Behind the Crimson Curtain

The Crimson Curtain #1

by E.B. Golden

A magical con artist and an actor turned revolutionary fight for freedom in an atmospheric fantasy debut where layered secrets and daring love clash on a stage of war.

On the coal-choked island of Luisonn, the tyrannical Stav Regime breeds rebellion among the working class. Firin, a face-changing con artist trained by her domineering father, dances between fake lives to escape punishment for her crimes—until armed rebels topple the regime. With freedom finally within her grasp, she discovers one of the heroes is her former lover, Bregan, who introduced her to her second the theater.

As the flames of revolt settle, Firin joins Bregan on the stage. She’s determined to create a life with the honorable man she never forgot. But like the past, love and truth are hard to hide—especially when one of Firin’s victims, now president, chooses Bregan as his right-hand man. Haunted by the sacrifices of revolution and devoted to the new government’s success, Bregan quickly rises in its ranks…

In a web of war and false identities, Firin must choose a side. But is the price of freedom her heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Dystopia, Fiction, Ebooks, Adult

434 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2024

About the author

E.B. Golden has always been a wanderer, both inside and outside her imagination. Although born and raised on the coast of Maine, she spends most of her free time exploring the mountains of southwest Colorado with her husband and daughter, and sometimes their cats. Since she learned to hold a pen, she’s used speculative fiction to make sense of a nonsensical world, and when she’s not writing, she’s usually traveling or coaching other writers, because the world always needs more stories.

Reviews

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐️
Vraiment, le côté intrigues politiques, complots et trahisons, tout est siiii bien fait ! C'est extrêmement original, intelligemment mené et j'ai trouvé ça hyper intéressant que les personnages (surtout Firin) soient aussi morally grey. Par contre je dois avouer que c'était si intelligent que ça m'a parfois perdue mdrr et j'ai aussi trouvé que que le côté théâtre était parfois amené de manière un peu forcée ? Genre je vois ce qu'il apporte à la fois à l'ambiance, à l'intrigue et aux personnages mais y a des moments j'avais juste envie de dire "mais sans rire vous pensez pas qu'il y a plus urgent que votre représentation ???". I don't know... en tout cas j'ai beaucoup aimé malgré tout !

[kaitlyn]

dnf @ 23%

[jagodasbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This action packed book about a con artist and actor made my head spin. Always something was going on, dual time pov, revolution, romance... I really liked before pov, about Firin's past and her previous jobs. The romance was going on too fast and didn't really like Bregan, he was lowkey irritating. The ending was interesting, but not *that* interesting, I probably won't be tempted to read the next book. Also there's kinda a little theatre in this book about a the theatre, but the atmosphere was cool. However the whole world was very confusing and was lacking more descriptions, it was just chaotic and has a lot of made up names without any explanation. Overall just mid, won't be in my head long

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot but I wish I had known it is part of a series/ends on a bit of a cliffhanger 😖

If the goal was to get me to pre-order book 2…well played

[Stacey Candy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - The FMC was really unlikeable and there was nothing to make you want to invest in any of the other characters. I got about half way through and gave up and on it.

[Kevin Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, no. You do not spin a whole novel's worth of a story and then leave on a cliffhanger. That loses one ⭐ automatically.
Then there's the sense starting halfway through the book that the author had deliberately picked backstories for the two main characters that set them on an inexorable course towards their mutual hurt.
Related to that problem is that halfway through the book, one can see roughly how it must end.
And finally, the obnoxious conceit shared with it seems every romantic comedy, namely that our lovers can't possibly tell each other the truth.
For me, these flaws overshadow the author's real skill in imagination, characterization and writing dialog.

[Reece · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to DNF this at 68%, and there was a decent chunk before this that I was only skimming. It was ruining my mood. Watching someone make bad decision after bad decision, knowing that shit is going to get worse, with absolutely nothing redeeming on the horizon... I couldn't even get into the romance because Firin is kind of a POS and Bregan deserves better. Feh.

