A review by laz_
Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore

3.0

Female magicians, a mysterious disappearance, complicated family dynamics, multifaceted and complex responses to grief and loss, chapters formatted and performed (the audiobook cast is really special) like a true crime podcast, and did I mention female magicians? There was so much going for this book. The audiobook really leaned well into the podcast sections and made it much more realistic. I think the best part of this book is the dynamic between the two sisters at the core of this book, and their very complicated relationship as one goes missing after years of contention between them. If you love stuff like that done well, I highly recommend this! I think it fell flat for me in the ending, as the sort of "magical realism" of the book was not really developed enough for me to enjoy it or get used to it within the overall story. Otherwise, this was really fun, full of magic, and I loved the mention of asexuality! And of course, at the end of it all, it simply being a story about family relationships.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. <3