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A review by breabooks
Beyond the Aching Door by Victoria Mier
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. If you want heart-wrenching pining, a Welsh- and Slavic-based story, complicated characters, and a quest that dives into ancient folkloric magic with beautiful prose then this book is for you. I loved it.
The book can be slow at times, but the pacing seems to match the idea of time brought up later in the book. It also seems to emphasize the literal heartache of the characters. The story itself is complicated and nuanced. Raegan is a reporter through and through. She’s always questioning, look for the details in everything. Her reporting on sudden drownings all over Philly (in puddles, mind you) plunges her into a quest with the Unseelie King to find her father. That is only the beginning! The urban fantasy world is built with beautiful imagery and fantastic magic. There are a few scenes around the unique magic that were so very different from what I’ve ever read before.
The love story is beautiful but painful. If the name of the book didn’t give it away, there’s a ton of heartache, so prepare yourself.
I am so excited to read the next book in the duology to see how this all pans out.
The book can be slow at times, but the pacing seems to match the idea of time brought up later in the book. It also seems to emphasize the literal heartache of the characters. The story itself is complicated and nuanced. Raegan is a reporter through and through. She’s always questioning, look for the details in everything. Her reporting on sudden drownings all over Philly (in puddles, mind you) plunges her into a quest with the Unseelie King to find her father. That is only the beginning! The urban fantasy world is built with beautiful imagery and fantastic magic. There are a few scenes around the unique magic that were so very different from what I’ve ever read before.
The love story is beautiful but painful. If the name of the book didn’t give it away, there’s a ton of heartache, so prepare yourself.
I am so excited to read the next book in the duology to see how this all pans out.