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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
“To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.” -Dedication
Beware magic always comes with a price. Oh this was deliciously dark and oh so good. This was a perfect book to put me in the mood for fall. It’s full of monsters, magic, dangerous highwaymen, intrigue & treason. I love a good atmospheric read with dark forests, a magical mist that can drive you mad, riddles, rhymes & ancient prophecies. It’s a unique magic system where those who own prophecy cards can wield magic but all magic comes at a price.
Elspeth needs a monster but the monster might just be her. “She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.” But the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind…
“I'm just the wind in the trees, the shadow, and the fright. The echo in the leaves...the nightmare in the night.”
I loved every minute of this deliciously dark fantasy & that ending has me immediately picking up the next book.
"Nothing is free. Nothing is safe. Magic is love, but, also it's hate."
“There once was a girl,” he murmured, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King… and the monster they became.”
Heads up for a cliffhanger, one mild open door scene & some swears.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my read for my book club this month. One Dark Window has been on my radar for a while so was pretty happy when it was picked.
I loved the world building in this and Gillig’s writing style is beautiful. The magic system was really interesting and liked how an infection would give people magic and powers that come at a prices.
However I couldn’t connect with the characters really. It definitely got easier and the story went on but I had a struggle becoming invested in the story. I think this could be because my last read was 5 stars and this can’t compare to that for me right now. In saying that I did like the romance and the ending was really interesting although I’m not too sure if I’ll continue the Duology.
I loved the world building in this and Gillig’s writing style is beautiful. The magic system was really interesting and liked how an infection would give people magic and powers that come at a prices.
However I couldn’t connect with the characters really. It definitely got easier and the story went on but I had a struggle becoming invested in the story. I think this could be because my last read was 5 stars and this can’t compare to that for me right now. In saying that I did like the romance and the ending was really interesting although I’m not too sure if I’ll continue the Duology.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don’t know why this book was so slow to start out but I had to restart it one THREE different occasions, after adoring The Knight and the Moth to get into it, but thank god I did.
Once you get past the mundanity and droning on about berries, this story truly starts to take shape. With a unique magic system and a tale full of political intrigue, self-discovery, and love, this book is sure to be one of my favorite reads this year.
I will be diving immediately into the second book and setting my calendar for all new releases by Rachel Gillig.
Once you get past the mundanity and droning on about berries, this story truly starts to take shape. With a unique magic system and a tale full of political intrigue, self-discovery, and love, this book is sure to be one of my favorite reads this year.
I will be diving immediately into the second book and setting my calendar for all new releases by Rachel Gillig.
3.5 rounding up. Interesting though it could've ended earlier. Definitely interested in reading #2.