Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > This Dark Descent

I will admit one thing first: I was totally overtaken by Shiny Cover Syndrome when I went to request this book. I did like the sound of the blurb, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the pretty cover. So, truth be told, had I known this was the first book in a series, I wouldn’t have requested it because the last thing I need right now is to get invested in another series.

But! I can tell you that I actually ended up really liking this book, even though if it weren’t for the cover I probably wouldn’t have given it a try right now.

This Dark Descent isn’t the best fantasy novel out there right now. It isn’t even the best fantasy novel with Jewish folklore woven into it out there right now. However, it is a really entertaining and well-written book. The plot is fairly straightforward, which you’ll be thankful for, because there’s so many other things going on in this book that the last thing you need is a really complicated plot.

Josephson made this book very character-driven, which is where I suspect the comparison with Six of Crows comes from. The book is told from two POVs: that of horse racer Mikira and that of unlicensed enchanter Arielle. To round out a set of core four characters we add in Damien, a member of a noble house, and Reid, his best friend. These characters are very richly drawn, all with complete background stories, different motivations, different goals, and all kinds of problems. And don’t forget the trauma. There’s definitely trauma. Combine our core four with a great supporting cast made up of characters of all shades of gray and the tapestry of the book also begins to feel a little like All of Us Villains, too.

Now, where this book falls short, in my opinion, is in worldbuilding. It just isn’t weak in explaining the actual world around Mirkira and Arielle, it’s also a problem in explaining the magic system. Josephson leaned just a little too much on the Jewish folklore when the majority of magic practiced in the world the book is set in doesn’t practice magic that stems directly from Jewish folklore (please note that I say “folklore” because in this book the author uses what we would know as Jewish terms but the people who would be considered “Jewish” in this book are called “Kinnish”).

Surprisingly, I found that the horse races in this book were weak points in the story as well. They weren’t as well-written as they could’ve been, with rather weak fighting choreography to them. I had looked forward to these scenes but they ended up being rather secondary to everything else going on in this book.

As an endnote: If you are triggered by animal violence, you may want to take care while reading this book.

Altogether, it’s a really solid read, and if you’re in the mood to start a new YA book series that’s on the darker side, then I recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Romantasy/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance