Legacy of the Brightwash (Tainted Dominion)

This book shreds.

Legacy of the Brightwash is a deeply engrossing exploration of brilliant characters in a dark and difficult world.

Plot: 5/5
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Legacy of the Brightwash is a dark gaslamp fantasy which follows Tashué, a government employee who begins questioning who the laws are actually helping. Meanwhile, Stella is a “tainted” with a hidden past that is sure to cause no inconveniences whatsoever.

The plot is well written, and begins as an investigation into the death of a child (don’t eat while reading this part, fyi). The story transforms into a deep exploration of character and the coming to terms with working for a corrupt government. We see the story represented from several viewpoints and while at times it feels like the “main” plot doesn’t seem to be moving forward, the story sweeps us along with several other parts to keep investment long enough to see it all come together at the end!

Characters: 5/5
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Oh gosh, I said in the plot we get a lot of character exploration, and this is where the book shines at its brightest! Krystle is magnificent at characters, and exploring their emotions. Tashué is one of my favorite characters of the year, and he’s just one of many brilliantly written characters. And she will smack you in the heart with the emotion she generates through her characters.

Worldbuilding: 5/5
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I absolutely loved the worldbuilding for the Dominion. The magic system is intriguing and the only complaint I have is that I wanted more of it! But, that’s what sequels are for… I’m sure we’ll learn more, I’m just impatient. The world itself was built out well, and the many dynamics explored well enough to create a clear picture. I’m curious to see how it expands or deepens as the story continues.

Writing: 5/5
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The writing is fantastic throughout. There were so many moments where I laughed from the great humor (I love you, Ishmael!), and there were moments where I surely almost cried. The range of emotion is incredible, and though the book is very chonky, I don’t feel like time is wasted at any point.

Enjoyability: 5/5
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Yeah, it was okay…. I CAN’T KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE, THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC! It has definitely soared to the top and contends with my other favorites of the year. I was so excited to delve into this and it really delivered. Now, I must return to yelling at Krystle about how that book ended…

OVERALL: 5/5 Cigarillos

Narration: 5/5
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Brightwash is narrated by Felicity Munroe and Paul Woodson, and while it took a moment to get used to the switch between narrators (this is the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook with multiple narrators that wasn’t a full cast situation), they were both spectacular at their narration. They voice the characters uniquely, and it is easy to recognize them across the narrators. And the emotion! It was so well done! If you prefer audiobook, I highly recommend reading in this form!

Read more reviews at The Bountiful Bookshelf

Oh, man. This book is not for me.

Krystle Matar’s Legacy of the Brightwash is a long, bleak, Gaslamp fantasy that focuses on the world of the Dominion – a grim and gritty setting with late 19th and early 20th century technology, with one important difference: the existence of humans with limited magical capabilities. These ‘Tainted’ (or ‘Talented’, depending on who you ask), are effectively mutants with the ability to heal, or generate electricity, or run machines, or other similar useful tasks. Of course, the human government of the Dominion has seen fit to register them and tightly control the use of their ‘talents’.

Brightwash follows Tashué Blackwood – a regulation officer who registers and tracks the Tainted– after he finds the mutilated body of a young Tainted girl wash up on the banks of the Brightwash river, sparking his investigation on where this child came from and who was responsible.

Now, while you would think this mystery would be the main thrust of the plot, it actually quickly takes a backseat as the book shifts gears entirely and delves deep into the politics of the Dominion and Tashué’s place within them, while he begins an emotional and eventually physical affair with Stella Whiterock – one of the Tainted he’s charged to monitor. The novel devotes the majority of its very considerable page count to the complex interpersonal dynamics between the various characters introduced in the narrative and their place in society before coming back to, and wrapping up, the mystery of the mutilated child in the back 20%.

This makes Brightwash a slow, sad, depressing, trudge through the dark world of the Dominion and the even darker inner world of its protagonists and secondary characters.

And that’s what makes it so painfully, soulfully, and beautifully human. Brightwash uses fantasy like a safecracker’s tool to break its characters open and lay their contents out with the lightest of touches.

Matar’s prose is deep, mournful, and gorgeous, able to bring out both the deep physical and emotional wounds the characters experience throughout the story. And although the world is light on its fantastical elements, Matar manages to make it feel absolutely strange and familiar all at once – books like Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and China Miéville’s The City and The City come to mind. This is dark stuff written so beautifully that you can feel the grime on the walls and the grit in every crevice – both in the world and the characters themselves.

As I said, this book is not my cup of tea. Its a light fantasy frame around a long, introspective look at the human condition and our power structures that left me feeling absolutely emotionally drained and uncomfortable.

But that’s what all good art is supposed to do.

9/10

From wonder to horror. From heart melting to soul breaking. From adrenaline pumping to big question head scratching. This book will make you FEEL things. Pick it up.

It's a magnificent debut that blends several genres into a rich and compelling gaslamp fantasy. Pacing, characterization, and world building are all really well done. I found myself immediately intrigued by the way this society functioned, how it treats magic, and the web of conflicts we find our sympathetic badass protagonist inhabiting.

Elements of mystery help the pages burn by while elements of romance offset the utter bleakness of the setting/storyline. The POV characters, as well as several characters close to them, are well crafted with depth, color, and some mystery. Matar is talented at connecting you to these characters quickly so you care about them and want to learn more.

The worldbuilding builds in comfortable layers as the story progresses so you get just enough info to immerse yourself in a scene without feeling weighed down by the scope of the world. From gritty distinct neighborhoods, to corrupted politics, and a magic system/regulation that get's increasingly disturbing; I found the setting extremely interesting and well incorporated into various plot arcs.

5/5 stars and definitely an author to keep an eye on. This is a terrific foundation to build upon for future books in this world.

Legacy of The Brightwash is an impressive debut. It blends elements of dark fantasy and romance with the murder mystery. Tashué Blackwood has been working as Regulation Officer for years, no questions asked. Even when the Authority condemned his son Jason for refusing to register as tainted, he did nothing. However, when a dead girl washes up on the banks of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated, something breaks in him. He starts looking for answers.

Need I add he does not like the answers?

Matar has created a dark world and an even darker story. Pain, grief, and despair affect Tashué’s actions and development. But so does love. For his son, his friends, and the woman he would do anything to protect. Even in his darkest moments, Tashué can rely on others. Which is interesting, because most (if not all) of the characters in Legacy are deeply hurt and angry people with tragic pasts. I appreciated they could find some peace just by being together and caring for each other.

There is no single antagonist in the book. The system is rotten and the desire to change it puts Tashue on a collision course with the National Tainted Registration Authority, powerful (and power-hungry) politicians, and the prejudices of the world he lives in. This makes his change much more difficult. Instead of simply kicking the bad guy, he has to rethink everything he used to believe in.

At its core, Legacy of The Brightwash is a devastating tale about love, sacrifice, and how indifference and prejudice can shape a community and set the lives of others on dark paths. Systematic oppression turned gifted with Talent into second-class citizens. Most people label them as tainted and don’t trust them. Forced to register with the Authority, they have limited freedoms and even fewer possibilities. They’re used as assets to develop Dominion and that’s it.

Matar’s writing style is elegant and rich. Even when she describes the gruesome details, she does so with sensitivity - the book is never exploitative.

I heartily recommend the novel. It’s intense, violent, and leaves a long-lasting impression. It makes the reader ask what comes next and when can they have it?

Amazing. Easily one of the best fantasy novels I've read this year.