seethinglloron 's review for:

The Fervor by Alma Katsu

3.75

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is tough because in a vacuum, the plot beats, slow burn reveal of the mystery, character archetypes (in a political sense), and the supernatural elements are in a 4.25+ territory. Clever without going brazy, emotionally impactful, thorough in its exploration of the differing angles of the historical cruelty at play here. And at the same time, the execution flopped a little bit- when arcs started to converge in the final chapters I felt disconnected and losing the plot a bit, and it started to feel almost campy in the intensity of the conspiracy as it began to unravel. I'm not sure. It didn't quite all come together for me. But it was still enjoyable and informative, and the idea is good, and that's something.