Review of ‘Twin Daggers’ (Twin Daggers #1)

Synopsis

Aissa's life is a web of carefully constructed lies. She and her twin sister, Zandria, are Magi spies, a magical people most believe to be extinct. And they're on a mission for revenge.

This action and adventure spy thriller--a fantasy spin on "Romeo and Juliet" from New York Times bestselling author MarcyKate Connolly--is perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Elly Blake and is about to become your new obsession!

By day, Aissa and Zandra play the role of normal young Technocrats eager to fulfill the duties of their new apprenticeships. By night, they plot their revenge to retake their city from the Technocrats. But then Aissa is given a new mission: find and kidnap the heir to the Technocrat throne, who is rumored to be one of the Heartless--a person born without a working heart who survives via a mechanical replacement--and has been hidden since birth.

Aissa is more likely to be caught than to be successful, but she's never been one to turn down an assignment, even if the hunt is complicated by a kind Technocrat researcher who is determined to find a cure for the Heartless. But when Zandria is captured by the Technocrats, Aissa will do anything to get her sister back. Even if it means abandoning all other loyalties and missions ... and risking everything by trusting her sworn enemies.

Review

Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly is a action and adventure spy thriller that takes a fantasy spin on the tale of Romeo and Juliet.

A Fantastical Retelling

A magical fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet. In the fair Technocrats city, twin sisters Aissa and Zandria spy and infiltrate the highest parts of society so that they can destroy the people that decimated her people. As magi, they are thought of as dangerous, people who must be killed on the spot. However, Aissa, on a mission, meets a Technocrat researcher who is determined to find a cure for Heartless, Technocrats who were born without hearts and have steam-powered hearts to keep them alive.

Two kids from different worlds, each one determined to destroy the other come together in unveiling something even more horrible.

It is a compelling story with many allusions to Romeo and Juliet but different enough to make it unique. The character dynamics, the plotline, and the story altogether, they make the story unique and fresh. Admittedly, the story drags just a little because Connolly, she gives much devotion to the world-building, which is okay, but it seems as though some scenes were just there. Some scenes don’t seem to add to the characterization or to the world-building and where there as space fillers.

Steampunk & Fantasy

As the story blends steampunk and fantasy, they worked to give the story a fresh edge that kept the reader enthralled in the world-building and history that slowly unveils as the story progresses. Steampunk is such a cool genre and Connolly celebrates it with her storytelling and skill at detail and scene structure.

As for the characterization, there were times when Aissa fell flat, but her tension, her drive, and her conflicted narrative do resonate throughout the novel. In those scenes where the tension is high, those are the scenes where Aissa comes alive, especially when she works her magic. Aissa’s development is slow, but it does happen, allowing the readers to relate to her and like her.

Admittedly the romance, it forms to quickly, which is a little unbelievable, but Aro is a charming character and a good foil for Aissa. So their evolution works for the development of the plot.

Twin Daggers is a compelling, exciting story for readers interested in new retellings that meld genre’s together. (★★★★☆)

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.