The Broken Ones

It's a star-crossed love story between two trolls named Penelope and Marc. Both of them are outcasts: Marc because he's scarred and unattractive and Penelope because she has a curse that will make viable offspring a difficulty. They're both painfully, idiotically, head-slappingly naive, and because of that, end up as pawns used by their noble families, to gather power and stage various coups as a rebellion of the ill-treatment of half-breeds slowly gains in pressure, ready at any moment to explode.

The way that power and court intrigue are used in this book reminded me a lot of Marie Rutkoski's Winners Trilogy. Penelope's father, especially, always seems to be two steps ahead, and will seemingly stop at nothing to find out the identity of the traitors leading the rebelling, even if it means one or both of his daughters' deaths.

Anais, Penelope's sister, is the one with the spine in the relationship. Penelope is the sensitive, artistic one who always seems to be crying or being manipulated by someone else, even the people who claim to love her. Marc's voice is very similar to Penelope's, because he's torn between his allegiance to Prince Tristan and to his friends Anais and Penelope. Because of that, and his insecurities with his own appearance, he's just as easy to manipulate as Penelope. To be honest, I didn't really like either character and wasn't that impressed with their romance. It was the intrigue that made this book for me.

Had the characters been even slightly more interesting, I would have loved this as much as The Winner's Trilogy. I recently bought the entire Malediction trilogy because it was on sale for Kindle. I'm interested in reading more of this world now that I have a handle of it, especially because Tristan is the hero in those books and based on his characterization in this book he seems like exactly my cup of tea: Read this for the intricate plotting, not for the characters.

View all 5 comments. I've been asked quite a few times about my recommended reading order, so here it is: As such, there will be some minor spoilers if you read it before the first two nove I've been asked quite a few times about my recommended reading order, so here it is: In my childhood, the Harry Potter books were the series that made me believe in magic, the books that turned me into a reader.

When I became a teen, The Iron Fey series brought back that need to devour more fantastical reads. Now, as a new-ish adult, the series that has turned my book-loving world upside down is The Malediction Trilogy, for I have never loved a series more than how I love this one. However, I had already said goodbye to my favorite characters last year, when the trilogy came to an end with Warrior Witch.

I had no idea that a year from then, I would come back to its world one more time, back to where it all started And readers, it was perfect. I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced at seeing my favorite characters come back to life once more, back to the time where they had not been touched by the true hardships of a brutal war between trolls, half-trolls, and humans. We don't get to meet her in the trilogy, but we do learn from Marc that she was a gentle troll who had the misfortune of being born with an affliction in her blood. She had weak magic and even the tiniest wound was fatal to her, but her heart and will to outlive her sealed fate was admirable, enough to leave a lasting impression.

However, I did not truly get how important she was to the cause, to the revolution the Troll prince, Tristan de Montigny, was leading against the monarchy of Trollus. She's a quiet force that made a huge difference in the events that follow in the trilogy. A true heroine, and one we finally get to appreciate in all its glory in this novel. This is a character I was already in love with, but there had always been a wall between him and us readers I get him, I truly get him now.

Things I questioned about him at the end of the trilogy are finally clear and my heart weeps for him. Such a tragic romance! I am deeply sorry for their suffering, but I'm also glad to have witnessed their love story. The Broken Ones is a heartbreaking read, one that fans of the trilogy know can only end with gut-wrenching pain, but it is certainly well worth the tears.

Despite knowing how it would all end, I was pleasantly surprised for how much there was still left to explore about the hidden city of Trollus and its dangerous politics. This is the chance to meet the antagonists before they set things into motion, to see beyond the veil and discover their true intentions before they catch the characters off guard in The Malediction Trilogy. One last chance to walk the streets of the beautiful city of Trollus and appreciate everything that we come to love in Stolen Songbird.

This novel is now incredibly precious to me, and one I will cherish forever. Gorgeously written and incredibly bittersweet, The Broken Ones is the perfect prequel I didn't know my heart needed. Jensen expertly comes back to the beginning, and she certainly doesn't miss a beat.

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May 31, Rebekah rated it it was amazing Shelves: This story is about a character many who have read the previous three books are already familiar with and know little about. I really liked delving deeper into this tragic story. I liked seeing another side of things especially a part of the history of the trilogy. I just really enjoyed this whole other side! I think those who have yet to read the trilogy will be very interested in seeing it all with fresh eyes.

We get to understand MORE about the bond between man and wife in this world and how devastating it is when someone loses the ones they love while bonded and how our hero Tristin in the trilogy played a part and why Marc survived the bond afterward. I really liked getting to know our most mysterious character, Penelope. Many know of her in the trilogy but this…. I loved how this story played on my heartstrings and made me ache for the characters.

