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Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
When Sundered Spirits Dream by Tamber Kroh follows the story of Dearal, a young noble who barely survives a violent kidnapping attempt and decides to disappear for good. Instead of going back to a life of royal duty and an arranged marriage, Dearal takes a quiet job in the stables with a foster family under a new name. Along the way, Dearal starts exploring gender too, moving between identities in a way that finally feels honest. Meanwhile, across the sea, Dearal's twin brother Tharon won't accept that Dearal is dead. He's chasing a dangerous lead, and it drags him straight into the hands of a man harvesting magic from captured victims to fuel his own revenge. As Tharon gets closer and the Spirit Council tightens its grip on the kingdom, the quiet life Dearal has built starts falling apart.
Author Tamber Kroh takes readers on an epic journey with Dearal, and I enjoyed it immensely. While reading with they/them pronouns was a little tough at first, once I got into the groove of things, it became easier. I loved how the author builds the magic system and Dearal’s emotional maturity side by side, and neither one feels like it is slowing the other down. Dearal was so easy to root for. I enjoyed watching Dearal figure out who they really are outside the identity the crown tried to enforce. The family created with Kisan and Adrin allowed Dearal to feel seen, heard, and be more than they ever felt. Tharon's half of the story hit totally differently. It is a little tense and eerie, especially once that dream connection with Ilyra kicks in. And the magic itself is fascinating. The characters being able to slip into an animal's senses or feel their way through the dark felt unnerving at times. When Sundered Spirits Dream is a fantastic epic fantasy that readers will enjoy.
