Every year, on the first day of spring, each of the Twelve Lines of Ebrus sends a conscript to enrol in Boellium War College, the training ground for Ebrus’ Dawn Army. Some come willingly, others not so much.
Avalon Halhed had two goals: lie low and survive her conscription at Boellium War College, and then retire to be an eccentric old woman in a run down cabin in the secluded mountains of her family’s lands.
To achieve those goals she had keep herself apart from the other conscripts and not draw attention to herself. No friends. No connections.
However, as days turn into weeks, Avalon fails at remaining a shadow to haunt the halls of Boellium. Instead, she draws the gaze of two of the most powerful people in all of Ebrus. They look at her and see too much, and that terrifies her most of all.
Because what if they see past Avalon Halhed, unwanted daughter of the Ninth Line, and right down to her secrets?
Secrets that made her father hate her.
Secrets that itched in the back of a brain like poison ivy.
Secrets that would make her just another dead conscript buried beyond the walls of Boellium War College.
If you consume a lot of fantasy, you know the academy/institute/college/school trope is old hat. It’s been done so many times that it’s become exhausting, and there are so many tropes and stereotypes about it that I’d need fingers to count them. For me, it’s become a minefield of good and bad. I have met so many characters in this field that have given me the ick and many a “strong and resilient female with a checkered past”. This sub-genre hasn’t completely turned me off, though, because I’ve found some hidden gems, but I approach it with caution now, just in case!
Continuing my Grace McGinty binge, we have Daughter of the Ninth Line. I’m not sure whether this book was originally three smaller books. I say this because of how it was presented on Kindle when I downloaded it, where it said ‘now with all completed parts’ and how it is split into 3 Parts. Either way, it doesn’t bother me.
Quick rundown, based on the blurb and the first 4 chapters. In this realm, there are 12 lines. The realm is ruled by Line 1. Line 1 murdered Line 2 to secure unending power. The top 6 Lines represent the upper crust of society, having it all and spending it all. The last 6 Lines are the underdogs, the deprived, poor, struggling-to-survive factions. Every Line has some special gift – elementals, animal speakers, shifters, etc. Avalon is the only daughter in her family, and her relationship with her father is as sour as a freshly picked lemon. Avalon is the only member of Line 9 at the academy, and clearly the only one to have attended in quite some time.
Avalon is our FMC in this book. From the start, she intends to keep her head down and survive the 2 required years before returning home. Even someone who had never read the genre would know that is unlikely!
Part 1 –
Vox Vylan – Heir of the 1st Line (elemental magic)
So Vox is the typical bully character who ‘doesn’t know why he is drawn to Avalon’. I’ve met many characters like him, some I’ve hated, and some I’ve come to love. I wouldn’t say anything about his character is original. It’s what I expected. As an heir to the 1st Line, he has certain expectations on his shoulders, and I can see in his thoughts that he has an inkling he could do better, that he could be more open and understanding with the other Lines. However, I do also think he is a product of his environment. His father rules the land in a hands-off approach, preferring to let the other Lines sort out their own business. Personally, I see this as a lazy approach to ruling; the upper Lines have spent so long thinking they were above everyone else that they have forgotten what it is like to live on the edge and without luxuries or basic necessities. I did see a few moments in the first third of the book where it looked like Vox did realise that things had to change, but in the next moment there was a 180 shift back to a calculating, cold persona.
Hayle Taeme – Heir of the 3rd Line (magic of the beasts)
Hayle fits the ‘golden boy puppy dog’ form common in the subgenre of fantasy why choose romances. He is clearly very powerful in his own right and has many animal spies throughout the academy. What sets the 3rd Line apart, and what I found most appealing, is that family matters most. Loyalty to the 3rd Line comes second to family. In this style of book, the characters are usually misfits who come together to make their own family. Here, it was warming to find characters who already prioritised that viewpoint. For me, it made the 3rd Line more dimensional and easy to love. Hayle isn’t someone you would want to mess with; between his hound bodyguards and his wily crow, he knows how to bond with the animals around him and treat them well. He is drawn to Avalon, and the reason is revealed early on. Although Avalon doesn’t know why, watching them come together early on is rewarding. I’m still on guard, though, because I know the multitude of trials and tribulations that will occur before an HEA.
Okay, chapter 20 confused the hell out of me. I thought Kindle was having a problem. Then I realised what was happening and groaned out loud in frustration. I don’t like this type of subgenre/plot.
Part 2 –
Okay. The best way I can describe it is as a Time Loop with different outcomes. I’ve read a few similar books with this subgenre/plot and have found them frustrating and annoying, as their inclusion seems to weaken the overall plot. So, with some trepidation, I keep reading. It is interesting to see how different decisions lead to different outcomes. It puts a new spin on the plot.
Avalon –
Avalon has more fear in this segment. She is more cautious and more nervous. She has less sass and less determination to go unnoticed. She falls for Vox incredibly quickly, almost as quickly as she fell for Hayle in the first turn. I am lucky that I understood what was happening; otherwise, this would have been a very confusing read. The core elements of her personality were still there. She still felt inclined to help those in need; she still prefers the lower Lines to the upper Lines. She treats everything as a luxury she was ill-afforded at home. Everything about this turn was different for her, but the ending was the same. Different circumstances perhaps, but the same outcome. I can see it more clearly now, and understand the undertones to what is happening to her and the characters around her. I wonder whether the past bleeds into the other characters’ memories, or whether they are oblivious that they are turning the same wheel over and over again.
Vox –
Okay, so this second part is more Vox-heavy in POV chapters. I realise now that the first part had more Hayle chapters. Here, Vox is drawn to Avalon but doesn’t know why. He steps in when she’s in trouble and watches her so sternly that the other students notice. Hayle watches her too, but Vox is clearly the main focus of this segment. He is more alert and more aware of the bigger picture. He seems to understand the Lines better and can accept Avalon’s mystery, continuing to unravel it more than he did in the first part. Vox
Hayle –
Hayle’s character takes a back seat in this second part as the book focuses more on Vox’s POV chapters. This structure works well, giving the reader equal access to both Hayle and Vox. It is clear that both Hayle and Avalon feel unsettled by the emotions that swirl up when they are near each other. An uncertain pull drags them together almost unwillingly, and they can’t stop it. Hayle and Vox have more animosity; I think it’s because Vox stepped in to protect Avalon first, which has shifted the power balance between them.
At the end of the second part, I’m curious about the third because, while the first two parts differed in which male character drew more focus and what actions led to consequences, I cannot tell which made the better impression on me. I think, and I hope, the final part will mix the two that came before it. That would make the most sense. I think Avalon, Vox, and Hayle need to come together in some way, connect the dots, and build a strong foundation to explore in the second book.
Part 3 –
Okay, so I have a theory about the librarians, but I don’t think I’ll get the answer until the second book. I wasn’t sure which side would seem most apparent in this third turn, but I think it’s best described as equal acceptance. It feels more balanced overall, and the characters, while taking different actions, are more relaxed and accepting of what is happening, and more themselves than I think they’ve been in the previous two turns. I’m using the word ‘turn’ for the time loops because it makes the most sense. Of course, to make a why-choose romance work, you do need all the male characters on the same board. In the previous two turns, it was one or the other, but this turn we’re truthing out both.
Avalon –
There is something to being the ninth daughter of the Ninth Line. You’d be a fool not to realise that, especially with the book’s title. Avalon has grown on me quickly. I think, ironically, I’ve learned more about her character through the different turns than I would have if it was just one continual journey. There is something magical about seeing different endings from the same actions. Like one different gesture or word having a completely different outcome. In this turn, Avalon is more sure of herself. She still behaves like a deer in the headlights on occasion, but I can tell her walls aren’t as high this time, and her guard doesn’t keep her from mingling with others. Whatever the turn, she bonds with those of the Twelfth Line, and she sorely needs it. She needs that backing, that family tie, and the unconditional love and support it brings. It gives her purpose outside of her character needs. Something, whether it’s magic or something else, is clearly pulling Avalon toward Hayle and Vox. I enjoyed that in this turn they can research together; it was almost like seeing them come full circle and connect the dots they’d each made individually through the different turns of the book.
Hayle –
Hayle is less guarded in this turn and less likely to growl or threaten violence toward Vox. It’s ironic how quickly the two men conclude in this turn that they could share Avalon if she consented. It almost made me laugh at the male brain that it took three turns for them to come to this decision and be grownups about it, but then I remembered how I’d asked a male colleague to pick me up some apples, and they’d proceeded to send me five pictures of apples because they didn’t know which ones to pick, and I realised that three turns was actually quite quick! I don’t actually know that much about Hayle. Out of the three of them, I’ve learned the least about him. He is loyal by default, though, and marks Avalon’s happiness above his own. He would walk through fire to make her happy and burn anyone who has wronged her. I hope to learn more about his character and the Third Line in the next book.
Vox –
Vox is like a tortured soul. Each turn, he longs for something he believes he can never have. In this turn, he takes the small moments he can have with Avalon and, by extension, Hayle. He knows a miserable life awaits him beyond the college gates, and he isn’t a fool enough to think he could go up against his father and win. His father is a clusterfuck of shit. While the unification of the Twelve Lines was probably warranted back when it happened, it is clear now, especially under Vox’s father’s rule, that it couldn’t be in a worse position. But since Vox isn’t the heir, just one of many siblings, he knows that while he might long for change, he doesn’t have the power to act on it. I can see the trio rebelling against the Barons/Baroness in the next book, and I am looking forward to the chaos.
The last little bit of this book was an utter mind fuck, and I had to read really carefully to ensure I didn’t miss anything. I was right in my suspicions that there was more to the librarians, but not about their origins. I suspected some of the ending because it was the only thing that made sense for the plot, but I was also left surprised by how it unfolded. Overall, a fantastic read.
