Review: Born of Scourge, by S. Jean

Legends say when the skies grow dark and scourge starves the land, a star will fall in order to save humanity. Only when the star is sacrificed at the end of their journey will light return. It's a cycle—one humanity refuses to break because stars are plentiful and their sacrifices easier than learning the true nature of the scourge. When Sol finally falls, it's not because of humanity. It's because he's had enough of watching his brethren be sacrificed. He has one goal: end humanity and end the cycle.
Unfortunately, he has to pretend he cares before humans get wise. It doesn't matter how soft the princess who catches him is—Celena will be dead by the time his journey ends. Nor how kind his assigned companions are—the outgoing Mira with her ballads, the brave Nebora with her axe, and the hero Loren with his soft voice and friendly smile. For centuries, humanity has lied and their kindness is a ruse to bring about Sol's own destruction at the end of his tale. He will not be fooled.

"Humanity never learned." 

S. Jean's Born of Scourge is an achillean novella that starts out cozy but ends up grandly developing themes of predestination versus free will, turning dark in some ways but still filled with so much hope. The simple storytelling works well with what is for all intents and purposes a fairytale, but some characters are extremely one-dimensional and it can be difficult to connect with them. The main character is of course exempt, and he undergoes a real hero journey over the course of the book, learning about humans and having touching friendships. His sweet love story with Loren develops organically, taking the story towards a satisfying end.

The worldbuilding is complex and interesting; the concept of an incarnated star has been explored before, but it's rare enough to feel fresh, and the background tied to the inner workings of the world is unique. How that is developed in certain sections of the book feels a bit like a D&D campaign, but it stands well enough on its own.

Born of Scourge is a sweet parable.

✨ 3.5 stars