Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone #1
Published: August 5th 2014 by Skyscape
Genres: YA, Fantasy
Source: eArc
In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
First off I have an obsession with time. I even love the word Kronos, so when I see a book about someone with awesome time bending abilities. I’m totally sold. Gates of Thread and Stone was right up my alley and I love the way Lori M. Lee represented time as in threads and a river. I thought it was a really cool visual that was created in my head.
As far as world building is concerned, this is actually only small little piece of the planet but it felt so vast, when Lori was explaining the White Court, the Districts, The Void and the Outlands. I could vividly see it all come together in my head. Especially the Labyrinth for some reason. I thought the idea of it was pretty interesting.. There is also a map provided which I like because it gives me the outline then the author fills in the color.
I like books that have a journey aspect to them. Kai and Avan set off on their mission to find Reev and I liked their travels of first finding their way into the outlands, then setting off through it. Little hidden mysteries that are along the way that stuck in my brain and when other things were revealed at the end those pieces fell into place. The author doesn’t blatantly point it out to you, you just think back and go ahhhh I see now why that happened. Of course. Which I like. You can lead me to the water but I don’t always need to be told to drink.
Kai is interesting character and I think there is something important about the way she develops. It really ties in to the end of the book. Kai is flawed and I think the way she is most is her emotions and attachments. When she cares about someone she is fierce in her loyalty and dedication. Even to the point of blindness. She is the kind of person that would rather have a few very close friends then be surrounded by a million acquaintances. As far as her relationship with Avan, I don’t think she didn’t necessarily see it, she was really focused on other things. It was almost like she didn’t want to allow herself to have it.
I really loved Avan. He was just amazing all around and super easy to crush on. I also liked his views on love and sexuality. He is just so down to Earth and awesome.
I loved the Infinite and the idea behind them. I liked how it seemed to be mixing our world with one with tangible magic. However as great as the world building was, I didn’t think this aspect of the book was flushed out enough. Sometimes I was a little confused by how it all came together. The biggies maybe like Death or even Kronos but I kind of wanted to know how many there are and their task. Maybe that was explained and I just didn’t get it.
I also wasn’t sure how I felt about the Tournament. I was actually expecting there to be more to it being that there was a good part dedicated to training for it.
Overall though I really enjoyed the book. It has an awesome cover of course. I kept picturing the threads of time that way. A couple things bothered me slightly but I don’t think it ruined the book for me. I will continue on to the second one being that I’m really curious what it’s about. I’m hoping that it go into a little more detail of the mythology.