This is a spoiler-free review!
I was ready to dive into a stand alone, when to my surprise, I saw that a sequel was in the works for this book. Riding off of the faerie world as I just finished The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black, this seemed like the perfect path to head down as I continue to make my way through my never-ending TBR pile and transition to fall with a little gothic fantasy.
The beginning of the book was a touch slow to start, mostly due to the fact that readers are becoming acclimated to the world, but there was something missing that I could not quite put my finger on. I felt as though the world-building could have been expanded upon before we were thrown into the plot, as there were points in the book where I felt disconnected from the story. The second half of the book definitely makes up on this front, and I found myself truly enthralled with everything that had finally built up over the first two hundred or so pages.
Effy and Preston... I could feel the tension just by his name being written in the Borrower list for every book Effy wanted to check out in the library. I loved the academic rivals to teaming up with one another dynamic, and while Effy and Preston are not quite academic rivals, Effy does want to be in the literature college, and Preston had no problem being admitted. The way they interact once they are basically forced to cohabitate has a sweet slow-burn to it, and I only wish we got to see Preston's perspective.
This was the perfect read to start transitioning into fall weather, and the author was able to encapsulate such an exact environment when setting the scene for this book. I loved the way the characters were influenced by the manor itself, almost as if the manor was a character itself. The backstory of the Myrddin's faults and the allure of the tales of the Fairy King cause Effy and Preston to join forces and find answers that may reveal harsh truths. I truly felt transported to the book's setting, which made the read all the more enjoyable.
There were equal parts magic and mortal to this story, and they were equally addressed through Effy's true belief of the Fairy King's existence and Preston's hunt for human faults. Nothing magical ever felt as if it was being forced onto the reader, but rather flowed naturally as the story progressed. I appreciated the way Myrddin's book was a work of art within this book, which created a more tangible mystery to the reader as we joined Effy and Preston on their search for hidden truths. Reid tackled issues that went beyond magic and mortal, and touched upon a number of important topics that elevated the story while not becoming repetitive.
For fans of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, readers will be taken on a journey of libraries, monsters, and just a hint of romance. The perfect gothic fantasy read, just in time for fall and cozy weather.
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