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A review by dliterate
Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager
4.0
Thanks to Quill and Crow Publishing House for making Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager available as an ARC on Netgalley.
In Eye of the Ouroboros, Theo has dedicated herself to searching for and rescuing those who have gone missing in the woods that claimed her sister as a child. While her life falls apart around her as she struggles with the strain of not being able to find her, she starts to experience increasingly strange things, both at work and at home. With the help of her best friend Quinn, her ex-girlfriend Delilah, a conspiracy theorist named Wesley and his informant, Roman, Theo will find that the world is a much bigger and scarier place than she could have realised; and the woods aren't the only thing watching her from the shadows.
To start with the positives: Megan Bontrager is a great writer. Not only was her prose rich and compelling, but she did a really great job of defining most of her characters in no time at all. The core group in particular are not only outlined as individuals, but their inter-group dynamics are well-established as well.
The world that these characters inhabit is also fleshed out really well, and there are some genuinely spooky moments when things start to take a turn.
There is, however, a weird tonal shift from about the 54% to 70% mark, where we go from a paranormal story to what's essentially a heist story. This didn't completely lose me, but it definitely didn't keep me as engaged as what came before and after. I'd also argue that the 70% mark is the emotional peak of the book, with what comes after not having the same impact despite being narratively appropriate.
I also found the Big Bad to be a bit hollow when compared to the other characters, which was a bit disappointing. Not because what we get is bad, but because it doesn't live up to the standard set by the rest of the writing.
All that said and done, I'm glad I read this; and if there were to be a sequel, I'd definitely pick it up. I'd like more time in this world.
Rating: 4/5
Eye of the Ouroboros will be available from the 15th of April, 2024.
In Eye of the Ouroboros, Theo has dedicated herself to searching for and rescuing those who have gone missing in the woods that claimed her sister as a child. While her life falls apart around her as she struggles with the strain of not being able to find her, she starts to experience increasingly strange things, both at work and at home. With the help of her best friend Quinn, her ex-girlfriend Delilah, a conspiracy theorist named Wesley and his informant, Roman, Theo will find that the world is a much bigger and scarier place than she could have realised; and the woods aren't the only thing watching her from the shadows.
To start with the positives: Megan Bontrager is a great writer. Not only was her prose rich and compelling, but she did a really great job of defining most of her characters in no time at all. The core group in particular are not only outlined as individuals, but their inter-group dynamics are well-established as well.
The world that these characters inhabit is also fleshed out really well, and there are some genuinely spooky moments when things start to take a turn.
There is, however, a weird tonal shift from about the 54% to 70% mark, where we go from a paranormal story to what's essentially a heist story. This didn't completely lose me, but it definitely didn't keep me as engaged as what came before and after. I'd also argue that the 70% mark is the emotional peak of the book, with what comes after not having the same impact despite being narratively appropriate.
I also found the Big Bad to be a bit hollow when compared to the other characters, which was a bit disappointing. Not because what we get is bad, but because it doesn't live up to the standard set by the rest of the writing.
All that said and done, I'm glad I read this; and if there were to be a sequel, I'd definitely pick it up. I'd like more time in this world.
Rating: 4/5
Eye of the Ouroboros will be available from the 15th of April, 2024.