What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bourshkanya Trilogy #1
Weave the Lightning
EMPIRE. REVOLUTION. MAGIC.
Gerrit is the son of Bourshkanya’s Supreme-General. Despite his powerful storm-affinity and the State’s best training, he can’t control his magic. To escape the brutal consequences, he flees.
Celka is a travelling circus performer, hiding both her link to the underground and her storm-affinity from the prying eyes of the secret police. But Gerrit’s arrival threatens to expose everything: her magic, her family, and the people they protect.
The storms have returned, and everything will change.
“Like a Russian-accented The Night Circus. A sweeping epic of romance, revolution, elegant strangeness, and elemental magic.”
– Jason Heller
“Tense, timely, and crackling with urgent energy. I guarantee that by the end of the book, you will be looking for your own resistance to join... or to start.”
– Premee Mohamed
Gerrit is the son of Bourshkanya’s Supreme-General. Despite his powerful storm-affinity and the State’s best training, he can’t control his magic. To escape the brutal consequences, he flees.
Celka is a travelling circus performer, hiding both her link to the underground and her storm-affinity from the prying eyes of the secret police. But Gerrit’s arrival threatens to expose everything: her magic, her family, and the people they protect.
The storms have returned, and everything will change.
“Like a Russian-accented The Night Circus. A sweeping epic of romance, revolution, elegant strangeness, and elemental magic.”
– Jason Heller
“Tense, timely, and crackling with urgent energy. I guarantee that by the end of the book, you will be looking for your own resistance to join... or to start.”
– Premee Mohamed
455 pages, ebook
First published April 2, 2020
28 people are currently reading
791 people want to read
About the author
Corry L. Lee
5 books37 followersCorry L. Lee (they/them) is a science fiction and fantasy author, Ph.D. physicist, award-winning science educator, data geek, and parent. They identify as nonbinary, white, and pan/bisexual.
In Weave the Lightning, the first book of Corry's Russian-inspired fantasy series (Solaris), magic storms have returned decades early, and a young female resistance fighter hides a treasonous secret from the fascist state.
In Ph.D. research at Harvard, Corry shed light on the universe fractions of a second after the Big Bang. At a major tech company, they connected science to technology, improving the customer experience through online experimentation. Corry won the Writers of the Future award for their short story, "Shutdown" (Writers of the Future Volume 28). A transplant to Seattle, Washington from sunny Colorado, Corry is learning to embrace rainy days.
Learn more at
In Weave the Lightning, the first book of Corry's Russian-inspired fantasy series (Solaris), magic storms have returned decades early, and a young female resistance fighter hides a treasonous secret from the fascist state.
In Ph.D. research at Harvard, Corry shed light on the universe fractions of a second after the Big Bang. At a major tech company, they connected science to technology, improving the customer experience through online experimentation. Corry won the Writers of the Future award for their short story, "Shutdown" (Writers of the Future Volume 28). A transplant to Seattle, Washington from sunny Colorado, Corry is learning to embrace rainy days.
Learn more at
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
April 10, 2020
eARC received from NetGalley, thank you to NetGalley and Solaris Books.
What first attracted me to this book is its stunning cover. This gorgeous vintage vibe is really sweet. But sadly, I really struggled with this book. It starts off with a very complicated magic system with many different characters which resulted in my face looking like this for most of the book.
I think essentially that complex start ruined the mood and the story for me. It was disappointing. In the way your parents tell you they are disappointed. You feel guilty, like you failed.
Half way through the book I was still confused about the magic system and most of the book I felt was pretty stilted and still, mostly about the damn magic. I was looking for action – adventure – movement.
I genuinely wanted to love this book. The concept of a circa1910 Russian infused, magical world sounds brilliant. The two main characters introduced; Celka and Gerrit, did not make an impact on me from the start and I really felt very emotionally unattached to these characters even though at times their emotions were very raw with fear and tension, I could not really get a sense of them in my head.
The story also did not “move” after reading 64 %, with some elements of tension, the novel did not make me want to invest in the story itself because it felt very slow. I just felt like it had no impact.
Maybe I just didn’t get it or it was a mood thing but there are some great things about the book:
*Gorgeous prose,
*great dialogue
*beautiful atmosphere
As the story progressed I wondered often how this would fatally and wonderfully collide together. However when that climax came – it wasn’t sharp or furious enough for me.
The author has a very rich imagination and that shines through however I almost feel like too much information was given at the start and not enough time at first to flesh out the magic and the characters, and to give the story substance by way of the plot. It was an information dump, a lot of dialogue and not much progression in any direction.
What first attracted me to this book is its stunning cover. This gorgeous vintage vibe is really sweet. But sadly, I really struggled with this book. It starts off with a very complicated magic system with many different characters which resulted in my face looking like this for most of the book.
I think essentially that complex start ruined the mood and the story for me. It was disappointing. In the way your parents tell you they are disappointed. You feel guilty, like you failed.
Half way through the book I was still confused about the magic system and most of the book I felt was pretty stilted and still, mostly about the damn magic. I was looking for action – adventure – movement.
I genuinely wanted to love this book. The concept of a circa1910 Russian infused, magical world sounds brilliant. The two main characters introduced; Celka and Gerrit, did not make an impact on me from the start and I really felt very emotionally unattached to these characters even though at times their emotions were very raw with fear and tension, I could not really get a sense of them in my head.
The story also did not “move” after reading 64 %, with some elements of tension, the novel did not make me want to invest in the story itself because it felt very slow. I just felt like it had no impact.
Maybe I just didn’t get it or it was a mood thing but there are some great things about the book:
*Gorgeous prose,
*great dialogue
*beautiful atmosphere
As the story progressed I wondered often how this would fatally and wonderfully collide together. However when that climax came – it wasn’t sharp or furious enough for me.
The author has a very rich imagination and that shines through however I almost feel like too much information was given at the start and not enough time at first to flesh out the magic and the characters, and to give the story substance by way of the plot. It was an information dump, a lot of dialogue and not much progression in any direction.
dnf
August 9, 2024ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
DNF at 35%
I absolutely hate dnf-ing ARCs, but I was having a really difficult time making it through this and had a gut feeling that my reading experience wasn't going to change as the story progressed - so it seemed unfair to continue knowing that I was most likely not the target audience.
I can tell the amount of work the author put into this, the magic system is very unique (storm magic but with actual development!), and I truly believe this is a story that would work for so many people. Unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. I think I was expecting Dark of the West meets Caraval and that's not really the case.
The circus is very much a minor part (so far, at least; that might have changed as the story went on) and the politics felt very... 2010s dystopian fantasy, to me at least. Which is fine, but not what I'm looking for. I feel like if you liked Lauren Oliver's writing style and wanted something much more developed, with magic - you'd probably love this.
Grateful for the chance to read this, even if it didn't work for me. I hope the right audience finds this book and gives it the love it deserves.
DNF at 35%
I absolutely hate dnf-ing ARCs, but I was having a really difficult time making it through this and had a gut feeling that my reading experience wasn't going to change as the story progressed - so it seemed unfair to continue knowing that I was most likely not the target audience.
I can tell the amount of work the author put into this, the magic system is very unique (storm magic but with actual development!), and I truly believe this is a story that would work for so many people. Unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. I think I was expecting Dark of the West meets Caraval and that's not really the case.
The circus is very much a minor part (so far, at least; that might have changed as the story went on) and the politics felt very... 2010s dystopian fantasy, to me at least. Which is fine, but not what I'm looking for. I feel like if you liked Lauren Oliver's writing style and wanted something much more developed, with magic - you'd probably love this.
Grateful for the chance to read this, even if it didn't work for me. I hope the right audience finds this book and gives it the love it deserves.
November 10, 2025
It's everything I love in a book: intricate magic; Russian-inspired world; traveling circus; fascist state with the resistance working to overthrow it; morally grey choices; people in tough situations trying to do their best, kick-ass women; romance; different gender conventions; technology (1910s level) interacting with the magic in interesting ways; compelling characters; and great prose.
Did I mention magic lightning? Yeah, that too.
The magic system is definitely complex, and the author trusts the reader to pick it up as they go along. If you're a reader who likes the magic all explained at once, you can get that on the author's site:
https://corrylee.com/magic-primer-the...
I seriously love this book. I think you will, too.
But I might be biased. I wrote it, after all.
Did I mention magic lightning? Yeah, that too.
The magic system is definitely complex, and the author trusts the reader to pick it up as they go along. If you're a reader who likes the magic all explained at once, you can get that on the author's site:
https://corrylee.com/magic-primer-the...
I seriously love this book. I think you will, too.
But I might be biased. I wrote it, after all.
February 15, 2020
Interesting and complex world, well developed and unique magic system, and characters that are forced to grow and adapt - all of the things that I love to see in a novel.
Most books I've read that have tried to have magic in a modern (or close to modern world) get trapped in a magic-punk realm that requires too much suspension of disbelief for me to really get into them.
Weave the Lightning builds a believable world where different cultures and societies have clearly grown up with both magic and science based technology. It creates a rich backdrop against which to explore the characters and the central conflict in the story. Can't wait for the sequel.
Most books I've read that have tried to have magic in a modern (or close to modern world) get trapped in a magic-punk realm that requires too much suspension of disbelief for me to really get into them.
Weave the Lightning builds a believable world where different cultures and societies have clearly grown up with both magic and science based technology. It creates a rich backdrop against which to explore the characters and the central conflict in the story. Can't wait for the sequel.
April 29, 2020
This book has all the elements of high fantasy that I love: complex magic system, non-medieval setting, and a good balance of male and female protagonists that don’t feel like cardboard cutouts. It also avoids a lot of the pitfalls that I dislike, such as crazy long descriptions and info dumps that slow down the plot.
As other reviewers have noted, the magic system is complicated. It’s super hard to understand initially, mainly because the author doesn’t stop to describe every single detail at the beginning, so you have to figure things out as you go. High fantasy readers should be familiar with this: you have to struggle up the steep learning curve to get to the payoff at the end. And it DOES pay off, but a lot of the payoff comes in the last 25% of the book or so. At that point, a lot things fall into place.
I will be re-reading this book, mainly because I underhand the magic well enough now that I should pick up more the second time around. I also am sooooooo excited for the sequel. There are so many more facets of this world to explore, and I’m pretty stoked about where things are headed.
As other reviewers have noted, the magic system is complicated. It’s super hard to understand initially, mainly because the author doesn’t stop to describe every single detail at the beginning, so you have to figure things out as you go. High fantasy readers should be familiar with this: you have to struggle up the steep learning curve to get to the payoff at the end. And it DOES pay off, but a lot of the payoff comes in the last 25% of the book or so. At that point, a lot things fall into place.
I will be re-reading this book, mainly because I underhand the magic well enough now that I should pick up more the second time around. I also am sooooooo excited for the sequel. There are so many more facets of this world to explore, and I’m pretty stoked about where things are headed.
May 30, 2021
Okay, tha magic is pretty complicated, so that took some getting used to, but totally worth it because SO SO SO good.
April 14, 2021
‘Empire. Revolution. Magic.’
Weave the Lightning is spy thriller meets elemental magic, told primarily from the points of view of Celka and Gerrit. From the outset they appear to be on opposing sides of the resistance versus empire saga. Celka, along with her family, is a tightrope artist in a travelling circus. She is also storm-blessed, working to use her abilities to help the resistance. Gerrit is also storm-blessed, but he is a member of the Storm Guard Academy, working for the Tayemstvoy, the people who took Celka’s father. The storms are coming, and while Celka can only hope she has been prepared enough for her trials, Gerrit, son of the Stormhawk, is desperate to prove himself.
The Russian inspired backdrop was intriguing and well-developed. I was drawn into the complex world of espionage, and the characters’ journeys of self-discovery, as they face morally grey choices that challenge the very foundations of their worlds. The cast of characters and dynamics, including a love triangle, was diverse and refreshingly free from stereotypes, in particular making Celka an interesting and complex young woman MC. The magic system was intricate and organically delivered as the story progressed. The story was also complex, and while I enjoyed it, at times I struggled to keep up with the plot. It’s one I plan to reread, and anticipate that I will enjoy it more a second time round, with an existing familiarity in the magic system and backdrop.
Overall, I found this to be an interesting, and highly atmospheric read.
Weave the Lightning is spy thriller meets elemental magic, told primarily from the points of view of Celka and Gerrit. From the outset they appear to be on opposing sides of the resistance versus empire saga. Celka, along with her family, is a tightrope artist in a travelling circus. She is also storm-blessed, working to use her abilities to help the resistance. Gerrit is also storm-blessed, but he is a member of the Storm Guard Academy, working for the Tayemstvoy, the people who took Celka’s father. The storms are coming, and while Celka can only hope she has been prepared enough for her trials, Gerrit, son of the Stormhawk, is desperate to prove himself.
The Russian inspired backdrop was intriguing and well-developed. I was drawn into the complex world of espionage, and the characters’ journeys of self-discovery, as they face morally grey choices that challenge the very foundations of their worlds. The cast of characters and dynamics, including a love triangle, was diverse and refreshingly free from stereotypes, in particular making Celka an interesting and complex young woman MC. The magic system was intricate and organically delivered as the story progressed. The story was also complex, and while I enjoyed it, at times I struggled to keep up with the plot. It’s one I plan to reread, and anticipate that I will enjoy it more a second time round, with an existing familiarity in the magic system and backdrop.
Overall, I found this to be an interesting, and highly atmospheric read.
May 5, 2025
Heavily influenced by an Eastern European or Russian esthetic, this YA novel deals with oppressive government and rebellion.
There are people in this world with affinities for elemental magic, and can manipulate such things as storms. The government is oppressive, and controls everyone, particularly those with magical abilities.
Celka has grown up in a circus, and has carefully hidden her ability to manipulate storms from the secret police and everyone but her immediate family. Celka is eager to oppose the government, despite the dangers to herself and her family. Gerrit is the son of Bourshkanya's Supreme General and has a lot to live up to. He has a powerful storm-affinity, and trains at the State's facility. Though he has worked hard, he cannot control his ability, and the State does not let these types of people live freely, so, Gerrit escapes one day, and falls in with the circus, where he learns much about himself, the power structures of the land, and his heart.
Celka is admirable, tough, smart and not interested in Gerrit's arrogance. Of course these two develop feelings for one another, but they can't just live happy lives in the circus, as people are looking for Gerrit.
The world is interesting, and though I enjoyed the clash of beliefs and class, I wasn't enamoured by the characters. However, I enjoyed this just enough to check out the next book.
There are people in this world with affinities for elemental magic, and can manipulate such things as storms. The government is oppressive, and controls everyone, particularly those with magical abilities.
Celka has grown up in a circus, and has carefully hidden her ability to manipulate storms from the secret police and everyone but her immediate family. Celka is eager to oppose the government, despite the dangers to herself and her family. Gerrit is the son of Bourshkanya's Supreme General and has a lot to live up to. He has a powerful storm-affinity, and trains at the State's facility. Though he has worked hard, he cannot control his ability, and the State does not let these types of people live freely, so, Gerrit escapes one day, and falls in with the circus, where he learns much about himself, the power structures of the land, and his heart.
