Book Review: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
Posted on September 1, 2023 13 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Nightfire (August 8, 2023)
Length: 342 pages
Author Information: Twitter
What begins as a seemingly innocent coming-of-age story about an isolated teenager finding friendship quickly morphs into a tense murder mystery where reality blurs with fiction in Looking Glass Sound, an unsettling horror novel by Catriona Ward.
It is 1989 and sixteen-year-old Wilder Harlow has come to the little seaside town of Castine, Maine with his family to spend the summer. Readers learn all these details through Wilder’s unpublished memoir, describing how his parents had just inherited the cottage of his late Uncle Vernon and are possibly looking to sell the property. Left to his own devices to explore the town, Wilder befriends Nat, the son of a local fisherman, as well as Harper, a British girl on vacation with her parents.
The three of them become inseparable, bonding over smuggled booze and stories about the Dagger Man, Castine’s own serial killer who has been known to leave behind creepy polaroids of sleeping children as his calling card. Then on one fateful day, a chance discovery leads to the shattering of that friendship. Left adrift and alone once more, Wilder returns home and enrolls in college, still traumatized by what he and his former friends experienced that summer, an event which has made headlines across the country. Suffering from hallucinations and anxiety attacks, Wilder only makes it through his studies thanks to his friend and roommate Sky who offers him emotional support.
An aspiring writer, Sky appeared well-intentioned at first, genuinely seeming to care about Wilder. However, that friendship ultimately implodes as well when Sky ends up making off with Wilder’s work-in-progress memoir to create his own bestselling thriller based on the story of the Dagger Man.
Now you might be thinking, wait, didn’t this book start off being his memoir? The plot thickens as it starts to get metafictional and a bit confusing. For readers who have thus far enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of the novel’s first half, it might even feel a bit like a bait-and-switch. But if you’re at all familiar with the author’s work, you’ll know that surprises are par for the course when it comes to her books. Looking Glass Sound is no exception, replete with a multitude of narrative layers that play with time jumps and POV switching.
Personally, I was much more invested in the story in the beginning when the focus was on Wilder and his two new friends. It’s the 80’s, the dog days of summer, and three teens are coming of age in a New England town—there’s just something so nostalgic, almost Stephen Kingesque about this whole setup. But when we get to Wilder in college, I was admittedly less enamored of the meta narrative. It was here that I felt Ward losing control of the plot, especially when we started branching into other character POVs. Still, she managed to pull it together in the end for a satisfying conclusion.
Speaking of which, be prepared for the ending of Looking Glass Sound to make you question everything you’ve read. At first, not all of it will make sense, but the answers will eventually fall into place. You might even be driven to reread the book just to see the clues you’ve missed. Yes, it’s definitely that kind of book. Granted, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but then, that level of complexity and artistry is also something to be admired.
And let’s face it, for better or worse, one of the perks of picking up a Cat Ward book is that you never know what you’ll get. The only thing certain is that it’ll be extraordinary.
Thriller Thursday: A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
Posted on August 31, 2023 9 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (July 18, 2023)
Length: 10 hrs
Author Information: Website
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
As a fan of Samantha Downing, I have read every novel by her since her brilliant debut My Lovely Wife but have to say that A Twisted Love Story is simply not her best. For an author who has made a name for herself with domestic suspense thrillers packed with unexpected twists, the fact that this one was disappointingly lacking in any is an irony that certainly did not escape me.
Our story revolves around Wes and Ivy, a toxic couple who have been dating each other on-again off-again for many years, ever since the two of them met in college. It never fails; no matter how many times the relationship inevitably blows up as a result of their own self-destructive behaviors, they always seem to find their way back to each other like nothing ever happened. Even their friends have given up on talking them out of it every time the break-up/make up cycle repeats itself.
But this time, things may have gone just a bit too far. One year after their last split, Ivy is back in town and is once more hoping to let Wes know that she’s interested in getting back together—by calling the cops on him. At his office one day, Wes is visited by Karen, a detective from the Sex Crimes Unit. Someone has filed a complaint accusing him of being a stalker. Even without knowing all the details, Wes immediately recognizes Ivy’s handiwork, and though he is peeved at her latest stunt, that doesn’t stop him from running straight back into her arms.
