A review by wardenred
White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Knowledge. Power. Asshole elves.

The thing I loved the most about this novel is the setting. The author pulls a lot from actual witchcraft traditions while adding plenty of inventive fantastical elements of his own making to weave a truly exciting world. I loved the entire spirit realm, the Reapers, the magical races, the way Tarot cards were baked into it, all the beauties and the dangers. Even if I didn't like any of the other things about the story, I would probably want to keep reading the series just to hang around this world some more.

Fortunately, I did like a lot of the other things, so continuing the series will be even more fun. :) Adam was a great character to follow: flawed but with an unshakable core of goodness, relatable, and generally interesting to be around. Pretty much everybody else in the main cast was great to spend time with, as well. I liked what a big role family played in the story, and how we got to see so many different family dynamics: Adam's family, Vic's family, the sibling relationship between the two elves, Argent and Silver, and their complicated bond with their father. It was also great to see how all these different characters interacted with each other and how their relationships evolved throughout the book. Also, I really liked Bobby's chapters—I feel like they added a lot to the flow of the narrative.

In terms of the plot, for the most part it was exciting and tense and I appreciated how the theme of humans being pawns in the immortals' grand long game was handled. I do feel, however, that the way the main puppeteer was revealed was... not ideal. That twist just came very much out of the left field; we haven't had a lot of time with that character, they weren't involved in the plot short of one vague scene far in the beginning, I don't know, it just didn't feel natural. Once the character's agenda was unveiled and their involvement in other parts of the Binders' family story became clearer, yes, I felt I could buy it. But I think there needed to be more lead-up to the initial twist.

One thing I wasn't a fan of was the love triangle, or rather, the storyline that kept trying to be a love triangle even though ti would have worked better if it was more, "here's my ex I'm letting go of while needing to work together for a common cause, and here's the new person I'm getting fond of." I can appreciate love triangles when they represent a broader choice the character has to make between two philosophies, two approaches to life, etc. This triangle kind of hints at being like that, but it doesn't work. If it was supposed to be a choice between the supernatural and the human, certain plot developments erased that possibility rather fast. If it was supposed to be a choice between doing one's duty and doing what's actually right, one look at Adam tells you it's never been a choice at all. So it felt kind of almost useless, just a way to add tension in the one part of the plot that mostly lacked it, because Vic is just... so good and clearly so good for Adam? Honestly, I really love how he just accepted Adam and his feelings for Adam with no drama, even in the middle of all the life-changing weirdness. But I've got to say that I love Silver, too, and I think I'll enjoy following his arc in the subsequent installments. I just like him for who he is, not as a part of any romantic entanglement.
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