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Written on the Dark
by Guy Gavriel Kay
3.75⭐ rounded up to 4. Guy Gavriel Kay is *the* author who got me hooked on fantasy novels when I was a teenager. [b:The Fionavar Tapestry|1148721|The Fionavar Tapestry (The Fionavar Tapestry, #1-3)|Guy Gavriel Kay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1181410214l/1148721._SY75_.jpg|2846394] introduced me to the genre, and more specifically to portal fantasy, and it’s been my thing ever since. (It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I picked this subgenre for my debut fantasy series!)
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
When I grabbed this arc, I was expecting another epic fantasy story. However, I’d say this book is best described as a semi-fantasy historical fiction story, with a focus on political intrigue, murder mystery, and social critique, with just a touch of fantasy elements. The setting is familiar (like an alternate-reality France in the Joan of Arc era) and includes very subtle magic. There are many, many things I loved about this book, but at the end of the day it wasn’t really for me. I just couldn’t feel invested in the plot or characters. I think I was too distracted by the annoying and confusing mid-chapter POV switches and the absurd amount of foreshadowing, philosophical musings, and allegories to truly enjoy this. I also found that male characters were much more developed and much less stereotypical than the female ones, which always gives me the ick.
If you’re a fantasy reader who enjoys standalone novels, loveable antiheroes, political intrigue, “whodunit” stories, LGBTQ rep, and poetry, you’ll probably love this short, easy read. Oh, and it was written by a Canadian author!
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
When I grabbed this arc, I was expecting another epic fantasy story. However, I’d say this book is best described as a semi-fantasy historical fiction story, with a focus on political intrigue, murder mystery, and social critique, with just a touch of fantasy elements. The setting is familiar (like an alternate-reality France in the Joan of Arc era) and includes very subtle magic. There are many, many things I loved about this book, but at the end of the day it wasn’t really for me. I just couldn’t feel invested in the plot or characters. I think I was too distracted by the annoying and confusing mid-chapter POV switches and the absurd amount of foreshadowing, philosophical musings, and allegories to truly enjoy this. I also found that male characters were much more developed and much less stereotypical than the female ones, which always gives me the ick.
If you’re a fantasy reader who enjoys standalone novels, loveable antiheroes, political intrigue, “whodunit” stories, LGBTQ rep, and poetry, you’ll probably love this short, easy read. Oh, and it was written by a Canadian author!