[Ric · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t. Female character is horrible, two thirds through and she is still a lying con artist.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a lush setting, this book takes the reader on a journey of political intrigue, shapeshifters and a politically active theater group.

The female main character has had a very troubled past, and seems to constantly be trying to outrun her traumatic upbringing. When she meets a young actor, she finally feels like she can be her true self; but the past is harder to bury than she thought.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

These characters are far too unlikable to want to continue after a cliff hanger ending. What a disappointment this book was.

While I started out sympathetic toward Firin and Bregan because they were victims of a harsh world at a young age, when we see them several years later (the “now” timeline as opposed to the “then” timeline) they are just stupid and selfish. I found myself not caring if they got together at all. I think the only thing that kept me reading was my desire to figure out what was actually happening in this country they live in.

Which brings me to the fact that the world building was quite weak. The totalitarian regime they were rebelling against didn’t make sense. The fact it toppled in one night after generations had failed in rebellion made less sense. Other countries kept getting mentioned but I couldn’t figure out the point of them except to describe most of the characters as coming from them. But why would they come to these shitty islands that are controlled by a colonizing dictatorship that forced the citizens into specific, inescapable classes? There was zero explanation, zero history to provide context to why the world is the way it is. It made the rebellion and class war feel anticlimactic.

I won’t continue, but thanks Prime Reads, I guess?

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the plot twists… I really didn’t expect to be this shocked while reading this book; I’m positively surprised!

Firin is a very complex, gray character, who wants much and is ready to do even more to obtain her goals… I was pissed by her choices at times, but in the end I understand her actions due to her past, because of how she was treated by her father etc… Especially when I read that one piece of information regarding her father’s face (no spoilers) somewhere in the final chapters. It really had me crying hard. I think I truly can’t judge Firin, I can only be a passenger in her journey to her true self.

I’m really excited for book 2, can’t wait to see how Firin and Bregan’s story unravels 🤭

[Donna Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this fantasy action adventure (part one of two) story every character is skipping around in different acting personas from start to finish.

[Kelsey Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a stunning piece of art.

I got so completely lost in this new world that E.B. Golden created and I want more! I will be picking up the second book as soon as humanly possible.

You need this on your shelf. You need Firin and Bregan in your hearts.

[Joleen Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow to start but it picked up in the end. Ending on a cliffhanger is the worst, but it made we ready for book two. Hopefully it starts picking up speed faster in the sequel.

[Lamyareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un coup de cœur ❤️‍🔥

Ce roman nous plonge entre le « avant » et le maintenant, la double temporalité est parfaitement maîtrisée, tout est fluide, facile à suivre, et au fil des pages tout s’explique et se rejoins.

Firin est un personnage attachant malgré qu’elle change, se durcit, devient jalouse, possessive. Elle glisse peu à peu dans l’ombre de son père entre Secrets, mensonges, et non-dits…
Elle est prête à tout pour ne pas perdre ce qu’elle a gagné. Son évolution est profondément humaine, et douloureuse ❤️‍🩹

Bregan quant à lui, un homme amoureux, un battant qui abandonne l’homme de cœur qu’il est pour devenir quelqu’un prêt à tout pour obtenir des réponses, même au prix de douter de ceux qu’il aime 😔
C’est une lente autodestruction, juste humaine. Ils deviennent ce que tout 2 détestaient.

Et pourtant, au milieu de ce chaos, leur romance est magnifique 🥹 Fragile, intense, vraie et profonde ❤️
Le théâtre devient leur refuge, le seul endroit où ils sont libres, loin de ce monde 🎭

On suit l’évolution de deux êtres profondément humains, imparfaits, qui se perdent en croyant se sauver. 💔
Et au milieu de tout ça, un found family absolument incroyable, lumineux dans une dystopie sombre et percutante 🥀
Ils luttent pour la liberté mais une fois obtenue, est-ce vraiment celle qu’ils voulaient ?

