A review by tarmunvykers
Seraphina's Lament by Sarah Chorn

5.0

This book is difficult to describe, and I won't shy away from the fact it challenged me. It offers us a glimpse of an alternate-universe Russia after the fall of the last Tsar. There is a plot, of course, but what Seraphina's Lament is really giving us is the meticulously landscaped emotional interior of its characters, as they face a variety of dilemmas, both mundane and supernatural (or divine). This is a novel about feelings and ideas more than deeds, and if you can make that leap, you'll find it extremely rewarding. It is also refreshing, I must say, to depart from the more-typical fantasy settings and explore Chorn's rich setting and world-building. But be warned: this world is very grim indeed, with less joy than you might find in your average prison camp. All in all, it's a read I will not soon forget.