#radu dragwyla

[alvie-pines]

Hey, Conqueror's Saga fandom!

We have a wiki, but it needs a lot of work! When I found it, there were only four or five pages. I've written pages for Radu, Cyprian, and a stub template, so now we're up to eight, but it's still not a lot.

If you're interested in the series, or knowledgable about it, this is your time to shine! Check out the wiki, improve it, talk to me and give feedback! Anything is appreciated!

[ahb-writes]

Hers was a happiness so complete that it threatened to canker his soul.

Kiersten White (And I Darken)

[toastyydoodles]

I recently finished “And I Darken” by Kiersten White and it was pretty good! The book reimagines Vlad the Impaler as a girl and Lada was the viscous, violent, and brutal heroine I’ve always wanted.

[rosereview]

Top 7 Favourite Fictional Siblings

Out of all the books and series I’ve read, I’ve always loved to read about siblings and their relationships. Being an older sister myself, I always thought it was fun to see the relationships of different characters and how family plays a big role in many books and stories. This post will also probably contain minor (or major) spoilers so be warned. Here is a list of my favourite siblings and their relationships with one another. 

7. Vivienne, Jude, Taryn, and Oak Duarte

From the Cruel Prince, or Folk of Air series, by Holly Black, this is the main character and her siblings, both biological and adopted. Jude is the main character while Taryn is her twin sister, Vivienne is her older half sister, and Oak is their younger step brother (which you later find out is actually adopted and you see why in the books). First off, I love Jude and that’s mainly why she and her siblings are on this list. I also love Jude’s relationship with her foster father, definitely more than with her siblings, but that’s for another list. So at the start and end of the series, Jude is really close with all of her siblings, but during the whole middle when I like Jude the most, her siblings anger and annoy me. As an older sister, Vivienne does not do much to protect her younger siblings especially when they need it most, also mostly looking out for herself and failing to even try and understand the situations they go through to stay alive in Faerie. That always made me resent her a little bit because both Jude and Taryn could have used a lot of advice on how to survive in Faerie from their part Fae sister, but all Vivienne focuses on is getting out of Faerie and leaving them behind. Of course she makes up for it at the end and isn’t as bad as Jude’s next sister, Taryn. Now I’ve read every book Holly Black wrote related to the Cruel Prince, even the short story from Taryn’s point of view, but I still dislike her very much. She backstabs her twin sister with Locke and later, when she sees how much of an asshole Locke is, she runs back to Jude asking for her help because she’s scared of him. And Jude actually helps her! Ugh! Taryn is just so stupid and needy and so unfair to her sister who does everything for her. Even when she redeems herself at the end, I still hate Taryn and the way she treats her sister, so that’s the main reason these siblings are so low on my list. The last one is Oak who is the baby of the family, and sometimes it bugs me that he doesn’t help Jude out as well, but I can also understand his side and he’s just too young to grasp what’s going on. I agree with all the characters that Oak needed to be protected at all costs because he’s precious, but he makes Jude’s life hard at points, which upsets me. 

6. Nesta, Elain, and Feyre Archeron

From the ACOTAR series by Sarah J Maas. I love this series and I love Feyre, so this one might sound very familiar to my feelings on Jude and her siblings too. At first, you hate Feyre���s sisters, and so do most of the other characters too, but they do get a sort of redemption arc which satisfies you at the end. But I gotta say the feelings of dislike were strong at the start of the series. It all starts off with Feyre, her OLDER sisters, and their father being very poor because of some bad deals he made and lost all their money. Because of this, they are struggling to survive, and Feyre (the YOUNGEST SISTER) does all the work to keep them alive. That frickin bugs me how Feyre does everything for her father and sisters when she’s the youngest, the baby, of the family. She has TWO older sisters who just sit on their asses and do absolutely nothing to help their own family (both waiting for their father to take control because he made the mess in the first place but he’s frickin depressed and injured!) Anyways, Feyre’s sister’s do help her out in the end, but I can’t help but still get really mad when thinking back to the very beginning of the story. Nesta was too upset with their father to do anything, and honestly I don’t even know what Elain’s problem was. She was just the good sister, who was too pretty and proper and nice to do any work whatsoever. Again, I now like them as characters, even though Nesta sometimes still makes me mad, but I also can’t wait for her new story to come out next year! (Sarah J Maas did say she was almost done writing it and that it was super personal to her, so for that reason I can’t wait). Also though, I think I am due for a reread of all her books because there are some details that I forget and I would love to be in her world again. Anyways, I can’t wait to read more from the Archeron sisters in future books and negative feelings toward the characters usually disappear when I read the latest books, so that’s good. 

