The UnbrokenThe Unbroken
What it's about
Touraine was stolen as a child from her homeland and raised as a soldier for the empire that conquered it. Now her company has been sent back there to put down a rebellion. Luca, a princess who wants her uncle's throne, recruits Touraine as a spy, and Touraine is caught between the empire that made her and the people she was taken from.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Nebula finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a fantasy about colonialism, with a queer romance at its heart.
You'll love it if you liked
Babel
She Who Became the Sun
The Hundred Thousand KingdomsGood to know
It's violent, and the first of a trilogy. Its North African-inspired setting reflects France's colonial history.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #428 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #468 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2708 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
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The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
The Will of the Many
The Everlasting
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Quick answers
Is The Unbroken worth reading?
Yes. It was a Nebula finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,708 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Unbroken about?
Touraine was stolen as a child from her homeland and raised as a soldier for the empire that conquered it. Now her company has been sent back there to put down a rebellion. Luca, a princess who wants her uncle's throne, recruits Touraine as a spy, and Touraine is caught between the empire that made her and the people she was taken from.
How long does it take to read The Unbroken?
About 12 hours (486 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Unbroken?
If you liked it, try Babel by R. F. Kuang, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan or The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin.