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chanlo1994's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Again, the prose in this book is stunning. So much lovely poetry and creative writing. Rachel Gillig is a beautiful writer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, and Vomit
eedle_cacleberry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Emotional abuse
alrsto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The author made an interesting choice with this second book in her duology: the narrator and protagonist from book 1, Elspeth, plays a much lesser role in this second half of the story.
Elspeth is there but much less present, and because there's little action she can take, she's not one of the characters moving the story forward.
Instead, it's her love interest (Ravyn) and three secondary characters from book 1 who take center stage. We readers follow the story mainly through two of those characters' (Ravyn and Elm) third-person points of view.
Along the way, those secondary characters—Elm, Ione, and the Shepherd King (a.k.a., the Nightmare)—become much more fully fleshed out.
In the first book (One Dark Window), I had mixed feelings about Elspeth, but I liked the ensemble of fairly well-rounded other characters she was surrounded by. Those characters, plus the story's distinctive system of magic, are what kept me reading.
In one way, I actually enjoyed this second book more than that the first because Elspeth faded back, and the characters I found more interesting—and whose fates I found myself caring a lot about—came to the fore.
The action throughout the story is strong and well paced, and it builds to a satisfying denouement, which is no small storytelling feat. For that reason, as well as the characters, I'd recommend the book.
But I'd add a caveat: some of the writing was distractingly awkward. For example:
"[H]er eyes crashed into Elm's."
"Elm's hand crashed into his pocket."
"[His] gaze collided with Ravyn's."
"the only noise between them was the clenching and unclenching of his jaw."
Then there are descriptors of little physical actions that I'm guessing are intended to convey a character's mood or emotions in a subtle way, but just get distracting because of how often they're used.
Characters are frequently said to bite the insides of their cheeks. Their mouths become thin, fine, or tight lines. Or the corners of their mouths or lips are twitching or curling.
There are also a couple plot points that, to me, aren't cleared up sufficiently at the end.
When does Ione finally get free of the Maiden card when Hauth used it on her again, for example? And does she ever use it again?
What exactly happens to the extra Providence Cards that weren't used as part of "uniting the deck"—like the ones in the Rowan family's vault? The story implies that they still exist, are in circulation among the Blunder populace, and still work magically, but it seems like that fact should be a bigger deal in the kingdom, given what the characters have learned about them?
What did Elspeth's relationship with her father look like after the all that had happened? What about her relationship with her stepmother and twin stepsisters? The latter three are fairly prominent in book 1, so I expected them to be at least mentioned in book 2. But they aren't.
I do think it's a tribute to the rich storytelling and immersive world-building that I could even wonder about such details and care about how the characters' lives went on after all the drama concluded.
Overall, this book is a satisfying romantasy. Just be prepared to overlook some of the writing quirks and loose plot ends.
Elspeth is there but much less present, and because there's little action she can take, she's not one of the characters moving the story forward.
Instead, it's her love interest (Ravyn) and three secondary characters from book 1 who take center stage. We readers follow the story mainly through two of those characters' (Ravyn and Elm) third-person points of view.
Along the way, those secondary characters—Elm, Ione, and the Shepherd King (a.k.a., the Nightmare)—become much more fully fleshed out.
In the first book (One Dark Window), I had mixed feelings about Elspeth, but I liked the ensemble of fairly well-rounded other characters she was surrounded by. Those characters, plus the story's distinctive system of magic, are what kept me reading.
In one way, I actually enjoyed this second book more than that the first because Elspeth faded back, and the characters I found more interesting—and whose fates I found myself caring a lot about—came to the fore.
The action throughout the story is strong and well paced, and it builds to a satisfying denouement, which is no small storytelling feat. For that reason, as well as the characters, I'd recommend the book.
But I'd add a caveat: some of the writing was distractingly awkward. For example:
"[H]er eyes crashed into Elm's."
"Elm's hand crashed into his pocket."
"[His] gaze collided with Ravyn's."
"the only noise between them was the clenching and unclenching of his jaw."
Then there are descriptors of little physical actions that I'm guessing are intended to convey a character's mood or emotions in a subtle way, but just get distracting because of how often they're used.
Characters are frequently said to bite the insides of their cheeks. Their mouths become thin, fine, or tight lines. Or the corners of their mouths or lips are twitching or curling.
There are also a couple plot points that, to me, aren't cleared up sufficiently at the end.
I do think it's a tribute to the rich storytelling and immersive world-building that I could even wonder about such details and care about how the characters' lives went on after all the drama concluded.
Overall, this book is a satisfying romantasy. Just be prepared to overlook some of the writing quirks and loose plot ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying and Murder
isabelleroyall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, and Vomit
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
katiefronk's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
_meganrose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
This was absolutely captivating. Had me on my toes the whole time and I didn’t want to put it down, especially once I got to the halfway mark. Loved being able to see the different perspectives in this and loved this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
sxndaze's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
My darling, you’ve always had a choice.
an incredible sequel and an incredible duology. the mutilple povs give us so much more to digest and understand and while it took me a bit to get into elm’s story (not him though as i do adore his character), it comes together beautifully in the end.
everything is wrapped up beautifully and maybe too neatly, but im a sucker for happy endings and don’t crave angst too much.
the nightmare is my favourite and his banter with everyone is fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Child death and Alcohol
bethann_coleates's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
oxfordcommas91's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
I love a duology because it moves the story along but gives you enough time to delve into the important aspects of the plot. This book was a satisfying conclusion to the story of Elspeth, Ravyn, the Nightmare and the whole cast of characters working to try to unite the deck of Providence cards and save Blunder from the encroaching fog. I really liked that we got to dive more into Ione and Elm's stories and their unique motivations alongside the stories of Elspeth and Ravyn. Tying all these storylines together gave us a better insight into the history of the Providence Cards and makes for a very rewarding outcome. The last 100 pages were tense - I blew through the back half of this book because I needed to know what would happen as time was running short. A truly enjoyable series and would recommend it to folks looking for a dark/gothic fantasy that you can tackle in a short amount of time with a romance sub-plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
atheina_vismark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I wasn't ready. My emotions, I don't know what to do with them anymore.
If I were One-Dark-Window book coded (Which I freaking am now) I would have asked for a Maiden Card to recover from this heartbreak, but there is no Maiden Card in the real world, just painful memories, the painful realization that I have finished this duology, that I will never have to chance to read these books for the first time.
Elspeth, Ravyn, Nightmare, Jespry, Elm, Ione, even sweet and dear Emory and Tilly. You have all crept into my heart, wishing that I too was a woman hailing from the secluded kingdom of Blunder, that when reading about your gestures all I imagined was me being there, aiding you to your great gestures.
There were no devastating twists in this book, but that mattered not. Maybe its because of Gillig's writing, maybe because of what was happening while she waged war inside her own mind - all I know was that this book tore my heart out of my chest, caged it inside ashen trees and then set it free, free like a songbird that Blunder had long lost its melody about.
I spent the last 40 pages crying, crying, trying to cling to the last pages as the ending came to an end.
Goodbye Blunder, goodbye Elspeth and Ravyn, goodbye Elm and Ione.
Goodbye,Taxus
Be wary, be clever, be good.
5⭐️ 1🌶️
If I were One-Dark-Window book coded (Which I freaking am now) I would have asked for a Maiden Card to recover from this heartbreak, but there is no Maiden Card in the real world, just painful memories, the painful realization that I have finished this duology, that I will never have to chance to read these books for the first time.
Elspeth, Ravyn, Nightmare, Jespry, Elm, Ione, even sweet and dear Emory and Tilly. You have all crept into my heart, wishing that I too was a woman hailing from the secluded kingdom of Blunder, that when reading about your gestures all I imagined was me being there, aiding you to your great gestures.
There were no devastating twists in this book, but that mattered not. Maybe its because of Gillig's writing, maybe because of what was happening while she waged war inside her own mind - all I know was that this book tore my heart out of my chest, caged it inside ashen trees and then set it free, free like a songbird that Blunder had long lost its melody about.
I spent the last 40 pages crying, crying, trying to cling to the last pages as the ending came to an end.
Goodbye Blunder, goodbye Elspeth and Ravyn, goodbye Elm and Ione.
Goodbye,
Be wary, be clever, be good.
5⭐️ 1🌶️
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Blood, and Murder