A review by starrysteph
The Darkening by Sunya Mara

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

 The Darkening lives up to its captivating cover art. It’s got a great cast of characters, a clever magic system, and a uniquely terrifying layer of chaos within a living storm. 
 
Our story takes place in a world divided into rings, with the poorest on the outskirts. A living, magical Storm that curses any who touch it threatens the land and has overtaken several of the rings already. We follow teenage Vesper, the daughter of failed revolutionaries who has a strong spirit and desire to save her community. When her father is discovered + captured for his past crimes, Vesper embarks on a journey to infiltrate the royal ring and find a way to save her city. 
 
I found the prose very digestible - I would have absolutely devoured this as a young teenager. It’s simple enough for a young audience to understand, but still incredibly vivid. 
 
The magic of this world is comprised of written ikons; symbols that can be combined and embellished and created by those with a deep knowledge of their building blocks. The integration of magic into the world was so creative and playful; I loved discovering all the nifty ways ikons could be used, whether you’re desperately scratching a symbol into the dirt to save your life or using an incomplete ikon to hide a secret passage or adding a sense of wonder to pastries by using ikons to charm candied decorations to life. 
 
The living Storm was fascinating … a representation of pain and grief and fear, and what happens when you retract into yourself and let rage take over as protection. Everyone who touches or is touched by an element of the Storm is forever changed (cursed) in a way unique to their flaws or secrets. 
 
This is a world of gods, but the only god exacting his power via the current rulers is a dangerous representation of aggressive, toxic masculinity that leaves no room for adaptation. 
 
I found our main character Vesper very likable. She certainly has her flaws, and has a big coming-of-age arc, but she’s determined and witty and clever. I was rooting for her with all my heart & loved her journey of self-discovery and discovering her confidence and power. I also appreciated the complexity of the side characters; they were all so charming in their own ways. 
 
I also enjoyed the elements of political intrigue: what does it mean to be a good ruler (is there such a thing)? We’re witnessing two different perspectives here (Vesper, who lives on the outskirts of society, and the prince in line to become Regia) and they grapple to determine which approach will best serve the needs of their city. 
 
Finally, it’s tough to talk about this without giving too much away, but the backstory of the Storm was delightful. I’m truly looking forward to the sequel (and a bit nervous!). 
 
(And yeah yeah, there’s the start of an enemies to lovers arc if that tickles your fancy.) 

CW: death, child death, death of a parent, animal cruelty, classism, confinement, chronic illness, terminal illness, injury, possession, fire/death by fire, suicide, sexism, misogyny, grief
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