Fhina Basbair
This book is partly based on the history of Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Draculea), but in this book Vlad is a girl named Lada. I have read books about Vlad the Impaler earlier this year so that I was super thrilled to read a book that follows somewhat along the lifeline of Vlad, but the female lead made it even more interesting. Lada, I loved Lada! I loved every bit of her. She is an amazing character and different to many of the other female leads, I usually often read. She's not the beautiful princess, but rather ugly and wicked. She doesn't take shit from anyone and doesn't do any girly things, girls were supposed to do in the 14-hundrets. Also, she has much more interests in fighting and weaponry than dolls and looking pretty. She very soon realises the stand of women within the society, and rebels against it. She knows that she wants to be more than a wife and produce children. Lada does not have many soft spots, except her love for her best friend Bogdan and her country Wallachia. "This is Wallachia, and I am the daughter of Wallachia. Our father is the prince of Wallachia. This is my country." In the middle of the story, this love for her country loses a little on focus, but she never forgets where her roots are and what she wants. "Not Dragwlya," she said "Lada Dracul. I am no longer the daughter of the dragon." She lifted her chin, sights set on the horizon. "I am the dragon." She truly is a strong and kickass character, who's smart but also super wicked and evil. She makes a perfect anti-heroine! Radu, Ladas younger brother, is the complete opposite of her. He's a whiney child and often searched comfort at their nurse's skirts (Bogdan's mother). He often is teased by Lada and Bogdan or his older brother Mircea. His father despises him. Being sent to the Sultans Murad's court is hard for him because his beloved nurse is not coming and he never really has been without her. But that strengthens the bond between him and Lada, also if she does things, that make him question her behaviour. Soon Radu (and Lada) find a friend in the Sultans Son, Mehmed and an amazing friendship starts to develop. Also, Radu finds happiness and peace in Islam and is feeling more and more at home at the Ottomans empire. Historically it's said that Mehmed was - just as Vlad the Impaler - brutal, but within this book his character was amazing. This actually might change in the books to come, but young Mehmed was just such a nice guy and I truly love him for being so faithful to both, Lada and Radu and vice versa. The friendship between them is beautiful. But foremost and most importantly I loved the message that a girl/woman can be whatever she wants to be and not what society is expecting her to be (or any boy/man for that matter). The writing itself is vivid and imaginary. I really enjoyed it so much and can't wait for the other books to be published.
