What do you think?
Rate this book
Ghost Apparent
Betrayed, deposed and presumed dead.
When her father is killed in a bloody coup and her uncle seizes the city, Orsiana pleads for help with the only power still willing to listen, unaware that the gods will use her as a pawn in their own game.
Thrown back on the streets of Abia, armed with the gods’ double-edged gifts, Orsiana must thwart her uncle’s plans and learn what it takes to rule a proud, stubborn city that thrives on artifice and wit. She will plot, fight and use lethally tuned verse to stir a rebellion. But just when her uncle’s Machiavellian schemes start to topple, a new player will enter the game, and the gods will raise the stakes. It’s easy to fight an enemy you hate, but how about an enemy you fall in love with? If she wants to win, Orsiana will have to risk the last precious thing in her possession: her heart.
A story of revenge and recovery, Ghost Apparent blends the history and folklore of the Eastern Adriatic with the bloody treachery of the Renaissance courts and is a perfect read for the fans of dark political fantasy.
When her father is killed in a bloody coup and her uncle seizes the city, Orsiana pleads for help with the only power still willing to listen, unaware that the gods will use her as a pawn in their own game.
Thrown back on the streets of Abia, armed with the gods’ double-edged gifts, Orsiana must thwart her uncle’s plans and learn what it takes to rule a proud, stubborn city that thrives on artifice and wit. She will plot, fight and use lethally tuned verse to stir a rebellion. But just when her uncle’s Machiavellian schemes start to topple, a new player will enter the game, and the gods will raise the stakes. It’s easy to fight an enemy you hate, but how about an enemy you fall in love with? If she wants to win, Orsiana will have to risk the last precious thing in her possession: her heart.
A story of revenge and recovery, Ghost Apparent blends the history and folklore of the Eastern Adriatic with the bloody treachery of the Renaissance courts and is a perfect read for the fans of dark political fantasy.
111 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2024
2 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Jelena Dunato
24 books130 followersJelena Dunato is an art historian, curator, speculative fiction writer and lover of all things ancient. She grew up in Croatia on a steady diet of adventure novels and then wandered the world for a decade, building a career in the arts.
Jelena’s stories have been published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, The Dark, Future SF and Mermaids Monthly, among others. She is a member of SFWA and Codex.
Jelena’s stories have been published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, The Dark, Future SF and Mermaids Monthly, among others. She is a member of SFWA and Codex.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Read
June 20, 2024Ghost Apparent is a dark fantasy novella about one woman's rise to power through her tenacity and her ability to speak with the gods. It is a standalone prequel to my novel Dark Woods, Deep Water which doesn't require any previous knowledge about the world or the characters. However, the readers who read the novel (and hopefully liked Orsiana) are in for a treat.
Ghost Apparent is also a story about Abia, the city which is a complex organism growing on the rich soil of Southern Slavic fantasy. Abia is purely Adriatic, all sunlit stone, blue sea and temperaments running high. It’s a love letter to every island and coastal town that bears the glorious heritage of the proud medieval communes, ruled by neither the king nor the feudal nobility, but by their own patrician class.
CW: violence, murder, blood, torture, suicide
Ghost Apparent is also a story about Abia, the city which is a complex organism growing on the rich soil of Southern Slavic fantasy. Abia is purely Adriatic, all sunlit stone, blue sea and temperaments running high. It’s a love letter to every island and coastal town that bears the glorious heritage of the proud medieval communes, ruled by neither the king nor the feudal nobility, but by their own patrician class.
CW: violence, murder, blood, torture, suicide
September 24, 2024
One thing about Jelena Dunato, she will put her whole soul into a story, even if it's a 100-something page novella.
I went into this expecting the moon and the stars, and Dunato delivered!!! It's a prequel novella, so you could start with it, if you want, though I'd suggest you read Dark Woods, Deep Water first for an even bigger treat.
Both books are similar, happening in the same world with some overlapping characters, but Orsiana's story is still very unique, and not quite as dark as the main book.
What I absolutely love about it though, is how the Balkan influence pops out. The way the characters behave/speak, the story structure, the Gods' gifts, it's giving "Čardak ni na nebu ni na zemlji" or literally any local fairytale from my childhood. I love it so much. Dunato managed to capture the feel of these stories so well.
WHICH REMINDS ME, in the future I need to see this lovely story, along with Dark Woods, Deep Water, illustrated in the style of those childhood fairytales, because that's what it deserves!! If I ever have/adopt kids, they will be getting this as a bedtime story, I'm so serious.
So yes, Ghost Apparent left a lasting impression on me, and much of that is due to the enchanting writing (which I have praised before, and will time and time again!). I've been transported into a magical world that I never want to leave. I need Orsiana to keep me in a snow globe and carry me around with her so I can see all the things, please and thank you.
No but, honestly, Dunato's writing is one of my absolute favourites, she could write a grocery list and I'd be like "this is art". The world she developed is so close to my heart, it feels like home.
The story flowed so well, I have zero complaints, except that I wish it was even longer. The plot was extremely engaging, I didn't want to stop reading for a second.
There was SO MUCH character development for such a short read, I loved learning more about Orsiana's past, and watching her grow up and fall in love and become the best queen all while getting revenge, so proud of my girl. The romance crumbs we got made me wish the book was longer too, because they had a lot of chemistry.
Of course, the Slavic mythology is always welcome too, you already know I get happy when I see our old Gods on page, and here we got four, woohoo!!! Their portrayal was accurate, if you ask me.
Also, I gotta give credit to Orsiana's father, for opening up his library and letting his daughter read whatever she wanted, telling her that if something disturbs her, she should come to him and they can discuss it. That's good parenting right there.
Now, I will not-so-subtly ask for more books set in Abia, I need more of this world like I need air. Please give us more stories!!!!!!!!
If you haven't picked up any of Jelena Dunato's books yet, now is a good time to start. And by now, I do mean RIGHT NOW. Go buy her books!!!
*Huge thank you to the amazing author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I went into this expecting the moon and the stars, and Dunato delivered!!! It's a prequel novella, so you could start with it, if you want, though I'd suggest you read Dark Woods, Deep Water first for an even bigger treat.
Both books are similar, happening in the same world with some overlapping characters, but Orsiana's story is still very unique, and not quite as dark as the main book.
What I absolutely love about it though, is how the Balkan influence pops out. The way the characters behave/speak, the story structure, the Gods' gifts, it's giving "Čardak ni na nebu ni na zemlji" or literally any local fairytale from my childhood. I love it so much. Dunato managed to capture the feel of these stories so well.
WHICH REMINDS ME, in the future I need to see this lovely story, along with Dark Woods, Deep Water, illustrated in the style of those childhood fairytales, because that's what it deserves!! If I ever have/adopt kids, they will be getting this as a bedtime story, I'm so serious.
So yes, Ghost Apparent left a lasting impression on me, and much of that is due to the enchanting writing (which I have praised before, and will time and time again!). I've been transported into a magical world that I never want to leave. I need Orsiana to keep me in a snow globe and carry me around with her so I can see all the things, please and thank you.
No but, honestly, Dunato's writing is one of my absolute favourites, she could write a grocery list and I'd be like "this is art". The world she developed is so close to my heart, it feels like home.
The story flowed so well, I have zero complaints, except that I wish it was even longer. The plot was extremely engaging, I didn't want to stop reading for a second.
There was SO MUCH character development for such a short read, I loved learning more about Orsiana's past, and watching her grow up and fall in love and become the best queen all while getting revenge, so proud of my girl. The romance crumbs we got made me wish the book was longer too, because they had a lot of chemistry.
Of course, the Slavic mythology is always welcome too, you already know I get happy when I see our old Gods on page, and here we got four, woohoo!!! Their portrayal was accurate, if you ask me.
Also, I gotta give credit to Orsiana's father, for opening up his library and letting his daughter read whatever she wanted, telling her that if something disturbs her, she should come to him and they can discuss it. That's good parenting right there.
Now, I will not-so-subtly ask for more books set in Abia, I need more of this world like I need air. Please give us more stories!!!!!!!!
If you haven't picked up any of Jelena Dunato's books yet, now is a good time to start. And by now, I do mean RIGHT NOW. Go buy her books!!!
*Huge thank you to the amazing author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
October 9, 2024
Firstly, im super sorry for the extremely late book review!! College has been eating me up alive <3
Second, I'd like the thank the author Jelena Dunato for reaching out to me again and review her prequel “ghost apparent” to the book “dark woods, deep water”.
I read dark woods, deep water about a year ago but I didn't really need the knowledge of that book to go on with this one so yay to that.
Ghost apparent is a lovely prequel to the book “dark woods, deep waters” and it was a really good read there ngl! You can either just start with this book or “dark woods, deep waters”, your choice!! They’re both amazing anyways!
As for the storyline and the characters, Orsiana’s situation seemed quite practical. She didn't get things magically and had to actually get them by being witty or just using her brain at times. It’s been a very long time since i’ve read a ‘believable’ FMC, but then again, gurlie committed a ‘personal crime’ so-
There was character development in like 100 pages only. Damn. Orsiana went from the pretty privileged princess to actually proving her worth! the father daughter dynamic was actually very sweet!
In the end, it was a pretty good read!!
Second, I'd like the thank the author Jelena Dunato for reaching out to me again and review her prequel “ghost apparent” to the book “dark woods, deep water”.
I read dark woods, deep water about a year ago but I didn't really need the knowledge of that book to go on with this one so yay to that.
Ghost apparent is a lovely prequel to the book “dark woods, deep waters” and it was a really good read there ngl! You can either just start with this book or “dark woods, deep waters”, your choice!! They’re both amazing anyways!
As for the storyline and the characters, Orsiana’s situation seemed quite practical. She didn't get things magically and had to actually get them by being witty or just using her brain at times. It’s been a very long time since i’ve read a ‘believable’ FMC, but then again, gurlie committed a ‘personal crime’ so-
There was character development in like 100 pages only. Damn. Orsiana went from the pretty privileged princess to actually proving her worth! the father daughter dynamic was actually very sweet!
In the end, it was a pretty good read!!
September 27, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Ghost Apparent is a dark fantasy novella, written by Jelena Dunato, and published by Ghost Orchid Press. A story about the rise of a young woman to the power of the city of Abia, a complex and intricate political fantasy that further develops the folklore of Dunato's world (which is shared with Dark Woods, Deep Water) in a marvelous setting inspired by Adriatic history.
After her father, the gospodar of Abia, is assassinated in a coup organized by her uncle, Orsiana finds herself powerless in the streets of Abia. Desperate for help to stop the ongoing scheming, she pleads for help with the only power still available, becoming a pawn for gods' game; but even with the gifts given by them, she will have to fight against everything, especially those she appreciates, if she wants to keep the city she learned to love.
In only 100 pages, Dunato weaves a mesmerising story centered around Orsiana and her growth as character, how the force of circumstances acts as the engine for her change; going from the streets of Abia to the realm of gods, having to bargain with powers bigger than her, when a few hours ago she was just the daughter of the gospodar. At the end, in the center of her heart, Abia is what matters, putting the city over her own interests.
Not only the central arc is compelling, but the worldbuilding deserves a mention. Dunato's prose borders the lyrical, being abundant in descriptions, creating strong imagery. While we already knew Morana, goddess of death from her previous book, the pantheon gets expanded, including more gods and their twisted ways to interact with humans.
Ghost Apparent is an excellent dark fantasy novella, great to be read in one sit, and that encloses a powerful feminist story. I totally recommend this one if you like political fantasy, or if you are a fan of Slavic folklore, as you won't be disappointed. At this point, I can say that I will read anything written by Jelena Dunato, who has proven again her talent as author.
Ghost Apparent is a dark fantasy novella, written by Jelena Dunato, and published by Ghost Orchid Press. A story about the rise of a young woman to the power of the city of Abia, a complex and intricate political fantasy that further develops the folklore of Dunato's world (which is shared with Dark Woods, Deep Water) in a marvelous setting inspired by Adriatic history.
After her father, the gospodar of Abia, is assassinated in a coup organized by her uncle, Orsiana finds herself powerless in the streets of Abia. Desperate for help to stop the ongoing scheming, she pleads for help with the only power still available, becoming a pawn for gods' game; but even with the gifts given by them, she will have to fight against everything, especially those she appreciates, if she wants to keep the city she learned to love.
