by Natalia Wawrzyńczak
Overall: Could this cover be any prettier? This fun YA fantasy is filled with every kind of creature from fairytales, folktales, and horror stories. Our reluctant heroine, Laura, accidentally falls into a magical realm while out for a job. Laura doesn’t believe in magic: following in the footsteps of her father, she believes in science. But when confronted with fairies, elves, dragons, vampires, and many other beings she thought didn’t exist, her whole worldview has to change overnight. Will Laura return to the human world? Why did she receive a mysterious ruby pendant, and a charge to keep it hidden?
Likes: The world-building has a lot of detail, and there is plenty to satisfy every kind of fantasy fan. Shout-outs to various mythological systems (Greek, Norse), legends (golems, genies), fairytales (fairies, elves, unicorns), and folktales (vampires, witches) abound. I had no idea what the Tabula Smaragdina was (yes, it’s a real thing), so I learned some things, which I always enjoy. If you like overstuffed fantasy worlds with a LOT going on (think ACOTAR, ASOFAI, LOTR), you should give this book a look. I liked the way the author presented a political conflict between three queens from multiple points of view and had Laura questioning everything and everyone. How are our opinions shaped by the information we receive, and the order in which we receive it? How does history inform the present? These are some of the big themes the book takes on. As a bonus, this is a free read for anyone who has Kindle Unlimited!
Dislikes: The first 40% of the book was a bit slow, as Laura tries to figure out where she and what is going on. The author translated her book herself into English, which is amazing (no way could I do this!), but at times this has resulted in stilted or awkward language. Most notably, “the” is often used where “a” or “his/her/their” would feel more natural, or vice versa.
FYI: violence, murder, betrayal.
Thank you to the author for my copy, which she provided in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Liz Helfrich 