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A review by thebiglittlelibrary
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
4.0
4 ⭐️ An intriguing gothic fantasy romance
There once was a girl clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a king - a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same:
The girl, the King...and the monster they became.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya/new adult paranormal fantasy romance
✨ gothic medieval-esque world
✨ Elspeth is one of the 'infected' and shares her mind with the 'Nightmare'
✨ Ravyn is the captain of the king's army and hunts the 'infected'
✨ reluctant allies to lovers
✨ fake engagement
✨ forced proximity
✨ insta-lust
✨ slow burn
✨ 1/5 spice (one open door scene that's quick and mostly fade to black)
✨ secrets and lies
✨ magic has a price
✨ high stakes
My Thoughts:
An intriguing gothic paranormal fantasy with a dash of romance.
Positives:
I enjoyed the gothic vibes. The world and magic system was fresh and interesting. The court politics were fascinating to watch unfold. I like the side characters and am excited to see what happens to each of them in the Next books.
Negatives:
I thought the plot twits/reveals were never surprises thanks to the obvious foreshadowing. So many things could have been avoided or solved if the Nightmare had just been forthcoming with Elspeth, which made his withholding information feel like a weak plot device. Elspeth overreacted towards Ravyn a lot, which came across as annoying and immature. The romance, while I liked it, was very insta-lust and I didn't quite believe the development and depth of their connection.
-
Again, I did think it was a solid read but everyone was raving about it so I guess I’m a little disappointed that I’m not obsessed. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the gothic vibes and dark medieval-esque world. And the characters are interesting. I just thought this book would have a bigger impact on me. Maybe book 2 is better and solidifies this as a top tier series? Please tell me if book 2 makes this series better or worse
There once was a girl clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a king - a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same:
The girl, the King...and the monster they became.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya/new adult paranormal fantasy romance
✨ gothic medieval-esque world
✨ Elspeth is one of the 'infected' and shares her mind with the 'Nightmare'
✨ Ravyn is the captain of the king's army and hunts the 'infected'
✨ reluctant allies to lovers
✨ fake engagement
✨ forced proximity
✨ insta-lust
✨ slow burn
✨ 1/5 spice (one open door scene that's quick and mostly fade to black)
✨ secrets and lies
✨ magic has a price
✨ high stakes
My Thoughts:
An intriguing gothic paranormal fantasy with a dash of romance.
Positives:
I enjoyed the gothic vibes. The world and magic system was fresh and interesting. The court politics were fascinating to watch unfold. I like the side characters and am excited to see what happens to each of them in the Next books.
Negatives:
I thought the plot twits/reveals were never surprises thanks to the obvious foreshadowing. So many things could have been avoided or solved if the Nightmare had just been forthcoming with Elspeth, which made his withholding information feel like a weak plot device. Elspeth overreacted towards Ravyn a lot, which came across as annoying and immature. The romance, while I liked it, was very insta-lust and I didn't quite believe the development and depth of their connection.
-
Again, I did think it was a solid read but everyone was raving about it so I guess I’m a little disappointed that I’m not obsessed. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the gothic vibes and dark medieval-esque world. And the characters are interesting. I just thought this book would have a bigger impact on me. Maybe book 2 is better and solidifies this as a top tier series? Please tell me if book 2 makes this series better or worse