5. Helen, Mark, Julian, Tiberius, Livia, Drusilla, and Octavian Blackthorn

From the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, this family was my favourite family to read about, although, like the previous two sibling groups, I have a lot of positive and negative feelings about how all the siblings treated each other and so on. Like Jude and Feyre, Julian is my favourite Blackthorn sibling, and my feelings towards the other ones are based on the way they treat Julian. Now I do understand how the whole novels and series show all the hardships that the Blackthorns go through, which is why some characters act the way they do, but it still makes me frustrated. To start off, I do love each sibling individually and I thought Cassandra Clare did a good job in giving each character their own distinct personalities, but in relation to Julian, they made me upset, specifically Ty, Livvy and Dru. Tavvy is honestly too young for me to get mad at and that’s probably the only reason why he doesn’t annoy me too. Firstly, Ty, Livvy and Dru all look up to Julian, which I understand, but they totally depend on Julian, and when something doesn’t go the way they want it to, they honestly kinda blame him. This was evident when Mark first came back to the family (I also love Mark), and he came from years of living with the Fae and doesn’t even remember how to function in regular society. But the kids still expected him to be the new big brother even when he can’t function and literally get mad when Mark doesn’t fill in Julian’s role. During this time, they just dismiss everything Julian has ever done for them and say that Mark can take care of them from now on! Like… WHAT? How could you expect that from Mark and how could you take that away from Julian? Furthermore, when Helen comes back and tries to repair ties with her family and truly take over for Julian because she feels like she should have done that since the beginning, FRICKING DRU IS A BITCH TO HER! Honestly I do not really like Dru. Cassandra Clare got her preteen attitude spot on which especially makes Dru a bitch because she’s young and learning. I remember those years, but that doesn’t make me like Dru. The whole time she’s whining and complaining that no one treats her like an adult but at the same time gets mad when Helen doesn’t make her pancakes for breakfast. IF YOU WANT PANCAKES, MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PANCAKES! That’s when I started to love Aline though, Helen’s wife, because she stood up for Helen and then Dru started to like her big sister again. Lastly it annoyed me how much the kids depended on him. Like Tavvy I understand because he’s a baby, but the rest of them… UGH! They all demand his attention 24/7 and Julian has his own life to live! Like Julian watches horror movies with Dru, and picks bugs with Ty, and does spy shit with Livvy… like give the man a break. You watch your own horror movies Dru! You don’t need Julian to watch with you and then get mad at him for not fully paying attention! Honestly most of my problems stem from Dru, but the rest of them are just as annoying, including Emma, but we won’t get into that here. Last thing I want to mention (which is a major spoiler!) is that Livvy was the only decent one and then she died. She literally died just after talking to Julian about how much he does for them and how she wanted to help more so he could live his life. I got mad to say the least. 

4. Lada and Radu Dragwlya

From And I Darken series by Kiersten White. These two are definitely different from the other siblings I’ve talked about, and that’s mostly because I don’t dislike them as much. It’s kind of weird, but Lada and Radu had a worse relationship from the beginning but I loved them as siblings more than other siblings. I was actually rooting for them from the beginning, wanting them to finally get close and show their love and understanding, and by the end they were practically there. They honestly always had lives separate from each other, especially in the later books, but the whole time Lada always wanted to care for her brother and have him by her side, even if he didn’t want the exact same thing. Although I do believe that Radu loved his sister, but he had to take his own journey through self-discovery and learn to love who he was and realize he deserved more than Mehmed. Honestly both Lada and Radu deserved better than Mehmed. Anyways, I think that the two of them had a strong bond that couldn’t be broken no matter everything that happened in the books and the way they both started, disliking each other. 

3. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny Weasley

You can’t have a list of favourite siblings and not include the Weasley siblings. You just can’t. If you don’t know, this family is from the Harry Potter series and they are the best. All of the siblings are super close and love each other and they are a beautiful family to read about. Even Percy, who can be an asshole, is still part of the family and in the end, shows his love for his siblings. Fred and George are my favourite by far, and they are such good older brothers to Ron and Ginny, and when we finally meet Bill and Charlie too, they are such sweethearts. There’s not many specific things I have to say about the Weasley’s, except that I love them.

2. Alec, Isabelle, Jace, and Max Lightwood

From The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, these guys are like the OG Cassandra Clare siblings. They’ve been with us from the start and have gone through so much as a family and characters, that I feel like I really know them and feel for them. Technically Jace is not a Lightwood by birth, but I still consider him a part of the family. I loved watching them all grow together and one of the saddest parts in the whole series was when (SPOILER) Max Lightwood died in the third book. He was just such an innocent boy that tied the family together, and honestly when he died, the family kind of fell apart (mostly the parents). For the name Max to live on with Alec and Magnus’s son is just wonderful and he’s definitely my favourite character. Watching Alec, Jace and Isabelle together as siblings, with their banter and sass, makes me happy and brings me in a good mood. You can just tell how close they are from the way they fight together and laugh together and are in sync with each other. I will forever love the Lightwood family and the ones who I met first. 

1. Jonathan and Clarissa Morgenstern

Also from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Most people will be surprised that this is my top but I never said that this list was made up of the healthy types of siblings. I honestly love Jonathan and Clary as siblings because they are the whole reason for the series and I think that both characters have so much depth to them because they are siblings. (SPOILER) But one of my favourite scenes from the whole series, and actually of all the Shadowhunter books, is when Clary is in the demon realm and is shown a vision of what she most desires in her life. And it shows Jonathan being a normal older brother that loves her and wants to protect her (which he sort of wants to do anyways) and how life could have been if Valentine hadn’t been a psychopath and infused Jonathan with demon blood. Even at the end when he dies and is laying there with his normal green eyes, Clary and her mom mourns him. They mourn the boy he could have been and I thought that was really powerful. Even with Jonathan as a demon crazy person, he still only wants love in the world and someone who would understand him. He thinks that biologically, Clary has to feel that towards him so he fixates on her, which is bad, but you can see what he wanted. You can kind of see his side, which I always thought made a good bad guy. Although Jonathan was still bad in every way because he was literally a demon inside, but I always loved reading about his character. 

Thanks for reading my rants and until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[ladislavsad]

Kierstenwhite the author of the And I Darken series put my Lada cosplay on her story and I'm freaking out. I've never tried cosplaying before yesterday and this is just amazing.

[marlenekinnon]

fanvid about And I Darken? Yeah you can count on me... 

❤ Please reblog/ like ❤

[keepthefrank]

I'm SEETHING this book I'm reading is lauded as a big feminist thing (and it is to a degree) because it's ~the story of Vlad the Impaler if he was born a girl~ and yeah the protagonist is an ass kicking girl BUT literally a big plot line is making the (real, documented, legitimate) relationship between Radu and Mehmed an unrequited one in which Radu is hopelessly enamored with Mehmed, who is in love with Lada (the fem Vlad character) I'm so sick (!!!!!) of dynamic gay relationships being turned into situations where the gay party is like,,, forced to watch their crush begin a hetero relationship and completely shove the gay away :) like fucking STOP IT

[zozap]

favourite books of 2016 // and i darken

If Lada was the spiky green weed that sprouted in the midst of a drought-cracked riverbed, Radu was the delicate, sweet rose that wilted in anything less that the perfect conditions

[teencenterspl]

And I Darken by Kiersten White

About: No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way. Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets. Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point.

Kelsey’s Thoughts: “On our wedding night,” she said, “I will cut out your tongue and swallow it. Then both tongues that spoke our marriage vows will belong to me, and I will be wed only to myself. You will most likely choke to death on your own blood, which will be unfortunate, but I will be both husband and wife and therefore not a widow to be pitied.” This book is *intense*. Not quite historical fiction, not quite fantasy, the pretty cover is misleading enough to make you think you’re in for a light-hearted read about a plucky young heroine. Lada is not that heroine. She is stubborn, always angry, and over emotional. She’s furious about everything that has led her and her brother to the Ottoman Empire. She doesn’t always make the right choices. But she’s bloodthirsty, and has enough training to take down anyone who tries to stop her from getting back to her homeland.

Read more young adult book reviews at our blog: www.splteenmachine.com 

[alvie-pines]

Lada: don’t worry, I’ve got a few knives up my sleeve.

Nicolae: I think you mean cards?