Celka is admirable, tough, smart and not interested in Gerrit's arrogance. Of course these two develop feelings for one another, but they can't just live happy lives in the circus, as people are looking for Gerrit.
The world is interesting, and though I enjoyed the clash of beliefs and class, I wasn't enamoured by the characters. However, I enjoyed this just enough to check out the next book.
April 9, 2020
This is the book you borrow from the library when all the other books you wanted to borrow are out and you need something to tide you over until the other books are returned. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It has all the ingredients of a wonderfully grand tale with a travelling Russian-esque circus hiding revolutionaries and storm-wizards, but it needed more time to cook. The magic system was complex and confusing and the characters a wee bit dull and predictable.
You spend the first half of the book trying to grasp the magic system. The author has detailed this on her website, but it really should be included the book: a prologue, an appendix, a picture of a Storm Guard training or propaganda pamphlet with infographics. Any of these types of things added to the first few pages would be an easy way of introducing and including the info instead of letting readers stumble around in the dark until they get to the abbreviated pottery analogy at the 50% mark. Knowing this information beforehand would really improve the reading experience.
Thank you to Netgalley and Solaris for the ARC.
You spend the first half of the book trying to grasp the magic system. The author has detailed this on her website, but it really should be included the book: a prologue, an appendix, a picture of a Storm Guard training or propaganda pamphlet with infographics. Any of these types of things added to the first few pages would be an easy way of introducing and including the info instead of letting readers stumble around in the dark until they get to the abbreviated pottery analogy at the 50% mark. Knowing this information beforehand would really improve the reading experience.
Thank you to Netgalley and Solaris for the ARC.
July 16, 2024
I had the privilege of getting to read Corry L Lee’s revised writing of “Weave the Lightning” before it was published. I will definitely be telling all my friends who love a good fantasy series to read this when it comes out. I crushed this book in less than two days and immediately started the second.
Quite frankly I am surprised there isn’t more hype for this book. When I did some digging before starting into my e-ARC (advanced readers copy), I found that there were next to no reviews on Goodreads for either of their books- and I must say I am SHOCKED !!!!
Lee created a fantastic and unique fantasy world. Initially, I found it hard to grasp. However, I think Lee did a wonderful job building their world without simplifying it too much.
I’m not one to rate books 5 stars, but I believe this one deserves more than my usual silence or occasional 4.5
Quite frankly I am surprised there isn’t more hype for this book. When I did some digging before starting into my e-ARC (advanced readers copy), I found that there were next to no reviews on Goodreads for either of their books- and I must say I am SHOCKED !!!!
Lee created a fantastic and unique fantasy world. Initially, I found it hard to grasp. However, I think Lee did a wonderful job building their world without simplifying it too much.
I’m not one to rate books 5 stars, but I believe this one deserves more than my usual silence or occasional 4.5
May 13, 2022
Corry L. Lee knows how to craft a helluva story, with great characters and one of the most unique, crunchy magic systems I've ever encountered. There was one element of Weave The Lightning that didn't agree with me , but it was mild enough that it didn't subtract too much from my enjoyment of this great read. I quite enjoyed watching Celka hone her powers, loved Gerrit's arc of having his entire worldview shift, and these two's relationship was enemies to lovers perfection . *crossing my fingers for an even better sequel*
April 24, 2020
This book just kept pulling me in more and more with each chapter. I read it during the pandemic and it was perfect to take me away from reality for a bit: engrossing and an interesting world that is different enough from our own to be a good escape. I found the characters relatable, interesting, and sympathetic. The magic system is also intriguing and unique and I enjoyed that I was learning and discovering along with the characters.
I loved it and would highly recommend it!
I loved it and would highly recommend it!
May 11, 2020
Couldn't put this one down! A thriller of magic, revolution against empire, and learning who to trust, Celka and Gerrit both have to make sacrifices to do the right thing and not be pawns in their family's power struggles.
I am still not 100% sure how the magic works in this world--it got confusing at times, especially because there are different ways to be trained to use it, and would have loved a glossary at the end. But from the moment I started I fell right into this world and loved it.
I am still not 100% sure how the magic works in this world--it got confusing at times, especially because there are different ways to be trained to use it, and would have loved a glossary at the end. But from the moment I started I fell right into this world and loved it.
March 15, 2023
I have had a wonderful time within Corry’s imagination! They have spun a tale of overlapping worlds, rebellion, and storm-crossed lovers.
A culture without gendered expectations.
High-wire walking under a big top.
Hob nail booted oppressors.
There is a wonderful soft magic system based upon a connection to nature, emotional investment, and a clear sense of self.
Please take the time to enjoy their prose! I’m jumping directly into the sequel today.
💙
A culture without gendered expectations.
High-wire walking under a big top.
Hob nail booted oppressors.
There is a wonderful soft magic system based upon a connection to nature, emotional investment, and a clear sense of self.
Please take the time to enjoy their prose! I’m jumping directly into the sequel today.
💙
September 27, 2021
Just happened to be in Portland a few weeks ago and I picked up a copy at Powell’s on whim and wow I’m glad I did! I thought the book was excellent, didn’t mind the slightly more complicated magic, and really enjoyed the political questions that permeate this book and the next. Rather than reduce things to a good/bad binary, the book takes a thoughtful (albeit necessarily contrived and reductive, given that this is ultimately a fantasy novel) examination of the trade offs between revolution and change from within a dictatorial autocracy modeled vaguely after Stalinism.
