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A review by nataliestorozhenko
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
5.0
“There once was a girl,” he murmured, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King… and the monster they became.”
This is a perfect gothic romance fantasy book with a unique magic system, amazing characters, an interesting plot, and a perfect dark, mysterious, and enchanting vibe full of lush greenery, mist, and forest spirits. Although the book has its faults, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would give it a 5-star rating for the experience. One of the faults is that I caught on to all the implications much faster than the author gave me credit for. For instance, I knew who the Nightmare was from the very beginning, who was depicted on all the tapestries in the Castle Yew, and who the Yews' ancestors were. Despite this, it didn't really bother me as I had a great time reading the book.
It has been a while since I have come across a female protagonist that I truly liked. Elspeth, with the Nightmare in her head, was a fascinating and badass character. Her dynamic with the 500-year-old creature in her mind, which speaks to her in weird rhymes, was sometimes hilarious but absolutely captivating. The romance in this book sets a gold standard with the enemies-to-lovers trope. The love interest is perfect - dark-haired, tall, intimidating, and a little grumpy Ravyn. Not to mention the comparison to the birds that I love. This was exactly what I needed.
The plot of the story is very engaging as it involves a quest to collect certain magical items in order to obtain a cure for a young family member who is dying. The characters are deeply invested in achieving this goal, which makes the story all the more heart-wrenching. I particularly enjoyed the magic system behind the Providence cards, where magic is neither inherently good nor bad. Instead, it follows the principle of equivalent exchange, meaning that if you gain something, you have to pay a price. Each card's price is represented perfectly and has a deeper meaning that you can ponder on - for beauty, you get a cold heart, for strength, you become weaker, and for intruding in someone's mind, you get to hear your deepest fears.
“He came for the girl... And got the monster instead.”
I will continue to recommend this duology to everyone I know :)
This is a perfect gothic romance fantasy book with a unique magic system, amazing characters, an interesting plot, and a perfect dark, mysterious, and enchanting vibe full of lush greenery, mist, and forest spirits. Although the book has its faults, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would give it a 5-star rating for the experience. One of the faults is that I caught on to all the implications much faster than the author gave me credit for. For instance, I knew who the Nightmare was from the very beginning, who was depicted on all the tapestries in the Castle Yew, and who the Yews' ancestors were. Despite this, it didn't really bother me as I had a great time reading the book.
It has been a while since I have come across a female protagonist that I truly liked. Elspeth, with the Nightmare in her head, was a fascinating and badass character. Her dynamic with the 500-year-old creature in her mind, which speaks to her in weird rhymes, was sometimes hilarious but absolutely captivating. The romance in this book sets a gold standard with the enemies-to-lovers trope. The love interest is perfect - dark-haired, tall, intimidating, and a little grumpy Ravyn. Not to mention the comparison to the birds that I love. This was exactly what I needed.
The plot of the story is very engaging as it involves a quest to collect certain magical items in order to obtain a cure for a young family member who is dying. The characters are deeply invested in achieving this goal, which makes the story all the more heart-wrenching. I particularly enjoyed the magic system behind the Providence cards, where magic is neither inherently good nor bad. Instead, it follows the principle of equivalent exchange, meaning that if you gain something, you have to pay a price. Each card's price is represented perfectly and has a deeper meaning that you can ponder on - for beauty, you get a cold heart, for strength, you become weaker, and for intruding in someone's mind, you get to hear your deepest fears.
“He came for the girl... And got the monster instead.”
I will continue to recommend this duology to everyone I know :)