A review by praptireads
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

4.5

this book was genuinely such a delight to read! it’s been described as a cosy regency era howls moving castle-esque story and it should come as no surprise that anything described as having howls vibes is immediately added to my tbr. it follows the story of dora, a girl with the titular half a soul, as she initially journeys to remedy her condition (of possessing aforementioned half a soul) but in turn encounters characters and circumstances that ultimately show her that she needs no more than what she already has to be a whole person. my favourite part of the book was the ending, wherein dora’s soul is just the same as it was throughout the book but her perspective is entirely new and whole. the male love interest, lord sorcier, (aka our howl equivalent) has his own character arc thar is so fulfilling to read. all in all this was chock-full of beautiful writing, loveable yet flawed characters, commentary on class, and the human condition, all while remaining a cosy fantasy i will definitely be recommending in the future.