In only 100 pages, Dunato weaves a mesmerising story centered around Orsiana and her growth as character, how the force of circumstances acts as the engine for her change; going from the streets of Abia to the realm of gods, having to bargain with powers bigger than her, when a few hours ago she was just the daughter of the gospodar. At the end, in the center of her heart, Abia is what matters, putting the city over her own interests.
Not only the central arc is compelling, but the worldbuilding deserves a mention. Dunato's prose borders the lyrical, being abundant in descriptions, creating strong imagery. While we already knew Morana, goddess of death from her previous book, the pantheon gets expanded, including more gods and their twisted ways to interact with humans.
Ghost Apparent is an excellent dark fantasy novella, great to be read in one sit, and that encloses a powerful feminist story. I totally recommend this one if you like political fantasy, or if you are a fan of Slavic folklore, as you won't be disappointed. At this point, I can say that I will read anything written by Jelena Dunato, who has proven again her talent as author.
September 12, 2024
3/5
I do first want to say that this is a prequel novella and I have not read the work that this prequel is based on. You don't need to have read it to read this book, however I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I had done so.
I thought the writing in this story was woven beautifully, I loved the glimpses of this world that we were allowed to see, however I always wished for more. This in particular I feel could've been rectified if I had already read the novel set in this world. A novella felt too short. We moved quite abruptly through the events of the story and I constantly wished for a slower pace.
I also found the characters a little lacklustre because of this, I felt that we were never truly allowed to sit with them and get to know them fully. There were some that held promise, but I never connected to them in the way that I wished to.
My primary thought after reading this is that I wish I had read Dark Woods, Deep Water, the novel that this prequel stems from, first. However, I did find the author's writing to paint a very poetic picture, I just couldn't connect entirely to this particular story as it felt too short and too rushed. I wanted more time to see more of the intricacies of the court politics, I wanted more cunning and more scheming. Whilst I do think the main character grew a lot from the beginning to the end of the story, I ultimately still desired more wit and cleverness from her actions.
Thank you to the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I do first want to say that this is a prequel novella and I have not read the work that this prequel is based on. You don't need to have read it to read this book, however I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I had done so.
I thought the writing in this story was woven beautifully, I loved the glimpses of this world that we were allowed to see, however I always wished for more. This in particular I feel could've been rectified if I had already read the novel set in this world. A novella felt too short. We moved quite abruptly through the events of the story and I constantly wished for a slower pace.
I also found the characters a little lacklustre because of this, I felt that we were never truly allowed to sit with them and get to know them fully. There were some that held promise, but I never connected to them in the way that I wished to.
My primary thought after reading this is that I wish I had read Dark Woods, Deep Water, the novel that this prequel stems from, first. However, I did find the author's writing to paint a very poetic picture, I just couldn't connect entirely to this particular story as it felt too short and too rushed. I wanted more time to see more of the intricacies of the court politics, I wanted more cunning and more scheming. Whilst I do think the main character grew a lot from the beginning to the end of the story, I ultimately still desired more wit and cleverness from her actions.
Thank you to the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2025
"Nasljeđe krvi" je jedna od onih knjiga koje pročitaš u sat vremena, a čini ti se da je prošlo samo par minuta – i žao ti je kad završi. Stil pisanja je predivan, slikovit, pobuđuje sva osjetila i od prve stranice te transportira u drugi svijet.
Iako ima samo tri poglavlja i tek malo više od sto stranica, Jelena Dunato uspijeva stvoriti cijeli svijet, zanimljive likove i radnju koja te drži do samog kraja. Tempo je brz, sve vrijeme se nešto događa, a cijela priča ima napetost trilera, samo u slavenskom fantasy okruženju.
Odrasla sam na Ivani Brlić-Mažuranić, kasnije zavoljela Guya Gavriela Kaya i Georgea R. R. Martina, a danas rado posegnem za autoricama poput Katherine Arden – i upravo mi je zato ova priča izuzetno godila. Ima taj miks poznatog i bajkovitog, ali i nečeg mračnijeg i kompleksnijeg. Bogovi koji se petljaju u sve što mogu podsjetili su me na Ilijadu i Odiseju.