C’était une lecture marquante, profonde et percutante, une lecture qui fait réfléchir. Je n’ai qu’une hâte c’est que le tome 2 soit traduit !! 🥹

(merci encore à gleeph & calix) 💕

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I was more invested in an Amazon First Reads book than I thought I ever would be but that was the most aggressive cliff hanger I have ever experienced in a book and I am NOT here for it after 400+ pages of build up!!! So many loose ends? So many things unexplained? So many “otherworldly” names that were hard to keep track of? So much theater? (I actually didn’t hate the theater as much as I thought I would). Overall, dissatisfied.

[Debora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing structure, but interesting premise

I wish the author had used a chronological structure instead of jumping from past to present. With two characters' points of view, one in first person and the other in third person, the jumps in time didn't seem worth the hoped-for build up of suspense.

However, the premise of a shape-shifter in the theater was interesting. I didn't care much about the politics, and the main character lost my sympathy because of her poor choices, but I still finished the novel to know the ending.

[Octavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Struggled to finish. Glad I did because it did get slightly better…but the huge importance of theatre while people are literally dying and the government is being overthrown…just seemed odd.

[Claren G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a long time. Heavy on the politics which usually isn’t my jam, but I was hooked. The plot, the characters, the theatre imagery, the scandal. I was so invested in the different decisions being made for the “right” reasons. Talk about perspective!! And so many parallels to real life today. I wanted to cheer for Firin but her character also keep breaking my heart. Quickly diving into book 2.

ARC: netgalley in exchange for honest review

[Rachel Betancourt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

The magic system was interesting, and the post-revolution atmosphere gave shadow & bone/six of Crow vibes, which I loved. As a reader, I was confused at some parts. The characters kept confusing me. I felt lost sometimes with where the characters and story were going. Idk if it's intentional or not. The chaos of post revolution is realistic, but the relationships between the characters didn't seem so in some places. It's an odd combination but also refreshingly different? It's hard to describe honestly. I loved the twists and turns in this though.

I'll definitely be continuing the series because I really need to know what happens next!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kindle first reads for August. I was intrigued by the synopsis and made this my pick for the month. No regrets. This reminded me of Sarah J. Maas in some ways but also Scott Lynch's wonderful Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard Series) in others. Glancing at reviews someone else mentioned that this story is similar in styling to Erin Morgenstern and V.E. Schwab. And, I have to agree with that as well. Another reviewer mentions Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone. and yes, also a similar style/story. And by those above comparisons, I mean a style/genre, not a fan fic copy. The way my library is sorted I would put all these authors together in a section called high fantasy/adventure/romance.

Though occasionally it felt a little slow, I enjoyed the story, setting, magic, and characters. I will have to admit that one of the two main characters, Firin, really annoyed me and I found her frankly kind of mean girl/evil, but then, the more I read the more I started to better understand her and where she was coming from. I even pre-ordered the second in this series though it is a ways off (Aug 2025). But I would like to see where the story goes and how the author grows as a writer.

Breakdown of stars:
Enjoyment: 4
Writing: 3
Characters: 3
Plot: 4
Readability: 4
Setting: 4

['S just my opinion · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 58%

The premise is interesting—people who can change their features at will. What do they use this power for?

BUT NOTHING HAPPENED for the first half of the book. If the plot wasn’t going to be advancing along, then at least world build! Halfway through I still don’t have a clear view of who the various political groups are and what they’re about, which seems a bit necessary given that a revolution is what the story is centered around.

At 51%, the main character had her “Yer a wizard, Harry” moment. [All apologies—but I can’t think of a good substitute for that quote at the moment. I’ll edit if my brain generates another.]
It felt way too little and way too late. Why hadn’t she questioned her ability more? Sought out more information? It seems odd that she just accepted what she had been told at face value. [Face value, get it?]

