Character Perspectives in Amie Kaufman's 'The Isles of the Gods'

Character Perspectives in Amie Kaufman's The Isles of the Gods

Review by Josephine Renee

“Everyone tells the same story different ways. And the only version we’re the hero of is our own. I wish I knew how to find the start of my story, how to untangle all the threads. How to trace them back… to the beginning.”

The Isle of the Gods is book one of this series with book two The Heart of The World expected to release July 2nd. It follows a myriad of first-person perspectives. Most stories are told in third, but for me, third-person perspective implies a degree of separation from internal thought. Third person is a lot easier to write in when it comes to describing landscapes or how a character looks, but when speaking on emotions it’s easier to speak from within the character, exposing their mind and tethering it to the reader without telling them how it is they feel.

This is especially useful when narrating both sides of evil and light. There are five points of view (POVs) in The Isles of the Gods. The main two are Leander, the prince of the house of Alinor who prays to the goddess Barrica, the warrior who keeps Macean the god of risk and gambling bound in sleep for he started a war against them that ravaged the world. And Laskia, who wishes to awaken him.

Laskia is an interesting character hell-bent on proving her worth to her sister, a crime boss, who resurrected them out of poverty through dubious means. She’s tied herself in faith and bent herself out of shape for Macean with hands drenched in blood. There's no turning back for her.

Jude is who follows her and while he struggles on the path the world has dealt him, he truly acknowledges how horrible the circumstances are. He doesn’t want to be there but to protect his mother he must be. It’s a twist of fate that feels completely undeserved, but when has the world ever been fair? He’s a fighter who loves men and just wants to do the right thing by his mum, who has never really helped him. He constantly straddles this translucent line between doing the wrong things for the right reasons and twists the readers' ethics—case in point, I really don’t know how to feel about him myself. 

Selly is a helmswoman with thick green magician’s marks that haven’t formed into what they’re supposed to be; they’re like a child’s and haven’t yet turned into intricate designs that align with your affinity. The magic system of this world is something to fall in love with. Not only is most of the novel based on the seas but there are spirits that only some know how to commune with. The elements of fire, water, and air each have these spirits attached to them. With sacrifices, the spirits might be inclined to do as you wish of them. There’s also a romance subplot and it’s funny, sweet, and quirky. It’s a reason to dive deep into this book and never hope to surface.

There are other gods, but the last POV taking us to their Isle is Keegan, a scholar trying to get to the Bibliotek (a kind of library and school, not politically bent). Keegan begrudgingly realises he would be the best out of this line-up to record these events. He finds most historical accounts lacking in the details historians most desire and resigns himself to assisting Prince Leander.

“I still have a few more pages of my story left to write, and I’m the one who’ll choose what they say. Even if I’m writing my own ending.”

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Check out the events Amie Kaufman is appearing in below (the ones that aren't already booked out!), and book your tickets if you haven't already: