scijessreads

I have been holding on to this one for a bit since I read it back in January and had to wait to post about it. I love Hannah Whitten and her writing. The Wilderwood Duology is a favorite, and this start of a new trilogy is looking to be just as enthralling. If you love fantasy with a dark undercurrent, this book is definitely for you.

Reading this book, I was anxious to finish to see where it went but also wanted to slow down to savor each moment. Each word, each description of the people and the places, and the environment that Lore found herself moving through was rich and layered. You can feel the unease and the desperation of the inhabitants of Auverraine. Yes, there is magic, but it is wielded in what felt like a new and dark way. Each player seeks some measure of control, whether over the magic of death, of their own lives or even of their place in the kingdom.

Lore, Gabe, and Bastian. Oh, those three. Each with their own battles to fight (whether internal or external or both). They have heft and nuance and an emotional undercurrent that bubbles up at times but is often willingly set aside (or left unspoken), to be dealt with at a later date. There are bonds between these three that I don’t think they even understand the weight of yet. The banter and conversations between them are everything.

Political machinations. Religious fervor. Shadowy puppet masters. No one truly knows all of the players or all of the moves. This story doesn’t resolve neatly, it sets up the long game. One I very much want to continue.

*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher (Orbit Books). All opinions are my own.