Songbird of the Sorrows Review: A Dark Fantasy of Freedom, Betrayal & Power
“I am strong enough for this”
A mantra echoing in your head as you open a limited special first edition book, a beautiful design with flowers decorating the sides. A story that leaves you asking questions that will challenge your morals.
What kind of price would you pay for your freedom? Are you willing to sacrifice the world to gain freedom, or will you be doomed to stay tethered to your cage?
Questions Aella, a fallen princess turned spy, must answer as she navigates a world built to doom her from infancy. The world of Songbird of the Sorrows by Braidee Otto, is built on betrayal. Despite this, Aella manages to connect with Nyssa, a true friend that Aella would move mountains for. Whilst a friendship does occur between the two, Aella buries her traumas and griefs throughout her time on the continent of Empyrieos. Therefore, keeping all who know her at arm's length never truly gives in to the human need for social connection. Leaving you to ask if she truly has anyone on her side or is it because she refuses to let anyone in.
Aella’s past relationship comes to haunt her as the commander of her very first mission as a songbird, a spy. Emotions once buried deep down start to rise to the surface, threatening the safety of the only friend she has ever let into the tall walls Aella has built. Raven, the mysterious Alpha Flight commander, is doomed to make a choice between the mission and Aella. Can he have both? Or will Aella’s walls block him out forever?
Songbird of the Sorrows pulls us deep inside a cage, similar to the one Aella is trapped in, to show the cruelty of a world without freedom and choice. A world where you would think royalty means freedom, but reality shows life dictated by the cruel people around you. Otto doesn’t just stop there, she shows us a glimpse of the world on the other side of the cage, only to firmly shut the impenetrable doors. Therefore, dooming us to a world of darkness, grasping at anything and everything, waiting in anticipation for a hopeful future for Aella.
Whether intentional or not, Songbird of the Sorrows draws striking parallels to a world where greed ultimately becomes one’s undoing, a reality that feels uncomfortably close to our own society. The novel reflects the darker political structures that shape our world, revealing the espionage, manipulation, and moral decay that exist beneath systems of power, as well as the lengths those will go to to put food on the table in a hierarchical society. Most confronting is the way those in authority exploit and shape the minds of children, moulding them to serve personal ambition and greed, often at the expense of their innocence and humanity. It is something that you reflect a lot on as you glimpse into Aella’s mind and start to unravel the personalities of those close to her.
Be ready to be transported into a fantasy world unlike one you’ve seen before, alive with raw magic. And if you are really as brave as our heroine, you would be able to muster up all the strength you have to hang onto the edge of the cliff waiting for the next installment of the Empyrieos series.
Want some book inspo? Check out this month's Booked & Colin'ed.
Written By Jacinta Orgill