Trine Rising is the start of a new fantasy series, the Kinderra Saga, by author C.K. Donnelly, presenting an epic fantasy story centered around the character of Mirana. In a fantasy society where some special people have the powers of Seeing, Healing or Defending, teenage Mirana discovers she has all three Aspects. She has impressive powers, but she knows that revealing her true abilities might put her in danger.

The storyline follows Mirana’s journey of self-discovery, both connected to her unique abilities, and in spite of them. Mirana chooses to conceal her powers from her community, content with her role as Teague’s girlfriend. However, a disturbing vision forces her to reveal her status as a Trine, setting the stage for her to grapple with the consequences and learn to control her potentially dangerous abilities with the guidance of a mentor.

Before this starts to feel like a generic chosen-one YA fantasy (I’m looking at you, Divergent), the author starts playing with the whole chosen-one trope. The narrative takes unexpected twists, with Mirana ignoring the usual young adult fiction heroine conventions. There’s no self-doubt, as Mirana is fully aware of her exceptional nature and the risks posed by her powers from basically the beginning. of the book. Her decision to suppress her abilities reflects a pragmatic approach from this unusual heroine. She also has a serious boyfriend, Teague, so there’s no forced love triangle or instalove here. This is heartwarming and also adds intensity to Mirana’s trials since she is about to face problems that her kind and loving boyfriend can’t help her solve. Another unusual trait for a YA fantasy heroine is that her parents are not just alive and happily married, but they genuinely love and care for her. That’s not to say that Mirana, boyfriend Teague, and her parents all agree on what to do, of course, just that care and compassion informs their choices. 

Without too much of a spoiler, Mirana begins to have hints that she’s less of the chosen savior and more of a villain. This adds to the coming-of-age themes, as she wonders if she’s actually the problem and if her potential will separate her from the people she loves. These worries also play with the fantasy tropes around the Chosen One. 

The Ken’ nar attack and the ongoing social conflicts add a strategic layer to the coming-of-age story. Without too much of a spoiler, there’s a well-crafted explanations, and the resulting battle is both a solid conflict to move the plot along, and a believable backstory, with wolrdbuilding connections.

Overall, Trine Rising offers a fantasy tale with a memorable protagonist and a well-crafted plot. Fantasy fans will enjoy the riff of the usual conventions, but it’s not necessary to have read a great deal of fantasy novels in order to enjoy this character.

I received a copy of this novel through BookInfluencers. Opinions on my blog are always my own.