A review by spellboundreader
A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“Girls like her don’t get to dream. Girls like her get to survive. Most days, that’s enough. Today, she doesn’t think it is.”
*
For fans of ‘The Scorpio Races’ and other cozy YA fantasies. 
*
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Every year a magical creature called the hala brings chaos and violence wherever it wanders. Every year there is a competition to capture and kill the beast. Only the wealthy enter the hunt. The wealthy and the desperate. 

A boy whose downtrodden family is in need of the prize money. A girl who needs the corpse of the ancient creature to salvage what is left of her family. What will come of them if they work together? If they fail, they lose more than the competition… but if they win, it could change everything. 
*
*
Wow. Let me start my saying that I adore these characters. Margaret and Wes’ growth throughout the story was amazing to watch. They are so flawed, yet complement each other so well. TBH they are probably one of the healthiest YA relationships I’ve read in ages. So many green flags!

The actual hunt itself takes up a small portion of the read. We spend most of the book prepping for the actual event. So lower your expectations when it comes to the competition aspect of the story. The few characters where the hunt actually takes place are action packed, but there is a lot of buildup before that point. 

The world building could have been a bit more fleshed out. I wouldn’t mind learning more about their folklore and religions. The world is so similar to ours in every way, except for the existence of alchemy and magical creatures. 

The ending of this book 🤌🏼 was perfection. Without spoiling anything, characters cutting toxic people out of their lives is a trope we need to use more often. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings