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Ilia Chronicles #2
The Eternal Garden
FOUR PEOPLE. FOUR SECRETS. ONE TALE.
All magic is strictly regulated in the city of Aquiline--or so the Ilpolitia, the force who uphold the law, like to believe. Rian McCarrick knows better. As an unregistered Ilia, a user of magic, he's aware of how easy it is to keep a secret when you guard it closely enough. Not even his best friend and fellow Ilia Wren Sharp can see through him.
When a young man is found dead in an alleyway, his cause of death magical in nature, Wren's connection to the deceased draws him towards a member of the Ilpolitia, one who seems to have ulterior motives of her own. Meanwhile, Rian's new friend Styria is on the hunt for an Ilia that is said to be able to bring back the dead...and she will do anything to find them.
Rian. Wren. Erica. Styria.
Everyone has a secret.
But what happens when those secrets come to light?
The Eternal Garden is a gritty look at the concept of friends-to-lovers, the price of magic, and the cost of duty.
All magic is strictly regulated in the city of Aquiline--or so the Ilpolitia, the force who uphold the law, like to believe. Rian McCarrick knows better. As an unregistered Ilia, a user of magic, he's aware of how easy it is to keep a secret when you guard it closely enough. Not even his best friend and fellow Ilia Wren Sharp can see through him.
When a young man is found dead in an alleyway, his cause of death magical in nature, Wren's connection to the deceased draws him towards a member of the Ilpolitia, one who seems to have ulterior motives of her own. Meanwhile, Rian's new friend Styria is on the hunt for an Ilia that is said to be able to bring back the dead...and she will do anything to find them.
Rian. Wren. Erica. Styria.
Everyone has a secret.
But what happens when those secrets come to light?
The Eternal Garden is a gritty look at the concept of friends-to-lovers, the price of magic, and the cost of duty.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2019
2 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Jordanna Jade
7 books7 followersAuthor, gamer, and collector of all manner of things. I write dark fantasy YA! My debut series, The Ilia Chronicles, is available now!
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 10, 2019
I studied with Jordanna at University and was so excited at the chance to read her first full novel, but even though we are friends I promise that, as always, the review will be 100% honest.
I read the novella that kicked off the series back in December (you can read the review here) Dance Of Flames, but unfortunately I couldn’t really connect to the characters, which is more of a personal preference than anything else (and as this book is a prequel it’s an important read, and you can easily read it before or after TEG).
However I really connected to two of the DoF side characters, and fortunately for me, they are actually the main protagonists of this novel. Which meant that The Eternal Garden was FANTASTIC!
Wren and Rian are dynamic characters full of life and flaws. And there are also my new favourite ship, I shipped them from the first time we saw them in DoF and my opinion hadn’t changed by the time I started reading TEG.
This book takes the idea of ‘all magic comes with a price’ to the next level, and Jordanna has crafted an epic tale of trial, power and consequence that kept me addicted until the end.
I ate up this book, and although I had a slow start due to being really busy at the end of April, I read at least half the book or more on the 5th of May and had finished it that night!
In retrospect I was really glad to have read DoF before reading this (although as mentioned earlier, it works just as well read in any order), because Wren and Rian both go through an immense transformation of personality in this story which was a sign of well crafted book. They also go through a lot in this book, and there is a lot of character growth. Jordanna knows her characters, and she knows how to write them well. And there were lots of elements in DoF that I appreciated so much more now I have read TEG. One of these elements were the original characters. I came to appreciate Domi and Caspy so much more in retrospect and I reckon that if I read DoF back again now, I would rate it highly. I finally found that piece of connection to the characters that I had missed the first time around.
TEG is FULL of tidbits of foreshadowing and it was incredibly exciting to discover them all. I don’t want to give too much away as this is a book best read the first time with no knowledge of what’s going to happen, because I promise you THIS BOOK WILL HAVE YOU SHOCKED. IT WILL HAVE YOU IN TEARS. AND IT WILL HAVE YOU SO STRESSED THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THE FEELINGS COMING AT YOU AT ONCE.
