by Astrid V.J.
YA Fantasy with History and Social Commentary
Devoured this start to Astrid V.J.’s Children of Chaos Series. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 rounded up to 5 for where there can only be 5 stars.
Bashir is a wonderful main character. Very empathetic, and has some deep conflict as well as some views on life that are well beyond his years. There’s a lot to unpack with this character, and I look forward to seeing him develop through the series.
The plot is light, but Bashir’s complete story arc. It’s simply his origin story. That being said, it is rich with history and politics and blends in shifting races in a new and fun way. YA Urban Fantasy in a specific setting (Swedish) with historic depth.
I’m excited to see what Astrid has up her sleeves for this series.
Plot & Characters
Light, origin story. This would be the cause for any reduction in ratings. It’s not complete, but it’s definitely compelling.
Favorite Quote(s)
“You didn’t need to be nice to her after she was so racist to
you.”
“I don’t think she meant to be, and if I was rude, she’d only
think worse of me and entrench her racism.”
To be perfectly honest, this simply shows the epitome of unconscious bias.
Romance Elements
Swoonworthiness
There’s an instant draw type thing in this story, so I expect there will be some. And when it comes, I’m here for it!
Heat
None at all.
Fantasy Elements
Worldbuilding
Modern-day Sweeden with historical depth and combined with shifter races, vampires, and (I’m sure) much, much more. Astrid has so many ways to expand this, but it already feels so deep and real.
Magic & Magic Systems
Not a lot of magic is happening in here just yet. So far, it’s mostly about the creatures and how various races interact. That’s fine by me, but there may be something a little special about the glowing one–yet to be revealed.
Writing & Narration
Astrid’s voice is naturally smooth, and that makes for a really easy read where the characters and world shine. This book is no exception.
Synopsis
There’s nothing much more life-changing than a bullet to the neck…
While he contemplates death and the consequences his will bring for his family, Bashir is offered a chance at a new life by the Swedish police officer who finds him in a dark alley of Gothenburg’s infamous north-eastern suburb. Bashir’s new life comes with the surprise that nothing is as he previously believed: magical creatures exist, and preying on the weak are forces far more sinister than the drug dealers he’d contended with before.
But if becoming a part of Sweden’s hidden underworld of shifters weren’t enough, Bashir’s discoveries are upended when he meets Milena: the last Vasa.
My Ratings
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About the Author
Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author, Astrid V.J. was born in South Africa. She is a trained social anthropologist and certified transformational life coach. She currently resides in Sweden with her husband and their two children. In early childhood, she showed an interest in reading and languages—interests which her family encouraged. Astrid started writing her first novel at age 12 and now writes fantasy in a variety of genres, exploring her passion for cultures and languages. When she isn’t writing, Astrid likes to read, take walks in nature, play silly games with her children, do embroidery, and play music.
Astrid writes transformation fiction: incorporating transformation principles in novels, rather than writing another self-help book. She loves exploring the human capacity for transformation and potential to achieve success in the face of adversity. Astrid is interested in minority group questions, considerations on social standards of beauty and the negative consequences these have, and would like to make the fantasy genre accessible to people of non-white, non-Christian backgrounds. Astrid feels the fantasy genre has become too restrictive with limited representations of race, ethnicity and culture. She seeks to explore other paths on this writing journey, incorporating her background in anthropology and psychology to create engaging experiences, which also provide food for thought on the diverse topics she finds most important. These include: racism, minority rights, cultural diversity, culture change, intolerance, humanity’s environmental impact, the representation of people on the autism spectrum in among the general populace, the human capacity for transformation, and much more.