The Color of Time by Millie Abecassis
Blurb:
A science-fantasy inspired by Charles Perrault's fairy tale "Peau d'Âne," The Color of Time blends the whimsy of classic fairy tales with the sapphic romance of Fable for the End of the World and the large-scale politics of The Mercy of Gods.
Princess Cyrelle has always been faithful and true to her family, country, and Goddess. But now her brother, King Elias of Cicia, has asked for-no, commanded-her hand in marriage.
Desperate to avoid this incestuous union, Cyrelle requests a series of increasingly impossible gifts and petitions the Goddess for a sign to sway her resolute brother's proposal. As Elias persists undeterred, Cyrelle must risk everything to escape the only life she's ever known.
Soon, she becomes Green Scales, hiding and struggling to survive on her own, far across the galaxy. But Phau isn't the peaceful refuge Cyrelle had hoped for, and when the leader of its burgeoning rebel faction recognizes the runaway princess, she is forced to choose between safety and freedom. With the fate of two kingdoms on the line and nowhere left to run, Cyrelle must decide what it means to be true to herself, to her people, and to her heart.
Review:
Loyal and faithful to her family for her entire life, the last thing Princess Cyrelle expects is for her brother, King Elias of Cicia, to command her hand in marriage. Desperate to avoid a marriage based on incest and greed, she tries to request impossible gifts from her brother before resorting to fleeing across the galaxy and adapting an ulterior persona. But her brother is relentless, and if she wishes to escape him, she must risk and forsake everything she’s ever known in order to do so. Even if it means trusting in a rebel faction and its compelling, intriguing leader and choosing between the people she’s served and the feelings blossoming for the rebel leader in her heart.
I’ve read a few of Millie Abecassis’s books so far, and to say this one is my favorite of the ones I’ve recently devoured is an understatement. The Color Of Time is a wonder in its genre, a feat of characterization, worldbuilding, and stakes all bound in one.
I don’t often get to read books written in this genre, but I’m always so happy and enthused when I do. Science Fantasy is a niche genre that is thoroughly under-written, and I’m excited to see authors like Abecassis delving deeper into these “outlier” genres that provide ample opportunity for creative expression in the authorship sphere.
Much like her previous works, The Color of Time is utterly captivating. It’s strongly paced, being a shorter novella, and built on a world inspired by Charles Perrault's fairy tale "Peau d'Âne" – which is a story I’d never heard of before reading this novel.
The summary of this book describes it as the sapphic romance from Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid meets the large-scale politics of The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey. I couldn’t think of more apt comparison titles, though I might compare the genre itself to Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld and the intensive magic in a scientific setting to Skyward by Brandon Sanderson.
I especially loved the character of Princess Cyrelle. I think there are so many books that over-use the typical royal archetypes: reluctant to rule, overly powerful, and stifled in terms of their perceptions of the world. That is not a problem that this character has. She’s loyal to her people, she understands the world, and she’s strong in her own right–not at all reluctant to achieve her role, at least not at first.
Her conflict is one that is deeply personal but also relatable in its practicality, and having such intriguing stakes (as well as obvious ones!) make Cyrelle an easy character to root for. In fact, everything about this novella is truly notable for its originality. While its prose is simple and digestible, the character interiority is also incredibly compelling and easily comprehensible.
Another top-tier publication!
