A review by nickdablin
Mordew by Alex Pheby

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Great concept and world-building, but the story itself meanders slowly through a series of grim and miserable events without enough character depth to be especially interesting. It's oddly paced, with the first parts of the book feeling slow and unnecessary by the time the protagonist finally does something proactive nearly two thirds of the way in. It seems to be setting up a series but as a result, it doesn't really hold up on its own. I'd have been happier to tolerate these flaws if the book wasn't so relentlessly bleak and miserable. As it is, it's just not a particularly enjoyable read. 
However, the prose itself is decently written and readable, and as mentioned, the setting and world-building is top notch.