Radu: she did not.

Lada, pulling out knives: I did not.

[ahb-writes]

Book Review: ‘And I Darken’

Here, a dagger-wielding young woman refuses defeat from all parties and on all grounds. Lada will not be made a pawn. Not anymore, at least.

The insurgence of unlikable female lead characters has led to a noteworthy explosion of available fiction. Here, a dagger-wielding young woman refuses defeat from all parties and on all grounds. Lada will not be made a pawn. Not anymore, at least. And while her aggressiveness pushes away many, it is fantastic to read how many more are pulled into her orbit -- soldiers, slaves, nobility -- on account of Lada's conviction. Indeed, she does not seek recognition as a hero seeks glory; rather, she demands it, much like a flame beckons the unblemished hand of the curious and discomfited. There is plenty of palace intrigue, certainly. Discourse on the rabid anxieties of the nobility of the Ottoman Empire is purposefully layered and requires a bit of patience. This novel is the start of a book series . . . which invariably means that no character shall ever appear once, never to be seen again. There is plenty of shadowy scheming and arrogant backstabbing (literal and figurative), as well as reckless decisions conjured at dusk sure to change the trajectory of one of history's most impressive kingdoms. AND I DARKEN splits its time between Lada's maturity and the see-saw stability of the empire. These two themes intersect, eventually, and it's up to the reader to determine which of these two irrepressible forces will yield first: the brilliant and obdurate arrogance of a woman whom has had to carve a space for herself wherever she goes or the destiny of a domain so vast and powerful, it's bloody success at everything seems frighteningly inevitable. For the first half of its efforts, the novel deposits love and romance into the mix in fits and starts, only to spend its second half devoted more strenuously to the matters of the heart (and how it often screws up more righteous priorities). AND I DARKEN threatens, a little too often, to recede into that damnable catacomb of adventure fiction that forsakes thrilling and purposeful action for the sake of "young love." It's recovery from such impossible odds is admirable: this is not a story about a vicious, untested warrior falling in love; this is a story about a vicious, untested warrior claiming victory, instigating betrayal and suffering defeat despite the supposed atonement young love might offer. The third-person narration serves the title well for the most part; however, the author frequently dips too heavily into splitting chapters between Lada and Radu's voice. This pushes the reader from one frame of mind to another, such that it is difficult to meaningfully connect with either.

This is not a story about a vicious, untested warrior falling in love; this is a story about a vicious, untested warrior claiming victory, instigating betrayal and suffering defeat despite the supposed atonement young love might offer.

Of the many sub-themes prickling this book, the articulation and navigation of queer characters will surely obtain the most public commentary. Characters male and female, who land just about everywhere on the spectrum, occupy nearly every chapter of the novel. Given the setting, the author makes a quality effort, if through self-acknowledged and qualitative cultural liberties.

It requires some mention how neither the book's title nor its cover artwork bear any meaning to its contents . . . however, such is the state of contemporary fiction.

[bookgeekconfessions]

And I Darken (The Conquerers Saga #1) by Kiersten White 

5 Stars Reviewed by Naomi 

Official Synopsis: 

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets. Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion. But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point. 

At birth, the universe did Lada Dragwyla a great injustice...she was born a girl. In a world where feminity and beauty were the only weapons at a woman's disposal, Lada wants a sword. On her father’s, the prince of Wallachi, land Lada runs wild, throwing convention and rules to the wind. Until, the day that Vlad's power is threatened and he must give tribute to the Ottoman Sultan, the tribute? Lada and her younger brother, Radu. Abandoned in a foreign land where she doesn't speak the language and doesn't worship the same god, Lada forges her body and mind into a warrior that will one day make her a legend.

The synopsis is a bit misleading, it makes the book sound like it's about a love triangle. But, it is not Twilight. There are feelings that go between the three characters and those feelings are complex and heartbreaking and beautiful, raw and real. This book is about so much more than a simple love triangle. It's about discovering who you are, it's about carving a path for yourself through the expectations of others, it's about first love and first heartache and the bonds of family that are often stronger than anything else. It's about life and devotion and what it means to have faith.

And I Darken is the perfect answer to the call for diversity. The author seamlessly wrote characters of color, complex female characters, homosexuality and two different religions without being obvious. And I Darken isn't about diversity, it is about our world and our history and those things have always and will always be diverse.