The main character seems hell bent on mulling over her options and then picking the worst, most bone headed one imaginable.
The love interest seems too naive to be working as an investigator.
In all, I don’t believe any of the characters motivations are remotely logical—they’re acting as they do for the sake of the plot, which is barely there—and I definitely don’t like either one enough to waste more time on this book.

[femmefiction_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for fans of Fantasy and romance

Behind the Crimson Curtain is a captivating tale that explores freedom and love during a time of revolution.The story follows Firin, a con artist with magical shape-shifting abilities, and Bregan, an actor turned rebel, as they navigate their complex relationship amid political turmoil.

I found the world-building immersive and it enhanced the story without being overwhelming. I really enjoyed the dual POV, and I empathized with both Firin and Bregan as they confronted their pasts and desires.

My favorite character was Firin -flawed yet determined,and her struggles with having a second-chance at romance felt authentic. Especially within a regime that employs shape-shifters as spies! That added intrigue and horror as the thought of that being possible is mind boggling.

Firin and Bregan have a love story that has both passion and heartache,all while dealing with their own struggles.
I found this book unique and thought-provoking, and left me on a cliffhanger…ready for book 2. I Highly recommended this for anyone seeking a thrilling romantasy.

[C Barnes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring and confusing

This is probably the first time I have not finished reading a book, and the first time I tried to read a book for over 3 months. I usually finish a book in one sitting, even if I have to read through the night. The protagonist is evil and this makes it hard to empathize with her plight. I got to 50% and will delete this book from my library.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imaginative "romantacy" with an ending that leaves you wanting more...!

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes I read a book for the plot. I just hope that I find the plot along the way.

[K Crews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Behind the Crimson Curtain by E.B. Golden tells a gripping story full of power struggles, revolution, and dark secrets, all centered around the lives of Firin and Bregan. The world they inhabit is packed with political intrigue and personal vendettas, giving the fantasy landscape a dangerous yet captivating feel.

Firin, a battle-hardened warrior with a troubled past, and Bregan, a clever strategist with hidden motives, make for an intriguing pair. Golden does a good job of balancing their contrasting personalities, keeping the story fueled with tension and camaraderie. However, despite the high stakes, their relationship feels a bit static. While their interactions are compelling, their dynamic remains in a state of guarded respect. It would have been more satisfying to see their bond evolve—either deepening their trust or showing cracks in their alliance as the story progressed.

The dual POV approach—switching between Firin and Bregan—adds depth, offering two distinct perspectives. However, the frequent jumps between past and present often disrupted the flow. At times, the backstory felt inserted into the present-day narrative rather than seamlessly integrated. A more fluid transition between timelines—perhaps through clearer chapter separations or contextual clues—would have maintained immersion more effectively.

Plot-wise, the story is filled with action, twists, and turns that keep you guessing as Firin and Bregan navigate a world of deceit and treachery. Golden’s world-building is excellent, creating an immersive and detailed setting. The blend of political drama with personal stakes makes the narrative engaging overall.

What truly sets Behind the Crimson Curtain apart is how Golden dives into Firin and Bregan’s inner worlds. Both are haunted by their pasts, and their histories shape their choices and relationships in complex ways. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, you’re left questioning who can truly be trusted and what survival will cost.

That said, the pacing feels a bit disorganized at times. High-tension moments are often followed by introspective scenes that slow the momentum, leaving the plot feeling a bit uneven. While I struggled through some parts, the last quarter of the book picked up pace—only for the story to end. The rushed ending left a few plot points hanging, and I wanted more resolution for Firin and Bregan. Though it technically ended on a cliffhanger, I felt like the end was incomplete. I had to see if there was a book 2, as the ending could have completed the story and left the viewer to imagine what Firin would do in her future. Could the last couple of chapters be cut and end the book in a dramatic cliffhanger? Yes. But how it ended seemed to be a solid conclusion for now.

