This book is absolutely entrancing. It's been a long time since I read a fantasy standalone, and this one just hits different! From the beginning, I was pulled in with the curse, secrets about a magical world, and Aleksander's morally gray POV. And not to mention the writing is spellbinding.
For a standalone, this book does a great job of creating a complete, complex world. I never felt bogged down with details, and everything is revealed in an organic way. There is so much detail, so much lore, that I would have loved more books set in these worlds, yet it holds its own as a standalone.
I wouldn't say this is a fast-paced book, but there's always tension with the curse and time running out. I think all the different POVs helped move the story along, and the constant reveals also kept my interest. I love books that have a villain POV that shows their villain origin story and all the different sides of them, and this book did a fantastic job showing that.
My only complaint is that the eloquent writing kept me a little removed from Violet and Aleksander. I wanted to feel their emotions as they felt them. Perhaps I needed more character growth from Violet. But still an captivating story with a beautiful ending. I think fans of Laini Taylor and V.E. Schwab will enjoy this!
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Hatchette Book Group, for the arc!
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Hatchette Book Group, for the arc!
Releases Jan 30, 2024
Trigger/Content Warnings: parent abandonment, fighting violence, death and gore, child kidnapping and sacrificial death, torture recounted, one brief open door scene
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