A review by parchmentdreams
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"You either trust the forest or you dont, Winnie."

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Teen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm going to preface this review with the fact that this is the first Susan Dennard book I've read, though the Witchlands series has been on my radar for a while now. I dove into The Luminaries not knowing what to expect, and came out of it NEEDING the sequel... it's terrible knowing I'll be waiting for quite a while, as The Luminaries doesn't release until November 8th!

The main character, Winnie, along with her mother and older brother, are outcasts from The Luminaries. We first meet Winnie as she is on corpse duty - a task given to the teenage members of the Luminary clans before they attempt the Hunter trials. The story is told through her eyes as she navigates being rejected by her extended family and friends, all because of her father's betrayal.

Winnie is a very lovable and relatable character, and I especially appreciate her anger towards the other clan members, and her reluctance to open herself to some of the girls who don't care that she is an outcast. I enjoyed seeing Winnie's character develop over the week or so that the novel covers, and I can't wait to see more of her interactions with Jay!

On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed The Luminaries! It had a bit of a slow start and I do have some questions about the world building, but I'm looking forward to the sequel and hopefully having some of my theories proven (or disproved!).

"Never surprise a nightmare..."
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