If you’re a fan of complex characters, high-stakes power plays, and a richly developed world of revolution and secrets, Behind the Crimson Curtain is worth picking up. Golden’s writing may stumble at times with pacing and time shifts, but the exploration of power and its costs keeps you curious enough to keep reading, I was left eager to see where Firin’s journey takes her.


Rating (out of 5)
Overall Story: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
Character Development: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
World Building: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥 (3/5)

***I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley in return for an honest review. Thank you to E.B. Golden, 47North, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read an advanced copy for my honest review.** #BehindtheCrimsonCurtain #NetGalley

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of issues with this one, and most of them stem from this book just being super confusing. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset while I was reading it, and it could also be because I listened to the audio version. It might have been a little more understandable if I was actually eyeball reading it.

Firstly, the names are obviously made up to fit a different world so they're a little confusing in and of themselves. But with the narration, I felt like I couldn't make out what the names were half the time. And there were so. many. people. It legitimately took me probably 60% of the book before I could differentiate between who they were talking about. For example, one of the younger kids in the story's name was very similar to the FMCs, or at least it sounded like it. I understand that you're not going to have common English names in a fantasy book, but when there's that many people it just gets really cumbersome.

For the actual narration, I didn't mind the female voice, but the male's was kind of hard to understand. I felt like when he wasn't saying a direct quote, he was almost whispering and it just made it even harder to understand. I think it was supposed to come off as the MMC being intense, but it didn't really work.

For the actual storyline, it was confusing because I felt like there was just too much going on. If it was just the revolution aspect, or just the theater, or maybe a little bit mixed that might have been fine. But then there was also talk of other continents and rebellions that happened there and also talk of religion and gods. Maybe I just missed it, but I didn't really understand how the religions and gods fit in. And then the random mentions of people who were a part of other rebellions and other places didn't really fit in anywhere. I know that this is just the first book in a multi-book series, so it might get better explained later on. But I thought it didn't really have a place in this book.

I didn't really care for any of the characters. I thought that both MCs we're kind of shallow, despite having multiple povs from their backstory. There just didn't seem to be very much human connection given to them to make me care about them. I found them both irritating in one way or the other most of the time. A big aspect of the story was also their love story, but that didn't seem very believable. It happened really quickly and then just got mixed around so much with when they saw each other and then when they were apart and I just didn't understand how they were so in love with each other. It added to the confusion of everything as to what the relationship was, especially when they wouldn't communicate with each other for most of the story, and it just made me not care about their love. They were just too hot and cold over and over again for one reason or another.

As for the dual timeline, I didn't mind it as much, but it did add to the confusion some as well. There were times that if I didn't pay super close attention I got confused on what was happening and when the story was taking place. The story timelines started to bleed together because it seemed like there was a lot happening in both timelines that were very similar. Most of the time, I didn't feel like there was enough of a difference in characters or plot or setting to differentiate between the before and after.

I did find that the story got a little better by like the last quarter. The tension seemed to pick up and there seemed to be a singular focus on what was going on. That being said, I didn't feel like it was enough of a hook to completely grab me to read the rest of the series, even with the cliffhanger at the end.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 Stars ⭐⭐💥

I went into this one curious since it’s the start of a new series and the premise sounded pretty unique. Now that I’ve read both this and the sequel, I can see how this book works as a setup, but honestly it felt a little too long just to get there. There are creative ideas here, but the way it was pulled off didn’t always land for me.

📖 Pacing and Structure
The pacing was uneven. Two POVs and two timelines could’ve added depth, but instead they felt choppy and harder to follow. A lot of the twists were convenient and predictable, which took away from the tension the story was aiming for.

❤️ Romance and Relationships
The romance between the main characters was… frustrating.
There’s so much back and forth with:

• miscommunication at every turn
• betrayals without much weight
• reckless choices that felt repetitive

It made it really hard to root for them. On top of that, I couldn’t tell if the book wanted to go with a “closed-door” romance or full spice🌶️🌶️. It kind of did both, which felt inconsistent.

