A review by pgmoon
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

adventurous 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? No

3.25


I finally got around to reading One Dark Window, and while it took me longer to get through than I expected, that’s not really the book’s fault. Everyone’s been raving about it, so I went in with pretty high expectations. Overall, I’d say there’s definitely enough here to make me want to keep going with the series.

The first 50-75 pages were a bit rough for me. There was a lot of explanation upfront (not surprising for fantasy) but also a bit too much exposition in a rushed manner. I found myself going back sometimes to make sure I read things right. Once the main story kicked in, though, it slowed down in a good way, and I started enjoying it more.

The magic system is the real standout—it’s super interesting and kept me hooked even when other parts of the story felt pretty standard for the genre. There are also some fun, memorable scences
(the ball and the truth serum scenes were favorites)
.

Let’s talk about the names. I’ve survived the wild naming conventions of YA dystopia, but “Ravyn” (with a y!) was a bit much for me—especially since he’s a main character and
the love interest
. That said, I mostly liked him as a character, and everyone else I could deal with, but it just kept sticking out to me.

Elspeth and Ravyn are decent leads, but honestly, the most interesting parts of their personalities are tied to
the magical "curses" happening to them
. Their romance didn’t do much for me—it felt rushed, but good for them, I guess! Elm was the real MVP of the cast, with some nice complexity and balance - I am excited to see what he gets up to in the next book. Ione felt underwhelming; I kept waiting for her to have a bigger role, but it never really happened. But I am still intrigued by her! The villains? Over-the-top evil, but hey, it’s YA fantasy—it’s kind of the vibe.

I really liked the little poems at the beginning of each chapter; they added a nice touch of atmosphere. The dialogue was solid, with a good mix of drama and humor, and Gillig’s writing kept the story engaging.

I know some readers found the ending super surprising, but I think Gillig did a good job laying the groundwork, so I wasn’t totally shocked. Still, it’s a cool ending—very visual and bold, and it sets up the next book in a way that’s different from most YA fantasy. I appreciated that.

Overall, this one was a mix of hits and misses for me. The magic system and some of the side characters (shoutout to Elm!) were great, and the writing kept me invested, but some of the characters and tropes felt a bit too familiar. That said, I liked it enough to keep going with the series and hope the next book dives deeper into the world and characters.

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