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A review by lous_clues
Book of Night by Holly Black
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
TLDR; More fast mystery than modern fantasy, but fun for a weekend read
If you're like me, and this is my review so let's say you are for the hell of it, you came to this book as a reader of The Cruel Prince series eager to discover Black's transition into the adult genre. Also, for context, I recently finished ACOTAR and was looking for something similar. The blurbs here promised a "modern dark fantasy", "scintillating prose", "a bit of kink", "hot sex, a breathless plot", and a "gripping ride." Color me intrigued. However, while I found this book incredibly fun, I think its packaging misled me on several fronts.
Let it be known Black takes on a hefty task throughout this novel--multiple POV's, multiple timelines, a complex magic system with its own lingo and history, and a heist meets who-dun-it mystery with its own cohort of characters, suspects, and red herrings. At a digestible 300-ish pages, that's quite a lot to accomplish. I found that the plot often pressed forward at the sacrifice of complex characters. A bit of backstory is given, sure, but most characters exist as their 1-2 loudest traits and not much more. Charlie is lovable and fun, but the catchphrases that describe her became more a crutch than a show of consistency.
As for the mystery, I imagine a great many might predict those final twists. This doesn't mean the journey is without satisfaction. There are so many details to track and with our girl Charlie often thinking through it herself as a quick-witted heroine, it takes on the communal feel of an escape room. Team building! I did become bogged down with the sheer number of names and side incidents, but perhaps the fast reading length with be a worthy trade for some readers.
"Modern" seems to point to frequent pop culture references that don't distract, but also don't add much. I found myself craving Black's flair for fantasy. The world-nearly-like-our-own seemed to restrict more than empower plot and some references were so niche, I wonder how the book will read in 5 years.
As for the "hot sex?" Maybe my copy was missing a chapter. If you're looking for something like Maas here, or even the slow burn romance in Black's own TCP, you will not find it here. In fact, the romance itself felt at most half-baked. You still have plenty of mystery and grit to sink your teeth into, but the only image that had my toes curling was the ever-present blood.
Adjust your expectations and dive in for a fun, albeit slightly forgettable read.
If you're like me, and this is my review so let's say you are for the hell of it, you came to this book as a reader of The Cruel Prince series eager to discover Black's transition into the adult genre. Also, for context, I recently finished ACOTAR and was looking for something similar. The blurbs here promised a "modern dark fantasy", "scintillating prose", "a bit of kink", "hot sex, a breathless plot", and a "gripping ride." Color me intrigued. However, while I found this book incredibly fun, I think its packaging misled me on several fronts.
Let it be known Black takes on a hefty task throughout this novel--multiple POV's, multiple timelines, a complex magic system with its own lingo and history, and a heist meets who-dun-it mystery with its own cohort of characters, suspects, and red herrings. At a digestible 300-ish pages, that's quite a lot to accomplish. I found that the plot often pressed forward at the sacrifice of complex characters. A bit of backstory is given, sure, but most characters exist as their 1-2 loudest traits and not much more. Charlie is lovable and fun, but the catchphrases that describe her became more a crutch than a show of consistency.
As for the mystery, I imagine a great many might predict those final twists. This doesn't mean the journey is without satisfaction. There are so many details to track and with our girl Charlie often thinking through it herself as a quick-witted heroine, it takes on the communal feel of an escape room. Team building! I did become bogged down with the sheer number of names and side incidents, but perhaps the fast reading length with be a worthy trade for some readers.
"Modern" seems to point to frequent pop culture references that don't distract, but also don't add much. I found myself craving Black's flair for fantasy. The world-nearly-like-our-own seemed to restrict more than empower plot and some references were so niche, I wonder how the book will read in 5 years.
As for the "hot sex?" Maybe my copy was missing a chapter. If you're looking for something like Maas here, or even the slow burn romance in Black's own TCP, you will not find it here. In fact, the romance itself felt at most half-baked. You still have plenty of mystery and grit to sink your teeth into, but the only image that had my toes curling was the ever-present blood.
Adjust your expectations and dive in for a fun, albeit slightly forgettable read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood