Poison Study

“But joy was like a butterfly alighting on a hand; a brief rest before flying away.”

I only found this book by accident while browsing for others and was intrigued by the premise. Yelena has been a prisoner in the dungeons of Ixia for almost an year waiting to be executed as a murderer. When the day arrives, she is summoned by the security chief of the kingdom Valek himself and offered a choice – take the noose or take the position as the Commander's personal food taster. For her, it's a simple choice because she wants to live. But she doesn't realize how tough her job is going to be; there are always going to be people who want to kill the Commander, but seems like there are people who want to kill her too. Additionally, Valek's training regimen also involves poisoning her food and asking her to identify it, if any. Escaping General Brazell's assassins, honing her skills, making friends and uncovering the biggest threat to the kingdom in a long time are just some of her accomplishments through the remainder of the book.

“Maybe if I stayed here long enough, my heart would turn to stone. Then betrayals, tests of loyalties and poisons would have no effect on me.”

I loved Yelena's character. Initially, we can see that she is troubled by her past and has nightmares. We only get to know the truth slowly, as she is coming to terms with the abuse and torture she was subjected to. We realize why she had to commit the murder but she tries to justify what she has done because despite the truth, she still feels guilty. Slowly, with attacks coming from all sides, she decides to take matters into her own hands and takes up self-defense lessons. Death is staring at her everyday, but she still tries to help whoever she can and always regrets leaving others behind in the past. The way her magical powers form an intrinsic part of her is well described in the book and we can feel the way she uses it when she is desperately in need. Her character growth is exceptional and the writing is so impeccable that we feel ourselves on the same journey of growth as her.

“But you've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.”

Valek initially seems like a loyal advisor to the Commander but a psychopath because he torments Yelena. However, we get to know him better through her eyes and he grows on us just as she understands his motivations and his personality. He is extremely brave, loyal and a master strategist and what I loved most about him was that he never left her behind. He was always there for her when she needed him and encouraged her to be self sufficient in case he couldn't be. As she falls for him, I did too and it just felt right. The romance angle was very subtle in the book but still gave me all the feels. Yelena also befriends Ari and Janco, Captains in the military and they grow so protective of her that they don't hesitate to put themselves in danger to protect her. I really hope to see more of them in the next book.

“Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever.”

On the whole, this book really surprised me. It wasn't the usual fantasy story. There was a lot of discussion about politics in a military establishment, the injustice in the proclamation of blind justice that doesn't take intention into consideration, the fact that abundance of opportunities don't necessarily compensate for curtailed freedoms and the guilt that ravages the heart of a rape and abuse survivor. We see all this and more through Yelena's eyes and find the flaws and faults that can exist even in a kingdom run by an efficient Commander. The characters are great, the plot is mysterious and the writing very imaginative. I really look forward to reading all the books in this series as soon as I can.

“Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It's called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don't do it halfway. Don't linger in whiner's limbo.”

Once ruled by a King, Ixia has been overtaken by the Commander. All magic has been outlawed and any found to possess it will be put to death. A new Code of Behavior has been put in place, and while it may seem like a harsh world to outsiders, everyone has their place in the newly built society. And the new Code has saved Yelena’s life, allowing her a slim chance of freedom. Imprisoned for murder, Yelena is sentenced to death. But as she is led to the gallows she is given a choice. As the next slated for execution she can either proceed to her appointed death or become the new poison taster. Grasping at the chance to live, Yelena agrees to become the new taster. But there are those who will never forget the murder she committed. As Yelena must stay on guard against poisoned food, she must also protect herself from those who would exact their revenge.

Poison Study is a unique story, where much of the politics and back door deals are heard in snippets from Yelena’s viewpoint as she taste tests the Commander’s meals. Some of the political drama does involve her directly, and as such she runs into quite a few mishaps. But she is determined to stay alive and is quick to think on her feet. It also helps there is a mystery surrounding her and the circumstances that forced her to commit murder. With each new encounter, she finds ways to strengthen her resolve and build her skill set. Yelena refuses to be easily overtaken.

Readers will also spend time with Valek, one of the Commander’s advisors. Maria V. Snyder does a fantastic job building up a harsh character who follows a strict moral code. His defenses are high, and very few are able to see beneath the rough exterior. Yelena and Valek are well matched and their clashing provides entertaining animosity. While Yelena tries to push the rules, seeing where there might be the tiniest of cracks, Valek is quick to snap back and try to keep her in line. If only to keep the poison tester alive long enough to not have to train another one.

The one downfall of this novel was the way Yelena built a romantic relationship. It seemed to snap in place without much of a lead into the reasons behind it. Yelena’s flustered feelings were quite easy to depict, but the other party needed a few more hints to drop. Body language, or some sort of dialogue scattered throughout the story to leave a bit more of a breadcrumb trail to what was going to happen. Whereas the friendships she formed took time to develop, over the course of missions and shared pursuits. I quite enjoyed Yelena participating in training with her friends and sharing sarcastic jabs with them.

