Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

To keep it simple, I liked a lot about this book. (Count how many times I say “I love” in this review haha). The author hits it out of the park with their illustrious descriptive voice and the whirlwind of drama, lust and betrayal that is at the heart of the plot is highly engaging.

The sex scenes are immaculately crafted. The way Darius surrenders to his desires? Super hot. Also, clear communication between intimate partners about boundaries and consent? Mega hot. Also, it is super affirming to see different sex acts other than penetration be represented as valid expressions of sexuality.

I love seeing sex positive representation, with Laila embodying her desires and embracing her sensuality. It’s also interesting as a worldbuilding tidbit, building on the cultural landscape of this fantasy land. The scene where Laila and Lyra are dancing together is another example of this and I love how it mirrors a later scene between the two.

Laila is absolutely my favourite character of the bunch, although Lyra is a formidable second place. She’s just so interesting as a gothic heroine because of the myriad of ways she conforms to and subverts gothic expectations. I particularly appreciate how we are shown that while Laila still has more to learn, she is no stranger to conflict. I love that she has powerful and dangerous magic she isn’t afraid to unleash on those who wish to harm her. But I also love how she expresses emotional vulnerability and has a softness about her that is super endearing. I also relate to her relationship with her mother, which is important because reading survivor stories is a part of my healing journey.

The lore is great. The worldbuilding is expansive, with fascinating fantastical creatures and complex social and cultural systems. The monstrous and supernatural depictions of the occassi and solarites are also A+, especially when combined with their animalistic (e.g. wolfish) features. Laila being the literal embodiment of a star plays out in really interesting ways (the bit about animals looking up at the sky was so cute) and the symbolism works well in contrast to Darius – specifically the light and dark imagery.

My only real issue is with pacing. I found the first 15% or so of the book the hardest to get through, with the rest honestly being a breeze. I thought the last few pages skipped past some potentially interesting interpersonal conflict with the ending feeling abrupt. Still, I’ll admit part of my struggle with the beginning of the book was because I am not an experienced high/hard fantasy reader and generally read books much shorter than this.

Overall a wonderful addition to the gothic fantasy canon