[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I was provided with a digital copy of the book through the author in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, blood, gore, body horror, murder, death, genocide, suicidal ideation, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, sexism, sexual assault, sexual harassment, classism, colonisation
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M.L. Wang has done it again, where do I even begin?

Blood Over Bright Haven, her newest novel is wholly unique but follows in The Sword of Kaigen’s footsteps in that it packs a real punch and will come for your emotions.

The book follows Sciona, a young and conceited woman who has worked hard to climb the ranks of Tiran’s patriarchal society to become a Highmage, a position of the High Magistry never held by a woman before. Her prowess is met with nothing short of mockery by her male colleagues and she is appointed Thomil, a Kwen janitor as an assistant over someone actually qualified to offer her help.
The Kwen hail from nomadic tribes outside the magical wards of the city, a race shunned by the people of Tiran for their beliefs and lifestyles. Underestimated by his superiors, Thomil steps into his new role easily and forms an agreeable working relationship with Sciona that leads them down a dangerous path of discovery that could upset everything they know about their world and its magic forever.

Now I would personally describe the book as more of an gaslamp/urban fantasy with dark academia elements, as though there was a lot centring around the research and study of magic the overarching plot was more along the lines of following the characters as they manoeuvred through the socio-political climate of the world as well as unravelling its history and secrets.

The worldbuilding is absolutely phenomenal. The setting at times reminded me of the Dead Djinn universe with how the workings and technology of the world were imbued with magic however, everything about the magic was so original. The system itself is intricate, involving elements of both intuition and science and though at the start we’re kind of thrown into the mix without much to go on I really enjoyed how the details of the world and its lore and backstory were peeled back and explained the further you got into the book. I especially love it when author’s include scenes where one character catches the other up to speed with all the basics as has been done in this book with Sciona and Thomil, as moments like this being included make everything feel all the more immersive.

The character arcs and relationships are what kept me the most compelled though. I want to avoid giving too many details away as Wang’s characterisations and how she brings emotions to the page are so masterful they deserve to be experienced first-hand. Paired with a narrative heavy on the themes of morality and sacrifice, imperialism and prejudice, Sciona and Thomil are characters that will stick with you for a long while. Their journeys will frustrate and horrify you but also make you hope on the possibility of change.

I’ll admit I was able to guess some of the big reveals that came along but all in all this was a well-rounded standalone that truly showcases the versatility of Wang’s writing. I hope we get more from this world in the future as it’s really interesting and feels like it can definitely be expanded on!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars