarkably successful at making her world feel truly magical. I adored all the attention she paid to the mythology and world building. This is a truly lovely novella.
In short, I came for the ace representation and stayed for a sincerely great story. I have little doubt that this will end up being one of the best fantasy novellas I read in 2017.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
April 8, 2017
I read this in one sitting (12am to 2am), roughly four hours after receiving the ARC (830pm) and about five after learning about the novella (7ish pm).
There's a lot to enjoy - Gunn has built a unique world setting that I often wanted to hear more about. Split into three parts, we follow Lai days before the Trials and across four or so years as she seeks her purpose and how she can serve the Goddesses.
When the unthinkable occurs Lai faces a future she never anticipated nor is particularly interested in.
As to the ace representation - which is part of why I was interested in this book. It's never a thing - which is to say Lai is Lai. While the story has several moments that together create the whole we learn later, the fact she's not interested in marriage or sharing a trader's bed are perfectly ordinary feelings in context. Later, when she explains to someone to the extent those feelings run, the person is unaffected by it and explains why in such a way that it brought a smile to my face.
The fact Lai is on the ace spectrum (I won't venture to guess at where in that spectrum she resides most comfortably) has little to do with her skills as a warrior, her devotion to her Goddesses or what she wants in life. While it may have played a role initially in why she left her home, it's not her defining characteristic at all (if I had to say, her persistence was).
I do wish we didn't know she failed the Trials (says in the summary) since the book devotes almost a third of itself to those Trials. I admit to being an impatient reader at times - if I know the huge defining plot point is supposed to happen I get itchy for it to happen. Watching everything Lai does, all the emotions, all the justifications, all the hope...i felt a little uncomfortable knowing it was all for naught.
I liked Tara, who we spend a lot of time with and disliked Calvin pretty quickly (who we spend as little time as Lai can manage with). We spend some time on Lai's father, as his choices after remarriage basically were a slap in the face to Lai's life long ambitions, but we never learn much about this other religion or Loren to understand why he chose the way he did. A throwaway line in regards to his disgust about the Trials is basically it.
Where Gunn's writing shines is during the mythology of the world. Whether it's the Trials or later when Lai tries to puzzle out how the Mountain Tribe and hers connect, it's obvious Gunn put a lot of effort into those components.
For the rest, there's a somewhat more shallow feeling. Lai doesn't seem to care so the story treats those parts as quickly as possible. As a result most secondary characters come off one dimensional or as plot devices. Gunn also skips large swaths for time with an offhand "and so the year progressed this way", which really isn't an issue until it comes up against an important moment when you wish you SAW what Lai spoke about rather then was TOLD (I'm thinking in particular .
Overall I enjoyed this novella a lot. It was quickly paced, had an intriguing world and included a little nod at the folly of prophecy.
There's a lot to enjoy - Gunn has built a unique world setting that I often wanted to hear more about. Split into three parts, we follow Lai days before the Trials and across four or so years as she seeks her purpose and how she can serve the Goddesses.
When the unthinkable occurs Lai faces a future she never anticipated nor is particularly interested in.
As to the ace representation - which is part of why I was interested in this book. It's never a thing - which is to say Lai is Lai. While the story has several moments that together create the whole we learn later, the fact she's not interested in marriage or sharing a trader's bed are perfectly ordinary feelings in context. Later, when she explains to someone to the extent those feelings run, the person is unaffected by it and explains why in such a way that it brought a smile to my face.
The fact Lai is on the ace spectrum (I won't venture to guess at where in that spectrum she resides most comfortably) has little to do with her skills as a warrior, her devotion to her Goddesses or what she wants in life. While it may have played a role initially in why she left her home, it's not her defining characteristic at all (if I had to say, her persistence was).
I do wish we didn't know she failed the Trials (says in the summary) since the book devotes almost a third of itself to those Trials. I admit to being an impatient reader at times - if I know the huge defining plot point is supposed to happen I get itchy for it to happen. Watching everything Lai does, all the emotions, all the justifications, all the hope...i felt a little uncomfortable knowing it was all for naught.
I liked Tara, who we spend a lot of time with and disliked Calvin pretty quickly (who we spend as little time as Lai can manage with). We spend some time on Lai's father, as his choices after remarriage basically were a slap in the face to Lai's life long ambitions, but we never learn much about this other religion or Loren to understand why he chose the way he did. A throwaway line in regards to his disgust about the Trials is basically it.
Where Gunn's writing shines is during the mythology of the world. Whether it's the Trials or later when Lai tries to puzzle out how the Mountain Tribe and hers connect, it's obvious Gunn put a lot of effort into those components.
For the rest, there's a somewhat more shallow feeling. Lai doesn't seem to care so the story treats those parts as quickly as possible. As a result most secondary characters come off one dimensional or as plot devices. Gunn also skips large swaths for time with an offhand "and so the year progressed this way", which really isn't an issue until it comes up against an important moment when you wish you SAW what Lai spoke about rather then was TOLD (I'm thinking in particular .
Overall I enjoyed this novella a lot. It was quickly paced, had an intriguing world and included a little nod at the folly of prophecy.