I loved Danielle L. Jensen and her stories and the way she writes. I love her books and I love this whole series. Apr 12, Katherine Karas rated it it was amazing Shelves: If you have not read the Malediction Trilogy, which starts with Stolen Songbird, then I'd advise you don't read this review or this book yet. If you are not convinced: It's better to read Stolen Songbird first because Marc's story is a bit of a subplot in that book, and it's also better to get first impressions of the characters from there. When I found out this prequel book was coming out, I was like obviously I'm going to read it but do I truly want to put myself through that heartbreak again?

The answer is yes. Man, does this woman know how to play the political intrigue or what?! They're always so well thought out plots, ploys, strategies, twists, turns. I really and truly respect Danielle L Jensen for the work she does. Often prequels and sequels to the original works tend to stray from the facts or the mood of the story but I felt Jensen's writing, narrative, mood in this book was perfectly cohesive to the other books.

The same levels of anxiety, tears, heartbreak.

It was in no way boring either as others are for lack of plot. Of course I was very conscious the whole time of events that happened to see if they matched the original story in the first book and I feel Jensen did a wonderful job of keeping to the facts which a lot of others seem to stray on.

This story, like Stolen Songbird, kind of followed the same rhythm and also like the first book I was in the same perpetual state of heartbreak, tormentation, and anxiety. Jensen has this amazing way of storytelling where it seems every character is a ploy but who is pulling their strings? In SS it kind of felt like we walked into a story that was already happening.

In The Broken Ones we get more of the back story and what was it was like before Cecile. While I absolutely loved this book and the story it told, I'm glad the trilogy started with SS and not this story because A. I usually don't like when a random character is plopped in it would be ceclie in that case and I'm expected to adjust to them.

But that's just a personal thing. However I do feel this story was fundamental. This was one of those books where you know more than one of the narrators does and you're yelling at them the whole time like you're. And therefore the heartbreaking hurts all the more. It was such a treat to see how life in Trollus was before Cecile came around. How Tristan behaved without the reader knowing he was hiding something that we knew through what Cecile sensed.

We got to see him being selfish and how other people understood and interpreted his reasons for it. I didn't expect Marc to be like the Marc I know because this tragic event had to have happened in order for him to be the person we see in the first book of the malediction trilogy. However, I do remember Marc being a bit smarter, and more observant. Within The Malediction Trilogy, I suppose we do not quite see the depth of what was going on inside Marc. Why he was so torn, in the second book, after Tristan's hold over him ceased. Penelope was perhaps the greatest mystery walking into this book.

While we were well acquainted with all the other characters, we knew little about her. The bottom line was that she was Marc wife, he loved her more than anything, and he lost her to her affliction but Tristan forced him to survive the bond. It was undoubtedly a tragic love story that included many great truths and revelations not only about the connection between the two but also reasoning behind Tristan.

Definitely more than worth the read. Sadly this is the last story we shall see in the world of Trollus. The way she storytells is one I will stick around for. Advanced copy received via NetGalley in exchange for honest review. As you can see I gave this five stars so I think that kind of speaks for itself. It was everything I wanted it to be. It was a story in itself and not just an introduction to the Malediction trilogy.

It had mystery and intrigue, action and romance. It was heartfelt and heartrending, especially that epilogue. I just love that the villains have equal depth and charisma as our much loved heroes do. And whilst it can be read as a standalone, I do highly recommend you go read Stolen Songbird and Hidden Huntress first because then you will get to meet and fall in love with Marc and Tristan as I did and this prequel will mean so much more to you.

I knew what I was getting in this book, it's a prequel, so we know how this was going to wrap up and still I went into it with open arms. Do not read this if you haven't read the original trilogy! Also if you have read the originals right away maybe give yourself some time to grieve before diving into this cause it will break you all over again. Marc and Penelope were all I dreamed they would be, and their love was so perfect, this catalyst for pushing the change that Marc was certain might never I knew what I was getting in this book, it's a prequel, so we know how this was going to wrap up and still I went into it with open arms.

Marc and Penelope were all I dreamed they would be, and their love was so perfect, this catalyst for pushing the change that Marc was certain might never come despite their best efforts. It changes the core group, drives them to do things they never would have before. It's tragic and heartbreaking but so so beautiful. You miss nothing of the main story by skipping this book but it's so needed for the world, and I'm so grateful we got this peek into Trollis before the main trilogy colored out view of their world.

Apr 26, Angelica rated it liked it Shelves: If there is one thing that I took away from this book, is that I need to jump back into the world of The Malediction trilogy. I now want to drop everything and go read the rest of this series. I love the intrigue, and the schemes, and evil plots. I love the magic and the messed If there is one thing that I took away from this book, is that I need to jump back into the world of The Malediction trilogy. I love the magic and the messed up nature of it all. And I want everyone to go check it out!

I read Stolen Songbird back in and I loved it. After finishing it went and bought the the sequel, Hidden Huntress , but never really got to it. While this is the prequel, I do not recommend reading it before reading at least the first book in the series, or preferably, the series as a whole. It is a story of doomed love, and the court intrigue I loved so much in Stolen Songbird. It is a story of the birth of a revolution and the sacrifices that went into making it happen. Having only read book one, there is much that I do not know about the world and the characters.

"...while they’ll miss being together, the two are also really going to miss that apartment!"

But, from I got from book one, I know that the mind of a Danielle L. Jensen is a cunning and dangerous place. This woman writes intrigue like no one else. She schemes and plots and weaves for us a tale of twists and turns. She did this in the first book, and she outdid herself on this one. The world is Trollus is very complex and very dark, literally. If you have not read at least book one, much of the world building will be lost.

The world has already been set up at this point and we can focus on the characters. The charters themselves are very different from what I remember in Stolen Songbird, showing the amount of character development they must have gone through. Mum also took care of that too. For as broken as Sophie felt, her mother was in a worse state of affairs than she. The caretaking of her mother became so overwhelming, she had to hire a nurse to oversee her care while she worked. Her mother set out to destroy that as well. Whatever Mum set out to do, she systematically set out to destroy Sophie, and poor Sophie could never figure out why?

If you ever wondered how to write a psychological thriller, Denzil certainly wrote the instructions for it in this novel, The Broken Ones. What an interesting story and one so intriguing, you will not stop turning the pages until you figure it out. I absolutely love when an author does that.

What an exciting read! This one will do it for you! She felt like a part of her was missing. Sophie stayed with Maureen all her life, putting her own life on hold for someone who has had little love for her. Sarah used many examples to drive the point home how cruel Maureen was. This psychological thriller has me keenly aware of all the clues. After reading Silent Child I noticed a pattern, therefore I redirected my attention in other areas and began to search for hidden clues. Her constant need to address the unusual behaviors is thrilling. There are some chilling moments as well.

The Broken Ones

There were unexpected twists and turns that had my mouth hanging open in shock. The execution of past events connecting the current events was fantastic. Control was a powerful element in this story with characters directing the other characters behaviors by influencing their choices from the circumstances of events presented to them.

I got through a third of this book but then packed it in. I wasn't enjoying it. It's all a bit too farfetched for my liking and I'd totally lost patience with Sophie altogether by then. Her mother is an unpleasant old bitch who has Alzheimer's although it seems she's always been a nasty piece of work. Sophie is a teacher so you'd credit her with some intelligence but she's in her 30s and still takes all this attitude from her. She needs to sprout a backbone. However, all we hear about is how she H I got through a third of this book but then packed it in. However, all we hear about is how she HAS to think about her mum all day long, which is cobblers as while she's working her mum has a careworker with her all day.

Then she finds a button in her garden and it HAS to mean someone's been intruding there, which, if I were in her position, would be the last thing that sprung to my mind. She leaves work early one day and tells her pal she'll square it with their boss on her way home but then heads into the school to see I made a note at one point when Sophie tells us how exhausted she is that I'm exhausted too by how often she appears to be.

Then we're to believe she's suddenly having to know about how her mother afforded a nice house She says her mum is nothing like she used to be but every time she goes back in time her mum is being a perfect cow so that makes no sense whatsoever, either. I reached page and read "Numb, and tired of all this" and realised I was as well.

She got the apostrophe wrong in teacher's lounge followed by teacher's convention but that was it for errors which was good going and to be commended but the story just doesn't ring at all true for me. Jun 18, Kim rated it really liked it. An English school teacher spends her nights caring for her mother who is declining with early-onset Alzheimer's. It's not a happy chore, caring for a woman who was angry and cruel when she was a child and is no more pleasant under the burden of this disease.

Strange things begin to happen. Memories of a shadow friend. Her mother wakes in the dark hours telling of a presence in her room. Soon she learns that her mother carries a horrible secret. Denzil has created a myste An English school teacher spends her nights caring for her mother who is declining with early-onset Alzheimer's. Denzil has created a mystery in the Hitchcock tradition as strange events compile around a lonely woman.

The reader is teased along wondering whether it's the mother, a man from an online dating site who she only met for tea, or is she the one doing these things with no memory? It has the feel and pace of a horror story until there's a sudden shift in the action and the ending may make you question your own feelings. In any case it's an unusual book that is an interesting and often spooky read.

