Alchemised by Sinyenlu

 

When Helena comes to, she is a prisoner with few memories.  She knows she was captured during the waning days of the war and was imprisoned and tortured.  But most of her memory is gone.  She was an alchemist in the war between the ruling class and the Necromancers, a friend of the ruler of the land, Luc.  She finds herself prisoner at an estate, that of the High Reeve, who is the executioner and head of the army for the necromancers.  His job is to find a way to recover Helena's memory.

But there is more going on behind the scenes.  The High Reeve, Kaine, knew Helena before the war when they both attended alchemy school and during the war when they were on opposite sides and Helena served as the go-between of the sides.  They were in love and both had to make decisions that hurt those around them while serving their governments.  Now, Helena has no memory of that love affair and only despises Kaine for his cruelty and position.

Slowly, Helena recovers her memory but Kaine is under suspicion by the government and although he has a high position, he could also lose his life at any moment.  Helena's life is balanced on a pin since her capture.  Can these two ever find love and peace?

This is an amazing fantasy although it is not for everyone.  There are trigger events such as forced sex and the characters think of ending it all when it seems there is no hope.  But the love between the two main characters is written superbly and the horror of war and the chances and ruined lives it forces upon those involved is described more aptly than in any other work I've read.  This is a debut novel and I find that incredible.  This will end up being one of my favorite books of the year and is recommended for dark fantasy readers.