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A review by liamliayaum
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
3.5
Content warnings: alcohol, assault, attempted murder, bullying, death, depression, fire, kidnapping
Note: My actual rating is 3.5 stars and I rounded down for GoodReads.
Spells for Forgetting is the tale of the town and its inhabitants on the island of Saoirse. Fourteen years ago, a fire ravaged through the heart of the island: its apple orchard. But another tragedy struck that night with the mysterious death of Lily Morgan. August Salt, heir to the Salt Orchard, was accused of murdering her. Soon, he and his mother fled the island, leaving behind Emery Blackwood, Lily's best friend and August's lover. Now, fourteen years later, August has returned to bury the ashes of his mother, Eloise Salt, per her last request. He is met with suspicion and distrust. Emery battles not to be broken again by him. But as August and Emery come together, it becomes clearer that not everything about that fateful night has been told. Will the truth come out or will more people be hurt in covering it up?
A perfectly enchanting story about the human tendency to keep secrets and look the other way set against an almost barely there backdrop of magic. Told through multiple viewpoints, the writing sometimes was clunky, as the narrators didn't have as distinct voices and it was easy to forget who was narrating. The most vivid character was Lily, who died fourteen years before this novel took place. The characters of the town she left behind all seemed dulled down by time and distance from the tragedy.
This is billed as fantasy but the magic was lackluster. It was constantly hinted at, that the island of Saoirse had its own "magic" but it was bare, muted, and lacking in color. I kept hoping that the fantastical elements would be more amped up as the book progressed but alas, they weren't by much. This novel seemed more of a commentary on how humans lie and the resulting consequences than on fantasy or a magical system.
Overall, this novel is a mixed bag. It's perfect for a fall read with its mostly cozy ambiance and low key magic but it lacked oomph and spark. I keep coming back to the word "muted" to describe this novel.
Note: My actual rating is 3.5 stars and I rounded down for GoodReads.
Spells for Forgetting is the tale of the town and its inhabitants on the island of Saoirse. Fourteen years ago, a fire ravaged through the heart of the island: its apple orchard. But another tragedy struck that night with the mysterious death of Lily Morgan. August Salt, heir to the Salt Orchard, was accused of murdering her. Soon, he and his mother fled the island, leaving behind Emery Blackwood, Lily's best friend and August's lover. Now, fourteen years later, August has returned to bury the ashes of his mother, Eloise Salt, per her last request. He is met with suspicion and distrust. Emery battles not to be broken again by him. But as August and Emery come together, it becomes clearer that not everything about that fateful night has been told. Will the truth come out or will more people be hurt in covering it up?
A perfectly enchanting story about the human tendency to keep secrets and look the other way set against an almost barely there backdrop of magic. Told through multiple viewpoints, the writing sometimes was clunky, as the narrators didn't have as distinct voices and it was easy to forget who was narrating. The most vivid character was Lily, who died fourteen years before this novel took place. The characters of the town she left behind all seemed dulled down by time and distance from the tragedy.
This is billed as fantasy but the magic was lackluster. It was constantly hinted at, that the island of Saoirse had its own "magic" but it was bare, muted, and lacking in color. I kept hoping that the fantastical elements would be more amped up as the book progressed but alas, they weren't by much. This novel seemed more of a commentary on how humans lie and the resulting consequences than on fantasy or a magical system.
Overall, this novel is a mixed bag. It's perfect for a fall read with its mostly cozy ambiance and low key magic but it lacked oomph and spark. I keep coming back to the word "muted" to describe this novel.