The kingdom of Rabu has a society divided into an upper-class of artificial beings called Automae, and a lower class of humans in indentured slavery. The story follows the servant girl Ayla and the Made daughter of the king of Rabu, named Crier. Ayla despises her Automae oppressors, but accidentally saves Crier and is promoted to being her handmaiden. This starts their complex relationship, as Crier is obsessed with understanding humans, and Ayla has to manage her hatred to be around the princess.
This is Varela’s debut book and it’s amazing. Rabu has such a rich history and culture, especially the way the Made beings sustain themselves off a special mineral named Heartstone.
While Crier and Ayla are very endearing characters, my personal favourite was Crier’s fiancé Scyre Kinok. Kinok has to be one of the most hateable villains I have ever read, Varela put so much thought into making him a devious and terrifying character. This leads to some memorable tension between him, Crier and Ayla, as the two leads discover the monster they’re dealing with.
Crier’s War is an engaging story, but the highlight is undoubtedly the complex romance between Crier and Ayla, perfect for young adult readers looking for Sapphic representation in the fantasy genre. I could not recommend it enough!
Reviewed by Rachel Denham-White
Age Guide 14+
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