I have been waiting so impatiently to return to Amanda Hocking’s Trylle and Kanin filled worlds. It’s been five years since her last book, Crystal Kingdom came out and finally fans get an introduction to another troll faction, The Omte. I can’t express how excited I was when I got an ARC of the first novel in her new trilogy, The Lost City and it was worth the wait! This series follows Ulla Tulin, an abandoned orphan with no lineage to trace and a compassion for those like her, a half breed. This book explores the awkward and frowned upon unions of troll factions mixing blood with humans or other species. This is an angle ripped right from our own society. Although we progress on acceptance and inclusion we are still far from perfect and this shows an old world view that still exists today. There are many relatable tidbits strewn about that I think many readers will be able to connect with and Hocking’s writing sets a conversational tone that incites emotion for those who might not be familiar. Ulla tries to find her parents and this is yet another perspective unexplored in this vast world that Hocking has created. I’ve been a fan of her work ever since the first book, Switched in the Trylle series came out back in 2012. If you haven’t read these books I urge you to do so because they are amazing. These books do not have to be read in order as each one tackles a different faction but the world does progress and Hocking does include these ‘easter eggs’ in as you read from the Trylle series, to the Kanin and then to this one about the Omte. You will definitely be able to find spoilers about other characters if you start with this book, The Lost City. If this type of YA fantasy interests you I suggest starting at Switched and follow the story as they were published that way you’ll be able to appreciate all the odes to her other series when you reach this one!
This is a story that takes old Swedish fairytales and combines it with a science fiction edge which seems like an odd choice but it worked extremely well. The Norse connection and it’s link to their troll biology gave a fresh outlook to the series because it combines old stories with new technology. There’s tons of mentions that a fan like myself really appreciated because this is a world that has evolved immensely throughout 6 previous books and this shows that. I liked knowing the connections from her other series because I grew attached to her other characters like Finn and Bryn, Wendy and Loki etc. And the best part is that if you haven’t read the other ones you aren’t bogged down by these really heavy histories’ because each new series explores a different concept and plot that doesn’t make for information overload or confusion about characters you have no clue about. Each new series is a new start, fans can appreciate the connections and new readers aren’t confused by the references because everything you need to know to understand the story of the book you’re reading is explained.
Let’s start with this new species of troll, The Omte. They are imperfect with asymmetrical facial features and are deemed the least beautiful of this world to date. To see the main character, reflect on her features in this way set the tone.
“Meanwhile, I had broad shoulders and wide hips with hardly a cinch of a waist in the middle, making my body type ‘rectangular’, as the magazines would helpfully declare, and not so much fat as I was wide, although I was a little pudgy, too. Like many Omte, my face had a slightly squished lopsided appearance. The skewed look on my face was mostly due to my mouth---the left corner of my puffy lips drooped a bit—and my eyes—the left eye was slightly larger than the right, and the left pupil was permanently dilated in a birth defect, making the eye appear darker and even larger than it actually was. It was only the Omte who were known for their asymmetric features, hulking bodies, and generally going against the grain of Western beauty standards in the twenty-first century. And that was me. While I still enjoyed putting on a gown and getting all gussied up for big events like the royal party at the palace, the pressure of perfection made my less-than-perfect self-uncomfortable.”
Ulla’s story is a difficult one. She’s looked at for what she is, a half-breed, a shameful mistake that everyone wants kept buried. Her adoptive parents got stuck with her out of convenience rather than love and that makes for a hard life from the beginning. She’s resourceful and throughout the entire book she seems convinced that she’s worth more than how she’s been treated which is amazing self-esteem. Yes, she’s naïve and awkward. Yes, not everything goes her way. But she doesn’t let that stop her. She’s an underdog and she uses her intellect to find answers not forthcoming to her.
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“Well, I would argue that we’re far more observant and intelligent than the humans’, he replied with a derisive chuckle. I bristled and struggled to keep my voice neutral when I tactfully said, ‘That sounds a tad bit racist.’ It was more than a tad honestly, and it was the kind of thing I’d heard used a hundred times to dismiss me. Because I was Omte, and everyone knows they’re the dumbest of the tribes. Because I’m a half-breed, and everyone knows that mixed blood makes them weak and stupid. Because I’m from Isklya, and everyone knows only the unsophisticated and naïve live there. Because I’m female. Because I’m asymmetrical and overweight.
Because I’m blond.
Because I’m an orphan.
Because.
Because.
Because.”
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She does not let others bring her down and this resonated with me from the start. She is a strong and resilient lead with a compassion to stop the status quo especially when it’s wrong. But she’s not the only strong character in here. Many side characters also caught my attention but most notably was Dagny, her dry and sarcastic roommate. She’s hilariously real and brutally honest to a fault. She comes off a little mean and jaded but she is lovable.
“Good,’ Dagny replied without looking up from her meticulous care of the longbow. I don’t want you to tell me anything. Secrets are for friends. You’re not my friend. You’re like an invasive species who I tolerate because you make delicious food and your benefactor pays rent.”
One of the best things in Hocking’s writing is her ability to add humour seamlessly throughout that showcase her characters in a quirky way. These are not the traditional trolls. The Trylle, the Kanin and the Omte are all a part of a sophisticated society that’s enriched with technology. These aren’t the trolls that make a living terrorizing others while living under a bridge. No, they aren’t even close. My favourite inclusion to this novel in respect to the main character was her monologue about overpacking. It is too true for me. I was that girl that would always pack way too many books for a weekend away and I KNOW I’m not the only one who does that. If you’re like me, you’ll easily love Ulla.
“Trolls tended to have hoarding tendencies, and I was no exception. One of the more obvious ways this presented itself was how much I overpacked. It didn’t help at all that my stuff was essentially already packed for the big move, so why not just pile it in the jeep in case I needed it during the next six weeks? Like literally all my clothing and jewellery. Would I need a winter jacket in June in Oregon? Probably not, but why risk it.”
This has been me way too many times to count and it was here that I found an instant connection with the main character and that’s powerful for any author to create for its readers. Well done, Hocking!
The Lost City features a sweet and slow romance. Pan is an adorably cute researcher she meets at the institute and despite his awkward kind of gangly way with Ulla he countlessly expresses his want to be with her, spend time with her and he is genuine. He cares about her greatly and Hocking teased so much of this budding relationship, every time they were close something would drag them away, it was infuriating! Cannot wait for its sequel because they’re on a road trip for answers, unchaperoned!!!!
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“I do, but I still think you’re wrong. Your parents and your ancestors aren’t the definition of you. You’re more than the colour of your eyes or your super-strength or your beautiful smile.
I rolled my eyes.
‘Okay. Now you’re just being ridiculous.’
‘I’m not.’ He smiled at me. ‘I swear I’m not. I don’t want you to overlook what you already have and who you are. You have a lot going for you. You’re dedicated, you’re kind, you’re a lot of fun to be around.”
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Because this is a slow burn romance there’s an emotional component that’s tested constantly. Ulla is at this institute to figure out who her family is and why they might have abandoned her. She’s not thinking about boys and the like but Pan just kind of slipped into her heart. She wasn’t there to find him but that made this relationship so much better because it wasn’t an instant flirtation or some really heavy charged affair either. It was slow and steady and it seems like they got to know one another as friends first so you know their feelings came from somewhere rather than thin air. I’m not a reader who loves insta-love romances and this was definitely not one of those. I’m a hopeless romantic and Pan is an exceptional love interest who suits Ulla to a T. I’m convinced Hocking wrote this romance slow because it’s not the focus of the story but I think that was clever. Infuriating because I want them together but clever all the same. She’s letting Ulla’s story be the focus as it should be. So bravo! They also share a scene with one of my favourite quotes from the book so of course I included it! This had me swooning for Pan!
“You’re more than a line in a book. Nobody can fit an entire lifetime into twenty words or less.”
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The arrival of a potential second love interest caught my attention but Ulla’s instant infatuation with him make me hope that this is not the case. But this is really the only negative I have for this novel. I am so excited to continue this series with the second novel, The Morning Flower set to release August 4th 2020 and I cannot wait to see everything progress. I have fallen for these characters and I’m eager to see what’s in store for them and how the story will go from here and one of the best things with these series are the release dates. You can read the entire trilogy within months because of each books release. If you like these books (past and present) check out Danielle L. Jensen’s Malediction trilogy as it also features trolls!