Poison Study (2005) by Maria V. Snyder is the first book in the fantasy series, The Chronicles of Ixia, spanning three main novellas and three short stories. The book is a captivating tale of a young woman learning to step into her power, and regaining her will to live in the lethal profession as the Commander's new poison taster.
Poison Study is accompanied by Assasin Study(#1.5) and followed up by Magic Study (#2).
The StoryGraph summary: Choose a quick death or a slower poison. About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear.
Review.
Poison Study definitively lived up to my expectations. It brought its fair deal of fighting, romance, and betrayal to the table, and made for a solid and enjoyable fantasy read. The book has little downtime, always moving between different plots and angles, and leaving no time for unnecessary scenes. If the plot wasn't built upon, we dived deeper into character relations or learned pieces of information that would help expand our knowledge of the world. In total, it offers good world-building, a complex military system, and strong character dynamics. The ending is also tied up satisfactorily, leaving room for the next novel to unfold on its own.
Prose.
The author uses clear and direct language. The use of simple language makes it accessible to younger readers, which is beneficial as it is often recommended for early teens and up. The hardest word I encountered while reading this book was "rendezvous [meeting at an arranged place and time, often secretly]," and it likely worked to establish the age and rank of a character as it is only used sparingly in dialogue, and otherwise felt out of place.
Characters.
I think many readers may find their love for Valek, an assassin and poisoner, and the love interest - or rather, the romance brewing between them, if you ask me, who falls for the emotions evoked in me as a reader over the characters themselves. Yet, Yelena is more than capable on her own. She's a quick learner, acrobat, literate, and with urgency - all skills which serve her throughout the story. She's neither the only female character with skill. We also meet Irys who is a Master Magician from the neighboring country, Sitia, and Maren, a highly-skilled archer who only tutors women to help them get into the army. Yelena also obtains two close-knit, skilled, and loyal male friends, who come in handy as tutors, friends, and fighters. Some may also take notice of the Commander's true identity, and how the book introduces us to a diverse cast of loveable characters.
Some might find the relationship between Valek and Yelena upsetting due to their age gap and the power relations. I leave the decision and discussion up to the individual reader to answer for themselves, and how they interpret the maturity and life situation of the characters whether they find it appropriate or not. Their age is not explicitly stated in the book, but Yelena is confirmed as 19 years old and Valek in his early 30s by the author. (I have yet to discover the original source of this confirmation. However, Yelena's age seems correct based upon her own narration in the book.)
Magic-system.
The magic system in this series is yet to be properly flushed out. In Poison Study you get to know what Yelena needs to know to be able to complete her task and little more as magic is prohibited in Ixia. I am expecting a deeper dive into the magical aspects of the world in Magic Study.
Trigger warnings.
Poison Study deals with short mentions of suicidal ideation and sexual harassment, quick descriptions of attempted sexual assault, and descriptions of rape and torture. The book also includes two minor scenes where the transition of a character is described as an "aberration" and "mutation" and is misgendered in a memory. It might be a sign of the times, as otherwise the trans character is treated respectfully.
If you like the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas you will find a companion in this book as they have stark similarities.
Rating: 4.5\5.
I will definitively be picking up the next book in the future.
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