Windwitch (Truthwitch #2) by Susan Dennard 
Publisher: Tor
Goodreads Summary: 
Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: 
Merik Nihar is presumed dead. Barely surviving a seafire attack on his ship, he travels around Nubrevna undercover, hopeing to expose his sister Princess Vivia's treachery and involvement in his attempted assassination. Safiyah fon Hasstrel and Empress Vaness must outrun their captors, but Safi worries about Iseult, who hunts for Safi but comes across the bloodwitch Aeduan instead. They strick a deal, but Iseult must make a terrible choice between rescue and loyalty...

In Truthwitch we got to see Safi and Iseult function together. This time they're separated and we see how they function alone, an insightful experience. Their two contrasting personalities definitely react in different ways when confronted with similar situations and I really like the way Susan Dennard approached this and captured it through her writing, the finish was very genuine. The two have enough similarities and differences to truly be opposites, so much more than just a stereotypical "twins-who-are-opposite-each-other-in-every-way" type.

Maybe it's simply because Merik and Safi weren't together in this book, but in Windwitch I truly fell in love with Aeduan. The monk has many layers and reminds me of the character archetype who works for a cause but later stops believing in it (and potentially falls in love). I am extremely curious as to know exactly how this will play out in book three as Aeduan discovers a little more about himself and that he is not as cold hearted as he believes he is.

Vivia I didn't really remember, but Windwitch made me remember her. A person which is evil in Merik's eyes, there are a lot of stipulations about the princess which later get proved wrong. She reminds me of Evangeline Samos from Red Queen in that she is considered an enemy but helps the portagonists. To all you fantasy lovers, you'll devour the Witchlands series.
Purchase Location:
Borrowed From Library
Edition:
Paperback
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Recommended for: Fans of fantasy.