Alongside Wren and Rian, childhood friends who are discovering the consequences of their past actions, we also follow Styria, a woman buried in grief, and Erica, who has a complicated past and a head full of secrets. Each character is vibrant and real, and all of them have stories that had me gasping when all the secrets finally came tumbling out.
Jordanna’s world building is stunning and I love the idea of the splits (places of magic and power) and they fast became one of my favourite parts of the novel (other than Wren and Rian because nothing will top them as my favourites, they are just so cute together!) She also uses language really well, giving each character a unique voice and each region and class a different accent. Which is something that I really love in Aaron Galvin’s Salted series too.
All in all I really recommend picking this book up. It’s a demonstration of the dark side of magic but also an exploration into humans and power. It’s about addiction and the complicated state of human relationships. But it’s also got a great plot, it’s well written, full of mystery and it’s really easy to get absorbed into. A fantastic read from start to finish.
I read the novella that kicked off the series back in December (you can read the review here) Dance Of Flames, but unfortunately I couldn’t really connect to the characters, which is more of a personal preference than anything else (and as this book is a prequel it’s an important read, and you can easily read it before or after TEG).
However I really connected to two of the DoF side characters, and fortunately for me, they are actually the main protagonists of this novel. Which meant that The Eternal Garden was FANTASTIC!
Wren and Rian are dynamic characters full of life and flaws. And there are also my new favourite ship, I shipped them from the first time we saw them in DoF and my opinion hadn’t changed by the time I started reading TEG.
This book takes the idea of ‘all magic comes with a price’ to the next level, and Jordanna has crafted an epic tale of trial, power and consequence that kept me addicted until the end.
I ate up this book, and although I had a slow start due to being really busy at the end of April, I read at least half the book or more on the 5th of May and had finished it that night!
In retrospect I was really glad to have read DoF before reading this (although as mentioned earlier, it works just as well read in any order), because Wren and Rian both go through an immense transformation of personality in this story which was a sign of well crafted book. They also go through a lot in this book, and there is a lot of character growth. Jordanna knows her characters, and she knows how to write them well. And there were lots of elements in DoF that I appreciated so much more now I have read TEG. One of these elements were the original characters. I came to appreciate Domi and Caspy so much more in retrospect and I reckon that if I read DoF back again now, I would rate it highly. I finally found that piece of connection to the characters that I had missed the first time around.
TEG is FULL of tidbits of foreshadowing and it was incredibly exciting to discover them all. I don’t want to give too much away as this is a book best read the first time with no knowledge of what’s going to happen, because I promise you THIS BOOK WILL HAVE YOU SHOCKED. IT WILL HAVE YOU IN TEARS. AND IT WILL HAVE YOU SO STRESSED THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THE FEELINGS COMING AT YOU AT ONCE.
Alongside Wren and Rian, childhood friends who are discovering the consequences of their past actions, we also follow Styria, a woman buried in grief, and Erica, who has a complicated past and a head full of secrets. Each character is vibrant and real, and all of them have stories that had me gasping when all the secrets finally came tumbling out.
Jordanna’s world building is stunning and I love the idea of the splits (places of magic and power) and they fast became one of my favourite parts of the novel (other than Wren and Rian because nothing will top them as my favourites, they are just so cute together!) She also uses language really well, giving each character a unique voice and each region and class a different accent. Which is something that I really love in Aaron Galvin’s Salted series too.
All in all I really recommend picking this book up. It’s a demonstration of the dark side of magic but also an exploration into humans and power. It’s about addiction and the complicated state of human relationships. But it’s also got a great plot, it’s well written, full of mystery and it’s really easy to get absorbed into. A fantastic read from start to finish.
September 15, 2020
NOTE: The author has since made edits on her book. The physical copy I read may now differ from the newer version.
