The Breaking of Brendalyn Ellingboe by Aly Kuch is a fantasy story feat. Bren Ellingboe, a perfect captain until one incident hits up.
What’s cooking, let’s dive in.
“The weather was warming up, and spring buds decorated the branches
in anticipation of summer. Hector leaned against the watch tower’s stone
wall, listening to his friend, Barden, chatter excitedly about asking one of
the maids to the coronation feast.”
Book Review: The Breaking of Brendalyn Ellingboe
Some kind of books pulls you in very quickly and others swiftly & quietly — with lil tension, emotions, and a main character which will make you think. The Breaking of Brendalyn Ellingboe definitely belongs to the second kind.
Aly Kuch’s writing style is clean and imaginative, filled with emotions. The story doesn’t rushes — instead, it builds the world with details and care (obv. with lil steady tension too). Battle scenes are gripping and simply engaging.
The pacing is good, measured and deliberate. Starting chapters are easy to understand and gives good character introduction, while the middle sections gets a lil slower but filled with emotions like grief, suspicion, and political tensions.
Some readers may find this story slower or the book lil longer (if you count the pages), but at some times the slower pace let the scene settle down which will otherwise feel running.
Is vengeance strength… or self-destruction wearing armor?
The storyline is all about Bren Ellingboe, a fiercely capable captain of the royal guard in the kingdom of Crim — a place which is regularly threatened by dangerous shapeshifters from the forest beyond.
Also Read: The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller
Bren’s world turn around when a shapeshifter bit her and her body gets controlled by the dangerous venom.
As political tensions rise, you can expect no. of twists and turns , and an ancient magic begins to stir, Bren finds it difficult to balance her duty and obsession.
The story is about how much one can endure before something in him can change as a whole to make him a newer person.
Overall, rather than just narrating, the story lets readers sit with discomfort. You can feel Bren’s frustration. You question the motives. You can sense that something ancient and dangerous is going to wake up — and that the cost will be personal.
Character Development
This is where the book truly shines.
- Brendalyn Ellingboe is not just any fantasy heroine. She’s disciplined & loyal — but also sometimes she is exhausted, and emotionally broken.(PS: Just like us;((()
- Watching her struggle with loss while trying to remain “in control” feels totally human and relatable. Her inner conflict gives the story its emotional backbone.
Supporting characters like King Alder, Captain Rathfa, and even like General Vang — are well characterised enough to feel that they have a purpose in the story rather than decorative.
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Number of Pages | 588 pages |
| My Rating | 4.5⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Release Date | January 22, 2025 |
Also Read: Brimstone by Callie Hart
What I Loved
- What makes The Breaking of Brendalyn Ellingboe special is its focus on controlled strength. Most of the fantasy books focuses on hero and his/her journey to gain power but here Bren’s journey is about learning that refusing to bend.
- It’s the kind of book that doesn’t demand your attention. It earns it by refusing to let its characters forgotten.
Quotes:
“Perhaps your eagerness is what frightens her?”
Also Read: The Malazan Series Ranked
Final Verdict?
Very good fantasy read, a lil longer but worth it.
Who should read it:
- If you are who love strong female leads
- If you are fan of morally gray characters with emotions.
- If you like to appreciate character-driven pacing.
- If you are a binge fantasy readers tired of “chosen one” clichés
Books like The Breaking of Brendalyn Ellingboe :
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
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