REVIEW: Illusionary by Zoraida Córdova

There’s no such thing as second-book syndrome with Zoraida Córdova because Illusionary, the conclusion to the Hollow Crown duology, is just as epic as the first book and an all round satisfying ending to one of my new favourite series of the year!

Zoraida Córdova

With a heart on fire with fierce loyalty and love, Renata Convida is hell-bent on restoring peace to the Moria people, no matter what they may think of her. Magic-wielders in hiding, the Moria have been on the run for far too long, eluding a kingdom that would either end or use them for their powers. In a desperate struggle for revolution and with no allies to turn to, Renata must join forces with her mortal enemy, Prince Castian, to find the tipping point of power, the fabled Knife of Memory, before the ruthless King Fernando gets his hands on it.

On a perilous journey across the cities of Puerto Leonos, the king’s forces are tight on their heels as Renata’s reality begins to crumble, one memory at a time. An accidental guest of her mind, the Gray is a fortress of stolen memories that could spell out Renata’s unbecoming. As a memory thief, her mind is a dam for the flood of memories the dying left at her feet, but without the ability to explore them at will, she is forced to relive them at random. Vying for control and power over herself, Renata must unlock her true abilities by surrendering to the shadows of her past if she seeks to liberate the Moria people once and for all.

With reverent attention to detail, Córdova’s skilful world-building and plotting in the first book, Incendiary, opened up the second book to the sort of character development that all fantasy authors should aspire to. In what I’ve coined as the Juliette Ferrars effect, Renata’s journey of self-love and acceptance is an unravelling gift, a slow and beautiful thing that complements the fast-paced, action-fuelled adventure that is the gripping finale to this series.

With a searing enemies-to-lovers twist bound up in the memories of Renata’s past, you will be a mess of tears from beginning to end. There wasn’t one part of this series I didn’t love – from overthrowing an evil monarchy and exploring an intricate magic system, to sibling rivalries, romantic subplots and an ending straight out of a fairytale, I am in complete awe of Córdova’s writing and will be eagerly awaiting her next book!

—Illusionary by Zoraida Córdova (Hachette Australia) is out now.

Illusionary

The Hollow Crown Duology: Book 2

by Zoraida Córdova

For years, she was wielded as a weapon. Now it's her time to fight back.

Reeling from betrayal at the hands of the Whispers, Renata Convida is a girl on the run. With few options and fewer allies, she's reluctantly joined forces with none other than Prince Castian, her most infuriating and intriguing enemy. They're united by a lofty goal: find the fabled Knife of Memory, kill the ruthless King Fernando, and bring peace to the nation. Together, Ren and Castian have a chance to...

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Eden Samuel