I both liked the way the book reimagines sexuality and gender in a really welcoming fashion. I will say, it does feel jarring at times to have a character be so blasé and accepting of women, nb and gay folks, and so concerned about informed consent, while working within the military of a brutal and dictatorial regime. But if I can suspend my disbelief in magic, I can imagine this. The huge benefit is to have a much wider range of characters than one would typically see in a book like this, and let’s be honest, how many book similar to this just ignore these issues entirely?
A definite 5 stars. Was such a fun read. I read it and the sequel in a matter of days, and then loaned them to a friend!
I both liked the way the book reimagines sexuality and gender in a really welcoming fashion. I will say, it does feel jarring at times to have a character be so blasé and accepting of women, nb and gay folks, and so concerned about informed consent, while working within the military of a brutal and dictatorial regime. But if I can suspend my disbelief in magic, I can imagine this. The huge benefit is to have a much wider range of characters than one would typically see in a book like this, and let’s be honest, how many book similar to this just ignore these issues entirely?
A definite 5 stars. Was such a fun read. I read it and the sequel in a matter of days, and then loaned them to a friend!
January 7, 2023
I see what this book was trying to do, i really do. But the writing quality was just not keeping up. Also she spent a LOT OF TIME thinking about boys and kissing them but only suddenly in moments where she needed to be doing something else?? Like girl lmao
April 5, 2020
I wanted so much to enjoy this, but I was so disappointed, the magic system is so overly complex and the world building seemed to be lacking. I really wasn’t keen on the love triangle (and I usually love a well executed one). The thing I did love was the writing style, the prose is actually lovely, just a shame that more development or editing wasn’t focused on for the other details. I think with the world building and magic system details worked on, this could be really good.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
August 31, 2020
Corry L. Lee’s novel Weave the Lightning is an electrifying debut (pardon the pun) that infuses magical resistance with a Russian flair.
Read the full review at Lightspeed Magazine
Read the full review at Lightspeed Magazine
April 3, 2021
I received this book in a book box sometime in 2020 and only now got around to reading it. The premise of this book is that of Soviet Russia. The common people are very oppressed, individual lives matter very little to the ruling class, and there is a resistance trying to fight back. We follow two characters in this book in a little bit of a Romeo and Juliet story where she is part of the resistance and he is part of the military. Oh, there’s also magic and the magic involves being hit by lightning.
Overall the story is a mix of well-known YA tropes and a completely unique story. If typical YA tropes like the love V Bother you then you probably won’t like this. Those tropes don’t bother me and the story was actually really interesting even in it’s predictability.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Overall the story is a mix of well-known YA tropes and a completely unique story. If typical YA tropes like the love V Bother you then you probably won’t like this. Those tropes don’t bother me and the story was actually really interesting even in it’s predictability.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 17, 2020
This book was amazing! It has everything I love in a good story - a compelling plot with characters that you can care about. There are moments of beauty, sadness, excitement, intrigue, fear, and happiness. It is one of those books where it is hard to put down, and yet you are so caught up in the story you don't want it to be over. I absolutely can't wait to read more works by this author!
March 10, 2020
This is rich and complex, and pretty good. I don't read a lot of fantasy, but enjoy this for the interesting characters, plot complexity, and general imagination of the author. This will probably be a hit with fantasy readers.
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
May 5, 2020
This book turned out to be SO much better than I thought it would. I absolutely loved this book. The world was exquisitely painted. The characters felt so incredibly solid that they just came alive for me. Once I got about 75 pages in, I just could not put in down.
Those first 50 pages were a bit rough. This is not your standard LOTR-esque fantasy setting (thank God). It is completely unique to anything I've ever read, and it took me a bit to understand the world that exists in this book. At no point does the author sit you down and explain the rules of the world to you. It happens organically, which is definitely better, but it initially left me feeling confused and not knowing what was going on. I particularly struggled with the long fight scenes at the beginning. I'm not a fan of long fight scenes in the first place, and I didn't really understand what was going on. I almost abandoned the book entirely, but decided to give it another 50 pages. And I SO very glad I did. Fellow readers, do not hesitate to pick up this book. Give yourself 75 pages to get grounded in this world, and then you won't be able to put this book down.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book I exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Those first 50 pages were a bit rough. This is not your standard LOTR-esque fantasy setting (thank God). It is completely unique to anything I've ever read, and it took me a bit to understand the world that exists in this book. At no point does the author sit you down and explain the rules of the world to you. It happens organically, which is definitely better, but it initially left me feeling confused and not knowing what was going on. I particularly struggled with the long fight scenes at the beginning. I'm not a fan of long fight scenes in the first place, and I didn't really understand what was going on. I almost abandoned the book entirely, but decided to give it another 50 pages. And I SO very glad I did. Fellow readers, do not hesitate to pick up this book. Give yourself 75 pages to get grounded in this world, and then you won't be able to put this book down.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book I exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 17, 2022
This was going well until i realized this was 1.- a YA with a love triangle and 2.- a romance between a soldier of a fascist regimen + one of the refugees, & then I was out. There's plenty of interesting things here - the magic feels pretty original, the gender shenanigans are great.
