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What is Someone Willing to Sacrifice
The Girl Who Broke the Dark follows a princess turning eighteen who discovers she has a destiny to fulfill: waking the sleeping prince from the underworld, or her entire continent will fall to an evil sorcerer. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
I’d toyed with the idea of retelling a fairy tale for some time, and Sleeping Beauty has always been a favorite. Then I turned the story on its head and put the prince in a cursed sleep, and had the princess be the one to wake him up.
But it would be too easy for her to simply go to an enchanted castle to wake him up. I thought of other stories of heroes delving underground, into dark, dangerous realms. An underground kingdom, I thought, would be the perfect place for her to have to venture if she wanted to break the curse.
What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
One major theme in the book is self-sacrifice. Princess Eliana was brought up to sacrifice herself for her duty to her people. As the story progressed, she needed to figure out just what sacrifices she was willing to make.
And one of those sacrifices was going into the dark, underground world, since she was afraid of the dark. That was a fear she had to overcome.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
In the beginning of the novel, Princess Eliana is at home in the kingdom of Ymittos, which was loosely inspired by ancient Greece. I made her kingdom one of culture and learning. The underground kingdom I loosely based on culture of the Caucasus region. As survival was much more difficult underground, that influenced their culture. They did what they had to survive, and found every excuse for a party, to celebrate one more day.
When I started writing I only had vague ideas about both settings, and as I developed the story, I added more detail to make the world come alive. I kept myself entertained imagining life underground and how people would adapt to such a life.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
The Girl Who Broke the Dark is the first book in the series. The sequel, The Girl Who Wrote on Water, will be out in the fall of 2024. In it, Princess Derya takes the center stage, as she battles to thwart the evil sorcerer who plans to take over the world. Meanwhile, Eliana has to deal with the consequences of her efforts to break the curse. Both of them learn how to use their magic and to navigate through treacherous circumstances.
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Princess Eliana of Ymittos has long anticipated the day she gets to make the rules — and use her magic without fear of penalty. But until she ascends the throne, Eliana’s days are devoted to practicing diplomacy on inconsiderate guests and weighing the merits of her latest string of suitors.
Then, on her 18th birthday, Eliana’s parents reveal her true destiny: she alone must wake a sleeping prince from his hundred-year curse, deep in the monster-infested underworld of Malkh. Terrified, Eliana refuses. But the terms of the curse are clear: only the heir of Ymittos can break its spell. If she fails, the entire continent will be easy prey for the evil sorcerer Cetus.
Banished and stripped of his power a millennium ago, Cetus has lain dormant, rebuilding his strength and amassing his armies. Now, his carefully laid trap is about to spring destruction on the first realms in his path. Only Eliana stands in his way.
A Sleeping Beauty retelling with a deadly twist, The Girl Who Broke the Dark is the first volume of the Royal Mages series.
The Girl Who Broke the Dark
In The Girl Who Broke the Dark, Evelyn Puerto presents Princess Eliana of Ymittos, a character yearning for autonomy amidst the strictures imposed by her lineage and destiny. Born with the ability to wield potent magic, Eliana finds herself confined by the rigorous demands of her tutors and the expectations of her royal heritage. Her narrative begins to unfold as she approaches her 18th birthday, revealing a daunting quest set before her: to venture into the perilous realm of Malkh, confront its mythical denizens, and break a century-long curse binding a prince to slumber. The stakes are high; failure means empowering Cetus, a formidable necromancer poised to cast Ymittos into an era of darkness.
Puerto’s novel is a creative reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty,” steeped in the shadows of dark fantasy. It’s a story unafraid to explore grim realities and the complexities of its characters. While Eliana’s struggle against the constraints of her world mirrors familiar themes in fantasy literature, her journey is also a distinct exploration of personal growth and rebellion against societal norms. Her magical abilities symbolize a broader narrative of self-discovery and the quest for independence, resonating particularly with younger audiences who are navigating their own paths.
The narrative’s vitality largely stems from its antagonist, Cetus. With a compelling presence and nuanced motivations, he provides a stark contrast to Eliana, whose character, while relatable, occasionally feels underexplored. Cetus’s multifaceted nature not only enriches the story but also elevates the stakes of Eliana’s mission.
Although The Girl Who Broke the Dark may exhibit moments of rawness in its delivery, its core is a captivating blend of adventure, mystique, and the timeless battle between light and darkness. Readers will find themselves eager for subsequent installments, anticipating further development in Eliana’s character and the fantastical world of Ymittos. Puerto’s novel promises a journey filled with enchantment, peril, and the enduring allure of discovering one’s true power.
Pages: 402 | ASIN : B0CK6F1TBW
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