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A review by rose3240
A Ballad of Phantoms and Hope by K.M. Moronova
3.5
This book was both bittersweet and beautifully written, showcasing Moronova’s ability to portray mental illness and internal struggles. It’s a bit of a redemption and second-chance story that I think many of us wanted for Lanston after reading The Fabric of Our Souls.
Ophelia’s belief that she was inherently flawed due to her mental illness was truly heartbreaking. I felt the darkness that constantly followed her served as a powerful metaphor for the persistent weight of internal battles, creatively capturing the experience of living with those struggles and bringing that weight to life. Moronova conveyed the idea that, even when happiness is found, those inner demons can reemerge unexpectedly. Personally, I found her depiction of this to be a strong reflection of how negativity can linger, always hovering in the background.
Then there’s Lanston. He’s the kind of character you just want to pull from the pages and hug. His journey was marked by pain and a yearning for something better, which he briefly found with Liam and Wynn—only to have it cruelly taken from him. But his second chance with Ophelia felt so earned. Their story was both tender and heart-wrenching, filled with shared pain but also healing. Together, they managed to overcome their demons and find peace. I thought this central theme of the book was handled with care and real feeling, and it kept me emotionally invested until the very last page.
That said, I couldn’t help but feel that the plot was lacking compared to The Fabric of Our Souls. While I was deeply connected to the characters, the overall story felt slow and anticlimactic at times. I found myself craving a more gripping plot to complement the emotional depth of the romance. Despite that issue, the strong writing and heartfelt character arcs kept me engaged, and I still ended up loving the book—flaws and all. I would definitely recommend this if you have already read The Fabric of Our Souls.
Ophelia’s belief that she was inherently flawed due to her mental illness was truly heartbreaking. I felt the darkness that constantly followed her served as a powerful metaphor for the persistent weight of internal battles, creatively capturing the experience of living with those struggles and bringing that weight to life. Moronova conveyed the idea that, even when happiness is found, those inner demons can reemerge unexpectedly. Personally, I found her depiction of this to be a strong reflection of how negativity can linger, always hovering in the background.
Then there’s Lanston. He’s the kind of character you just want to pull from the pages and hug. His journey was marked by pain and a yearning for something better, which he briefly found with Liam and Wynn—only to have it cruelly taken from him. But his second chance with Ophelia felt so earned. Their story was both tender and heart-wrenching, filled with shared pain but also healing. Together, they managed to overcome their demons and find peace. I thought this central theme of the book was handled with care and real feeling, and it kept me emotionally invested until the very last page.
That said, I couldn’t help but feel that the plot was lacking compared to The Fabric of Our Souls. While I was deeply connected to the characters, the overall story felt slow and anticlimactic at times. I found myself craving a more gripping plot to complement the emotional depth of the romance. Despite that issue, the strong writing and heartfelt character arcs kept me engaged, and I still ended up loving the book—flaws and all. I would definitely recommend this if you have already read The Fabric of Our Souls.