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“Swallow Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ’til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ’til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, daughter. Stay alive.”
The Bird and the Sword is such a fun read. Shifters, tellers, healers and spinners, oh my! If you have any interest whatsoever in the fantasy genre, then this will be right up your alley. With a shape-shifting king and a girl who can command anything to her will, it’s impossible to become bored.
Long story short, I loved Tiras and Lark. They were a breath of fresh air in a sea of musty, recycled characters. Kjell was a stubborn a-hole at times and he would’ve definitely fit in with the pigs as Lark said. I suppose he slowly redeemed himself though. Honestly, he needs to get over his deep-rooted resentment of the gifted. It’s only bringing him down.
Moving along, you might (probably not) be wondering why I found The Bird and the Sword to be so much fun. Well, I’m here to give you the lowdown and hope that you’ll decide to give it a chance. It’s worth it!
First of all, the humor—Tiras and Lark had some hilarious moments. Specifically when she forced his belt to make him dance, his shoes to trip him up and his shirt to get to personal with his face. I may sound confusing right now, but you’ll understand…one day.
Secondly, the relationship was not fake in any way. I personally hate instant love just because it’s too fast. I need an actual, slow-burn romance that rings true and feels realistic. Otherwise, it’s just not the same. Plus, who doesn’t like smiling like a toddler who colored on the walls? Yeah, that’s what this book does to you.
Next up, the story-building was off the charts (at least for me). There was not a chapter that went by where I wasn’t entranced by the characters, the relationships and double-crossing councilmen who (all) had their own secrets. You just can’t go wrong with The Bird and the Sword. You just can’t.
Now, let’s move on two our two main people: Tiras and Lark. They were ahhhhhhhh!!!! I loved them. Absolutely perfect for each other. Also, I should’ve known from the start. They’re literally the title. Of course, not in the way one would think.
“I have loved you every moment of every day, and I will love you until I cease to be. Bird, man, or king, I love you, and I will always love you.”
To be completely honest, it took me a few months to finally pick this book up. It’s been gaining dust on my goodreads bookshelf (a lot of books are) for quite some time. The funny thing is, I’d always read the synopsis thinking I’d find it interesting compared to the last time I read it and nada. It was always the same ‘eh’ feeling, so color me surprised when I finally got over myself and read it. I only wish I did it sooner.
Now, before I go, I want to share some of my favorite incantations Lark came up with. These were probably some of my favorite moments because of the giddy feeling they filled me with. I mean, who doesn’t love when they know shit’s about to go down and there’s nothing those birdmen can do about it?!?!
“Volgar birdmen, hear my cry, Jeru’s burning, you will die. Close your wings and bow your heads, Every living birdman, dead.”
Ah, gotta love watching those bloody murderous hags fall from the sky. Also, another great moment was when the church filled with birds. Perfection.
“All the birds in Jeru come,
Sing a song of martyrdom.
Every cage and every tree,
Set the birds of Jeru free.
If the king among you flies,
If the king among you dies,
Lift him up and bring him here,
To claim his troth to every ear.”
So, I have one last thing I need to say,
Pick up The Bird and the Sword;
Filled with magic, an eagle, and creatures of the night.
Don’t expect a few, they’ve become a horde.
Quick as you may be, don’t let them catch you mid-flight.
Hurry up, they’re gaining, almost there.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply,
They are the ones who should now beware.
And with that one command, they dropped completely.
Hm, I’m not sure what I just did. It was one of those spur of the moment ideas. Well, I hope you choose to read The Bird and the Sword one day because it will drag you in and make you wish there was a sequel with Tiras and Lark as the main POVs again. I’ll miss them.