This book is GOD TIER, I told you.
Easily the best book I’ve read in 2021, if not ever.
Why???
Because it gives you ever-y-thing that you want but wouldn’t find in a typical, formulaic fantasy story, to the point where I never knew a book like this would ever exist.

I had been waiting for it for a month till it finally arrived at my doorstep, and dropped everything on my TBR to read it. I had sworn so many times that because the author had raised my expectation so high I would give an honest, blatant and critical review.
And it turns out to be UNBELIEVABLE.

Even though the premise sounds like HP I promise you, it's ANYTHING BUT!! It’s everything that HP had never given you (and still won't!).

WILL KEMPEN, our main character is a total sweetheart, and I’d die for him. You'd die for him. But instead of a selfless, righteous flawless hero who willingly does what everyone bids him to, he acts on his own free will. He’s like a morally grey version of Peter Parker. He’s so intelligent, it surprised me at this point because most MCs are often dumb or dumbed down so that their love interests or other characters could have their shine. Will is anything but those; he has his own moral compass, he takes charge.

This brings us to the Side Characters.
Even though Will wasn’t being dumbed down, the other characters were just as interesting.
There isn’t a single boring character in this book, all of the side characters are fleshed out, and I must thank C. S. Pacat for bringing authentic diversity into this book.
While most diverse characters in a typical fantasy are either token or an afterthought, the diversity Dark Rise is genuine, it is rooted within the characters.
VIOLET: Though I was afraid she’d become the archetypal strong, disguised-as-a-man girl, I ended up liking her very much. I like how she turned out and her character growth. I’m glad that she made it in the end and looking forward to how she’d deal with her family.
JUSTICE: Justice… Our hardworking, righteous steward. I love him. As an Asian, I enjoyed the portrayal of his character, far from the harmful stereotypes. I wish I could see more of him, or learn about him in
CYPRIAN: He grabbed my interest as soon as he was introduced as a Mediterranean. There aren’t many characters with that background. With hair like that, I imagine he’d look like a Greek god.
KATHERINE: I know what you all are thinking. Yes, she came across as annoying at first, but I could see where she’s coming from. I like that she isn’t the innocent, blushing girl, that she had the nerve to actually flirt.

Another breath of fresh air is the portrayal of male/female platonic relationships. I hope that in the future, Will and Violet will stay friends. This book hasn’t shown them to be anything other than that, and I hope it stays so, as someone who also has a best friend of the opposite sex.

And last but not least, JAMES ST. CLAIR. James. James… I can’t talk more about him cause it’d be a spoiler, but. James, he’s just a baby. He’s so pure! Protect him!

Nobody tells you this, but this book is really a Slow-burn, ENEMIES TO LOVERS queer romance. It has all the feels, the tension, innuendos, and the banters are all silver-tongued.

I think the book is in the correct length, and there aren’t too slow-paced or filler chapters at all, everything was solid.

I couldn’t predict most of the story, but I did guess THE ONE big plot twist, and I was right. My god, that had to be the best foreseeable plot twists ever! It’s everything I’d ever wish for, and more.
If you know, you know ;)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
20 stars/5 stars,
Because I can