This is a high fantasy story driven by loads of character development and it does not have an overdose of politics. Yelena is a strong female lead to follow and I was pleasantly surprised by the representation in it. I first read Poison Study 12 years ago and I easily enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time.

I don't know what else to say to you other then the fact that this book was good and that I will definitely be getting the sequel...but I'll try.

Sitting in a dungeon in Ixia our heroine, Yalena, awaits her execution for a crime that she does not regret, murder. She knows what she did, why she did it, and that it was wrong, but there is nothing she can do about it. Even if the murder was an accident or a matter of self defence the consequence is the same – death. But Yalena is in luck because she is next in line for the hangman's noose she is also the chosen candidate to be the Commander of Ixia's food taster. And because she is no fool she takes the job and all the risks that come with it.

Filled with political intrigue, assassins, and acrobatics Poison Study was a fast paced refreshing read that I hadn't encountered in a long time. It's not your typical YA where romance normally tends to take centre stage leaving the rest of the story in the background but a story I believe that has a little something for everyone - humour, action, and yes, even romance.

Recommended for fans of The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong.

I'm torn between “too YA for me” and “this universe is quite intriguing”. This is Snyder's debut novel, yeah? It shows (the writing is not as tight as I'd hoped for), but even so, I will pick up the sequel some day, I'm sure.

It reminds me a little of Sarah J. Maas' Throne Of Glass, only with a less sassy protagonist and with more emphasis on the brutal and traumatized past.

The main character is a girl, Yelena, about to be executed for murder, but is given the option to be the Commander's food taster. However, his right-hand man, Valek the chief of security, poisons Yelena and only a daily antidote will keep her alive, so she can't escape. There is intrigue about possible magics used in Ixia - where it is forbidden after a takeover by the military over a corrupt monarchy who imposes very totalitarian and sparse dictatorship - and attempts on the Commander's life/mind.

I found the aspects of the military dictatorship interesting, as there are rules where everybody has a job and in order to transfer to another town, there has to be proof from your employer and proof there is a job waiting in the new town. Papers, as it is. There are also soldiers in each town who recognize their regular citizens and can arrest strangers or loiterers. Also, nobody is taught anybody beyond what their job entails, so learning for the sake of learning is frowned upon - viewed with suspicion - and libraries are in disuse. Religion is banned, and music is scarcely allowed. However, after the corrupt monarchy and nobility allowed their men to go and kill unjustly and used magicians to torture “lesser” citizens on the whims of nobility, I suppose the rules - “the Code of Behavior” - is favored by a lot of their citizens. I wish there was more expanded on this from the public's general feeling, but I do know this book was meant to introduce Yelena to us. Perhaps the third book will delve more into this when Yelena returns to Ixia.

I was worried that this would be a little too YA for me, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This book is about an orphan named Yelena who was taken in by a wealthy General and raised in his household. The story starts with Yelena awaiting her execution for murder. Just before her execution, she is offered a choice: die now, or become the food taster for the Commander of Ixia. Of course, Yelena chooses to live. The job may sound easy, but she will be tested along the way. This is such a great story! I especially loved the characters. I have to get the rest of the series.

Where to start?

CHARACTERIZATION
The main character lacked depth, explaining about her tortured background does not make her a deep character. IMO Yalek has more depth than Yelena. The side characters such as Ari, Janco and even Rand, were likable and I was happy to read about them whenever they appeared. The Commander's “secret” is a very thinly disguised attempt at incorporating an element of LGBT to the story. That, and the passing remark from the seamstress that Valek was thought to maybe be gay... that is until Yelena appeared of course.

The evil characters, on the other hand, were clearly all trained in the same school of unoriginal hunt/torture/rape plots. It's a wonder Yelena made it alive up until the end of the book. Every other page she's either captured/kidnapped, hit in the face, stabbed at or shackled. That is, of course, until one of the strapping young men amongst her friends list turns up “just in the nick of time” to save her poor defenseless self (Read here: very thick sarcasm). My major annoyance throughout was Yelena's relentless dizzy spells and vomiting whenever it got a bit too stressful. For someone who doesn't eat all that much, she sure does vomit a lot.

PLOT
What plot? This book was supposed to be about poisons, precisely a food taster to the higher up of Ixia (the Commander). The topic of poison was touched upon in the first half of the book (maybe I'm generous here, I think it may have been the first 10 chapters). After that, the storyline changed from a very scientific “poison tasting” plot to a predictable “let's play with magic” one. Before this could happen though, Yelena goes through a third plot change known as the “I'm going to become a pro fighter”. All is well here when Ari, Janco and Marren help her out by having little training sessions in the basements. However, even though our heroine is clearly able to ward off her three friends, whenever the action gets serious outside she suddenly loses her abilities and has to really on gasp Valek! Who just so happens to be EVERY WHERE.

