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A review by cruciodarling
Anathema by Keri Lake
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.0
This was my first introduction to Keri Lake's writing, and I am amazed that, as a lover of all things gothic horror and dark fantasy, I have not read her works before.
Many stories I've read that have advertised themselves as 'gothic horror' fail to deliver on the 'horror' aspect. This is not true for Anathema. This book truly leans into it - with monstrous creatures, suspension, dark themes, and even body horror. Keri Lake does a great job at delivering that unsettling, creepy feeling that is vital to the genre.
The worldbuilding in this story is dense, but that is exactly how I prefer it. When I initially opened the book to find pages of maps, a glossary, and pronunciation guides, I knew I was in for a treat. I am a sucker for intricate worlds, and am easily immersed in them. This one ticked off many of those boxes: a unique magic system, gods, monsters, factions, political structures, species... the works.
Admittedly, the book does have a bit of a slow start. Not a 'grueling' sort of slow (trust me, the first 20-30% of the book has several dark moments) - rather, lengthy exposition to the characters and setting. I've come to expect this of fantasy books, so powering through was no issue for me. And it was worth it - once the two main characters meet and the stories converge, I could not put the book down.
As an FMC, I enjoyed Maevyth. She is loyal, defiant, stubborn, and puts up a good fight. I loved her interactions with all the characters - each one brings out a different layer of who she is, molding a more in-depth perspective than being a simple heroine. I also love what becomes of her character, and her magical abilities. It's one of the things I'm most looking forward to learning more about in the sequel.
And Zevander... oh Zevander. When he was introduced as the brooding, tortured, shadow-wielding MMC, I feared I wouldn't care for him. The 'shadow daddy' trope is criminally overused in fantasy romances, and frankly not my type. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find him to be so much more. For starters, his magic, and manipulation of shadows, is incredibly unique - both in origin, and in action. But most of all, his story in particular was simply wrenching. The author did a great job navigating his traumas, experiences, and how they have shaped his character and motivations today. I loved him as an MMC. In terms of 'shadow daddies', he is definitely top of the ranking in my list.
The romance in this is a slow burn, and is a subplot - not the main focus of the story. But there are plenty of moments of delicious tension and quips to satiate throughout. I enjoyed their chemistry and dynamic, especially their quick quips with each other. I'm a sucker for the 'Touch her and die' trope, and Zevander fits that quite nicely.
The side characters were also lovable. Rykaia was a delight, and I loved her interactions with Maevyth. And Branimir... I cried during the cell scene. If you know, you know.
To me, the most interesting part of the story, ironically, is my biggest critique of this book: the lore. The lore to this book is incredibly fascinating, but there was so much left to be desired. My hope is that we've only scratched the surface, and the next installment(s) will expand more on these plot points, especially on the gods and Cadavros.
One warning I must caution heavily with this book is that it deals with a lot of dark themes, outside of just horror. Please read the content warnings before going into this book. Within the first 30% of the book especially, there are several mentions, and instances, of sexual assault. I do not think there is a single man in the main character's home town that hasn't committed some sort of sexual depravity.
Overall, this was a great fantasy read. I will eagerly be picking up the next one as soon as it's available!
Many stories I've read that have advertised themselves as 'gothic horror' fail to deliver on the 'horror' aspect. This is not true for Anathema. This book truly leans into it - with monstrous creatures, suspension, dark themes, and even body horror. Keri Lake does a great job at delivering that unsettling, creepy feeling that is vital to the genre.
The worldbuilding in this story is dense, but that is exactly how I prefer it. When I initially opened the book to find pages of maps, a glossary, and pronunciation guides, I knew I was in for a treat. I am a sucker for intricate worlds, and am easily immersed in them. This one ticked off many of those boxes: a unique magic system, gods, monsters, factions, political structures, species... the works.
Admittedly, the book does have a bit of a slow start. Not a 'grueling' sort of slow (trust me, the first 20-30% of the book has several dark moments) - rather, lengthy exposition to the characters and setting. I've come to expect this of fantasy books, so powering through was no issue for me. And it was worth it - once the two main characters meet and the stories converge, I could not put the book down.
As an FMC, I enjoyed Maevyth. She is loyal, defiant, stubborn, and puts up a good fight. I loved her interactions with all the characters - each one brings out a different layer of who she is, molding a more in-depth perspective than being a simple heroine. I also love what becomes of her character, and her magical abilities. It's one of the things I'm most looking forward to learning more about in the sequel.
And Zevander... oh Zevander. When he was introduced as the brooding, tortured, shadow-wielding MMC, I feared I wouldn't care for him. The 'shadow daddy' trope is criminally overused in fantasy romances, and frankly not my type. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find him to be so much more. For starters, his magic, and manipulation of shadows, is incredibly unique - both in origin, and in action. But most of all, his story in particular was simply wrenching. The author did a great job navigating his traumas, experiences, and how they have shaped his character and motivations today. I loved him as an MMC. In terms of 'shadow daddies', he is definitely top of the ranking in my list.
The romance in this is a slow burn, and is a subplot - not the main focus of the story. But there are plenty of moments of delicious tension and quips to satiate throughout. I enjoyed their chemistry and dynamic, especially their quick quips with each other. I'm a sucker for the 'Touch her and die' trope, and Zevander fits that quite nicely.
The side characters were also lovable. Rykaia was a delight, and I loved her interactions with Maevyth. And Branimir... I cried during the cell scene. If you know, you know.
To me, the most interesting part of the story, ironically, is my biggest critique of this book: the lore. The lore to this book is incredibly fascinating, but there was so much left to be desired. My hope is that we've only scratched the surface, and the next installment(s) will expand more on these plot points, especially on the gods and Cadavros.
One warning I must caution heavily with this book is that it deals with a lot of dark themes, outside of just horror. Please read the content warnings before going into this book. Within the first 30% of the book especially, there are several mentions, and instances, of sexual assault. I do not think there is a single man in the main character's home town that hasn't committed some sort of sexual depravity.
Overall, this was a great fantasy read. I will eagerly be picking up the next one as soon as it's available!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape and Abortion