Crimson & Cream by C.M. Skiera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I first pulled this book off my to-be-read pile I was honestly a bit worried. The title gave me the impression of a romance, the cover-art a standard fantasy affair. And the character names, Flotsam and Jetsam, a naval yarn. Deep down I feared it would be some sort of unholy trinity. Thankfully, I can say I was wrong. Crimson & Cream is in truth a Young Adult Fantasy novel that is at times clever, often atmospheric, and never boring.
Most importantly there are no sea-shanties.
The tale follows the troubles and adventures of twins Eadriel (Jetsam) and Elvar (Flotsam) in a land that has outlawed magic and uses orphans as slave labor – seriously, it is as if someone transported every critic of Oliver Twist over, and said “go, have fun.” And as orphans to a pair of esteemed teachers at a magic school, Flotsam and Jetsam are in double trouble.
Though personal politics probably doesn’t matter when you are living in a sewer, scavenging for your daily bread. Until it does. After an ill-advised rendezvous the twin’s lives are turned upside down. Cue the set-up for 283 odd pages of escapes, battles, and adventures through lost cities.
And a pleasant little tale it is. Unlike many modern writers, C.M Skiera appreciates the art of setting a scene, and his prose can catch one quite unawares. The writing will continue in plain meter, lulling the reader into the misapprehension of simplicity, before crashing along with a vivid description. This has the effect of lending scenes more gravity, and making certain phrases stick.
The plot on the other hand is straight forward; the highs come at the right places, and the lulls are well-paced to give added measure for the drama. There is nothing too jarring or experimental in the setup, though this has the consequence of not being one of those novels that pushes the envelope. Still, it is a successful bit of storytelling.
Where the novel succeeds less is with the cast, and in some way, the dialogue. Characterization is at times, choppy. Dialogue too simple. I felt that the protagonist needed more personalization, often exhibiting thought processes that were either very predictable, or in some cases, too off-point. Part of this could be due to the age group this is meant for, or just very plainly, a plethora of characters in a short novel.
Perhaps, with the sequels these nitpicks may lessen- at the time of this review, the Oxbow Kingdom Trilogy has been completed, and is available. I believe there is enough here to warrant a further look. So, despite my problems with the characterization, I will be picking up the continuations. Happily so.
Final verdict: Crimson & Cream a solid, atmospheric Young Adult fantasy novel, with all the timeless and adventurous trappings that readers are sure to love.
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