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A review by molly_blackburn
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
5.0
Buckle up, this is going to be a long one as I'm in full gush mode, it was just that good!
I adored this book - the vibes were immaculate, the pacing was fast, and the world and characters were excellent!
I'll start with the world and the vibes which I am absolutely feral for.
One Dark Window is set in the small town of Blunder which has been surrounded by a magical mist for hundreds of years which cuts it off from the outside world. It felt like it was set in 19th rural Britain from the level of technology, etiquette and fashion we see. We get superb small-town energy, with all of the families being complete gossips and also named after trees which seemed a little cringe at first (so YA!) but definitely grew on me.
I loved the history and the lore most of all, it added to the eeriness and disturbing feel of Blunder as with the folklore and tales which are passed on. The mist felt like a character in its own right. I'm not alaborating too much here as I want to keep this spoiler-free but some great Witch of the Woods themes.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the magic system. It was unique without being overly complex. I won't lie, the first few chapters were a lot, but around chapter four everything just clicked into place for me. The cards are so cool! I really liked that we got two different magics - the cards and the infected - and how they were different but also had crossover which worked well for the story and the plot.
We got some great tropes, found family being the one I enjoyed the most. Other tropes we got were one horse, fake courting/dating and forced proximity. I will add here that the romance is fairly insta-love, like not completely, but boy does he fall hard and fast. However, I am more than happy to let that slide as it also meant we got a fast-paced plot and the romance progressed nicely alongside it.
As for characters, I'm obsessed with Nightmare - he is a hoot. His sass, his wisdom, his slight delulu-ness, I loved it all!
Elspeth is a great FMC, she doesn't fall foul of being whiney like a lot of YA FMCs, she is strong and resilient but seeks friendships and is caring. It was a lovely balance and I enjoyed being in her head (LOL).
Ravyn, once you get over the name, is perfect. As in he has golden retriever energy but is tall, dark haired, handsome and mysterious. He made me swoon so hard!
I really liked Elm and Emory, both grew on me throughout the book while Jasypr was an instant adore.
I liked the complexity of the relationships Elspeth had with her dad. I loved her relationship with her aunt and also her navigating the changes with Ione.
Highly recommend this book for a dark night, autumn or winter read. Vibes will be completely on point!
I adored this book - the vibes were immaculate, the pacing was fast, and the world and characters were excellent!
I'll start with the world and the vibes which I am absolutely feral for.
One Dark Window is set in the small town of Blunder which has been surrounded by a magical mist for hundreds of years which cuts it off from the outside world. It felt like it was set in 19th rural Britain from the level of technology, etiquette and fashion we see. We get superb small-town energy, with all of the families being complete gossips and also named after trees which seemed a little cringe at first (so YA!) but definitely grew on me.
I loved the history and the lore most of all, it added to the eeriness and disturbing feel of Blunder as with the folklore and tales which are passed on. The mist felt like a character in its own right. I'm not alaborating too much here as I want to keep this spoiler-free but some great Witch of the Woods themes.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the magic system. It was unique without being overly complex. I won't lie, the first few chapters were a lot, but around chapter four everything just clicked into place for me. The cards are so cool! I really liked that we got two different magics - the cards and the infected - and how they were different but also had crossover which worked well for the story and the plot.
We got some great tropes, found family being the one I enjoyed the most. Other tropes we got were one horse, fake courting/dating and forced proximity. I will add here that the romance is fairly insta-love, like not completely, but boy does he fall hard and fast. However, I am more than happy to let that slide as it also meant we got a fast-paced plot and the romance progressed nicely alongside it.
As for characters, I'm obsessed with Nightmare - he is a hoot. His sass, his wisdom, his slight delulu-ness, I loved it all!
Elspeth is a great FMC, she doesn't fall foul of being whiney like a lot of YA FMCs, she is strong and resilient but seeks friendships and is caring. It was a lovely balance and I enjoyed being in her head (LOL).
Ravyn, once you get over the name, is perfect. As in he has golden retriever energy but is tall, dark haired, handsome and mysterious. He made me swoon so hard!
I really liked Elm and Emory, both grew on me throughout the book while Jasypr was an instant adore.
I liked the complexity of the relationships Elspeth had with her dad. I loved her relationship with her aunt and also her navigating the changes with Ione.
Highly recommend this book for a dark night, autumn or winter read. Vibes will be completely on point!