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karapillar's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Medical content, Body horror, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Abandonment, Murder, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
teaand_tomes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is an enchanting book that captivates readers with its amazing world-building and unique magic system. The author skillfully weaves a tale filled with twists and turns that keep the readers on the edge of their seats.
The slow-burn romance between Ravyn and Elspeth adds an extra layer of depth to the story, while the side character Elm brings additional intrigue and anticipation for his interactions with Ione. The mysterious Shepherd King and the Providence Cards hold secrets that leave readers eager to uncover the history behind them.
Gillig's writing style is mesmerizing, drawing readers in and immersing them in the eerie kingdom of Blunder. The author's attention to detail and vivid descriptions make the story come alive, allowing readers to fully experience the magic and darkness that permeate the pages.
Overall, One Dark Window is a truly captivating read that combines elements of romance, fantasy, and horror seamlessly. It is a must-read for fans of intricate world-building, engaging plots, and well-developed characters. Rachel Gillig has crafted a compelling story that will leave readers eagerly awaiting her future works.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Self harm, Alcohol, Violence, Gore, and Sexual content
tays_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Child death, Self harm, Cursing, Murder, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Torture, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
wildflower_magic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
What a captivating story! I loved the card component and it's similarities/differences to Tarot. I found the characters loveable/hateable as appropriate in the story. I loved the slow build romance but it wasn't the main focus of the book (not much spice). The magic was intriguing and I was so interested in the Nightmare. He gave Cheshire cat vibes which is my JAM. There were a few spots where descriptions were odd to me and there's a spoiler that I foun obvious and discovered in chapter 3 that the main character didn't discover until chapter 22 so I grew a little impatient waiting for her to put the pieces together. Overall I was obsessed and read most of this in one day. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Police brutality, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
noellelovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings: [straight from authors website]
Scenes of terror
General violence/gore
Child in peril
Blood
Mention of self-harm for magic
Moderate sexual content
Mention of parental neglect
Alcohol consumption
https://rachelgillig.com/2022/05/23/o...
OMG this book was phenomenal. This being Rachel's debut...I know I'm gonna be auto-buying all her work. We get magic, mystery, a lil love story, a character that gives major Tairn vibes [if you read Fourth Wing you'll know what I mean lol] and so much more!
I am so ready for October when book 2 drops! I already preordered my copy 💜
Scenes of terror
General violence/gore
Child in peril
Blood
Mention of self-harm for magic
Moderate sexual content
Mention of parental neglect
Alcohol consumption
https://rachelgillig.com/2022/05/23/o...
OMG this book was phenomenal. This being Rachel's debut...I know I'm gonna be auto-buying all her work. We get magic, mystery, a lil love story, a character that gives major Tairn vibes [if you read Fourth Wing you'll know what I mean lol] and so much more!
I am so ready for October when book 2 drops! I already preordered my copy 💜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual content, Violence, Gore, and Confinement
sometimes_samantha_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
It's been a long time that I had a book that had me talking out loud, kicking my feet, pacing around - in all the best ways. I need book two ASAP! It'll be a long wait til October!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Self harm
onthesamepage's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If I didn't know this was an adult fantasy, I would've thought it was YA. It's always hard to find that line between the two age groups, and I can't put my finger on why, exactly, this feels more like YA to me, except that the pacing, the tropes, and the relative simplicity of the world and magic feel more reminiscent of YA fantasy.
I really like the premise: Elspeth has a Nightmare trapped in her head, sharing her thoughts, and sometimes, when she's in trouble, she can call on him. Magic in this world is only allowed if it's performed by using a Providence card, but children sometimes become infected, granting them magical powers. Using those will cause some kind of degeneration, ultimately leading to madness and/or death, which is why the king has ordered all these children killed immediately upon discovery of their magic.
The Nightmare clearly has a lot of knowledge about the magic and the world, constantly teasing Elspeth with rhymes that she didn't understand, but which were clearly meant to signal specific dangers and act as a warning. Some of the rhymes are better than others, and most of them are pretty simple.
Unfortunately, this is another book where the mystery was incredibly predictable. There's also little depth to the characters or the relationships. The romance promises more than it delivers; there is a sex scene, but it's written in such a tame way, using so many vague ways to describe what was happening, that I wondered why it was included at all instead of just fading to black.
There are a lot of references to the poem The Highwayman--the main character's nickname is Bess, the love interest is a highwayman, the title of a book is lifted directly from the poem, and I even see some similarities in the plot. I like the poem, and I definitely don't mind reading a story based on it, but I do think more could've been done to make this stand out from the original.
If I didn't know this was an adult fantasy, I would've thought it was YA. It's always hard to find that line between the two age groups, and I can't put my finger on why, exactly, this feels more like YA to me, except that the pacing, the tropes, and the relative simplicity of the world and magic feel more reminiscent of YA fantasy.
I really like the premise: Elspeth has a Nightmare trapped in her head, sharing her thoughts, and sometimes, when she's in trouble, she can call on him. Magic in this world is only allowed if it's performed by using a Providence card, but children sometimes become infected, granting them magical powers. Using those will cause some kind of degeneration, ultimately leading to madness and/or death, which is why the king has ordered all these children killed immediately upon discovery of their magic.
The Nightmare clearly has a lot of knowledge about the magic and the world, constantly teasing Elspeth with rhymes that she didn't understand, but which were clearly meant to signal specific dangers and act as a warning. Some of the rhymes are better than others, and most of them are pretty simple.
Unfortunately, this is another book where the mystery was incredibly predictable. There's also little depth to the characters or the relationships. The romance promises more than it delivers; there is a sex scene, but it's written in such a tame way, using so many vague ways to describe what was happening, that I wondered why it was included at all instead of just fading to black.
There are a lot of references to the poem The Highwayman--the main character's nickname is Bess, the love interest is a highwayman, the title of a book is lifted directly from the poem, and I even see some similarities in the plot. I like the poem, and I definitely don't mind reading a story based on it, but I do think more could've been done to make this stand out from the original.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Self harm
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