Priča ide klasičnim putem – pokvareni zlikovac, plemenita djeva, hrabri kralj – ali je svejedno veliko zadovoljstvo čitati je. Jedino što mi je zaista nedostajalo jest više stranica. Ovu bih priču rado čitala i kao roman.
Iako ima samo tri poglavlja i tek malo više od sto stranica, Jelena Dunato uspijeva stvoriti cijeli svijet, zanimljive likove i radnju koja te drži do samog kraja. Tempo je brz, sve vrijeme se nešto događa, a cijela priča ima napetost trilera, samo u slavenskom fantasy okruženju.
Odrasla sam na Ivani Brlić-Mažuranić, kasnije zavoljela Guya Gavriela Kaya i Georgea R. R. Martina, a danas rado posegnem za autoricama poput Katherine Arden – i upravo mi je zato ova priča izuzetno godila. Ima taj miks poznatog i bajkovitog, ali i nečeg mračnijeg i kompleksnijeg. Bogovi koji se petljaju u sve što mogu podsjetili su me na Ilijadu i Odiseju.
Priča ide klasičnim putem – pokvareni zlikovac, plemenita djeva, hrabri kralj – ali je svejedno veliko zadovoljstvo čitati je. Jedino što mi je zaista nedostajalo jest više stranica. Ovu bih priču rado čitala i kao roman.
August 16, 2024
I read this in one sitting and absolutely loved it. This novella had an insanely well-developed world and system of gods for being such a short read. Every moment was action-packed; there wasn’t really a time I felt like I could put it down!
Dunato’s writing is absolutely stunning. The novella reads very poetically, complementing the strong, immersive imagery throughout. The realms of the gods were one of my favorite parts - from the gem-encrusted caves, all the way to the healing pools, I could picture myself there.
As far as the storyline, Orsiana is a believable protagonist, which I loved. At no point did I feel like she was getting out of situations *too* easily - she used her wits, talents, and connections in a realistic way.
Overall, if you’re a fantasy reader that’s interested in an engaging quick read that cuts through all the filler, features a believable FMC, and contains gorgeous writing, you *need* to pick up Ghost Apparent. I loved every bit of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the ARC!
Dunato’s writing is absolutely stunning. The novella reads very poetically, complementing the strong, immersive imagery throughout. The realms of the gods were one of my favorite parts - from the gem-encrusted caves, all the way to the healing pools, I could picture myself there.
As far as the storyline, Orsiana is a believable protagonist, which I loved. At no point did I feel like she was getting out of situations *too* easily - she used her wits, talents, and connections in a realistic way.
Overall, if you’re a fantasy reader that’s interested in an engaging quick read that cuts through all the filler, features a believable FMC, and contains gorgeous writing, you *need* to pick up Ghost Apparent. I loved every bit of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the ARC!
August 30, 2024
Review to come! 🌼
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful novella that expands on the world Dunato wrote in her debut Dark Woods, Deep Water which I also had the incredible privilege of reading as an eARC! This dives into a character that’s briefly mentioned and seen in DWDW and I really enjoyed getting to know why this character holds such importance to that plot (even though I will admit I had to search my brain to remember this in the first place 😅). 💀
Orsiana in this novella is an 18 year old girl who finds herself the witness to a gruesome and horrendously personal crime. I really loved her character development in these short 100 pages and how she goes from a rather privileged princess to someone worthy of holding and controlling a calculating court. Her relationship with her father was quite sweet and makes me rather sad we only got so much of their dynamic in the novella. 🗡️
What really drew me in again to this world was its use of Slavic mythology, specifically the gods. I just love getting to see the different deities of ancient people from around the world, and the Slavic ones just seem so incredibly creepy and mysterious. I do wish we got just a smidge more of these deities in this novella, but probably for the best because really, I’d end up wanting a whole novel. ❤️
All in all, loved being back in a Slavic mythology influenced world set in an Adriatic like setting. Would definitely recommend reading this back to back with the debut just in case you have an issue like I did. Big thank you goes out to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Dunato, for writing a wonderful novella! 🥰
Publication date: September 24!
Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful novella that expands on the world Dunato wrote in her debut Dark Woods, Deep Water which I also had the incredible privilege of reading as an eARC! This dives into a character that’s briefly mentioned and seen in DWDW and I really enjoyed getting to know why this character holds such importance to that plot (even though I will admit I had to search my brain to remember this in the first place 😅). 💀
Orsiana in this novella is an 18 year old girl who finds herself the witness to a gruesome and horrendously personal crime. I really loved her character development in these short 100 pages and how she goes from a rather privileged princess to someone worthy of holding and controlling a calculating court. Her relationship with her father was quite sweet and makes me rather sad we only got so much of their dynamic in the novella. 🗡️
What really drew me in again to this world was its use of Slavic mythology, specifically the gods. I just love getting to see the different deities of ancient people from around the world, and the Slavic ones just seem so incredibly creepy and mysterious. I do wish we got just a smidge more of these deities in this novella, but probably for the best because really, I’d end up wanting a whole novel. ❤️
All in all, loved being back in a Slavic mythology influenced world set in an Adriatic like setting. Would definitely recommend reading this back to back with the debut just in case you have an issue like I did. Big thank you goes out to Ghost Orchid Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Dunato, for writing a wonderful novella! 🥰
Publication date: September 24!
Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️
July 9, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this excellent novella. I loved Dark Woods, Deep Water, so it was a pleasure to read more into this world.
Dunato's writing sings from the page in this darkly fantastical tale of political intrigue, vengeance, and trickster gods. A great read both as a prequel to Dark Woods, Deep Water, and as a standalone for those new to Abia.
Dunato's writing sings from the page in this darkly fantastical tale of political intrigue, vengeance, and trickster gods. A great read both as a prequel to Dark Woods, Deep Water, and as a standalone for those new to Abia.
October 12, 2024
A really impressive novella mixing medieval political intrigue with a folklore magic tale of gods and dangerous bargains - strongly recommended
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
July 29, 2025
Atmosfera je sve u ovoj priči! Autorica ima sjajnu sposobnost prenijeti vas u neko drugo vrijeme i tamo vas zadržati a da ni ne trepnete! Sve pohvale za predivan stil pisanja! Baš me oduševila.
January 7, 2025
(I received a free copy in exchange for a review!)
I loved this novella! It reads like a dark fairytale and I enjoyed it so much. I really enjoyed Dark Woods, Deep Water, so I was excited to read more in this world and I just love the way Jelena Dunato writes. Her descriptions are so vivid and visceral and beautiful, even when describing something horrific. Her ability to craft such a captivating story with so much character development and such a satisfying plot arc in such a short amount of time is a testament to her talent!
Compared to DWDW, this isn't nearly as dark and doesn't go so far into the horror realm. Readers should be aware there are descriptions of death, decay, torture, blood, and gore. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!
I loved this novella! It reads like a dark fairytale and I enjoyed it so much. I really enjoyed Dark Woods, Deep Water, so I was excited to read more in this world and I just love the way Jelena Dunato writes. Her descriptions are so vivid and visceral and beautiful, even when describing something horrific. Her ability to craft such a captivating story with so much character development and such a satisfying plot arc in such a short amount of time is a testament to her talent!
Compared to DWDW, this isn't nearly as dark and doesn't go so far into the horror realm. Readers should be aware there are descriptions of death, decay, torture, blood, and gore. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!
July 24, 2024
My second request on NetGalley, I was very pleased to get a copy of this book as I adored Dark Woods, Deep Water. It was a lovely novella. It was a feminist fairy tale, that was both realistic and magical. Orsiana was a very likable intelligent heroine, who thrown totally out of her depth fought to do the right thing for her people. I loved how very grounded the book felt despite the assistance of the Gods it was up to Orsiana to solve her own problems and find justice. Very highly recommended. I will definitely be buying a copy of this when it comes out and reading it again.
November 6, 2025
Novela je samostalna priča Orsiane koja se kao sporedni lik pojavljuje u romanu “Tamna šuma, duboka voda”. Ja stvarno nisam nisam čitač fantazije i baš sam izašao iz svoje zone komfora. Uživao sam u potpunosti u noveli. Ima političke intrige, izdaje, osvete i još puno toga na jako malo stranica.