The protagonist is a girl who is not classically pretty, some would say she was ugly, who is equal parts vulnerable and strong. Lada is fierce without being devoid of feelings, she is powerful and yet still has many of the physical and emotional weaknesses that many girls her age have.

Her brother Radu, is as handsome as he is weak. As intelligent as he is afraid and as cunning as he is quiet. The young sultan, Mehmed is a devout Muslim who manages to be faithful to his god without being portrayed as a fanatic hell-bent on killing infidels.

And I Darken is a unique twist on history. Vlad Tepes is one of the most interesting characters in history. He's Vad the impaler, the Prince of Darkness and of course, Dracula. Turning Vlad into Lada is a unique concept that I cannot wait to continue reading. In the first book, Lada and Radu are kids but you can sense what they are to become. They have so many sibling squabbles but you just know in your heart that if they can just work together the world would fall at their feet. With her ferocity and his intellect, they would be unstoppable. They just have to figure it out.

Recommended for fans of historical YA, historical fiction and anyone who likes a badass heroine. 

For more info: Goodreads Page and Author website.

[lgbt-ya]

And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga #1) by Kiersten White

Published by Corgi/Delacorte on July 7th 2016

Genres: historical, fantasy, military, LGBT, war, 

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Foyles | Book Depository

Blurb:  No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way. Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets. Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point. The first of an epic new trilogy starring the ultimate anti-princess who does not have a gentle heart. Lada knows how to wield a sword, and she'll stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive.

Review:  This is my dream book. A female Vlad the Impaler fights sexism in that society that just won't let her be as evil and murdery as her heart desires, because she's a girl. No, I'm not kidding. That's the book. There's also the most beautiful love triangle where both she and her brother are in love with the Prince/future Sultan. They both show their love in different ways (Her: I'll murder anyone you wish, just say the word. Him: can we snuggle?) which makes it a delight to read.

4 stars

[the-fandom-obsessed-girl]

Favorite Characters tag: Lada and Radu Dragwyla

[mkecountyteenbookaward]

And I Darken by Kiersten White

Torn away from their homeland of Wallachia, Lada Dragwyla and her brother Radu--children of Vlad Dracula--are sent as hostages to the Ottoman Empire to ensure their father’s continued cooperation with the Sultan.  Sweet and handsome Radu manages to integrate well into the Ottoman life and rituals, but fierce and vengeful Lada, not used to the limited options for women, dreams of returning home.  After befriending Prince Mehmed, the three work together to ensure Mehmed’s success on the throne.  They learn the ways of the court—sneaky, brutal, and underhanded—which is easy for Lada. But while navigating Ottoman court life and keeping Mehmed on the throne, both Lada and Radu fall for Mehmed. Lada loves that he sees her as an equal, and Radu adores the religious zeal Mehmed possess.  Through her entire ordeal, Lada continues to strive to get what she truly wants—Wallachia.

Exploring gender roles, the importance of family, war, and adversity,  this novel is full of courtly intrigue, action scenes, and the right amount of romance.  

[bookbeani]

And I Darken by Kiersten White

"Let her be strong. Let her be sly. And let her be ugly."

Goodreads Summary: No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets. 

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point

Rating: ★★★★☆

My Thoughts: This book was great. It explores a new culture and time period that for so long has been overlooked in YA literature. The premise itself is refreshingly original, and the world-building was wonderfully rich, really bringing everything about the setting to life. The book completely immerses you in a whole different world that is dark, beautiful, and brutal.

As for the characters themselves, they were all amazing - so complex and well-crafted, and brought to life by the writing. I especially loved Lada and Radu's relationship. It was loving yet strained, messy yet well-meaning - it was just so real. I think it is hands-down the most realistic brother-sister relationship (although far from the healthiest) that I have ever read in a book. I was originally a bit wary of Lada's character, because I've come across one too many "badass" female characters in books who end up running around in palaces wearing pretty dresses and fluttering their eyelashes. With Lada Dragwyla, that is not the case. She is not pretty, she is brutal. And she's not afraid to show it.

I did find the plot to be a bit slow and repetitive in the first half or so of the book, but things really picked up towards the end, and I loved seeing all the characters grow and change, especially Radu.

Also, this book is wonderful in its diversity and representation, and I applaud it for that alone. 

So, all in all, And I Darken was a unique, dark historical retelling, and I would definitely recommend this book everyone.