May 20, 2017
Dianna Gunn’s Keeper of the Dawn combines a smartly plotted adventure with a sweetly written romance in a richly imagined fantasy world with plenty of space for more stories if the author chooses to return to it. Unfortunately, it’s all a bit much for a novella-length work. It’s a little overstuffed, and the sequence of events, while well-considered, has a tendency to read like a run-on sentence of “and then this happened and then this happened” and so on; all characters aside from the protagonist are underdeveloped, sometimes to the point of being cardboard; and the denouement could have used good deal more space to breathe. Still, there’s a lot to like about Keeper of the Dawn, and there aren’t so many YA lesbian romances featuring asexual heroines that it’s not still important representation despite its flaws—especially when the biggest flaw is simply that the story could have used another hundred pages or so to address its shortcomings.
Read the full review at SF Bluestocking.
Read the full review at SF Bluestocking.
April 20, 2017
There was a fantastic novel in here. Lots of amazing world building, some truly magnificent new mythology created, and the character of Lai was strong, independent and an absolute joy to watch wander through the world.
Unfortunately, all of this was rushed into the shape of a novella. I too often found that I was just getting used to the shape of one part of the story, the new characters or parts of the world that had been introduced, and then suddenly we were months or a year beyond that point by the next chapter. Most striking to me was the section where Lai's horse Maia died. There was one mention of her not doing too well in the colder climates, then suddenly Lai was with her and it was the night Maia died.
I would have loved to see more of this book, from the relationship between Lai and Miran. They were so close in the first chapters. How did Lai manage to go without saying goodbye? Did she think of Miran again in that context when she then left without saying goodbye to Tara? The sickness that swept across the colder climates was mentioned, but fixed too quickly for the reader to have any real significance beyond that Lai used magic to heal people.
There were many more examples of this, and the only reason I complain is that the story elements were all so compelling that it seemed like a shame to have the feeling of running headlong through them all without pausing for the emotional beats of the story.
With regards to the f/f and asexual relationship between Lai and Tara, I feel like the romantic part of their relationship was one of the things done very well, however the asexual part was glossed over in no more than a couple of lines and then never referenced again.
All in all, a fantastic idea that I would have loved to see more of.
Unfortunately, all of this was rushed into the shape of a novella. I too often found that I was just getting used to the shape of one part of the story, the new characters or parts of the world that had been introduced, and then suddenly we were months or a year beyond that point by the next chapter. Most striking to me was the section where Lai's horse Maia died. There was one mention of her not doing too well in the colder climates, then suddenly Lai was with her and it was the night Maia died.
I would have loved to see more of this book, from the relationship between Lai and Miran. They were so close in the first chapters. How did Lai manage to go without saying goodbye? Did she think of Miran again in that context when she then left without saying goodbye to Tara? The sickness that swept across the colder climates was mentioned, but fixed too quickly for the reader to have any real significance beyond that Lai used magic to heal people.
There were many more examples of this, and the only reason I complain is that the story elements were all so compelling that it seemed like a shame to have the feeling of running headlong through them all without pausing for the emotional beats of the story.
With regards to the f/f and asexual relationship between Lai and Tara, I feel like the romantic part of their relationship was one of the things done very well, however the asexual part was glossed over in no more than a couple of lines and then never referenced again.
All in all, a fantastic idea that I would have loved to see more of.
May 31, 2017
This story was a failure from practically the first page, and I would not recommend it.
Read the full review on my blog.
Read the full review on my blog.
June 28, 2017
2.5 Stars. I was in the mood for a fantasy novella, and I picked this one up because I heard it features an asexual heroine with a F/F romance. Unfortunately, there was a couple of things that didn't work for me. I felt that the length of the novella was too short to allow sufficient world building to take place. At the same time, there was barely enough plot to justify the length of the novella.
The heroine, Lai, is one of the many female initiates of her faith, each battling to become the sole priestess of their cohort. The text constantly tells us that Lai is special, that serving the many gods of her desert homeland is her primary motivation in life. Yet, we never learn the reasons behind Lai's steadfast devotion to her faith, aside from vague allusions to her mother. As a heroine, Lai failed to connect to the readers or establish her own agency, I can't help but view her as a pawn of the gods and various religious figures within the novel.
Relationships within the novella was also poorly developed, perhaps partly due to the short length the author had to work with. I was interested to see how Lai's complicated relationship with her father would be develop, but he was quickly forgotten by the text. Similarly, the novella never gave an sufficient exploration of the friendship and rivalry which existed between the Lai's fellow initiates. What could have ended up as a nuanced examination of the relationships between these women ended up being a story with a whole load of girl-VS-girl antagonism. The romance between Lai and her love interest was very sweet, but like all the other characters within the novella, her love interest was largely devoid of a personality.
I appreciated the novella's attempt to include asexual representation and F/F romance within this fantasy setting. I'm cishet, so I won't attempt to comment on the accuracy of the ace rep, especially as the GR reviews from the ace-community seems quite mixed when it comes to this particular novel. However, I did note the oddly binary set-up of this world, where men and women are given designated roles and it goes unquestioned for most of the novella. Even the gods and goddesses themselves seem to adhere to specific gender roles, especially within Lai's homeland. At the start, Lai did wonder why there could be numerous male Keeper of the Dawn, yet only one priestess - however, this plot thread is quickly abandoned.
Overall, I found the novella to be unmemorable despite its potential to shine. Perhaps this concept would have worked better as a full length novel.
The heroine, Lai, is one of the many female initiates of her faith, each battling to become the sole priestess of their cohort. The text constantly tells us that Lai is special, that serving the many gods of her desert homeland is her primary motivation in life. Yet, we never learn the reasons behind Lai's steadfast devotion to her faith, aside from vague allusions to her mother. As a heroine, Lai failed to connect to the readers or establish her own agency, I can't help but view her as a pawn of the gods and various religious figures within the novel.
