This was a re read for me and whilst I liked it the first time I struggled with it. However, I absolutely loved reading it this time!
It’s full of ghosts, magic, literature and darkness. Our MC Alex has had a hard life and i thought Bardugo explored her trauma well and the insights into her past were perfectly timed and paced throughout. I also really like Alex’s view of things and feel rage alongside with her for all the injustice. Her growth throughout was amazing to watch and I loved seeing her stop trying to fit in and be herself.
The history and magic of each society was really weekly developed. It takes a little time to get your head around it all but on my re read I really enjoyed learning about the societies and seeing their varying roles and perspectives on magic.
I also loved the setting. Yale secret societies, dark dreary atmosphere and ghosts everywhere. The idea of having Lethe as a organisation to police the other societies was really interesting. We explore the corruption and the irresponsibility of handing so much power to rich young collage students.
We get two timelines which again takes a minute to get used to but I loved on my re read. They give us an insight into Darlington and allow us to form a connection with him even though he’s not around in the present. It also gives us an idea of how Alex got to where she is. I enjoyed the past and present equally.
The mystery was brilliantly resolved and kept me invested throughout. It was never obvious who the killer was and each new obstacle and clue uncovered increased the the stakes. The ending was really great and I can’t wait to dive into the sequel!
Note: This is an adult book so explores a lot of darker themes and doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality of things. It’s beautiful put together but not a light book.
