Scan barcode
A review by moonytoast
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.25
NOTE: This book is probably not for people who absolutely despise the “main character who recently discovered she has magic and centuries old magician love interest” trope. It’s not the worst example of this and it still works for what it’s trying to accomplish in the area of forbidden romance, but as someone who is generally wary of that trope I wanted to make that clear.
I still love Lim’s worldbuilding and writing style — it creates a really vivid and sensory image that I appreciate. I didn’t know going into this book (having already read and adored Six Crimson Cranes) that this duology was set in the same universe as that book, but I think this story and Six Crimson Cranes have their own tone and themes. I do really love the mythology around enchanters and demons; it’s not something I’ve really seen in books that have included demons in their worldbuilding generally.
The chemistry between the two characters of Maia and Edan is…. decent, but nothing too special. I think my wariness of the aforementioned trope hindered my ability to really latch onto the romance and get swept up in that aspect of the story. I think it starts to get better towards the end, but I am interested in seeing where the next book goes with these characters given the cliffhanger-esque ending.
I still love Lim’s worldbuilding and writing style — it creates a really vivid and sensory image that I appreciate. I didn’t know going into this book (having already read and adored Six Crimson Cranes) that this duology was set in the same universe as that book, but I think this story and Six Crimson Cranes have their own tone and themes. I do really love the mythology around enchanters and demons; it’s not something I’ve really seen in books that have included demons in their worldbuilding generally.
The chemistry between the two characters of Maia and Edan is…. decent, but nothing too special. I think my wariness of the aforementioned trope hindered my ability to really latch onto the romance and get swept up in that aspect of the story. I think it starts to get better towards the end, but I am interested in seeing where the next book goes with these characters given the cliffhanger-esque ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and War