Still, the damage from the police report has been done, and Karen isn’t someone who appreciates being jerked around. Her instincts tell her something about Wes and Ivy feels off, leading her to dig deeper into the couple’s past, threatening to expose a terrible secret the two of them have gone to great lengths to keep hidden.
Compared to Downing’s previous books, A Twisted Love Story fell flat for me, one reason being there was hardly a story to speak of. Here you have two immature, half-witted, emotionally stunted characters who enjoy manipulating and being manipulated by each other, but hey, to each their own. Clearly, Wes and Ivy deserve each other, and there is love between them in their own strange and messed up way. Still, given that a good chunk of the book is dedicated to their petty shenanigans, I was expecting more flavorful drama. Instead, readers are subjected to watching the two of them pull the same silly stunts over and over, which often involve taking advantage of each other’s insecurities. Not only did it get repetitive, but it was also more pathetic than entertaining.
In addition, there was barely any tension to speak of, no flair of mystery. Wes and Ivy’s secret is revealed or can be guessed at quite early on, thanks to the meddling point-of-view of Bianca, an administrative assistant at Wes’ firm who enjoys snooping into her coworker’s lives by breaking into their offices and computers after everyone leaves work. Not to mention it’s right there in the book’s damn description! We’re meant to root for Wes and Ivy against their common enemy, Karen, whose investigation into their past gets her closer to exposing the truth by the day. And yet, I just couldn’t bring myself to be on the side of such unlikeable characters. It’d be one thing if Wes and Ivy were just vile, awful people, but they had to be idiots as well, and I just can’t abide that type of stupidity.
All in all, it’s safe to say A Twisted Love Story fell way short of my expectations. In comparison to Samantha Downing’s other books, this novel did not live up to the standards I’ve come to expect from her writing, especially in the areas of character development and storytelling. Hopefully this blip is just that, and the author’s next project will return to the same level and consistency that made her previous work so outstanding. One point of positivity, however, is the narration of the audiobook edition. Karissa Vacker is a fantastic narrator, and as always, her performance was on point.
Waiting on Wednesday 08/30/23
Posted on August 30, 2023 8 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (November 28, 2023 by Ballantine Books)
“When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to a fastidious maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty—in a standalone novel featuring Molly Gray, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead— very dead —on the hotel’s tea room floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there’s one thing Molly knows for sure, it’s that dirty secrets don’t stay buried forever…”
Book Review: The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan
Posted on August 29, 2023 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press (August 8, 2023)
Length: 304 pages
Author Information: Nick Cutter | Andrew F. Sullivan
If there’s one thing I learned from reading Nick Cutter/Craig Davidson is that he is not at all subtle, and with the lack of nuance being especially true with The Handyman Method, co-written with Andrew F. Sullivan, I imagine that has something to do with why I struggled. The story relies too much on the shock factor when delivering its horror, going about it by trying too hard to make you angry or gross you out. More and more, I just think I’m becoming inured to this routine.
The story opens with a family moving into their dream home, which should have been pristine given that it is a new construction. But right away, husband and father Trent Saban finds a large crack in a wall of the master bedroom closet. A former lawyer by trade with no DIY experience, he nonetheless decides to take care of the problem himself, turning to the YouTube channel of someone he found called Handyman Hank for advice. Before you know it, Trent finds himself down the rabbit hole of home improvement, becoming eerily fixated with Hank and his “Handyman Method.”
Meanwhile, Trent’s disaffected wife Rita becomes increasingly aloof in the face of their big move and this subsequent flurry of activity, but does her distancing have anything to do with her husband’s new obsession or is it something more sinister? What’s clear is that neither of them are paying much attention to their son Milo, who begins having many of his own disturbing encounters. Unbeknownst to his parents, the young boy’s attention has been captured recently by a YouTube channel he himself has been frequenting, one owned by a seemingly innocuous kid-friendly influencer called Little Boy Blue.
Credit where credit’s due, The Handyman Method turned out to be a very different kind of “haunted” house story than what I was expecting. The concept was definitely interesting, taking and melding elements from such classic horror as It or The Shining, making something unique out of its results. That said, this isn’t quite Stephen King. In fact, it’s hard to pin down what exactly this is. At times, it reads like a satirical take on lives consumed by social media, or a scathing jab at toxic masculinity. Whatever it is though, by the second half, the book transforms into something else entirely, changing the overall tone of the plot. It does make me wonder if it has something to do with this being a collab.