LOVE AND OTHER PLOT HOLES
Ok, of course she has to hook up with someone. From the description of the book, I had gathered that she would develop a thing for the Commander. However, after reading a few reviews I learned that Valek was to be the love interest. I followed his every move in the book to see how this could happen. Well, it kinda happened all in one go. Sure he helps and protects her in dangerous situations, but that doesn't mean anything really. Then Yelena gets drunk one night and sticks her hands in his pants and I'm like “whoa girl, calm yourself. Aren't you a torture/rape victim? Shouldn't you be weary of men, especially sex?”. Then nothing else happens for the rest of the book until at the end we mysteriously have a love declaration from the man himself, whilst being trapped in a dungeon waiting for death... very credible if you ask me.

HOLE #1 I thought there was a no nonsense policy about killing in Ixia? You know, the iron clad rule of “if you kill someone, even if accidental or in self-defense, you must hang”? Weeeeeell, I guess that doesn't apply to Yelena and Valek, seeing as the collectively kill about 10 people in the book. Also the killings themselves are odd. I would expect Valek not to flinch, he's a trained assassin, but Yelena? She killed once before in self-defense, after years of abuse. That is very different from fighting of palace guards and crushing their windpipes/bashing in their heads. She doesn't even blink or feel remorseful. Yelena is a psychopath. Not Valek, definitely Yelena. (Actually, declaring her a psychopath makes my skin crawl, she isn't actually psychopath in the clinical terms but, to use the exact words from the book, I chose this diagnosis. IMO she has an affective disorder, my bet is on depressive with a touch of anxiety)

HOLE #2 Criollo couldn't affect Valek because he is impervious to all things magical, but why would Yelena be spared from its effects? According to Irys, this substance in small quantities is used on students of magic to help them open their minds. If that's the case. Then Yelena should have had a similar reaction to it as the Commander (because she ate just as much as him). Somehow, she is spared. Let's just chalk it off as “she's the main, she can do anything and all the rules ever established don't apply to her”.


All in all, it's a very easy read, (two days for me) and, if you can look past the bad plot and characterization, then you could find it enjoyable in a mind numbing sense. If you want to relax your brain after reading something complicated then, my suggestion is “Poison Study” for a quick, painless read.

Don't be fooled by the Luna insignia on the spine, Poison Study is not a romance thinly disguised as a fantasy novel. When Yelena, a convicted murderer, is given a stay of execution in return for becoming the Commander's new food taster, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Yelena faces death from all sides, from the General whose son she killed, the southern magicians who fear her uncontrolled hidden magic, and the poison in her body, used as a means of keeping her from escaping. Her frantic attempts to survive, told in Snyder's entertaining first person narration, will keep you turning pages and leave you reaching for the sequel.

Jeg kjøpte denne boka uten å ha hørt mer om den enn navnet. Dermed hadde jeg ikke veldig store forventninger, men ble veldig positivt overrasket. Det er litt fint å lese om en hovedperson som ikke er vellykket og flink i alt. Yelena vet at hun har begått mord, og prøver ikke å bortforklare det hun har gjort. Historien drives framover med stadig nye situasjoner hun havner opp i (særlig etter de første par kapitlene). Karakterene har veldig særegne personligheter, og man får fort en følelse av hvem man liker og ikke liker. Boka er spennende, skummel, romantisk og satt i en annen verden – kan det bli bedre?
Jeg skal i alle fall skaffe meg bok to ganske så fort!

I don't normally like fantasy fiction with castles and knights and what-have-you but 10 pages into this book and I was completely hooked. I couldn't put it down. Yelena was a wonderful character and the story built to a crescendo in such a great way before I knew it I had read 200 pages and could not sleep until I knew what would happen next. Highly recommend!

A couple months ago I had a Borders Gift Card burning a hole in my pocket and as luck would have it, there's a big fat Borders store a short walk from where I work. So I was browsing again and came across this title. I'm much better about impulse buys than I used to be so I checked out the comments on Amazon before snagging it. Well, as of this writing it's rated 4 and a half stars out of 5 from over 200 reviews. And sure enough, I was hooked by the second page. The plot concerns a young woman named Yelena sentenced to be executed for murder. But she's given an option: die by execution, or become the Commander's food taster, a life-long position (which is currently available since the last food taster died from poisoning.) Yelena chooses not to die and then gets caught up in the political intrigue surrounding the land known as Ixia. It's a breeze to read and the pace rarely flags although the rest of the story is not as strong as the first third. This book can stand alone but there are two more “Study” books featuring Yelena. They're on my list. 4 stars.