Synopsis
The central protagonists, Rian and Wren, have experienced great tragedy by the time the story begins. Their pain led them to the eponymous garden, and they walked away Ilia—people with magical abilities. Only they live in Aquiline, a city where magic is strictly regulated and enforced by the often brutish Ilpolitia. As unregistered Ilia, Rian and Wren must keep their powers secret. But this shared secret they keep from the rest of the world is nothing compared to the secrets they’re keeping from each other.
From the first chapter, Wren is implicated in the murder of an Ilia and attracts the attention of an Ilpolitia named Erica—a woman with her own motives. Meanwhile, Styria, a friend of Rian’s, is secretly searching for an Ilia with the power to raise the dead. With all these lies and secrets, each page has you on tenterhooks waiting for the truth bombs to fall. The question is: will these truths bring these characters together or tear them apart?
Why it’s great:
There are two things Jade undeniably excels at: character development and stakes.
Jade wastes no time getting you invested in Rian and Wren's relationship. Her well-crafted dialogue displays natural chemistry between them, drip-feeding exposition to explore the depths of their shared history. They’re deeply flawed, but you never stop rooting for them even when they’re at their worst. And the amount of hardship and growth these two go through really pays off. Much the same can be said for Styria and Erica.
When it comes to stakes, the cost of every action is both clear and believable. Every character wants something, and the truth poses a justifiable threat to their missions. Certain secrets are likely to resonate with some readers, too. To say that this book features LGBT representation feels like a little spoiler, but greater twists await you. But most importantly, this isn’t a Dumbledore-Grindelwald unwritten-but-totally-there romance. It’s a relationship that is integral to the plot and character development, which will elicit a spectrum of emotions as the relationship develops.
The magic system also comes with its own stakes. For Ilia, magic is addictive but destructive. If an Ilia uses their power too much, they’ll run themselves into an early grave. Eternal Garden treats magic very differently to a lot of other fantasy I’ve read. Rather than being an enviable power we’d all love to wield; magic is simultaneously like a drug and a disease. Every time an Ilia uses their power, we as the reader are aware that this person is slowly killing themselves in the process.
Any negatives?
There are only two flaws that come to mind with this book. But I wouldn't call them significant enough to spoil the reading experience.
The first is the occasional naivety that stretches my disbelief. Yes, we as the reader are granted more information than the characters. However, when characters don’t even entertain the most obvious answer as a possibility, I can’t help but question it. It’s infrequent and minor enough to be admissible, but noticeable enough to give you pause.
The only other negative I can really find is the absence of a copyeditor. I’m not a stickler for grammar by any means, and I’m certainly not against subverting conventions. But in this case, the grammatical inconsistencies can be distracting early on and take you out of the story. However, I found I quickly adapted, and the descriptive prose and compelling narrative were strong enough to gloss over the errors. Furthermore, as noted above, the author has made edits, which may have corrected a number of these errors.
Wait! This isn’t the first book in the series!
The Eternal Garden is technically the second part of Jade’s Ilia series, the first being Dance of Flames. But you can read these books in either order, although EtGar is the stronger of the two and is perfectly coherent without any knowledge of the prologue novella.
What DoF does give you, however, is a look into the lives of Rian and Wren before the Garden. It also delves into the deeper backstory of their friend Caspian. The events of DoF ripple throughout EtGar, and I felt understanding Caspian’s character enriched his scenes in this novel. But equally, the knowledge the second novel gives you could add a delightful sense of dread knowing the inevitable climax if you read part one afterwards.
So whether you want to experience Rian and Wren’s story linearly or fancy going back to see how these characters once were, Dance of Flames is well worth checking out. I might, too, have to go back and give it a re-read in light of Jade’s most recent edit of the novella.
Conclusion - Highly Recommend!
Jordanna Jade loves her characters, and she wants you to love them too. And in that respect, I think she succeeds. The world she’s built is one you’ll want to return to, which is just as well because Aquiline is only one city and Jade’s got more stories in other places I cannot wait to read.
If you’re a lover of fantasy and character-driven stories, then Jade is a fresh voice well worth your time.
