I thought this was just another dramatic-sounding romantasy title, but truly, Plight of the Guardians is an incredibly apt description of what goes on in this story. It is a high fantasy set in an aquatic kingdom, with all kinds of water-related creatures inspired by myths and legends.
A•z•ari’ah, at only eleven years old, displays wisdom and compassion well beyond his years, even in the face of hardship and tragedy. His young life is marked by mistreatment from his parents and poverty. At seventeen, his luck seemingly changes when he is chosen to enter the Trials to become a Guardian of the realm. He and his five fellow competitors endure these Trials for centuries, hoping to eventually be chosen. The group dynamics develop and shift, making for an internal struggle more difficult than any other trial they face.
This book is truly just about the Guardians struggling with their training, and eventually their guardianships. There are some brief moments developing their relationships with each other, but nothing much else happens in terms of action. It almost feels like the first half of a book, setting up something that never quite makes it to the page.
The story rushes through time, and centuries pass in the span of a few pages, which is necessary to move things along, but also makes the whole thing feel rather hurried. As a reader, I kept moving through the story, waiting for something exciting to happen, that only ever happens in one confusing and rather disappointing burst at the very end.
Plight of the Guardians has vast Greek influences, which is something I always love in a story, and did appreciate here. The premise had so much potential, but the world-building was underdeveloped, and the main character’s struggle with self-doubt was significantly overdeveloped in its place.
Despite the long moments of interiority, the characters still felt quite flat. What came off on the page was largely their flaws, making it rather difficult to root for them in any meaningful way. While most of the time is spent in A•z•ari’ah’s point-of-view, the other characters have moments from their perspectives as well, that add relatively little to the reader’s overall perception of them.
I really wanted to like this story, but in an oversaturated fantasy market, this one can be skipped. There were some beautiful moments in this story, and certain enchanting pieces of this world that made an impression, but it fell short in its execution. Plight of the Guardians almost felt like reading a first draft. It’s the most frustrating kind of read—one with so much potential that just didn’t quite hit the mark.
Writing: 2
Spice: 0.25
Leave a Reply