Relationships within the novella was also poorly developed, perhaps partly due to the short length the author had to work with. I was interested to see how Lai's complicated relationship with her father would be develop, but he was quickly forgotten by the text. Similarly, the novella never gave an sufficient exploration of the friendship and rivalry which existed between the Lai's fellow initiates. What could have ended up as a nuanced examination of the relationships between these women ended up being a story with a whole load of girl-VS-girl antagonism. The romance between Lai and her love interest was very sweet, but like all the other characters within the novella, her love interest was largely devoid of a personality.
I appreciated the novella's attempt to include asexual representation and F/F romance within this fantasy setting. I'm cishet, so I won't attempt to comment on the accuracy of the ace rep, especially as the GR reviews from the ace-community seems quite mixed when it comes to this particular novel. However, I did note the oddly binary set-up of this world, where men and women are given designated roles and it goes unquestioned for most of the novella. Even the gods and goddesses themselves seem to adhere to specific gender roles, especially within Lai's homeland. At the start, Lai did wonder why there could be numerous male Keeper of the Dawn, yet only one priestess - however, this plot thread is quickly abandoned.
Overall, I found the novella to be unmemorable despite its potential to shine. Perhaps this concept would have worked better as a full length novel.
April 23, 2017
I almost wish this was a novel and I hope we get more about Lai and Tara in the future! A quick, light fantasy read about a girl piecing together her future. A sweet f/f romance with an ace girl protagonist. The label isn't used but it's pretty clear and that's lovely. Extra star for that.
The pacing was off and the writing was occasionally clunky, which distracted me at points.
But overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to more books from the author.
The pacing was off and the writing was occasionally clunky, which distracted me at points.
But overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to more books from the author.
Read
March 6, 2021I have had Keeper of The Dawn on my TBR for years but I had never been in the mood for it. When I was looking for a shorter read, I finally thought it was the right time to read it. I was really disappointed though as the book did not live up to my expectations.
One of the major problems that I had with the book was the writing. I did convert the file to my kindle so I think that this might be why I had problems. The writing was minimal, so I did find that I was skimming a lot. The draw to the story was not there at all.
This in itself is the problem though as I found that I was getting distracted a lot throughout and the writing was not holding my attention. The writing itself was very descriptive and it did seem very list-like, almost simple. With some more editing, it could have been a lot better than it was in reality. This could have worked in the book's favour as it could have transformed the story into something less familiar.
I found that the writing did not build the world as much as I would have liked. It did seem quite generic and I have read a lot of fantasy stories with a similar premise. I also did not live where the story as a whole progressed.
I did not have a character that I connected to. Lai did have some moments but I did not care for her story a lot of the time. I also didn't connect with the romance in the story and I think this has to be a central part of the story.
Overall I found the story inconsistent. There were some bits and characters that I liked, but these were rare, and I wanted to love them more.
The Verdict:
Keeper Of The Dawn is an interesting story that is sometimes engaging but is a read that will easily be read.
One of the major problems that I had with the book was the writing. I did convert the file to my kindle so I think that this might be why I had problems. The writing was minimal, so I did find that I was skimming a lot. The draw to the story was not there at all.
This in itself is the problem though as I found that I was getting distracted a lot throughout and the writing was not holding my attention. The writing itself was very descriptive and it did seem very list-like, almost simple. With some more editing, it could have been a lot better than it was in reality. This could have worked in the book's favour as it could have transformed the story into something less familiar.
I found that the writing did not build the world as much as I would have liked. It did seem quite generic and I have read a lot of fantasy stories with a similar premise. I also did not live where the story as a whole progressed.
I did not have a character that I connected to. Lai did have some moments but I did not care for her story a lot of the time. I also didn't connect with the romance in the story and I think this has to be a central part of the story.
Overall I found the story inconsistent. There were some bits and characters that I liked, but these were rare, and I wanted to love them more.
The Verdict:
Keeper Of The Dawn is an interesting story that is sometimes engaging but is a read that will easily be read.
May 2, 2017
Beautiful cover and nice idea, however quite rushed and a little too simple with the narrative at times - this felt like it was aimed at middle grade... and there's nothing wrong with that, but not what I was expecting when I read about it. Little to no affinity for the characters because it was a lot of telling, rather than the reader getting to know any of the cast. The sexuality within the book is easily the strongest element to it (and earns a star for that alone), however it didn't have enough strength in the rest of the elements of the book. Really disappointing, as I expected to love anything and everything by the publisher.
February 12, 2021
Los norteños tenían un tipo extraño de fé: decían que creían fuertemente en un Dios, pero, realmente, no se comportaban como si creyesen en él.
September 27, 2018
I really enjoyed this one. Picked it up for a quick read and very quickly found myself wishing there was more !! The fact that the LGBTQIA+ rep was seamless definitely warmed my heart. I'll be watching for more from this author.
January 5, 2019
[review content notes: mentions fat bias, queermisia, misogyny, violence]
This was a hard one to rate, since while I loved the romance, I was not a fan of most of the rest. However, the sweetest, most respectful, wonderful romance between the heroine and the girlfriend she finds in a different land was gratifying to read. They talked through boundaries and what they wanted in their relationship. The main character, who is asexual, says she does not want to have sex. Her allosexual (non-asexual) girlfriend says that it's ok, and that she wants to be with her (and only her) so much that she's fine with no sex as long as they can be together. Their relationship encompasses emotional, romantic, and sensual intimacy. They are super comfortable with each other physically, even cosleeping and bathing together, without the asexual girl ever feeling pressure to do anything she didn't want to do. It felt validating and hopeful to read.