🌍 World Building
For a big part of the book, I struggled to picture the world. The main city or island was fine, but everything outside of it stayed hazy in my mind. The writing leaned too much on telling instead of showing, which made it harder to imagine or remember details.

That said, I really liked the concept of the Nodtacht and their shape-shifting abilities😵. Firin’s hidden identity had a lot of potential even if it wasn’t always used to its fullest.

🙍 Characters
Firin wasn’t easy to follow as a main character. Death seemed to be lurking everywhere, yet she was constantly betraying people without much thought for the consequences🔪. Pair that with predictable plot beats and she came across as flat and repetitive😑.

📚 Series Potential
Since I’ve read book two, I can say the series does improve. The sequel expands the world and the writing feels stronger, though the predictability is still there. The characters are still frustrating at times, but Golden really nails her creativity with names. Every single one (whether for places or people) fit the world perfectly.

✨ Final Thoughts
Overall, this wasn’t a bad debut, but it struggled with pacing, predictability, and characters I didn’t enjoy following. The ideas were there, but the execution didn’t come together the way I hoped. That said, Golden clearly grows between book one and two, and I’ll be keeping an eye on what she does next.🔮

If you like politically charged fantasy with a theatrical flair and don’t mind slower pacing, this one might be worth checking out.

[Ambre Monmoulinet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passez vous aussi derrière le rideau 🎭
Un livre object magnifique et de qualité.
E.B. Golden nous propose une dystopie qui diffère de ce que j'ai l'habitude de lire. Ici, il ne s’agit pas seulement de raconter une révolution, mais surtout les répercussions et enjeux qu'elle amène. Et c’est précisément là que le roman se distingue et gagne toute sa profondeur. L’histoire nous fait suivre deux personnages aux trajectoires radicalement opposées : Bregan et Firin. Bregan est animé par une soif brûlante de justice. Il porte sur ses épaules le poids des morts causées par le régime de la Stav, une culpabilité qui guide chacune de ses décisions. Firin, à l’inverse, est une héroïne profondément morally grey. Elle ne cherche ni à sauver le monde ni à devenir un symbole. Son objectif est simple : survivre. Hantée par son passé, par les choix qu’elle a dû faire pour rester en vie, elle fuit ses émotions, se cache derrière de nombreux masques, et c’est justement cette imperfection qui la rend si humaine et si touchante. Le roman est construit en actes, alternant entre l’avant et l’après chute du régime. Une structure qui ici fonctionne bien, j'avais peur de m'y perdre, mais ça n'a pas du tout été le cas. Ce livre nous propose un point de vue très original pour une dystopie : il montre avec beaucoup de justesse que la fin d’un régime n’efface ni les traumatismes, ni les injustices, ni les zones d’ombre. L’univers mêle habilement politique, secrets, magie, théâtre et intrigues souterraines. Ce mélange est aussi surprenant qu’efficace. La troupe de théâtre apporte un vrai souffle au récit, renforçant l’aspect "familial", l’un des grands points forts du roman. Les intrigues politiques sont omniprésentes, intelligemment menées, et donnent constamment envie d’en savoir plus. La relation entre Firin et Bregan, quant à elle, ressemble à une tragédie annoncée. Une romance douce et émouvante, mais minée par les mensonges, les trahisons et les blessures du passé. J'ai adoré lire Behind the Crimson Curtain. Une dystopie réfléchie, humaine, nuancée, qui ne se contente pas de raconter un combat, mais en explore les cicatrices, les conséquences et les failles. Une lecture que je recommande vivement aux amateurs de dystopies politiques, de personnages moralement gris, d’intrigues complexes et de romances douloureuses. Et au vu de cette fin… j’ai terriblement hâte de découvrir la suite ! Merci à @gleephapp et aux @label_calix pour l'opportunité de ce service de presse non rémunéré.