Sky of Seven Colors

This book was hard to put down. It tells the story of a young, timid girl dragged into a grey world where she is asked to fulfill a prophesy and save the people by becoming the king's bride. Although horrified at first, she realizes the magic in this world may be the only cure for her best friend, who is dying. Bargaining for his life with her own, Meg is soon caught up with much more than she expected with the whole kingdom at stake.This tale includes themes of selfless love as Meg must risk much to save her friend and help the members of the kingdom. It also tells of true evil, including a devious villain masquerading as a hero. Nelson did a wonderful job of making the grey earth seem real. It is depicted as a tangible, orderly universe, with creatures that act much like humans. Interestingly, despite its magic, marvelous animals, and strange people and food, it does not seem "better" than our earth.All in all, the story is enthralling, heart-gripping, and beautiful. The characters come alive and face challenges and dilemmas that affect both worlds. Through the story, the main character matures and the sub-characters eyes are opened to the evil they saw as good. Sky of Seven Colors is a unique fantasy novel, one of the best I have read.

This was such an interesting read. I'm not quite sure what I expected, but this definitely felt unique and different. A bit of a slow burn portal fantasy that leaves you unsure of who to trust or where it might go.I love colors and color magic never fails to intrigue me, so the concept of a world void of color definitely drew my attention. It was fascinating to see a culture that prized even the smallest hint of color as priceless. I do wish the story had explored that concept more as it was my favorite part and the strongest draw for me.The opening shocked me into paying attention. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it to open the way it did and I spent the whole rest of the book wondering how on earth we were going to resolve the introduced threads. But after we get to the colorless world, though Nelson continued to surprise me, the pacing seemed to shift and slow. It almost felt like being stuck in sap, skewing our perspective and leaving us wondering if we'd ever make it back to normal.For some reason, I thought I heard this was a fae story, and there were definitely allusions to some common fae tropes that left me on edge, wondering how the characters would deal with the ramifications of choices you shouldn't make in a fae world! But by the end of the book I realized, Nelson never actually said fae. She used "giants" though they shared some fae tendencies. So, that left me mildly confused, but I can't seem to remember why I had the idea this was a portal fantasy into a fae world. Either way, it was oddly compelling to continue and the story kept me engaged. It just wasn't what I expected.Andrew seemed like he was going to be an intriguing character. I wish we'd gotten to see more of him, but I get why we didn't. Proce and Von had me on edge for the whole story. I couldn't make up my mind about whether to trust them or not. It was interesting because the more characters we met, the more I distrusted them all, leaving me thinking maybe Proce and Von weren't so bad--but always in the back of my mind I wondered. The king definitely gave off some vibes. I won't say what kind to avoid spoilers, but he was quite the character.All in all, a strange story, but one that was an interesting read. It deals with some themes of humanity, grief, abduction, Stockholm's, gaslighting, being an outcast, etc. I'd probably recommend for 15/16+ There's no foul language, very mild romance (but the story centers around the idea of an arranged marriage), and some fantasy violence.

This is a wonderful story! The characters are interesting and likeable, the fantasy creatures unique and different. Every detail is beautifully described but not over done, leaving just enough to the imagination. The story drew me right in and kept my attention all the way to the end. Even though it's a stand alone novel, I would love to go back to Meg's world and explore some more!This story is definitely meant for young adult readers, but held my attention as an adult. The main character experiences growth from a hesitant, self-conscious girl to a strong young woman willing to sacrifice her life and happiness for the well-being of others. The magic system is both intriguing and unique.

Sky of Seven Colors is a vivid tale of a colorful young woman who gets pulled into a world with no color. You may have read similar stories, of girls being kidnapped into a fae kingdom and courted by the king, but you’ve not seen one this vibrant. This is not a print of the ‘fae king romance’ trope – this is an original work of art that goes in a totally different direction. Told in living color, but with nuanced shades and a complex, rich palette, this book will dazzle you with its bright magic. The story is painted with the sweetest of romance, and yet there is zero spice. It deals with real-world issues, written on the canvass of fantasy.Meg reads like a real human. She reacts like a normal person would in this bleak situation, doing what she can to save her love and protect her future, while still offering compassion to the suffering of others. Her ethics are not just black and white, as she is forced to navigate this strange world of complex blends of silver and gray. How do you balance the value of one life against another, especially when the lines are not clearly drawn? One who will die, versus many who might suffer. But appearances can be deceiving. Brilliant conflict, with lovely resolution.

I never thought I could grow attached to giants. In every fairy tale, giants have been some of my least favorite characters. Rachelle has rebranded them and I'm in love with the world she created. Proce is my favorite and the villain was super well done. It's just the story of determination I needed to read. I also love that it's a clean book. It's still haunting but not adult.