But every page seems to be drawing me closer to a boring cliche'd cishet love triangle and "ohh, but the fascists have feelings too" / "I might have wanted to slaughter your people/worked actively to achieve it, but now you make my dick tingle so i've seen reason, maybe you're human too!1" bullshit and I genuinely can't handle more of that. Nina and Matthias filled my quota of that garbage excuse for a romance plot for life.
But every page seems to be drawing me closer to a boring cliche'd cishet love triangle and "ohh, but the fascists have feelings too" / "I might have wanted to slaughter your people/worked actively to achieve it, but now you make my dick tingle so i've seen reason, maybe you're human too!1" bullshit and I genuinely can't handle more of that. Nina and Matthias filled my quota of that garbage excuse for a romance plot for life.
November 11, 2021
4.5 stars. This book was AWESOME. Really cool magic system and loved the character interactions! It was super complicated at the beginning, as expected because of all the world building and explanations of how the magic works, but it made getting through the first 100 pages or so pretty slow. Then after the two main characters met, I literally couldn’t put it down. I read it so fast because I had to know what happened!
It’s a great read but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. This is for people who like high fantasy with some romance. I wouldn’t recommend to someone who’s just getting back into reading since the beginning is a bit complicated. But overall, great book!
It’s a great read but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. This is for people who like high fantasy with some romance. I wouldn’t recommend to someone who’s just getting back into reading since the beginning is a bit complicated. But overall, great book!
March 22, 2020
It's not one of those books that keeps you hooked since the first pages but it's a fascinating and well told story, entertaining and engrossing.
I liked the Russian setting and the world building. The characters are well developed and interesting.
I'd like to read other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the Russian setting and the world building. The characters are well developed and interesting.
I'd like to read other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 18, 2021
Enjoyable historical fantasy based loosely on post-Revolution Russia. Took a while to get into, but once I was invested in the characters, I couldn't put it down! Got to the end, and found out that this is volume 1 in a trilogy. Will be keeping an eye out for the next volume.
#ABoS
#ABoS
September 11, 2021
Mi aspettavo tanto da questo libro e per fortuna ne sono rimasta incantata e ammaliata!!! Nonostante evidenti difetti e un complicato e poco spiegato mondo magico, la storia mi ha presa come non mi capitava da troppo tempo e non volevo fare altro che leggere e rimanere nei vagoni del circo!
April 25, 2020
The premise of this book really gripped me with the idea of a magical military world told through the eyes of a circus performer. I love Russian literature, so I thought a story heavily inspired by the Russian language would be incredible. I was wrong.
The largest problem with this novel is that all of the background information the reader would need to understand everything going on is way too extensive and largely thrown at you within the first four chapters. The two biggest complications are the complexity of the magic used in this world and the military history that leads up to where the story begins--a fascist rule fighting against a resistance. It would be slightly okay if all of this information was thrown at you and then the book carried on with the reader using that information, but each chapter introduced more egregious facts about what led to fascist rule and even more extremely complicated and circumstantial rules for the magic our main characters are using. I spent the first half of the book just trying to digest the history of Bourshkanya and trying to understand how the hell all of this magic stuff worked. I'm still not entirely sure what happened or what the hell sousednia and nuzhda actually mean/do. It wasn't until I accepted that I wasn't going to fully grasp the magic or the history of this place that I was able to finally move on and try to get into this book.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
So I was sent this book from a subscription box that claimed this was an adult book. Apart from the fact that one character says "shit" once in the entire novel (which I think was a typo because every other character says "sleet" in place of cursing), this entire novel read like a poorly crafted young adult book. Now, I don't hate young adult books, but I definitely am hard to please when it comes to YA. The entire time I was reading this book I kept comparing it to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo because Bardugo was able to flawlessly introduce a magic system and corrupt government system without being overwhelming or overly complex. And she did this successfully by taking the time to really show how the magic and state worked. It wasn't all shoved down your throat from the get go. Another thing she was able to build up gradually was character development. You believe when Bardugo's characters fall in love, but you do not believe when the characters from Weave the Lightning fall in love. And the love triangle in the latter that simply revealed that two best friends have the same taste in arrogant women was not that interesting or necessary to the story. We all can guess by the end of the series that Celka will end up with Gerrit.
First off, I wanted this book to be about the circus. I did not want this book to be about an acrobat who had spent her entire life on the high wire, has one brief moment of lost balance and then suddenly gives up being an acrobat and becomes a snake trainer (even though she has no experience training snakes and literally does nothing but hold a python when she "performs"). Also, just because an author says that there was a band playing in the big top in the distance does not mean it gives off a circus vibe! Our main characters are a military rogue who is invisible most of the time, a military man undercover lying about being a knife thrower, and an acrobat who no longer performs. Where is the circus?!
