Wow.
This book has everything. Multiple races. (Not just elves and humans, but EIGHT additional races.) Complex magic systems that vary by race. Even more complex religions. Magical beasts. A tyrannical government and secret rebellion. Plots to destroy the world and even more plots to save it. Literal portals into hell!
Collin has created a fantastic, complex, complicated, ambiguous universe and populated it with interesting, challenging, multi-layered people and I devoured every single page of it.
I also found that the romance aspect was handled really well. Often the enemies to lovers trope feels very artificial, like the writer wedges it in there without really being able to come up with a convincing reason for the enmity. Alyana and Zaidkiel aren’t enemies, she just finds him really really irritating – and it’s clear from the writing that her attraction is no small part of that irritation. All relationships go through their ups and downs, especially in romantasy and the “betrayal” also feels totally organic and a natural plot twist.
The side characters are all really interesting and they have a lot of potential for some interesting character development. If I have a criticism at all I think sometimes Collin is a little heavy handed in how she writes their relationships – for example the constant fighting between Arthur and Lyra. There are other scenes where she shows that she can use a much lighter touch and it works so much better. I’m thinking in particular where Alyana meets Nefeli and can’t figure out why this stranger is being kind to her for no reason – it made it very clear that the poor girl has never received unconditional kindness from a non-sibling in her entire life and it’s a heart-breaking and really illuminating scene.
Collin has built the basis for what has the potential to be an incredible epic fantasy. I will definitely be watching out for her future books.
Laura Collin’s Website: https://www.lauracollin.com/