Review: The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri

In a once-magical realm now ruled by an iron fist, one young woman must liberate the forces within to change the world, and save those she loves, in The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri. A rebellious YA fantasy thriller with an apocalyptic edge, this first installment of the Stealing Sanctuary series is a stunning foundation for what’s to come.

Over a century ago, magic was outlawed and shuttered away behind the forbidden borders of Etabon by the Founding Ruling Board, who claimed that the elimination of magic would save the planet from constant war and an age of darkness. However, magic is a balance of chaos and creation, and as the merciless leaders of the realm consolidated their power, the brightness of the world faded, as though life itself was dwindling away. Those with persistent “dreams” are forced to hide their gifts, or risk being rehabilitated, imprisoned or eliminated by the Ruling Board, whose security drones and sweepers never sleep.

Kiera, desperate to improve conditions for herself and her mother, acts as a chaperone on a risky yet lucrative journey to Etabon, but the true reason she feels drawn to the sanctum of magic is a secret she has kept safe her whole life. She never outgrew the dreaming, nor was she medicated away from her identity, but upon arriving in Etabon, her incredibly rare gifts become impossible to hide. After unleashing the fearsome predator within during a magic-mining tournament, Kiera draws the attention of one of the most dangerous men on the continent. Finding an unexpected band of allies in captivity, Kiera must channel all her slippery wiles and potent powers to escape his sinister clutches.

The picture of the world that Kiera narrates may have a familiar echo – a power-hungry ruling class, wealth inequality forcing the poorest into military service, and the silent oppression of a surveillance state to enforce conformity. There are countless details and plot nuances that feel torn from reality, from the elitist insulation of Kiera’s travel companions to the manipulative abuses of charlatans: “He panders to bored elitists while targeting vulnerable people. What a talent.” In the YA genre, this not-so-subtle thematic exploration will resonate with a younger generation who are beginning to understand the slippery slope of a dystopic system, not to mention older readers as well.

The dynamic between Attalin, Kiera, and Hallowfeld is tense and intriguing from the very start, lacing youthful romance and curiosity with empowering self-discovery and resilience, and timeless lines abound from characters exceptionally wise for their years. Probing deeper into mature themes than other YA authors, Bacilieri subtly explores grief and depression, malice and privilege, othering, prejudice, cultural repression, and moral murkiness, for a story that is dark, but endlessly inciteful.

At times, the narration tends to overexplain and the dialogue functions as inorganic exposition, but the world-building is tremendous, particularly in terms of magical rules and capacities, history of the realm, and the conflicting ideologies that fuel so much of the book’s plot. As a starting point for a sprawling fantasy saga, Bacilieri delivers a stirring standout.