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A review by danaichristopoulou
To a Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz
5.0
I already knew it after I read A Prayer for Vengeance, but this book confirmed it: I'm a big fan of Leanne Schwartz's work. The author has a unique and imaginative way of mixing mythology with fantasy, creating worlds that feel both fresh and familiar.
To A Darker Shore is a lush book, with pacing and structure that don't always do what you expect them to do next, and I found this to be a very refreshing and immersive experience. I absolutely loved the autistic main characters, and the discussions of beauty standards, fat phobia, allonormativity and neurodivergence — for all its differences, the world of Soladisa is not so unlike ours, in the sense that people who look and behave differently will never be given the benefit of a doubt. This book does a great job of asking questions such as "who is the monster here" and actually giving succinct and unflinching answers.
But it's also a very fun and satisfying read (for all its dark and gory moments), and I would gladly return in this world for more. My only regret is that this book didn't exist when I was a fat, neurodivergent teenager — but I'm so happy that young readers today can have this kind of thoughtful and nuanced rep.
Note: there's a very satisfying amount of lesbians in this book, which only made it better in my eyes.
P.S. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
To A Darker Shore is a lush book, with pacing and structure that don't always do what you expect them to do next, and I found this to be a very refreshing and immersive experience. I absolutely loved the autistic main characters, and the discussions of beauty standards, fat phobia, allonormativity and neurodivergence — for all its differences, the world of Soladisa is not so unlike ours, in the sense that people who look and behave differently will never be given the benefit of a doubt. This book does a great job of asking questions such as "who is the monster here" and actually giving succinct and unflinching answers.
But it's also a very fun and satisfying read (for all its dark and gory moments), and I would gladly return in this world for more. My only regret is that this book didn't exist when I was a fat, neurodivergent teenager — but I'm so happy that young readers today can have this kind of thoughtful and nuanced rep.
Note: there's a very satisfying amount of lesbians in this book, which only made it better in my eyes.
P.S. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.