by Katelyn Uhrich

YA Fantasy, Independently Published in 2019, 285 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Attempts to give physical forms to some concepts, like spirits, don’t always work. Obviously, this is a tough task to undertake. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Because of this, parts of the story are almost confusing.
Unclear motivations. I wanted more drive behind some of the choices. I wanted to understand, at their roots, why some characters did things. No one is just inherently good or evil. There has to be bigger reasons for actions. I wanted them to be clearer.
This is an odd one, but there are a LOT of similar names. That’s the kind of thing that often distracts me, but many readers don’t even notice. I finally got Essie and Elle straight and then Elio became a bigger character and I had to slow down again. I’m aware it’s not a problem for everyone but it’s worth mentioning!

The entire world created here is fascinating. You’re getting an interesting, yet limited, view of this world because of the way the main character has been sheltered. It’s a fun way to learn about it.
Good ending. The book sort of ticked upward into something different, in a good way, for the second half. Then the ending answered some questions but left others open to be explored in sequels. That’s always fun!
Pirro is a solid antagonist. I like an antagonist who has clear motivations and feels realistic, this offers that.

Fans of YA fantasy who want to be dropped into another world. This one is fascinating and well written, plus it plays around with the idea of world creation!