kjcm's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Murder and Miscarriage
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
bzliz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Myra is an artist known as a Prodigy- someone who can use art combined with magic to alter reality, like healing a wound, changing their hair color, and maybe even bringing them back from the dead. Her parents have been missing for a long time and she’s struggling to make ends meet while caring for her chronically ill sister Lucy. When the governor’s wife shows up at the art studio she works at, Myra accepts her offer to come bring her dead son back to life, but not everything is as it seems at the governor’s manor.
Olson blends a unique magical system with lovable characters and just the right amount of regency style will they-won’t they between Myra and the governor’s other son August. I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a historical fantasy wrapped up in a murder mystery.
Spoilers for the ending:
I did not see that twist coming at all. I was convinced that Vincent and Nigel were co-conspirators but I never could have guessed that they were the same person magically disguised. Even as Vincent was beginning his villain monologue, I thought he was a secret third son that the Harris family has cast aside. I’m still in shock that he was actually Will all along.
Mind the content warnings.
Olson blends a unique magical system with lovable characters and just the right amount of regency style will they-won’t they between Myra and the governor’s other son August. I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a historical fantasy wrapped up in a murder mystery.
Spoilers for the ending:
Spoiler
I did not see that twist coming at all. I was convinced that Vincent and Nigel were co-conspirators but I never could have guessed that they were the same person magically disguised. Even as Vincent was beginning his villain monologue, I thought he was a secret third son that the Harris family has cast aside. I’m still in shock that he was actually Will all along.
Mind the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Medical content
vivavia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders
_ladypearce_'s review
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think that this is a really solid ya fantasy, but I just didn’t care about the characters that much. About halfway through I was like “im just gonna finish this because I want to know who the killer is.” I got to a point where I just didn’t really care but I did finish it so there’s that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Child death, Chronic illness, Vomit, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Torture and Panic attacks/disorders
selene_nyxly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Chronic illness, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Miscarriage
jesshart8's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Blood, and Murder
tarfish's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
r1vana's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“Trust is a luxury for the wealthy, the
secure, the loved.
Not for us.”
This book could have been much shorter. It felt like a filler. The beginning was just chunks of aspects of the plot.
I had expecting for this book but it didn’t meet it ends…
The magic system is quite interesting, but I wished there was more of it. But the missing points are the repetitive explanation/ talk of the mystery murder quests and the magic system. The world building is practically non-existent (in my opinion.)
One thing I don’t understand is why is she telling people about her sister’s illness or her so-called secret prodigy powers… If people like her a being hunted and killed, why would she tells people she barely know and especially people who are in a “similar situation”. as her?
-
In a way I understand Myra, her being the breadwinner and having the burden to be financially responsible when both of her parents have diseappered and the need to take care of her younger sister who is on constant bed rest at a young age.
The chemistry between Myra and August felt lacking.
-
And the end was not satisfactory. I was sus of Vincent but surprised of him being Will and why he was killing people…
But the families of Vincent’s victims never got justices??
-
Quotes:
“Perfection comes from leaning into the things
that we have to fight for because those are the
things that bind us to the people worth keeping.”
“If love were magic, it would have saved us long ago.”
-
TW: death of close ones; sickness; murder; death body description; vomit; loss of baby
secure, the loved.
Not for us.”
This book could have been much shorter. It felt like a filler. The beginning was just chunks of aspects of the plot.
I had expecting for this book but it didn’t meet it ends…
The magic system is quite interesting, but I wished there was more of it. But the missing points are the repetitive explanation/ talk of the mystery murder quests and the magic system. The world building is practically non-existent (in my opinion.)
One thing I don’t understand is why is she telling people about her sister’s illness or her so-called secret prodigy powers… If people like her a being hunted and killed, why would she tells people she barely know and especially people who are in a “similar situation”. as her?
-
In a way I understand Myra, her being the breadwinner and having the burden to be financially responsible when both of her parents have diseappered and the need to take care of her younger sister who is on constant bed rest at a young age.
The chemistry between Myra and August felt lacking.
-
And the end was not satisfactory. I was sus of Vincent but surprised of him being Will and why he was killing people…
But the families of Vincent’s victims never got justices??
-
Quotes:
“Perfection comes from leaning into the things
that we have to fight for because those are the
things that bind us to the people worth keeping.”
“If love were magic, it would have saved us long ago.”
-
TW: death of close ones; sickness; murder; death body description; vomit; loss of baby
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Confinement, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
tylerbriggs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Full of twists, well written characters, keeps you engaged the whole time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Body horror, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Minor: Vomit
snipinfool's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Myra Whitlock has a special talent she inherited from her mother. She is a Prodigy. Prodigies are able to use magic to heal a living thing by painting it in good health. Unfortunately, Prodigies are being hunted and have gone missing. Both of Myra's parents are missing leaving her alone with only her ailing younger sister. Any remaining Prodigies have kept a low profile.
The governor, Mr. Harris, outlawed painted portraiture as he thinks it does not honor "The Artist" (the diety worshipped in this story). The governor's son was reported to be ill. One day, the governor's wife, Mrs. Harris, comes to the studio to hire Myra to paint a portrait of her dog. Myra notices a small cut on the dog's leg. She heals the dog by painting it as if the leg was never injured. Mrs. Harris discovers the magic performed to heal her dog and hires Myra to paint her ailing son to heal him.
The story had many twists and turns and I did not see that ending coming at all! I enjoyed reading how Myra's magic worked and learned more about oil painting. Having the ability to heal others in that way would be an interesting skill to have, but I can see how one would have to be very careful not to have that ability exploited.
The governor, Mr. Harris, outlawed painted portraiture as he thinks it does not honor "The Artist" (the diety worshipped in this story). The governor's son was reported to be ill. One day, the governor's wife, Mrs. Harris, comes to the studio to hire Myra to paint a portrait of her dog. Myra notices a small cut on the dog's leg. She heals the dog by painting it as if the leg was never injured. Mrs. Harris discovers the magic performed to heal her dog and hires Myra to paint her ailing son to heal him.
The story had many twists and turns and I did not see that ending coming at all! I enjoyed reading how Myra's magic worked and learned more about oil painting. Having the ability to heal others in that way would be an interesting skill to have, but I can see how one would have to be very careful not to have that ability exploited.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Torture, Blood, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Chronic illness