Thank you to Orbit Books for providing this book as a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.
Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.
Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.
But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.
My Review:
I have very mixed feelings on this, which is apparently unpopular. This is the story of Lore, a Mortem wielder who can manipulate death magic to revive and kill living things. After being sold out by a mother figure she worked for, Lore had to spy for the king on the wayward prince, but the clergyman by her side is also attractive.
First of all, characters. Was this perfect? Nah. I liked it, but it was also super annoying. I would say the most annoying bits were the repetition of minor details about appearances and pasts. It felt repetitive for no specific reason, like they were trying to provide a detail that was just vague. However, it didn’t completely ruin my enjoyment. I liked them overall, and the side characters were great. I didn’t see a lot of dimension, though.
Next, romance. There’s a love triangle here, but I didn’t love it. Both relationships felt kind of weak. It entertained me, but I either see viability or chemistry, not both. The friendships were sweet, but nothing got too much development besides Anton being Gabe’s father figure and boss.
Lastly, plot and worldbuilding. It wasn’t bad, but it felt a little lacking. I got the mild politics, I got the magic, but I wish there was a tad more. The plot seemed very simple, but not unenjoyable.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this for people super similar to me, but probably people that like similar things with different inner preferences. I liked the book, and I could see myself reading the sequel, but I didn’t love it.
⭐⭐⭐/5
The Fiction Feature 