Synopsis
The central protagonists, Rian and Wren, have experienced great tragedy by the time the story begins. Their pain led them to the eponymous garden, and they walked away Ilia—people with magical abilities. Only they live in Aquiline, a city where magic is strictly regulated and enforced by the often brutish Ilpolitia. As unregistered Ilia, Rian and Wren must keep their powers secret. But this shared secret they keep from the rest of the world is nothing compared to the secrets they’re keeping from each other.
From the first chapter, Wren is implicated in the murder of an Ilia and attracts the attention of an Ilpolitia named Erica—a woman with her own motives. Meanwhile, Styria, a friend of Rian’s, is secretly searching for an Ilia with the power to raise the dead. With all these lies and secrets, each page has you on tenterhooks waiting for the truth bombs to fall. The question is: will these truths bring these characters together or tear them apart?
Why it’s great:
There are two things Jade undeniably excels at: character development and stakes.
Jade wastes no time getting you invested in Rian and Wren's relationship. Her well-crafted dialogue displays natural chemistry between them, drip-feeding exposition to explore the depths of their shared history. They’re deeply flawed, but you never stop rooting for them even when they’re at their worst. And the amount of hardship and growth these two go through really pays off. Much the same can be said for Styria and Erica.
When it comes to stakes, the cost of every action is both clear and believable. Every character wants something, and the truth poses a justifiable threat to their missions. Certain secrets are likely to resonate with some readers, too. To say that this book features LGBT representation feels like a little spoiler, but greater twists await you. But most importantly, this isn’t a Dumbledore-Grindelwald unwritten-but-totally-there romance. It’s a relationship that is integral to the plot and character development, which will elicit a spectrum of emotions as the relationship develops.
The magic system also comes with its own stakes. For Ilia, magic is addictive but destructive. If an Ilia uses their power too much, they’ll run themselves into an early grave. Eternal Garden treats magic very differently to a lot of other fantasy I’ve read. Rather than being an enviable power we’d all love to wield; magic is simultaneously like a drug and a disease. Every time an Ilia uses their power, we as the reader are aware that this person is slowly killing themselves in the process.
Any negatives?
There are only two flaws that come to mind with this book. But I wouldn't call them significant enough to spoil the reading experience.
The first is the occasional naivety that stretches my disbelief. Yes, we as the reader are granted more information than the characters. However, when characters don’t even entertain the most obvious answer as a possibility, I can’t help but question it. It’s infrequent and minor enough to be admissible, but noticeable enough to give you pause.
The only other negative I can really find is the absence of a copyeditor. I’m not a stickler for grammar by any means, and I’m certainly not against subverting conventions. But in this case, the grammatical inconsistencies can be distracting early on and take you out of the story. However, I found I quickly adapted, and the descriptive prose and compelling narrative were strong enough to gloss over the errors. Furthermore, as noted above, the author has made edits, which may have corrected a number of these errors.
Wait! This isn’t the first book in the series!
The Eternal Garden is technically the second part of Jade’s Ilia series, the first being Dance of Flames. But you can read these books in either order, although EtGar is the stronger of the two and is perfectly coherent without any knowledge of the prologue novella.
What DoF does give you, however, is a look into the lives of Rian and Wren before the Garden. It also delves into the deeper backstory of their friend Caspian. The events of DoF ripple throughout EtGar, and I felt understanding Caspian’s character enriched his scenes in this novel. But equally, the knowledge the second novel gives you could add a delightful sense of dread knowing the inevitable climax if you read part one afterwards.
So whether you want to experience Rian and Wren’s story linearly or fancy going back to see how these characters once were, Dance of Flames is well worth checking out. I might, too, have to go back and give it a re-read in light of Jade’s most recent edit of the novella.
Conclusion - Highly Recommend!
Jordanna Jade loves her characters, and she wants you to love them too. And in that respect, I think she succeeds. The world she’s built is one you’ll want to return to, which is just as well because Aquiline is only one city and Jade’s got more stories in other places I cannot wait to read.
If you’re a lover of fantasy and character-driven stories, then Jade is a fresh voice well worth your time.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews