A review by onthesamepage
In The Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland

adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

"I don't know what I want. I'm not sure I want to save this kingdom if you're not in it."

What I liked
* Really diverse cast of characters. We've got a pansexual character, a lesbian character, an asexual nonbinary character, BIPOC characters, and a polyamorous relationship.
* The writing is really good, and doesn't get bogged down in overly descriptive prose or too much exposition.
* The first half of the story is interesting, especially when I was still figuring out the rules of the magic and the world. I enjoyed both of those elements.

What didn't work for me
* The romance is very insta-love, and I wish there had been more time within the story so the characters could get to know each other better.
* The large part of the plot hinges on people not remembering, and I never fully bought into that.
* Because the main character is a blood mage, I got a pretty good idea of what that entailed, but death magic isn't explored nearly as well, which feels like a shame.
* The ending is too neat for my personal tastes. 
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