Your ultimate feeling about the book will probably depend on whether or not you accept the sudden change in action and the mystery's reveal. I won't spoil a bit of it for you but I'm still pondering the twist and the ending a few days after finishing the book. Dec 04, Julie Powell rated it it was amazing. Wow, what a page turner! Filled with mystery and suspense, this psychological thriller is mind-bending. It's difficult to say much because I don't give spoilers, but I will say it is very well-written, fast-paced and though sad and disturbing, it is a story not to be missed.

I did guess the 'answer' but it could have been many things; cleverly done. The characters are a brilliant mix and definitely believable.

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Themes include love, betrayal, selfishness and bullying and so many more and make for a Wow, what a page turner! Themes include love, betrayal, selfishness and bullying and so many more and make for a compelling read. Mar 27, Robbi Leah Freeman rated it it was amazing. I will be watching for more from this author. Sophie is a teacher and has a mother who has dementia. Her mom is a hard woman on a normal day and gets worse with the disease.

Suddenly, on top of the stress of work and home life, a stalker comes into the house and leaves presents outside. Will Sophie lose her mind? Story very well told with several twists. Apr 11, Monica Hancock rated it really liked it. Suspence to the end This is very well written book. The story has gripped me to the end. The twists and turns have been brilliantly exercised. I found it hard to put. The kindle down and still wanted more at the end! Nov 26, Barbra rated it it was ok. This book was a fast read and not terrible, but not gripping or surprising either.

Apr 09, Tracey rated it it was amazing. Couldn't put it down. Loved the twist it took. You won't know what's going on till the end. Third book by this author and loved it! Jun 16, Beth Hodge rated it it was amazing Shelves: I really enjoyed this book! It read just as if you were watching a scary movie.

I think the end could have been more fleshed out though. Jun 23, Lindsay Nixon rated it really liked it. Definitely surprised me which is rare. It's not an organic final twist but still I didn't guess it early on like usual. Definitely kept me on my seat. Will read more by this author. Loved the narrators accent! Sep 04, D rated it liked it. I am not yet sure whether I liked it or not but I am certain that it is unputdownable. I finished reading this one faster as compared to other psychological thrillers.

This review has spoilers. First and foremost thing I hated about the book was the relationship between a mother and a daughter. I don't like giving spoilers so this is all I have to say. It was difficult for me to imagine that how a mother can be so malicious. Maureen sold one of her twins because she was in debt and unfortunately I am not yet sure whether I liked it or not but I am certain that it is unputdownable.

Maureen sold one of her twins because she was in debt and unfortunately she ended up losing her favourite child so she wouldn't let her girl live in peace by being spiteful. She criticised every damn thing her daughter did for her. Sophie could have abandoned her mother but she took care of her when she was diagnose with Alzheimer's and she was on her toes taking care of her mother and working at the same time.

Eventually the twin who was sold finds out details in her father's will and goes looking for her shadow that is her twin. A twisted but then an easy and interesting read overall. It is about 3 broken women who are somehow broken in their own ways. Aug 22, Keely rated it liked it Shelves: I liked this, but I think that the ending happened way too quickly.

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It was rushed and you're left with so many questions. You're not sure on who actually survived. Mar 31, Villy rated it it was ok. The book left a bad taste in my mouth. It's not that it's badly written, aside from a few typos here and there. It's not that the characters aren't believable either or that the plot is bad. It's more or less badly paced and some events are a little too convenient.

The charity that sends the home nurse believes a single accusatory email that Liz the nurse abuses Sophie's elderly mother yet they still send her back for a day, then replace her The book left a bad taste in my mouth. The charity that sends the home nurse believes a single accusatory email that Liz the nurse abuses Sophie's elderly mother yet they still send her back for a day, then replace her but no one ever investigates the claim? She more or less abandons her work, dumps her class onto another, ignores what happens during the class to check out her laptop, yet the headmistress offers her a sabbatical clearly a paid one since there is no mention of finances from that point on and isn't outright fired which is what would actually happen.

Sophie herself is not an unreal character. She's a victim to her mother's attitude, panics when she believes she has a stalker, succumbs fairly easily to the entire situation, suspects her mother is faking her illness at least partly. However when the "twist" is revealed she changes attitudes seemingly in the blink of an eye. Sophie has a twin sister named Becca whom their mother sold when the twins were 5 for money. Despite setting that up she apparently forgot to either dress the twins or even inform the kidnapper which twin he was to take because he got the wrong one and left her with the meek twin she hated.

Then the mother spent the next thirty or so years hating on the twin she was left with, decided to start calling her the twin she liked but didn't bother trying to mold her into the other twin opting instead to bully it. And that's when the book became "head banging against the wall" bad.