The main character, who I think is homoromantic, also notices that she feels something different when first meeting her love interest. I was able to identify this, and some of her later feelings, as romantic attraction; it may not read as clearly to other readers. I do wish that she had had some more introspection as to her own romantic feelings, but it's mostly developed through their relationship. More introspection could have clarified her sexual and romantic identity to herself and the reader, and deepened the quality of ace and sapphic representation on the whole. I'm not saying every queer character needs to have an identity crisis, but Lai (heroine) does come from a sect/culture where asexuality, abstinence, and lesbianism are all super not allowed. It would be more consistent with the world to have her explore her identity emotionally as she's physically exploring the world.
The things I didn't like were the fatmisia/fat-hate (using the villain's eating and his fatness to show how he was gross, greedy, and evil); the unncessary and pointless animal cruelty/neglect, and the resolution or lack of at the end. The sect in the beginning is also highly divided along gender binaries, is anti-gay, and the heroine will be forced into a marriage if she fails to become a priestess. These are worldbuilding elements which I was ok reading, but others may wish to avoid.
In the end, mild spoiler, the heroine decides to leave her own sect and culture for good, living with her girlfriend's sect/culture, because her own does not accept same-gender relationships. Even though she returns to [spoilers redacted], and has missed her family all this time, she doesn't meet them at the end to say goodbye or get any sense of closure...it's written oddly, so that it seems dismissed and there's no closure for the reader. People may also note that this follows a trope of asexual characters (and sometimes queer characters in general) who choose or are forced into exile, often because of their sexuality.
While the heroine is joining her girlfriend rather than going off alone, I should note that she's still an outsider/not fully accepted by everyone in her gf's culture either. So I was left wondering whether she fit in either place, and whether the narrative forcing her to choose one might seem a little...well, forced. It was just a weird thing to see a character who had felt so lost for so long decide to repeat her choice from [spoilers redacted] and leave without finding herself some form of closure.
I liked the idea of different goddesses having different realms of power, of different sects worshipping the same goddesses in different ways, and of how that might conflict with the religious beliefs the heroine holds her whole life. After all, her life goal is to become the head priestess and serve the goddesses, and she's indoctrinated to where she initially has no problem with candidates fighting to the death gladiator-style to prove themselves worthy. The heroine feels horrible after killing a boy, and you think she may have some seeds of doubt, but it's never explored further. How does someone like this react when they find a sect with different beliefs? How does she reconcile the two versions of the goddesses she has encountered? I wish there had been more worldbuilding and introspection on this theme. I'm not sure how to feel as a reader about characters who serve and love supernatural gooddesses/beings who are repeatedly and demonstrably cruel. While I like fantasy to be dark around the edges, my confusion/ambivalence came when these more grim elements weren't consistent or explored.
I am curious to know whether these characters have anything in their future, and if there were another book on it after the writer has grown, I will probably read it.
This was a hard one to rate, since while I loved the romance, I was not a fan of most of the rest. However, the sweetest, most respectful, wonderful romance between the heroine and the girlfriend she finds in a different land was gratifying to read. They talked through boundaries and what they wanted in their relationship. The main character, who is asexual, says she does not want to have sex. Her allosexual (non-asexual) girlfriend says that it's ok, and that she wants to be with her (and only her) so much that she's fine with no sex as long as they can be together. Their relationship encompasses emotional, romantic, and sensual intimacy. They are super comfortable with each other physically, even cosleeping and bathing together, without the asexual girl ever feeling pressure to do anything she didn't want to do. It felt validating and hopeful to read.
The main character, who I think is homoromantic, also notices that she feels something different when first meeting her love interest. I was able to identify this, and some of her later feelings, as romantic attraction; it may not read as clearly to other readers. I do wish that she had had some more introspection as to her own romantic feelings, but it's mostly developed through their relationship. More introspection could have clarified her sexual and romantic identity to herself and the reader, and deepened the quality of ace and sapphic representation on the whole. I'm not saying every queer character needs to have an identity crisis, but Lai (heroine) does come from a sect/culture where asexuality, abstinence, and lesbianism are all super not allowed. It would be more consistent with the world to have her explore her identity emotionally as she's physically exploring the world.
The things I didn't like were the fatmisia/fat-hate (using the villain's eating and his fatness to show how he was gross, greedy, and evil); the unncessary and pointless animal cruelty/neglect, and the resolution or lack of at the end. The sect in the beginning is also highly divided along gender binaries, is anti-gay, and the heroine will be forced into a marriage if she fails to become a priestess. These are worldbuilding elements which I was ok reading, but others may wish to avoid.
In the end, mild spoiler, the heroine decides to leave her own sect and culture for good, living with her girlfriend's sect/culture, because her own does not accept same-gender relationships. Even though she returns to [spoilers redacted], and has missed her family all this time, she doesn't meet them at the end to say goodbye or get any sense of closure...it's written oddly, so that it seems dismissed and there's no closure for the reader. People may also note that this follows a trope of asexual characters (and sometimes queer characters in general) who choose or are forced into exile, often because of their sexuality.
While the heroine is joining her girlfriend rather than going off alone, I should note that she's still an outsider/not fully accepted by everyone in her gf's culture either. So I was left wondering whether she fit in either place, and whether the narrative forcing her to choose one might seem a little...well, forced. It was just a weird thing to see a character who had felt so lost for so long decide to repeat her choice from [spoilers redacted] and leave without finding herself some form of closure.
