But For The Mountains by Erin Riha
Publisher: REUTS Publications
Release Date: June 3rd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy
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Arden Thatcher wasn’t meant to be chosen.But when her name is announced, she’s presented with something she never thought she’d have: a future away from her abuser. Shuttled off to attend the prestigious National Women’s Institute, Arden will receive Nordania’s highest honor, studying with other elite candidates to become leaders, diplomats, and ambassadors on the world stage.Only, the institute’s not quite what she expected. Paraded around in gown after gown, the tests seem less about educating and more about a different competition, with a very specific prize at stake—the Nordanian Prime Minister’s son. Despite the dean’s protestations that angling for an engagement leads to expulsion, Arden sees the truth. There’s a secret bubbling beneath the institute’s refined surface, and those who refuse to play along may well wind up dead.With the danger escalating, and the return of her abuser on the horizon, Arden’s shiny future becomes a gilded cage. And this time, she’s going to need powerful allies to escape.Political intrigue, swoon-worthy romance, and a dash of dystopian flare, But for the Mountains begs the question, how do you change the world when you’re not allowed to try?
Trigger Warning: physical abuse, rape and bullying.
If you liked The Selection but though it was too chesy, you would like But for the mountains.
Every year National Women’s Institute of Nordania selects a few girls to study with other elite candidates to become leaders, diplomats, and ambassadors on the world stage. When they are nominated, they have two possible futures: being chosen and attend to National Women’s Institute of Nordania, which is a great honor; or being unchosen, with no future since they are considered not worth it.
Arden was never trained/studied for it, she barely knows how to read, as her benefactor focused only in one of them, making the others to work in his home. She was nominated by his benefactor’s son, who abuse her mental and physical, only to be unchosen and control her.
But in the perfect picture of National Women’s Institute of Nordania not everything is what it seems, there are politics and dark secrets involved.
What I liked the most was how Arden was able to work on overcoming her trauma after been abused and how she evolve from been absent when her abuser was near her to confront him. I also loved Beck (maybe my favorite character), he is a pirate —well, a "swift merchant with a sexy boat"—, a hilarious character with a lot of sarcasm, he made it better.
On the other hand, altough I really enjoyed the book, there was one thing I hated about the plot, something I hated from the beginning to the end: how the women were objectifying in that society, they were mere mecancy to trade, as you can see when the other contestants dissapeared or get a placement (what practically means get married to someone with money and power to be a trophy wife). The only thing I didn't hate about this issue is that the MC was aware of this and tried to get Declan, the First Son/Prince (I'm confuse about this...), to see it as well... and she really tries.
I have to say that, although the comparison with the firts book of The Selection series, this is a different book (a lot darker and less chesy) with different characters and plot, which may share some features with that but it's not the same.
I will recommend it if you like political intrigue (based in an alternative society, of course), romance and stories that not end in happily ever afters.
Erin Riha writes young adult fantasy novels about ambitious girls who don’t know they’re not supposed to exceed expectations. She has an undergraduate degree in Political Science, a Law Degree, and a deep reverence for the power of using exactly the right word in exactly the right moment. She lives in wonderfully weird Portland, Oregon, with her super dreamy husband, where they’re raising a future train engineer and a future chicken whisperer. When not writing, she’s a music director for a teen theater company, traveling the world, or dreaming of traveling the world.Her debut novel, BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS, was published by REUTS Publications June 2, 2020.
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