Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Genocide
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts
‣ Broody, sassy fae dude, good.
‣ FMC with Magneto powers, good.
‣ Tragic, layered backstories, good.
‣ Cute fox sidekick, GOOD.
‣ Side characters, GOOD, give Carrion Swift his own book!
I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Quicksilver snuck up on me. I had fun. It’s the kind of romantasy that feels like an ode to tropes, but it reveres its predecessors without parroting them.
There’s intent here, and a nice amount of heart.
I caught hints of ACOTAR, the lore leaning towards Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air series, and even some Beauty and the Beast and Rumpelstiltskin energy. Plus some Excalibur vibes.
The fae lore hit Holly Black beats for me. No lying, the weight of oaths, the power of true names. And they weren't just constraints for the plot but metaphors for power, consent, and identity.
Similarly, while there’s romance, the story digs deeper with layers of choice, power, fate and free will. Who we are when we’re being used... and who we become when we push back. It’s thoughtful in ways I didn’t expect.
Carrion Swift is a supporting side character who was someone I fully expected to be reduced to a plot device, angst bait or cannon fodder but ended up being handled with care and kind of became one of my favourite characters? I was ready to be mad about his unfair character arc, but he turned out exceptional.
Likewise, Kingfisher, the broody, troubled MMC grew on me. He started off a bit insufferable, got punched (deserved), and then morphed into someone worth rooting for. Even his nickname for Saeris, which I was fully prepared to loathe, I'll allow, given all the emotional gravitas there.
So, yes. The cover gave me mild secondhand embarrassment. I get the critiques the story has, in particular, the female friendships (why did the one female friendship have to be tied to the love interest? Also, the role and depiction of Danya).
But I also get the hype. And in the end, I loved it.
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, War
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
The world building felt a little off for me, I think more time should’ve been dedicated to that. I’m a very visual reader and I struggled to see the locations throughout the book.
I knew where the plot was going pretty much the entire time, but that’s a wider Romantasy issue at this point. Not groundbreaking.
Also - where’s the fox at the end??
Spicy!
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, War, Classism
Minor: Cannibalism
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Violence, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, War
Minor: Child death, Slavery, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Cursing, Infertility, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, War
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Torture, Vomit, Medical content