A review by tokiberry
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

One Dark Window
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑.𝟱

⋆☀︎｡ ❝ Providence Cards are a gift. Their magic is measured. Neither they, nor those who wield them, risk degeneration. Still, be wary. Be clever. Be good. Nothing comes for free, especially magic. Providence Cards are a gift. ❞


𖥔‧₊˚ ⊹ The kingdom of Blunder was plagued by the Mist, a curse brought upon it by the Spirit of the Woods that took and killed the villagers once they became trapped in it. Furthermore, the children of Blunder also catch ‘the fever’ that grants the surviving children powers that the King of Blunder deems dangerous. He orders all infected children to be captured. But that is not the case with Elspeth, who survives the fever and hides her magic and the nightmare in her head.

The vibes and aesthetic of this book are crazy. The gothic elements are beautiful, and the romance subplot was just my cup of tea. The writing style was very compelling and introduced a unique magic system that was confusing at first, but once you understand the lore and power of the Providence cards, it's pretty amazing.

It’s been some time since I finished the book, and I regret not writing this review immediately after finishing it while my thoughts were still fresh. However, the book features a strong set of characters. I enjoyed the entertaining banter between Elspeth and the Nightmare. Ravyn, despite being the captain of the Destriers, is a softie when it comes to Elspeth, and I can’t get enough of Elm and his snarky retorts, and I need more of him in the next book.

Book 2 is patiently waiting on my bookshelf, but once I finish my current reads, I hope to jump right in as soon as possible.

𖧷 ° .♡

post-read: wow just wow

𖧷 ° .♡

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ ⋅ pre-read: it’s finally time!! ｡⁠*ﾟ