Then there was the lack of subtlety I mentioned. Trent was so unlikeable to the extreme, he was practically a caricature checking off every item on the “Build-A-Character You Hate” kit. It’s one thing to make me dislike a protagonist, it’s another to make me not take him seriously at all. Then there was the gore factor and one particularly gruesome scene involving an animal death (I have a pet turtle that was a rescue, so the unpleasantness of that scene hit me especially hard). There’s a time and a place for this type of over-the-top and in-your-face horror, and I know an audience for it exists, but personally I think I am over it.
The ending was also a bit confusing, like somewhere along the chain a link went missing because I had a hard time connecting all the plot’s many scattered dots. Again it occurs to me that multiple authors might have played a role in this, but I don’t know. Just like I don’t know what to make of the ultimate revelation of the house and the special connection it had with the family. I think the book could have gone in a very good direction, but somehow things didn’t come together as well as they should have.
All in all, I would consider The Handyman Method to be a middle-of-the-road horror. I wanted a bit more, but it’s a good read if you enjoy a good bloody gorefest.
Book Review: Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi
Posted on August 28, 2023 7 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Nightfire (July 11, 2023)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website
Boys in the Valley is an exceptional historical horror novel that takes place in turn of the century Pennsylvania at the St. Vincent Orphanage for Boys. Taking full advantage of the claustrophobic confines of this setting, author Philip Fracassi delivers a gripping and atmospheric supernatural chiller that weaves together the elements of suspense, mystery, and terror.
Following the murder-suicide of his parents, our protagonist Peter first came to St. Vincent’s as a little boy. Now sixteen years old and one of the orphanage’s older wards, he has taken on the role of big brother for many of the younger children. Recognizing Peter’s leadership skills and compassion, his mentor Father Andrew has even started preparing him to become a priest one day. Yet deep in his heart, Peter isn’t so sure it’s what he wants. Over the past seven years, on the frequent trips with Father Andrew to run errands at the nearby Hill Farm, Peter has befriended the farmer’s daughter Grace. As his feelings for her have deepened over time, Peter now wonders if Grace might be his future instead of priesthood.
Then one night, the local sheriff shows up at the door of the orphanage with a group of his men and a wounded captive in tow. The injured prisoner, ranting and raving in a frenzied and unnatural way, was said to have been shot and captured during a satanic ritual. Upon removing his clothes to view his injuries, strange symbols are also revealed to be carved into his skin. Despite the priests’ attempts to treat the prisoner and exorcise his madness, the man dies, unleashing an evil upon the orphanage that seeps into the boys of St. Vincent like a poison.
Reading Boys in the Valley, I felt like the plot was divided into three phases. In phase one, Fracassi sets the stage and prepares readers for everything that follows, beginning by introducing Peter and those around him. There are many residents at the orphanage, but among them are several who stand out and play major roles in the story: David, who, like Peter, is one of the older boys but is much more misanthropic; Brother Johnson, a bad man with a criminal past who works at St. Vincent; Bartholomew, one of the orphans who…well, actually, let’s leave him as a surprise for readers going into the book! As well, this part of the story also paints a picture of the grim life at the orphanage. The head priest is a controlling and rigid disciplinarian whose word is law, and any boy who goes against it is thrown into “the hole”, a deep pit dug into the cold grounds of the property to serve as a prison cell.
The arrival and death of the injured prisoner kicks off the next phase, in which Peter beings to notice disturbing changes come over his fellow orphans. But even with a gruesome killing in this section that ratchets up the heart-pounding tension, I have to say this was my least favorite part of the book. First, I felt the plot dragged on for longer than was necessary while the boys started to divide and conquer and take sides in Lord of the Flies fashion. Second, here we also lose some of that delicious and eerie atmosphere as the narrative leans slightly more heavily on graphic violence and gore to get its kicks.
The third phase though, was by far the best. I have seen the Boys in the Valley compared to the Midnight Mass, and if you are familiar with that show and its final episodes, then you too might be able to understand the comparisons and why they feel so fitting. Peter and his boys’ final fight for survival was just insane, and all the pressure that has been building up now has nowhere else to go but to explode in a spectacular way. While I am neither Catholic nor religious, I also felt deeply moved by the ending, the path which Peter ultimately chose to pursue as well as the meaning in the aftermath of that choice.
In fact, I would love to see this book be made into a movie. Philip Fracassi’s prose was both descriptive and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the eerie orphanage and the terrors unleashed within. As a horror novel, it was certainly effective, but the story also shone as an exploration of friendship and courage, of salvation and sacrifice. Whether you are a fan of horror or historical fiction, or are simply hankering for a captivating story, Boys in the Valley will thrill and haunt you.
Bookshelf Roundup 08/27/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on August 27, 2023 30 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
I’m back! Actually, we got back earlier in the week but there was a mountain of things I had to take care of before hitting the books, though henceforth things should be getting back to a regular schedule. There will be a ton of reviews incoming, because who’da thunk it, I managed to get a lot of reading done onboard what turned out to be a very relaxing Alaskan cruise. We had an amazing time. Days were spent on excursions at port (Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan) or on the balcony while at sea, enjoying the picturesque sights. I even got to cross off one biggie on my US National Park bucket list: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
Hope you enjoy the pics! From left to right, top to bottom: A stand of Sitka spruce in Tongass National Forest; the sunrise that greeted me outside my window when I woke up on the first morning of the cruise; Nugget Falls in Juneau by the Mendenhall Glacier; the early mists rising off the water in Skagway; a fiery sunset after a day of rain captured off the coast of Ketchikan; and a shot of the blue sky and ocean off the port side of our ship.
The weather was extremely random and changeable while we were there, sometimes it felt as though we experienced all four seasons in one day. But as you can see, Alaska is beautiful, and I fell completely in love with the land and am already dreaming of the day I can go back.
Received for Review
With thanks to Titan Books for:
- Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson, a dark gothic horror about an obsessive romance that sparks between two women who chance to meet at a farmer’s market.
- The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey, a horror noir about two detectives—one dead, one living—who are hired to banish a demon from a haunted mansion.
With thanks to Tordotcom for:
- The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang, a finished copy of which I found waiting for me upon my return. While on my trip, I didn’t get a chance to fit in this historical fantasy inspired by the Chinese classic Outlaws of the Marsh, but will hopefully be dipping into it real soon.
With thanks to Berkley for:
- The September House by Carissa Orlando, following a couple who move into a large Victorian mansion they purchased at a shockingly reasoning only to find it—surprise, surpise—haunted. We’re being overrun with haunted house horror novels this season, and I’m loving it.
With thanks to Tor Books for:
- Devil’s Gun by Cat Rambo, the second book in the Disco Space Opera series following the crew of the You Sexy Thing on another adventure as they attempt to set up a pop-up restaurant business while running from a vengeful space pirate-king. I enjoyed the first book and I hope this sequel is as bonkers as it sounds.
With thanks to Del Rey for:
- The Art of Destiny by Wesley Chu, the follow-up to The Art of Prophecy and a continuation of The War Arts Saga, an epic fantasy inspired by the martial-chivalric traditions of the Wuxia genre. Strangely, the series has not been getting the attention it deserves but hopefully the release of this sequel will bring more to it.
With thanks to Subterranean Press for:
- Winter’s Gifts by Ben Aaronovitch, which I just about screamed when I received. Sure, it’s not a new novel in the Rivers of London series, but it’s the next best thing: a novella set in the same world, following up with Special FBI Agent Kimberly Reynolds on a new paranormal case that takes her to snowbound town in northern Wisconsin.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for:
- Holly by Stephen King, a new novel marking the return of Holly Gibney, beloved by fans for her roles in Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and finally in The Outsider where she shone as a private detective. I haven’t been this excited for a King book in a long time.
With thanks to Hachette Audio for:
- A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand. What was I saying about the abundance of haunted house books? Here comes the ultimate haunted house book this October, the first-ever authorized novel to return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
With thanks to Listening Library for:
- Midnight at the Houdini by Delilah S. Dawson, who has been quite busy apparently. This YA fantasy follows a girl who discovers a surreal hotel where no one ever leaves, and she’ll be stuck there forever too unless she breaks free of the magic before the clock strikes midnight.