I liked the idea of different goddesses having different realms of power, of different sects worshipping the same goddesses in different ways, and of how that might conflict with the religious beliefs the heroine holds her whole life. After all, her life goal is to become the head priestess and serve the goddesses, and she's indoctrinated to where she initially has no problem with candidates fighting to the death gladiator-style to prove themselves worthy. The heroine feels horrible after killing a boy, and you think she may have some seeds of doubt, but it's never explored further. How does someone like this react when they find a sect with different beliefs? How does she reconcile the two versions of the goddesses she has encountered? I wish there had been more worldbuilding and introspection on this theme. I'm not sure how to feel as a reader about characters who serve and love supernatural gooddesses/beings who are repeatedly and demonstrably cruel. While I like fantasy to be dark around the edges, my confusion/ambivalence came when these more grim elements weren't consistent or explored.
I am curious to know whether these characters have anything in their future, and if there were another book on it after the writer has grown, I will probably read it.
June 4, 2018
***2.5
A quick little read, only 200 pages, so can't say too much without giving away the whole book... But I do want to discuss some plot points so......THIS HAS SPOILERS PPPPPL.
This book was alright. It was very short but the time frame that our main character, Lai, goes through is over FOUR YEARS.... four years.... in 200 pages. She goes from going through a trial to become the high priestess to homeless to a traveler, to a merchant, back to a traveler and wait for it... BACK TO TRAINING to be a high priestess in about 20 pages. I'm sure you can imagine how skippy the timeline is....during one journey in particular the main character says she traveled for MONTHS and during those months of traveling there is no dialogue or any events that occur. Strange.
A couple other things to mention here: one, there is LGBT+ representation as well as asexual representation. Do I know how well the representation in both cases was portrayed? Not exactly but I will say there is definitely a female/female romance between the main character and her roommate/best friend but they really don't expand on their romantic relationship much more than a few pecks here and there and them sharing a bedroom once they move past being roommates....
As far as the asexual representation goes, it is NOT EXPLICITLY mentioned that our main character, Lai is asexual. I gathered this from subtle dialogue of her not being interested in "mating" as well as one paragraph in particular where she is discussing "things in bed" with her best friend/roommate/girlfriend, Tara.
"What would normal couples do in bed?" Heat rushed to her cheeks. "I-I never really thought about that." She had no interest in what a regular couple did, and even if she was interested, she had no idea how two women went about it."
-- skip down a few lines and we end this sex conversation between Tara and Lai like this--
"So it's alright if all we do is read?"
"I love reading to you. And you're always welcome to change your mind."
"What if I never do?"
Tara shrugged. "I enjoy sex, but I don't need it." She kissed Lai on the nose. "Your happiness is more important to me."
I really enjoyed this dialogue but felt like it could have been fleshed out more than it was to really bring this side of Lai out more. It seems like this was just thrown in there to add to the likeness of Lai and to make her a more diverse main character.
With that being said, I really enjoyed these two aspects of this book. It was a very quick read with minimal magical/fantastical elements. It read more like a dystopian with a TOUCH of magic than a fantasy. If Lai and Tara would have been more developed as characters and been given more time to expand their relationship this book could have definitely been a better rated read.
A quick little read, only 200 pages, so can't say too much without giving away the whole book... But I do want to discuss some plot points so......THIS HAS SPOILERS PPPPPL.
This book was alright. It was very short but the time frame that our main character, Lai, goes through is over FOUR YEARS.... four years.... in 200 pages. She goes from going through a trial to become the high priestess to homeless to a traveler, to a merchant, back to a traveler and wait for it... BACK TO TRAINING to be a high priestess in about 20 pages. I'm sure you can imagine how skippy the timeline is....during one journey in particular the main character says she traveled for MONTHS and during those months of traveling there is no dialogue or any events that occur. Strange.
A couple other things to mention here: one, there is LGBT+ representation as well as asexual representation. Do I know how well the representation in both cases was portrayed? Not exactly but I will say there is definitely a female/female romance between the main character and her roommate/best friend but they really don't expand on their romantic relationship much more than a few pecks here and there and them sharing a bedroom once they move past being roommates....
As far as the asexual representation goes, it is NOT EXPLICITLY mentioned that our main character, Lai is asexual. I gathered this from subtle dialogue of her not being interested in "mating" as well as one paragraph in particular where she is discussing "things in bed" with her best friend/roommate/girlfriend, Tara.
"What would normal couples do in bed?" Heat rushed to her cheeks. "I-I never really thought about that." She had no interest in what a regular couple did, and even if she was interested, she had no idea how two women went about it."
-- skip down a few lines and we end this sex conversation between Tara and Lai like this--
"So it's alright if all we do is read?"
"I love reading to you. And you're always welcome to change your mind."
"What if I never do?"
Tara shrugged. "I enjoy sex, but I don't need it." She kissed Lai on the nose. "Your happiness is more important to me."
I really enjoyed this dialogue but felt like it could have been fleshed out more than it was to really bring this side of Lai out more. It seems like this was just thrown in there to add to the likeness of Lai and to make her a more diverse main character.
With that being said, I really enjoyed these two aspects of this book. It was a very quick read with minimal magical/fantastical elements. It read more like a dystopian with a TOUCH of magic than a fantasy. If Lai and Tara would have been more developed as characters and been given more time to expand their relationship this book could have definitely been a better rated read.
January 8, 2023
A short, 200 page read, Keeper of the Dawn started off fairly weakly and never really progressed passed an "okay" experience. To be completely honest, I had to really debate with myself if this was a book I wanted to devote time to finishing since I was struggling to hard to sink into the world. The only reason I was able to push through was because the book is so short. The world building is basic and the characters are very one dimensional. The story tries to kick off strong but throwing us right into what is supposed to be an important moment of the MC's life but nothing feels impactful since the reader has no idea what is going on.
The writing is adequate but does nothing out of the ordinary to suck the reader in. Moments meant to be seen as challenging or outright impossible are lost as the scene is not tense enough from preventing the reader to predict exactly what will happen. Often times these moments have little to no impact on the story after the point at which they occur.
One thing I did appreciate about the book was the fact that it features an asexual main character. As an asexual reader, the few times I was able to relate to Lai in any way, shape or form was when the topic of sex was approached and she expressed her feelings on the matter. When she does find herself in a relationship, it felt like the author was sort of forcing the two individuals together to add more depth to the story. Lai's love interest does respect Lai's asexual stance, which I appreciated, but I don't feel as if the story would have changed very much had the two remained as mere friends.
Overall, I am glad I ended up reading the entire story. For a book I received for free via a friend that was cleaning out their library, it was an enjoyable enough experience. That said, I am not sure if it is one I will be revisiting in the future.
The writing is adequate but does nothing out of the ordinary to suck the reader in. Moments meant to be seen as challenging or outright impossible are lost as the scene is not tense enough from preventing the reader to predict exactly what will happen. Often times these moments have little to no impact on the story after the point at which they occur.
One thing I did appreciate about the book was the fact that it features an asexual main character. As an asexual reader, the few times I was able to relate to Lai in any way, shape or form was when the topic of sex was approached and she expressed her feelings on the matter. When she does find herself in a relationship, it felt like the author was sort of forcing the two individuals together to add more depth to the story. Lai's love interest does respect Lai's asexual stance, which I appreciated, but I don't feel as if the story would have changed very much had the two remained as mere friends.
Overall, I am glad I ended up reading the entire story. For a book I received for free via a friend that was cleaning out their library, it was an enjoyable enough experience. That said, I am not sure if it is one I will be revisiting in the future.
December 5, 2020
É bom, mas um pouco decepcionante.
Quem me conhece sabe que eu estava doida para ler esse livro desde que vi a capa e a sinopse dele faz um ano. Uma fantasia sáfica com protagonismo não branco? tudo para mim sabe.
Só que esse livro pareceu na verdade um grande rascunho da escritora, a história é incrível o potencial dela é muito foda. Mas a autora se embananou toda e fez acontecimentos marcantes passarem muito rápidos e deixou demasiadas pontas soltas. Temos um romance sáfico que em um momento elas estão se conhecendo e sendo amigas para no capítulo seguinte se beijando do nada, isso quando a protagonista que antes não sabia como aceitar a lesbianidade dela tendo um relacionamento normal assim do nada.
A aceitação e esse processo principalmente quando se vêem de um lugar onde relacionamentos queers não são naturais e que você nunca teve contato é algo lento que deve ser bem trabalhado, o que não ocorreu aqui.
Não é apenas o romance como o plot em si é muito previsível. Não há um desenvolvimento de personagem, numa hora uma personagem odeia a outra e na outra ela do nada abraça e diz que quer beber uma cerveja com ela? Não, é preciso ter desenvolvimento por favor.
Não há descrições boas, pela capa aparenta que a protagonista é não branca só que lendo o livro as únicas descrições de aparência eram sempre sobre os personagens brancos.
Temos um mundo que intriga bastante e a história dos povos e das nações também, mas tudo isso é deixado no plano do fundo nunca desenvolvido profundamente. O tempo passa muito rápido na história e o que deveria ser usado para desenvolver melhor toda a cultura dos lugares onde a protagonista ficou por um longo período de tempo não aconteceu.
Falando da parte boa: de alguma forma eu gostei. Mesmo a falta de desenvolvimento foi uma leitura muito gostosa e a escrita da autora (apesar de deixar a desejar em alguns momentos) é muito leve e a sua criatividade para criar essa história é muito boa.
E até que gostei da representação sáfica me identifiquei em vários momentos com a protagonista e acho que foi isso que salvou tudo. Eu acredito que nós queers merecemos ler um livro onde estejamos representades mesmo que seja em uma história mais ou menos.
Recomendaria esse livro? Provavelmente para uma pessoa que não é tão crítica quanto eu e se fosse recomendar para alguém assim deixaria avisada sobre esses pontos que eu citei a cima.
Quem me conhece sabe que eu estava doida para ler esse livro desde que vi a capa e a sinopse dele faz um ano. Uma fantasia sáfica com protagonismo não branco? tudo para mim sabe.
Só que esse livro pareceu na verdade um grande rascunho da escritora, a história é incrível o potencial dela é muito foda. Mas a autora se embananou toda e fez acontecimentos marcantes passarem muito rápidos e deixou demasiadas pontas soltas. Temos um romance sáfico que em um momento elas estão se conhecendo e sendo amigas para no capítulo seguinte se beijando do nada, isso quando a protagonista que antes não sabia como aceitar a lesbianidade dela tendo um relacionamento normal assim do nada.
A aceitação e esse processo principalmente quando se vêem de um lugar onde relacionamentos queers não são naturais e que você nunca teve contato é algo lento que deve ser bem trabalhado, o que não ocorreu aqui.