Nisam htio da priča završi jer me jako zanimalo što se sve dalje događa. Orsiana je bila izuzetno zanimljiva i navijao sam za nju da uspije.
Baš sam ostao iznenađen koliko mi se svidjela novela. Bez problema može biti zanimljiva osobama koji žele osjetiti dašak slavenske mitologije.
Nisam htio da priča završi jer me jako zanimalo što se sve dalje događa. Orsiana je bila izuzetno zanimljiva i navijao sam za nju da uspije.
Baš sam ostao iznenađen koliko mi se svidjela novela. Bez problema može biti zanimljiva osobama koji žele osjetiti dašak slavenske mitologije.
August 10, 2025
soooo many issues
August 11, 2025
Ostajem pri tome da Jelena Dunato dobro piše, iako mi kićeni stil i prezent u Nasljeđu krvi nisu najbolje sjeli. Previše usporedbi za moj ukus, previše opisa, previše repetitivnih opisa.
Solidna karakterizacija i priča su ono što me držalo i ono što je na kraju dovelo do tri zvjezdice. Priča je jednostavna, s par dobrih fora koje nisam očekivala i ugodno su me iznenadile. Slavenska mitologija igra važnu ulogu, ali voljela bih da je malo više prožimala samu priču.
Sve skupa bi bilo puno bolje da se preskočio jedan opis zalaska sunca, da Orsianu barem dvaput nešto nije preplavilo i da su se te riječi utrošile na dodavanje kompleksnosti likovima i priči. A prema onome što sam od Dunato do sada vidjela, njoj nije puno potrebno da bi unijela nijansu i dubinu.
Iako sam Tamnoj šumi, dubokoj vodi dala zvjezdicu manje, svejedno sam znala da ću bez sumnje pročitati Nasljeđe krvi. Za Ubojitu ljubav, uzvišenu smrt nisam toliko sigurna. Iako,ako Naklada Morana opet izda neko prekrasno izdanje, sumnjam da ću imati izbora.
*Dojma sam da je prijevod dosta bolji od onoga Tamne šume, duboke vode - našla sam samo jedan jako nespretan prijevod (Iskreno, nalazi ga prilično nepodnošljivim), ali zato me korištenje „ju“ umjesto „je“ izludilo.
Solidna karakterizacija i priča su ono što me držalo i ono što je na kraju dovelo do tri zvjezdice. Priča je jednostavna, s par dobrih fora koje nisam očekivala i ugodno su me iznenadile. Slavenska mitologija igra važnu ulogu, ali voljela bih da je malo više prožimala samu priču.
Sve skupa bi bilo puno bolje da se preskočio jedan opis zalaska sunca, da Orsianu barem dvaput nešto nije preplavilo i da su se te riječi utrošile na dodavanje kompleksnosti likovima i priči. A prema onome što sam od Dunato do sada vidjela, njoj nije puno potrebno da bi unijela nijansu i dubinu.
Iako sam Tamnoj šumi, dubokoj vodi dala zvjezdicu manje, svejedno sam znala da ću bez sumnje pročitati Nasljeđe krvi. Za Ubojitu ljubav, uzvišenu smrt nisam toliko sigurna. Iako,ako Naklada Morana opet izda neko prekrasno izdanje, sumnjam da ću imati izbora.
*Dojma sam da je prijevod dosta bolji od onoga Tamne šume, duboke vode - našla sam samo jedan jako nespretan prijevod (Iskreno, nalazi ga prilično nepodnošljivim), ali zato me korištenje „ju“ umjesto „je“ izludilo.
November 10, 2024
I didn't know this was a prequel novella coming into it, but it didn't matter. I haven't read Dark Woods, Deep Water, and didn't need to in order to get completely sucked into the story. I really enjoyed this story of a young woman coming into her own, complete with political intrigue, gods, magic and bargains.
September 13, 2025
RECENZIJA
Nasljeđe krvi - Jelena Dunato
5⭐️
Predivna, emotivna dirljiva priča koja ima snagu i polet. Divno pisano, jednostavno, brzo se čita.