Reviews
Highlighting a couple reviews from the beginning of the month:
- 3.5 of 5 stars to The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
- 3 of 5 stars to Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Recent Reads
Whoo-wee, that’s a lot of books I finished, but then again, it’s been three weeks. I’ll be working on catching up with reviews for the next little while.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
On Vacay…
Posted on August 11, 2023 14 Comments
Every summer, my family takes one last big vacay before the start of school for the kiddos, so for the next week and a half I will be away on the road and on the seas! For this reason, I imagine my access to reliable internet will be limited and my presence online will also be pretty sparse as I take this opportunity to unplug. As such, while I’m away there will be no posts, and I also want to apologize in advance for not being able to visit or comment on your blogs during this time, though I promise to catch up with everything once I get back! Have a fun rest of the summer, and see you all again real soon!
Waiting on Wednesday 08/09/23
Posted on August 9, 2023 7 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen (February 27, 2024 by Del Rey)
“A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.“
Book Review: Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Posted on August 8, 2023 10 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Flesh and False Gods
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press (July 18, 2023)
Length: 372 pages
Author Information: Website
I’m always fascinated with authors who migrate from genre to genre or, in Chloe Gong’s case, jump from writing YA to adult fiction. When I heard that she would be releasing her adult fantasy debut, and that it would be inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, I was immediately intrigued.
Note that “inspired” is the operative word here. In truth this is in no way a retelling, even a loose one, but what it does is explore the classic play’s theme of enduring obsessive love in a very unique way. After all, I suppose anything would be “enduring” if your characters were immortal, or effectively so. In a world where some individuals can jump bodies at will, transferring their qi from one vessel to another, the best jumpers who are also good at preserving their life force can theoretically live forever. But life is also miserable in the kingdom of Talin, where this story takes place. In the capital twin-cities of San-Er, poverty is widespread amongst the general populace while the members of the monarchy live lavish, decadent lives. People are so poor and their morale so low, the only thing they have to look forward to every year are the gladiatorial-style games where competitors with the ability to jump bodies fight each other to the death. The winner would be awarded riches beyond their wildest dreams and be invited to join the upper echelons of society.
When you have nothing to lose, the games are worth the risk. For Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat who has already lost almost everything, the prize money would be enough to save the only thing left he has to live for—his comatose lover who needs expensive medical care to survive. He’s also confident that he’s the best of the 88 contestants in this year’s games, having honed himself into a deadly weapon with years of body jumping experience. However, what he didn’t count on was Calla Tuoleimi, herself a princess in hiding. Years ago, she killed her own parents in a bloody massacre and has been planning on ending the oppressive monarchy ever since. To do that though, she would have to assassinate the king, and the only way to get close to him would be to win the games. With the help of Prince August, who wants to overthrow his father, Calla enters the fray under a disguise. Eventually, she faces off with Anton and recognizes in him a worthy ally. However, only one can win the games, and in spite of herself, Calla finds herself falling for Anton, making her mission to be the final victor much more difficult.
Let me just start by saying Immortal Longings wasn’t a bad book, in that I found it entertaining enough, and that I can honestly say I was never bored. That said, it had a lot of issues, starting with the fact that, violence and graphic sex scenes aside, this didn’t feel much like an adult novel. Everything from the writing style to the level of depth in the plot and characters suggest a work of YA with just older protagonists. There’s simply too much that doesn’t hold up to even the lightest scrutiny, and as I’m reviewing this as a piece of adult fiction, I’m going to be a lot less forgiving.
First of all, while I am definitely one to appreciate complexity in magic systems and world-building, I’m just not completely sold on either the concept of body jumping or the book’s setting which is supposedly inspired by the historical area of Hong Kong known as the Kowloon Walled City. To the author’s credit, her descriptions of the surroundings are quite ample to the point of effusive, and yet I was still never able to picture the world of Talin clearly in my mind. On the socioeconomical and political levels, details were also painted with a broad brush and very sparse, and the time period was likewise confusing.
