A review by olivialandryxo
Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous emotional tense fast-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

Spin the Dawn was one of my favorite reads of 2020, so I’ve been quite eager to read the sequel for some time now, especially after the first book’s ending. Unravel the Dusk was as brilliant as I’d hoped it would be, every bit as magical and thrilling as its predecessor, though much more nerve-wracking. It was also a very quick read; I sped through it in just a few hours, and finished it at about three in the morning.

Maia and Edan are definitely among my all-time favorite characters. Both are so well-written and three-dimensional. I love Maia’s determination and Edan’s poetic sweetness. The two of them are also an adorable couple that I had no problem rooting for from the very beginning.

Now that I’ve found you again, Maia, I will never leave you. I will stay by your side until the fire in the sun grows cold and the light in the moon is no more. Until time blots out the stars.

How could you not swoon over a relationship where one character talks to the other like that?! Relationship goals. Infinite heart eyes.

To be honest, Lim did a phenomenal job with every aspect of this sequel. Each side character is developed as well as the protagonists, and she built upon the already-rich world she set up in the first book. The mythology is fascinating. Everything—settings, outfits, food—is described beautifully, leaving little to the imagination and making it delightfully easy to imagine things as you read.

The Blood of Stars duology is wonderful and whimsical, and tragically underrated. These books are some of my absolute favorites, and Lim is one of my new favorite authors. I’ll be recommending these at every opportunity, and eagerly awaiting her next book.

Representation
  • entirely Asian/POC cast
  • gay minor side character
  • minor side character that uses a cane
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