Now, I don't want to really hate on Gerrit or Filip as characters, because I actually kind of liked them, apart from the unrealistic fact that two military kids would both instantly help a traitor to the state because she's pretty. But Celka created a lot of issues for me throughout the book. She's extremely rash and takes zero precautions and never listens to anyone's advice about her safety. Every single time she tries to do something to help the resistance, she almost gets caught or does get caught. She's so stubborn that she is totally fine endangering her friends and family over and over again just so she can prove that she's powerful enough and smart enough to be a true member of the resistance. New flash: she's not! And that's why she gets caught (again!) in the end. It's literally her fault, and yet both Filip and Gerrit don't seem to understand that she's a loose canon endangering everyone because now she knows her dad is powerful and she can somehow control lightning to make snakes talk (or something of that nature).
This book was so hard to get through. I really wanted to like it, but I just felt myself getting angry at the characters and confused by the magic system every time I read another chapter. If I hadn't been trapped in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I would not have finished this book. While I feel the 2 star rating is a little low because I did actually finish the book and I did enjoy Gerrit as a character, the best I could give it would be a 2.5, if that.
The largest problem with this novel is that all of the background information the reader would need to understand everything going on is way too extensive and largely thrown at you within the first four chapters. The two biggest complications are the complexity of the magic used in this world and the military history that leads up to where the story begins--a fascist rule fighting against a resistance. It would be slightly okay if all of this information was thrown at you and then the book carried on with the reader using that information, but each chapter introduced more egregious facts about what led to fascist rule and even more extremely complicated and circumstantial rules for the magic our main characters are using. I spent the first half of the book just trying to digest the history of Bourshkanya and trying to understand how the hell all of this magic stuff worked. I'm still not entirely sure what happened or what the hell sousednia and nuzhda actually mean/do. It wasn't until I accepted that I wasn't going to fully grasp the magic or the history of this place that I was able to finally move on and try to get into this book.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
So I was sent this book from a subscription box that claimed this was an adult book. Apart from the fact that one character says "shit" once in the entire novel (which I think was a typo because every other character says "sleet" in place of cursing), this entire novel read like a poorly crafted young adult book. Now, I don't hate young adult books, but I definitely am hard to please when it comes to YA. The entire time I was reading this book I kept comparing it to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo because Bardugo was able to flawlessly introduce a magic system and corrupt government system without being overwhelming or overly complex. And she did this successfully by taking the time to really show how the magic and state worked. It wasn't all shoved down your throat from the get go. Another thing she was able to build up gradually was character development. You believe when Bardugo's characters fall in love, but you do not believe when the characters from Weave the Lightning fall in love. And the love triangle in the latter that simply revealed that two best friends have the same taste in arrogant women was not that interesting or necessary to the story. We all can guess by the end of the series that Celka will end up with Gerrit.
First off, I wanted this book to be about the circus. I did not want this book to be about an acrobat who had spent her entire life on the high wire, has one brief moment of lost balance and then suddenly gives up being an acrobat and becomes a snake trainer (even though she has no experience training snakes and literally does nothing but hold a python when she "performs"). Also, just because an author says that there was a band playing in the big top in the distance does not mean it gives off a circus vibe! Our main characters are a military rogue who is invisible most of the time, a military man undercover lying about being a knife thrower, and an acrobat who no longer performs. Where is the circus?!
Now, I don't want to really hate on Gerrit or Filip as characters, because I actually kind of liked them, apart from the unrealistic fact that two military kids would both instantly help a traitor to the state because she's pretty. But Celka created a lot of issues for me throughout the book. She's extremely rash and takes zero precautions and never listens to anyone's advice about her safety. Every single time she tries to do something to help the resistance, she almost gets caught or does get caught. She's so stubborn that she is totally fine endangering her friends and family over and over again just so she can prove that she's powerful enough and smart enough to be a true member of the resistance. New flash: she's not! And that's why she gets caught (again!) in the end. It's literally her fault, and yet both Filip and Gerrit don't seem to understand that she's a loose canon endangering everyone because now she knows her dad is powerful and she can somehow control lightning to make snakes talk (or something of that nature).
This book was so hard to get through. I really wanted to like it, but I just felt myself getting angry at the characters and confused by the magic system every time I read another chapter. If I hadn't been trapped in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I would not have finished this book. While I feel the 2 star rating is a little low because I did actually finish the book and I did enjoy Gerrit as a character, the best I could give it would be a 2.5, if that.
July 22, 2024
Corry L. Lee’s Weave the Lightning is a spectacular demonstration on all fronts. I’m aggressively grateful for this rerelease for bringing this trilogy to my attention.
Celka’s performances with her family in the traveling circus are the perfect cover for supporting the resistance. It’s dangerous work, but so is living under the Stormhawk’s brutal regime. But it seems not even the circus can hide her when the magical storms that power her forbidden magic return. Gerrit has been waiting for the storms’ return for years. They’ll allow him to prove his value to the state and his father – the Stormhawk. When their first storm proves more difficult than anticipated they’ll both need to look outside their worlds if they want to survive.
The grittiness of Bourshkanya’s world was as encompassing as the moments of beauty found within. The world-building was encased in the magic system particularly elegantly, the religion and cultural tics bookending the experience. I found the magic’s practical applications particularly exciting. Storm mages can imbue objects to help them fulfill one of their six categories of need: combat, protection, strength, healing, hunger, and concealment. It’s fascinating to have a magical system broken into such concrete brackets, but simultaneously broad enough to let individual characters shape its usage on fundamental levels.
Celka and those around her are delightfully layered, providing rich perspectives on Bourshkanya and its struggles. I can’t really think of an example of another love triangle where I was genuinely unsure who I was rooting for. Lee presents two paths for Celka in these two boys that bring out different parts of her and fill her in unique ways. It was lovely to see Celka coming to terms with herself and her power in not only the resistance but also as a person who can make a difference. And these two young men through their support really highlight the choices she has to make about who she’ll become. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re both swoony in different ways.
Corry L. Lee has created something remarkable in this first installment and the next book is calling my name! There were more than a few twists that’ll be haunting me in the meantime, though. They’ve made something truly special and I can't wait to see what else they do! Puns about this story being electrifying are low hanging fruit... and accurate. 👀
Celka’s performances with her family in the traveling circus are the perfect cover for supporting the resistance. It’s dangerous work, but so is living under the Stormhawk’s brutal regime. But it seems not even the circus can hide her when the magical storms that power her forbidden magic return. Gerrit has been waiting for the storms’ return for years. They’ll allow him to prove his value to the state and his father – the Stormhawk. When their first storm proves more difficult than anticipated they’ll both need to look outside their worlds if they want to survive.
The grittiness of Bourshkanya’s world was as encompassing as the moments of beauty found within. The world-building was encased in the magic system particularly elegantly, the religion and cultural tics bookending the experience. I found the magic’s practical applications particularly exciting. Storm mages can imbue objects to help them fulfill one of their six categories of need: combat, protection, strength, healing, hunger, and concealment. It’s fascinating to have a magical system broken into such concrete brackets, but simultaneously broad enough to let individual characters shape its usage on fundamental levels.
Celka and those around her are delightfully layered, providing rich perspectives on Bourshkanya and its struggles. I can’t really think of an example of another love triangle where I was genuinely unsure who I was rooting for. Lee presents two paths for Celka in these two boys that bring out different parts of her and fill her in unique ways. It was lovely to see Celka coming to terms with herself and her power in not only the resistance but also as a person who can make a difference. And these two young men through their support really highlight the choices she has to make about who she’ll become. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re both swoony in different ways.
Corry L. Lee has created something remarkable in this first installment and the next book is calling my name! There were more than a few twists that’ll be haunting me in the meantime, though. They’ve made something truly special and I can't wait to see what else they do! Puns about this story being electrifying are low hanging fruit... and accurate. 👀
February 9, 2022
This was an entertaining book, although it didn't really grab me very well.
I'll address the common complaint I've seen in other reviews: the magic system. It's definitely more subtle and complex than Harry Potter's "say the words and flick the wand" mechanic, but it wasn't too hard to wrap my head around after the initial start. It's certainly no more complex than a lot of the systems introduced by Brandon Sanderson or Steven Erickson. However, it's definitely more than you usually find in a YA book, which I think is part of the issue.
This definitely sits in the YA realm where it can be enjoyable for adults. I wasn't impressed by the protagonists, however; far too little agency for my taste, coupled with a huge number of "gotcha" reveals from the middle of the story onward. So many things had been upended by the end of the story I literally felt like I'd wasted time reading some of the early parts of the book.
The romantic undertones in the story were well done and subtle, but of course remained at the chaste teen love level that seems to be a requirement for a lot of YA, wherein a kiss is the most exciting thing that can happen and anything beyond it is confusing and not worth bothering about. However, the author did seem to suggest a bit of a sexual element in the magical workings, especially when they involved multiple people. I'm not sure if that was intentional or if I was just reading into it, however.
I wasn't moved one way or the other by the Russian culture or setting.
I don't know that I'll be picking up the next book(s) in the series; as I said, the protagonists didn't grab me well enough and the magic system, while interesting, isn't enough to engage me on its own.
I'll address the common complaint I've seen in other reviews: the magic system. It's definitely more subtle and complex than Harry Potter's "say the words and flick the wand" mechanic, but it wasn't too hard to wrap my head around after the initial start. It's certainly no more complex than a lot of the systems introduced by Brandon Sanderson or Steven Erickson. However, it's definitely more than you usually find in a YA book, which I think is part of the issue.
This definitely sits in the YA realm where it can be enjoyable for adults. I wasn't impressed by the protagonists, however; far too little agency for my taste, coupled with a huge number of "gotcha" reveals from the middle of the story onward. So many things had been upended by the end of the story I literally felt like I'd wasted time reading some of the early parts of the book.
The romantic undertones in the story were well done and subtle, but of course remained at the chaste teen love level that seems to be a requirement for a lot of YA, wherein a kiss is the most exciting thing that can happen and anything beyond it is confusing and not worth bothering about. However, the author did seem to suggest a bit of a sexual element in the magical workings, especially when they involved multiple people. I'm not sure if that was intentional or if I was just reading into it, however.
I wasn't moved one way or the other by the Russian culture or setting.
I don't know that I'll be picking up the next book(s) in the series; as I said, the protagonists didn't grab me well enough and the magic system, while interesting, isn't enough to engage me on its own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews