I loved loved loved Warbringer!!! I’ve been going through a super reading slump and if this book had been anything less than exceptional, I probably would have set it aside. I love Wonder Woman (my spirit animal) I love the character, the comics, you name it so this book had its work cut out for it. Doing another take on a very well established character is hard, fortunately Leigh Bardugo was more than up to the task.
Warbringer is basically Wonder Woman in a YA setting with elements of Greek mythology and elements that we are familiar with from Diana’s own origin and her comics. During a race, Diana sees a ship go down and rescues the only survivor, a girl, Alia, and brings her to the island. However, she soon realises why it’s forbidden to bring anyone from the World of Man onto the island. Let’s just say that the Island reacted poorly. The Oracle tells Diana that the girl she rescued is a Warbringer, a descendant of Helen of Troy and she is destined to bring about another age of war. Worried about her sisters and on a quest to end this age before it begins, Diana takes Alia off the island and enters the World of Man.
Most of the setting of Warbringer is the modern world, cities we’re familiar with. I loved Bardugo’s take on Themyscira, that the island is ever changing and accommodates the needs and desires of the occupants. I also liked her take on the Amazons, that they’re warrior women who died on the battlefield with the name of a goddess on their lips. It reminded me of the Valkyries. The Amazons were also very diverse bunch, with varied ethnicities and religious beliefs and sexual preferences. Another interesting aspect that the inhabitants aren’t cut off from the World of Man in that, they know what’s happening, they’re aware of the technological advancements and so on.
Bardugo always writes compelling characters and Warbringer was no exception. I liked pretty much all the characters, they were all complex and layered. I wish we had seen more of the Amazons. I loved that there was at least one clear romantic couple.
Alia Keralis is the Warbringer, descendant of Helen and destined to drive the modern world into another age of War. I loved her initial reactions to Diana, they were hilarious. Alia was relatable, always wanting to do the right thing while also protecting those she loved. But she was brave when it really counted and was willing to make tough choices so that they could break the cycle of the Warbringers.
Poornima Chaudhary, who preferred to be called Nim and is Alia’s best friend was a lot of fun. She was funny and did not let other’s perception of her colour her decisions. She was also openly gay and I loved it when Alia ribbed her about flirting with Diana. I loved Alia’s banter with Nim. She’s resilient, she sticks by Alia when it would have been safer for her to have left her. Also, she’s canonically fat and it’s never treated as something that defines her. No one, not the boys nor Alia and Diana treat her any differently. I love that she’s the second fat character that Bardugo has given us (I will always love Nina!) and like Nina she’s queer. Bardugo is the gift that keeps on giving.
Theo is the resident clown of the group. He’s funny and very technologically savvy. He brings some much needed levity to the group. He has the same resilience as Nim and is willing to stand by his friends even if it means putting his own life in jeopardy.
Jason Keralis is the group’s grump and worrier and also Alia’s brother. Unfortunately I never took to him. He seemed fine but beyond that he never really made that much of an impression.
The Diana we meet here is a much younger avatar of the character we know and love. She’s not sure of her place in the world. As the only Amazon who was born, she is treated differently by the other Amazons who resent that she isn’t battle tested. As a princess, she is constantly under the pressure of never making a wrong step and being constantly judged. She hungers to prove herself and to be seen as an equal by her sisters. But she is very much the Diana we know, with her innate goodness and courage, the willingness to do the right thing even if it means never seeing her home or her family. I loved her reactions to the modern world and it’s occupants. It made for some very funny situations.
Even though the group hadn’t known each other long, they grew close and became like a family, protecting each other.
I want to read a sequel to Warbringer, I want to come back to this world. If you’re a Wonder Woman fan, you’ll enjoy this as well. Even if you’ve never heard of the character, you’ll still enjoy it. Like all Bardugo books, this book is exceedingly well written and she weaves elements of myth and modernity so well that it seems natural. She makes Diana someone we can relate to and she gives a wonderful mix of characters that we root for and fall in love with.
Also, special shout-out to Jen Bartel for her awesome artwork and character illustrations. I loved those!
Ravings of a Manic Reader 