Não é apenas o romance como o plot em si é muito previsível. Não há um desenvolvimento de personagem, numa hora uma personagem odeia a outra e na outra ela do nada abraça e diz que quer beber uma cerveja com ela? Não, é preciso ter desenvolvimento por favor.
Não há descrições boas, pela capa aparenta que a protagonista é não branca só que lendo o livro as únicas descrições de aparência eram sempre sobre os personagens brancos.
Temos um mundo que intriga bastante e a história dos povos e das nações também, mas tudo isso é deixado no plano do fundo nunca desenvolvido profundamente. O tempo passa muito rápido na história e o que deveria ser usado para desenvolver melhor toda a cultura dos lugares onde a protagonista ficou por um longo período de tempo não aconteceu.
Falando da parte boa: de alguma forma eu gostei. Mesmo a falta de desenvolvimento foi uma leitura muito gostosa e a escrita da autora (apesar de deixar a desejar em alguns momentos) é muito leve e a sua criatividade para criar essa história é muito boa.
E até que gostei da representação sáfica me identifiquei em vários momentos com a protagonista e acho que foi isso que salvou tudo. Eu acredito que nós queers merecemos ler um livro onde estejamos representades mesmo que seja em uma história mais ou menos.
Recomendaria esse livro? Provavelmente para uma pessoa que não é tão crítica quanto eu e se fosse recomendar para alguém assim deixaria avisada sobre esses pontos que eu citei a cima.
September 24, 2017
A brief but ultimately entertaining tale about following your own path, even if it wasn't where you thought your life would go.
Generally, I enjoyed this book. Lai is a relatable protagonist, although her voice is fairly young for an adult story. The worldbuilding was appropriate for a novella, although I think this story could easily have been expanded into a full length novel, if not two. The general flow of the book, from word choice to the internal monologues of the protagonist, fit well with Lai's very awkward persona, which helped me root for her even when her agency slider bar was low.
I'd be happy to read another in this series, or even a full length version of this book. I'd especially have liked a longer ending, as the final battle seemed very rushed and anticlimactic. The pacing of the novella was generally consistent to that point, but then the battle with the merchant was over in basically a page. I also would have enjoyed a more poignant homecoming for Lai, and few more reactions from family and friends.
But again, this was a novella, and often one has to give up worldbuilding for brevity. I'm please enough with the amount I was given.
And the cover is gorgeous. Just. Gorgeous.
Generally, I enjoyed this book. Lai is a relatable protagonist, although her voice is fairly young for an adult story. The worldbuilding was appropriate for a novella, although I think this story could easily have been expanded into a full length novel, if not two. The general flow of the book, from word choice to the internal monologues of the protagonist, fit well with Lai's very awkward persona, which helped me root for her even when her agency slider bar was low.
I'd be happy to read another in this series, or even a full length version of this book. I'd especially have liked a longer ending, as the final battle seemed very rushed and anticlimactic. The pacing of the novella was generally consistent to that point, but then the battle with the merchant was over in basically a page. I also would have enjoyed a more poignant homecoming for Lai, and few more reactions from family and friends.
But again, this was a novella, and often one has to give up worldbuilding for brevity. I'm please enough with the amount I was given.
And the cover is gorgeous. Just. Gorgeous.
February 20, 2019
This could have been much better than it was. As it was, it had a VERY slow start with too much stuff going on (why the brother? why the father and his new and pregnant wife with a different religion?). It should have either been longer with more about Lai's training, or it should have been much shorter and tighter. I think it might have been awesome to start with Lai riding back to the temple to warn the priestesses and then filled in the backstory with some flashbacks. As it was, it was just kind of a waste.
Also, the synopsis acts like it's horrible that Lai falls for another initiate, but there's pretty much negative drama about that. (And I'm super down with on-page negotiation of an asexual relationship. Heck yeah.) Even some of the stuff with Katharine and the plague was either superfluous or glossed over too much.
Decide what you are book, and just be it.
Also, the synopsis acts like it's horrible that Lai falls for another initiate, but there's pretty much negative drama about that. (And I'm super down with on-page negotiation of an asexual relationship. Heck yeah.) Even some of the stuff with Katharine and the plague was either superfluous or glossed over too much.
Decide what you are book, and just be it.
July 4, 2017
I really enjoyed this story and I think I'm going to add Dianna Gunn to my list of new fave fantasy writers. I found Lai a refreshing lead female character who isn't one-dimensional. She is far more gifted than her peers and can best anyone in a fight yet wrestles with personal insecurities and fears. I liked that about her. Made her real to me. I also thought the romance between her and Tara was well done. I'm guessing Lai might be asexual or perhaps demisexual and Tara's acceptance of that and the deep love between them was beautifully written. I'm secretly hoping for a sequel because I enjoyed the crafting of these lands and people and would like to see what happens next with the Keepers of the Dawn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2017
I appreciate the first half of this book so much, there's history, build-up, Lai is pretty much a badass, but then it falls flat. Like, really flat.
I really did enjoy the story, but I feel like it could have been developed more, and the time jumps made it feel really disconnected?
I really did enjoy the story, but I feel like it could have been developed more, and the time jumps made it feel really disconnected?
September 11, 2017
This was a lovely story. Short enough to read in between the longer things I'm currently reading but long enough to feel fleshed out. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and if it weren't for some contradictory elements in characterization and worldbuilding, as well as grammatical and spelling errors, it would be four stars. Could have maybe done with a couple more rounds of editing.
Also, a lot of peoples' issues with this book seems to stem from them applying modern/social justice/egalitarian identity politics to a high fantasy world. Gunn created multiple societies in this story, and they all have their own issues. Even the one presented as being slightly friendlier and less war-like than the others has its issues. They are not supposed to be perfect societies without problems.
Also, a lot of peoples' issues with this book seems to stem from them applying modern/social justice/egalitarian identity politics to a high fantasy world. Gunn created multiple societies in this story, and they all have their own issues. Even the one presented as being slightly friendlier and less war-like than the others has its issues. They are not supposed to be perfect societies without problems.
January 31, 2018
I quite enjoyed this little novella. It was short, to the point, and relatively enjoyable. I'd give it 3.5 stars.
The thing with this novella was that it didn't really go anywhere I wasn't expecting it to. This was not totally a bad thing, but it made the characters fall flat. Although I didn't particularly dislike any of the characters, I wasn't invested in them. Furthermore, all the problems presented were solved after several time skips and this left Lai's victories feeling dull. I would have preferred for this to have been a much longer novel to have a more in depth connection with Lai, Tara, and the relationship between the two.
Overall, a nice and enjoyable quick read. Nothing exceptional, but not horrible.
The thing with this novella was that it didn't really go anywhere I wasn't expecting it to. This was not totally a bad thing, but it made the characters fall flat. Although I didn't particularly dislike any of the characters, I wasn't invested in them. Furthermore, all the problems presented were solved after several time skips and this left Lai's victories feeling dull. I would have preferred for this to have been a much longer novel to have a more in depth connection with Lai, Tara, and the relationship between the two.
Overall, a nice and enjoyable quick read. Nothing exceptional, but not horrible.
January 2, 2019
This was an immensely enjoyable read. Keeper of the Dawn is a simple, satisfying fantasy novella. The world is set up efficiently, and the story is populated with beautiful descriptions of the world and characters. Lai is successful as a multidimensional, driven, (A-spec!) protagonist. There were times where I would have wanted even more development to the story and relationships. The story moves quickly, and is effective as a narrative arc, but it also spans many years without comment. Exploration and fleshing out could have easily made this a deep, complex novel on par with other great contemporary fantasy. However, this simplicity does not detract enough from what is present and explorable about this story. Overall, I cherish this book.
June 23, 2017
I am drawn to fantasy books for one main reason- strong female characters. I actually find it ironic that women have more control over their destinies in imaginary worlds. This book is a great example of that. Lai trained her whole life for one important chance to become a priestess. Unfortunately, the goddesses had a much different path for Lai to follow. Her inner strength pushes her to reach what seems like an impossible goal no matter how roadblocks she faces. I like this main character and I like the message behind this book. The author does a great job of showing the reader a valuable life lesson without over doing it.
July 10, 2017
I enjoyed the newness of the world building in this story and thought it was a plus that Lai was an asexual character. But I thought that this novella could have been better in a full book format so the author could really hash out some of the plot details she left with no true conclusion. I had a few questions once I finished this novella, like what happened to Lai's Pa, Stepmother, and brother? Why was no one angry at her when she returned to her homeland? (Especially when she worried endlessly about her peoples views of her.)
Overall, KEEPER OF THE DAWN was a quick and enjoyable read and I will tell my friends to grab it if they are looking for a novella to read.
Overall, KEEPER OF THE DAWN was a quick and enjoyable read and I will tell my friends to grab it if they are looking for a novella to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2019
Unfortunately, I had a lot of issues with this book. I won’t list them all. But the biggest one was that I never understood why Lai had to become a priestess. This was never explained. Then she decides, in the blink of an eye, to become a Keeper of the Dawn when that seems her only option to serve the gods. Why does she feel the need to serve them so much?
I loved the cover of this book! And the description had me intrigued. But, the description on the back pretty much tells everything that happens through most of the book.
The Ace parts were done well enough. But beyond that, it’s not worth reading.
I loved the cover of this book! And the description had me intrigued. But, the description on the back pretty much tells everything that happens through most of the book.
The Ace parts were done well enough. But beyond that, it’s not worth reading.
March 31, 2019
Gunn's talents lie in conveying emotions, feelings, in words. She sees beauty in the terrors and trials of life and laments the horrors we put ourselves (our children) through. This book is deeply personal yet projected on a fantasy worldscape. Magic exists but isn't the focus. People are different and different some more, yet undeniably human. There is the tribe and the other. There are gods, of old, of strength and bravery, neither good nor evil. This work would translate well to a fantasy TV show, serialized over a full season of episodes, shot in the beautiful remote places of the world that inspire the beauty crafted into the world where the Keepers of the Dawn stand guard.
March 24, 2018
A story worth reading, but needs some work
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the lore, I want to learn so much more about the world. That being said, the writing is pretty clunky. There are a number of scenes that are a bit short and rushed, like they were inserted to fill gaps. Some are unnecessary, some should have been expanded. The dialogue can be a little bit wooden as well. However, the story catches you enough that you don't even notice it for the most part. I would recommend reading this book.
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the lore, I want to learn so much more about the world. That being said, the writing is pretty clunky. There are a number of scenes that are a bit short and rushed, like they were inserted to fill gaps. Some are unnecessary, some should have been expanded. The dialogue can be a little bit wooden as well. However, the story catches you enough that you don't even notice it for the most part. I would recommend reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews