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Review by Lora Friedenthal
Condemned prisoner Yelena is offered a choice: work for the Commander’s head of security, Valek, as a food taster or face the gallows. Yelena, as she says, is no fool, and she agrees to become a connoisseur of poison. As dangerous as her new profession is, it becomes even more dangerous when her illegal magic powers come to the fore and her past as a tortured slave catches up with her.
Enraptured. I cannot remember the last time I read an entire book in one sitting. I could not, did not, put it down.
Yelena is everything you could ask for in a heroine: courageous, clever, resourceful, vulnerable, and strong. From the outset, her situation is dire. She is given a poison that will kill her if she does not return for her daily antidote. And even if she doesn’t, she may simply die from doing her job well. But still, she tries to plot escape, to feel around the edges of her cage for a crack. And yet, her new life is a life. More than what she ever expected she might have, and she finds herself drawn to the people around her. The Commander, who signed her execution order, is not the man she expected him to be. And the assassin Valek becomes an object of fascination that she is unwilling to part with.
Valek is perfect—dangerous, quick beyond measure, unpredictable, and . . . beautiful. He gave Yelena the poison that keeps her under control, and yet, he seems to want real loyalty, born from affection. Yelena fears crossing him, but dares to test his patience—a quality he admires. When she expects anger, he laughs. Cruelty? Compassion. A killer, yes, but far from cold-blooded, Valek’s feelings for the new food taster split his loyalties and make him long for something more than coerced obedience.
The plot of Poison Study moves swiftly. And the cast of supporting characters is fantastic. The book touches on themes of trust and justice and includes a plot point concerning gender dysphoria that I was surprised to see.
Valek and Yelena’s story might be over, but I fervently hope that it is not and that the sequel, Magic Study, gives me more deft adventure, clandestine meetings, and love worth killing and dying for.
Lora Friedanthal
Poison Study (Study, Book 1) by Maria V. Snyder
Published by: Mira (March 1, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0778324338
ISBN-13: 978-0778324331
Genre: Fantasy
I loved this book. It was original, fun, and you really liked the characters. And your review is spot on. I can’t wait to read Magic Study.
Your review piqued my interest enough to set me on a quest to find both books. Thank you.
That’s a really great review. (It made me love the book even more and more impatient to read Fire Study, which comes out in March).
I loved Poison Study. I particularly loved the descriptions of food tasting in the books as well as the well-written characters. And Magic Study is, indeed, as good as the first. It is an excellent novel filled with suspense and action/adventure.