A review by ashction
Ruinsong by Julia Ember

4.0

I love a good Phantom retelling, and there was a lot here that worked! It was really fun seeing a female Phantom and a wlw take on the friends to lovers of Christine and Raoul. I did think Cadence was a bit weak, but I also think that she's very much like Christine in that sense so it works as a retelling. The magic system evolving from music was really clever, and I loved seeing the power dynamic between Elene and Cadence. However, I found the end to be a bit fast - the rebellion plot comes kind of out of nowhere, and I think the finale was less grand than I wanted. Also, for those looking for romance, it's definitely an afterthought - which isn't a bad thing, but should be known so you don't spend time seeking it! But, for a stand-alone, this overall was a good, quick read with a lot of clever work done to take a timeless tale and breathe fresh life into it.