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dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
first instalment in a dark, gritty and engaging urban fantasy series.
i'm a huge fan of UF but it can be tricky to find a gem in this genre, because so many of these books are ripe with 2000/2010s misogyny and clichés. a lot of the popular UF series haven't aged well because of this.
admittedly, unholy ghosts is a sausage fest - the main character chess putnam being the only female character to consistently appear. however, stacia kane wrote the hell out of her. chess is flawed and nuanced. her addiction and lying tendencies make her a perfect anti-heroine. she's clearly intelligent and capable, but has severe issues when it comes to intimacy and relationship-building because of her horror-filled upbringing. chess' past and physically demanding/painful job are what push her to use drugs.
the love triangle perfectly emphasises two possible routes for chess. lex enables her addiction. their connection is lustful and instantly gratifying - like a drug. but terrible presents the potential for true, deep intimacy, safety and understanding. all of which terrify chess, but can improve her health and psychological well-being in the long run.
moving on, i really liked the rampant use of downspeech (kane's take on street slang for the downside area). downside is such a vivid setting, and the world-building was immaculate. the set up of this post-apocalyptic/dystopian society is well-thought out and i'm eager to see more of it in action as the series progresses. the depiction of gang culture also felt realistic. terrible was a stand out character. i adored him. i liked that he was a history buff with a caring side, in addition to be being ugly, bulky and genuinely terrifying. he was a well-rounded man, and not just a caricature of a street thug.
in case its not already obvious, i am a terrible/chess girly. and i'm excited to dive into the rest of the series. the only downside (see what i did there!) is that this series is unfinished :D
i'm a huge fan of UF but it can be tricky to find a gem in this genre, because so many of these books are ripe with 2000/2010s misogyny and clichés. a lot of the popular UF series haven't aged well because of this.
admittedly, unholy ghosts is a sausage fest - the main character chess putnam being the only female character to consistently appear. however, stacia kane wrote the hell out of her. chess is flawed and nuanced. her addiction and lying tendencies make her a perfect anti-heroine. she's clearly intelligent and capable, but has severe issues when it comes to intimacy and relationship-building because of her horror-filled upbringing. chess' past and physically demanding/painful job are what push her to use drugs.
the love triangle perfectly emphasises two possible routes for chess. lex enables her addiction. their connection is lustful and instantly gratifying - like a drug. but terrible presents the potential for true, deep intimacy, safety and understanding. all of which terrify chess, but can improve her health and psychological well-being in the long run.
moving on, i really liked the rampant use of downspeech (kane's take on street slang for the downside area). downside is such a vivid setting, and the world-building was immaculate. the set up of this post-apocalyptic/dystopian society is well-thought out and i'm eager to see more of it in action as the series progresses. the depiction of gang culture also felt realistic. terrible was a stand out character. i adored him. i liked that he was a history buff with a caring side, in addition to be being ugly, bulky and genuinely terrifying. he was a well-rounded man, and not just a caricature of a street thug.
in case its not already obvious, i am a terrible/chess girly. and i'm excited to dive into the rest of the series. the only downside (see what i did there!) is that this series is unfinished :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Trafficking
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism