margaret 's review for:

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

4.5

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WHAT DID I JUST READ
4.5⭐️

“My mom once told me that being alone makes you feel weaker every day, even if you’re not. But it’s not as bad if you’re with other people who are alone, too.”

Childhood friends August and Jack have always looked out for each other, so when Jack starts having visions of a fantasy world no one else can see, August believes that the best way to help him is to go along with the quest that Jack feels he has to complete.

This book is so bananas that I don't even know where to begin reviewing it. Since I went in knowing almost nothing about it, and I think that was the best way to go, I don't really want to talk much about what happens in this book. The way it made me feel, though, was unlike any other reading experience I've had. While I was reading, I felt like I was being dragged along by the throat, because I never knew what to feel or how much was real or how to process what was happening. It felt overwhelming and surreal in the best possible way.

K. Ancrum's writing style takes some getting used to (I experienced this when I read The Weight of the Stars too), but I think it was incredibly effective for the story she was telling. Even though it sent me on a wild rollercoaster of emotions that, even now, I don't completely know what to think of, I'm going to be thinking about Jack and August and their strange, obsessive, complex relationship for a very long time. This is a book about despair and loyalty and neglect and responsibility, and it has no simple answers, and I loved it.

Also, it has one of the most stunning designs I've ever seen! If you get the chance, I recommend just flipping through the pages, which are covered in doodles, handwritten notes, and various mixed media. Such a cool reading experience!

Content warnings: mental illness, parental neglect, panic attacks, institutionalization