3.5 stars
This was a confusing book. The plot was great, and I really liked the novel’s overarching idea. The execution was the problem. This is supposedly an adult book, but the writing style is very YA. I had a hard time believing the main character was in his early 20s. His behavior came across as a teenager. The only reason I knew it was “adult” was the use of the C-word. I also stared at the provided map for way too long. The Ermine and Bear Provinces are next to each other, but Ermine is a tundra, while Bear is an open plain with no mountains separating them? It just didn’t make any sense.
As I said, I liked the plot. All the murders and trying to solve the mystery were fun. I personally really like Grasshopper. She’s a spunky little six-year-old who was the best part of the book. Dee is a little hard to get behind as the main character, as he feels much younger than he is. He has had a hard life, living with a lie and trying to push everyone away. I felt like he did have some moments that showed his maturity. The chess match between him and Cordelia was great.
The ending was satisfying, and everything was wrapped up with a nice bow. I didn’t feel the urge to DNF, but I did have a hard time gauging my feelings on this book. There were things I liked, but there were definitely a lot of flaws. I enjoyed the diversity and LGBTQIA representation. I just wish the whole book was a little more skillfully executed.
Spellbound Reviewer 