Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - One Dark Window

Loved this book! The mystery kept me guessing, but at the end I could look back and see all the hints had been there all along. The Providence Cards, the magic system, and the overall world had great dark fairy tale vibes. I cannot express how much I enjoyed the use of rhyme in this story!! Great change of pace. 🌶🌶 Very mild spice but a very tender romance with a slow, gradual build that felt so natural and right.

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kaylaswhitmore's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the second one! Gillig’s prose is both elevated and easy to follow, invoking something similar in feel to classic Victorian literature with a distinctly modern twist. Her pacing was great—neither slow or fast, and with just enough action to keep readers excited. However, I will say that I felt her world-building lacked a smidgen of severity. While we are often told in the first 2/3rds of the book that it is quite dangerous to be an infected person in Blunder, I think the tension could have benefitted from an earlier example of the King’s brutality (i.e. someone Elspeth knew being taken away, or her witnessing a public execution). In that regard, I do feel as if some of the stakes fell a tiny bit flat due to the lack of “showing” in comparison to “telling.” Despite that, I easily tumbled into the magic of the woods and mist and cards, and thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of Elspeth’s journey through such a tempestuous town. Excited to see how this story concludes!

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mzquirk's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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laurenbrennan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Honestly this book had me completely ENRAPTURED. I felt differently about this book than I’ve felt about ANY book in a LONG time. I can’t remember what twist of fate made me bump it to the top of my TBR on a whim but I feel lucky to have had it!! I feel like it changed my brain chemistry.

It took my breath away, MULTIPLE times. Plot twists, 10/10…never saw a single one coming. The poems? Bone-chilling, jaw dropping, timed absolutely PERFECTLY to just blow your mind and drive home the plot. Goosebumps.

I’m really amazed at the author’s ability to build an insanely intricate world and culture based in a completely unique concept…but it’s not the type of feeling you get with so many other fantasy novels. You know what I’m talking about; when you recommend the book to someone else and you feel compelled to say “welllll…there’s a LOT of world building, but once you get through that, the book is amazing.” It felt like this whole world just…existed. From the very first page.

Usually when I get behind on a current read, I feel upset. Anxious, pressured, whatever that feeling is. With this book, I kid you not, I was completely content, with the knowledge that taking little breaks just meant I got to spend more time appreciating reading the book for the first time. I was savoring it, and I feel like I’ve not done that in a long time. Especially not when there’s another book out to further the storyline waiting for me!

I got chills, my jaw came unhinged; I don’t even know how else to describe this book.

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