Then we have the characters. In a nutshell, they read like stereotypical YA archetypes, and when you add in the Hunger Games-esque premise, that feeling is even more pronounced. Each of them can be summed up in a couple sentences, their motivations shallow and predictable. Again, this might be par for the course when it comes to YA, but in this instance I wanted more. Frankly, it’s also bewildering why Gong based her characters on Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian/Augustus in the first place. All this does is place unrealistic expectations on our protagonists, frustrating readers when they fail to meet them, and Anton, Calla, and August certainly fell short on the mark in my eyes. It feels as though Gong only managed to scratch the surface when it comes to their character development, prioritizing the throwaway thrills of action sequences over meaningful depth.
In sum, Immortal Longings started off as a promising adult debut from Chloe Gong, but perhaps it might have been too ambitious. While it had its share of interesting ideas and some genuine highs, on the whole its story, character, and world-building elements feel too superficial and undeveloped for the novel to earn more than a middling rating.
Book Review: The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
Posted on August 7, 2023 7 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Ace Books (July 25, 2023)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website
A Viking tale of a different sort, The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec is a lovely, lyrical adventure about the bonds of sisterhood and female friendships. Last year, I had the chance to read the author’s debut, The Witch’s Heart, in which she reimagined the story of the jötunn Angrboda by giving readers a personal, intimate look at the life of the mythological giantess who was also a driven woman and a fiercely protective mother. True to form, this time Gornichec has written a magical take on another Old Norse figure, the quasi-historical character known from the Icelandic Sagas as Gunnhildr Gormsdóttir, Mother of Kings.
The story takes what little is known about Gunnhild, as she is called here, painting a picture of her childhood and eventual rise to become a witch and the wife to Prince Eirik, future ruler of Norway. As a young girl, she had two very close friends, sisters Oddny and Signy. Although their family was far less wealthy than her noble one, Gunnhild had always envied the siblings. Their farming life may be a hard one, but the girls were loved by their parents and vice versa. Gunnhild, on the other hand, despised her cold-hearted mother and her father was never around. Spending time with Oddny and Signy was the only joy she had to look forward to, and the three girls ultimately made a blood pact to always be there for one another, no matter what.
Later, finally at her wits’ end with her mother’s cruelty, Gunnhild ends up running away to forge her own destiny and to learn the ways of witchcraft. But then, the unthinkable happens. Back at home on their farm, a Viking raid separates Oddny from Signy, who ends up being kidnapped by their attackers. Devastated by the loss of her family and determined to save her sister, Oddny seeks help from Gunnhild, who has become a talented witch in her own right. Together, the two women are reunited to do everything in their power to bring back the missing member of their blood-sworn trio.
Given the minimal information available about the real Gunnhild, The Weaver and the Witch Queen was an impressive work of historical fantasy in which Gornichec takes limited recorded details and weaves them into a narrative of her own creation. A full-bodied novel which features well-developed characters and a vibrant historical setting, the story explores themes of retribution and sacrifice as well as love and betrayal. While it certainly contains some darker elements, like the brutality of raids or the constant threat of death by violence, on the whole this is very different book from your average Viking tale, dealing more with personal journeys of growth, self-discovery, and connection to others.
Hence, like most works of this kind, the plot is never as simple as it seems. As our characters pursue their quest, they run into Eirik and his traveling party, and readers aware of the significance of their meeting know how in this moment Gunnhild and the future king’s fates will be forever entwined. While the women may be the focus of this novel, the men in their lives play an important role too. The Weaver and the Witch King features romance and plenty of political intrigue, a lot of manipulations and powerplays set in motion while emotions flow deeply and all over the place.
My only criticism would have to be the pacing, which is slow to start but also uneven in places. As a result, I had a hard time getting into the story initially because the intro ran long and the setup was a bit dry. However, as more developments unfolded and the character relationships fell into place, I began to enjoy myself a lot more watching their interpersonal dynamics take center stage. Gunnhild and Eirik’s paring made for some entertaining interactions, sparks of passion and of fury flying as these two strong personalities clashed. But while Oddny’s journey was somewhat less tumultuous, it was also quite fascinating as she finds herself drawn to someone whom she has every reason to hate.
If you enjoy historical fantasy featuring compelling storylines and empowered women, The Weaver and the Witch Queen is definitely one to watch. Fans of Norse mythology and magic will especially be enthralled, and I will be keeping an eye our for Genevieve Gornichec’s future projects.
The BiblioSanctum