A review by aria_
Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There were many things I liked about Bloody Spade, and a few things I didn’t love as much, but most of all, while reading it I really loved how unique it is. Far too many fantasies follow the same pathway, becoming very much the same but Bloody Spade veers away from this in remarkable ways.

The story is told in a really interesting way, and is rich with many subplots that weave through and around the main narrative, making everything had an incredible amount of depth and meaning. This is all also supported by the complex magic system Willows has created, and I loved reading about the Empowered, and how they lived in the world of Bloody Spade.

Bloody Spade also has excellent diversity in main characters and side characters alike. The use of neopronouns in literature is unfortunately very rare to see, and in general it is sadly uncommon to read about LGBTQ+ characters in fantasy. This was not at all the case in Bloody Spade. I just really loved that aspect of the book.

The use of the third person omniscient narrator was done really, really well. Instead of being confined to one perspective, the reader was really immersed in the story and in the world by being able to see the many different things happening in the plot, and in all the subplots. I’ve found that I sometimes prefer omniscient narrators, or at least books with multiple narrators to a single, so getting to have more of the full story in Bloody Spade was really nice.

I did really enjoy reading about the characters, and I love how many there were who all got their own subplots and personalities and real character arcs. Alexander and Ellen Jane’s relationship was one of my favorites to read about. The two siblings are very much at the center of the plot throughout the book, and have had to go through a lot together. This ends up in a lot of stress on the both of them that creates tension, especially when a certain Keeper falls into their life.

Iori, the Keeper of the Spade, was a really tragic character to read about, and was definitely one of my favorites. The layers to his character arc and role in the story never ceased to amaze me, and I really enjoyed learning more and more about him as the book went on.

I also loved Kyani so much, and I thought that she had an incredible story. Through her perspective, I was able to grasp so much more of the world Willows created in the book, and reading about Kyani’s side of the story offered up a really unique perspective on all of the events of the plot.

There were so many other characters that I liked reading about, but those four were definitely my favorites. Together, they made the book all the more interesting to read, and were really the ones who compelled me to keep going through the book.

But, as much as I liked reading the book, not everything was as perfect. I think that my main issue with Bloody Spade was the pacing. I felt like at times dit ragged down some other parts of the book, and took away from my enjoyment of it. The book just felt really long in places, and I struggled to get through the second third of the book. The first part and the ending went really well, and I thought were written very nicely. It was really just that middle chunk that was a bit more difficult, and that I felt could have moved a bit more quickly. Other than that, I did adore reading Bloody Spade though.

Bloody Spade is a unique and entertaining fantasy novel, with an engaging plot and compelling characters. I really liked reading it, and if you like urban fantasy, slow burn romance, and are on the lookout for a book with excellent LGBTQ+ representation, you should definitely check it out!