Review of Of Sword and Shadow by A.L. Sowards

 About the Book

Greece, 1379

She is known by many names, none of them her own. In truth, she is an unnamed slave, nothing more than a weapon in the hands of her own in his attempts to provoke political mayhem. When she encounters a handsome young man while on an assignment, she thinks little of him-until he attempts to take what she has stolen. But in her line of work, failure is not an option.

Gillen is intrigued by the mysterious woman who thwarts his mission. But when his path crosses hers again, his intrigue turns to gratitude as the thief he comes to call Eudocia save his life. The two form a bond of friendship and join forces to wrest control from a group of ruthless rulers. But as their camaraderie blossoms into something more, Gillen and Eudocia must fight for love even as they wage war for a better future. 

Book Review

Amazing. Fantastic. Heart-pounding. These words don't even begin to describe how I felt about this book. 

In this story, we travel to Greece in 1379 and meet a slave girl who thieves for a living and has no name. So not only does she not have any freedom, she also has no identity. Unless you count the term "mouse" as an identity. 

But one day, out on a job, an unfortunate happenstance causes her to meet a young man named Gillen. And her life is changed forever. 

She befriends Gillen, who has taken to calling her Eudocia. Little does she know that this friendship will throw her into a political movement where both their lives end up on the line. 

I absolutely loved Eudocia. Her backstory is tragic, but it forces her to be a strong and independent character. But when she's with Gillen, he draws out another side of her. A side of her that is vulnerable. We truly see how lonely Eudocia is and how desperate she is to be loved. Thomas only wants her because she is a master at thieving. And Andreas is more than an annoying little brother. He wants to do away with Eudocia and treats her worse than dirt. 

But then Gillen strides into the picture. Gillen, this gentleman with a sweet nature. He genuinely cares for Eudocia and despises the fact that she is a slave and that she has no name. It is through him that Eudocia finds her identity. 

Not only do I love the characters, though, but I also loved the history. I know very little about the time period, and learned a lot by reading this book. It was fascinating and educational. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. The plotline is intriguing, the characters are raw and real, and the history is interesting. I loved the way the author brought this story to life and I can honestly say that, without a doubt, I will be reading more of her work. 

I would give Of Sword and Shadow five out of five stars. 

 I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.