Review: Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

• Buy the book here
• Page Count: 448
• Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fiction, Young Adult

Crier’s War by Nina Varela is a queer enemies-to-romance fantasy read.

In Rabu, Automae rule the land. But it wasn’t always that way. In the War of Kinds, these Made beings took power from their human overlords and made human beings the subservient ones.

Human Servant Ayla has a goal: to kill the Soverign’s Daughter, Lady Crier, so her murdered family will be avenged. Crier is preparing to take over the kingdom herself when she is betrothed to the mysterious Scyre Kinok. Ayla and Crier’s lives couldn’t be farther apart, yet when experience draws them together, it will change the course of their lives.

Crier’s War is the first book in a duologly, the second of which I have yet to read. Look out for a review of the second book in the coming months!

There is so much emotion packed into this story. Ayla’s grief and rage is so real, and Crier’s shock and guilt really lives on the page. These characters come from such different backgrounds and experiences and have so much to learn from one another. The romance between Crier and Ayla is a dynamic enemies story and really drives the heart of the plot.

That being said, I felt that this book disappointed me a bit in terms of world building. With such a central focus on Crier and Ayla, many of the side characters felt similar or not fleshed out. Hopefully, the second book will open more opportunities to learn about the lives of the other characters.

Crier’s War is filled with castles, royalty, romance, and rebellion. It is an enjoyable read that tackles themes of colonialism, power, oppression, all while centering around a queer romance with two women.