Divni likovi. Procitate ju za 2 sata.
#mojapreporuka
Nasljeđe krvi - Jelena Dunato
5⭐️
Predivna, emotivna dirljiva priča koja ima snagu i polet. Divno pisano, jednostavno, brzo se čita.
Divni likovi. Procitate ju za 2 sata.
#mojapreporuka
July 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the arc!
Hmm, this didn’t really do it for me. I didn’t find the mc to be believable. She was trained to rule, but couldn’t employ any of those skills, and then at some point she just could? I feel like some things were told more than shown, and especially about her character. All the other aspects of this novella weren’t too special either. That being said, I liked the gods and their domains, the love one has for their city with the city loving them back, and the theme that men shouldn’t be centered. The story was easy to read and I read it in a single sitting, so was engaged enough to do so. All in all, that equals out to 3 stars.
Hmm, this didn’t really do it for me. I didn’t find the mc to be believable. She was trained to rule, but couldn’t employ any of those skills, and then at some point she just could? I feel like some things were told more than shown, and especially about her character. All the other aspects of this novella weren’t too special either. That being said, I liked the gods and their domains, the love one has for their city with the city loving them back, and the theme that men shouldn’t be centered. The story was easy to read and I read it in a single sitting, so was engaged enough to do so. All in all, that equals out to 3 stars.
August 8, 2024
"'You are nowhere at the moment,' he tells her in the cold precise voice of a master addressing a disobeying servant. 'Neither safe nor abducted, neither dead nor alive. Your destiny is undecided and it depends entirely on what you do next.'"
This was fun! It was kind of a "cookie cutter" story for me: it didn't have anything where I went "WOW! This is wholly unique, innovative, crazy!!" but it also was just well written.
All the characters were likable and had arcs ranging from "yep that did its job" to "huh, that was actually good!" I liked the fact that Orsiana, a rich noble girl, had no planning or critical thinking skills because she's never had to think about things like, well, overthrowing a coup before! She had to adapt, she wasn't perfect, and she didn't make perfect requests to each of the gods either, and that was a major appeal for me!
Another thank God moment for me was the romance- it wasn't a major component (like I feared), and it didn't distract from the plot and Orsiana's desire for control of her city.
I also think that this book tackled feminism in a really nice way that a) didn't bash you over the head with it, and b) didn't take itself too seriously (this is a short novella about assassination revenge after all). It had subtle misogyny as a topic, tackled it well, had grief and who gets to grieve and tackled it well, and it had just women being on equal standing with men and tackled it well! Kudos to Miss Dunato there.
One topic that Ghost Apparent also tackled that I wasn't expecting was the tiniest bit of critique of true crime in there! In Chapter 2, Orsiana goes:
"...but the crowd hangs on the gory details, on the explicit violence. It's the blood they want, not the solemn mourning."
I interpreted this as a subtle reference to how true crime fanatics are only looking for the goriest, most gruesome, horrific crimes, and not letting the families grieve.
I'm very curious as to the Eastern Adriatic inspiration, as I felt like I was missing folklore references that would've helped me enjoy the story more.
For what I didn't like, for all that was in the book, it still felt very plateau-ish the entire book. I think part of that is because about half of the book is in the synopsis, and an event at literally the butt end of this book is included.
The ending was also incredibly underwhelming for what it's worth- I was expecting more and it felt very abrupt.
In short: it's a fun standard read!
— thanks to the publisher for the arc —
This was fun! It was kind of a "cookie cutter" story for me: it didn't have anything where I went "WOW! This is wholly unique, innovative, crazy!!" but it also was just well written.
All the characters were likable and had arcs ranging from "yep that did its job" to "huh, that was actually good!" I liked the fact that Orsiana, a rich noble girl, had no planning or critical thinking skills because she's never had to think about things like, well, overthrowing a coup before! She had to adapt, she wasn't perfect, and she didn't make perfect requests to each of the gods either, and that was a major appeal for me!
Another thank God moment for me was the romance- it wasn't a major component (like I feared), and it didn't distract from the plot and Orsiana's desire for control of her city.
I also think that this book tackled feminism in a really nice way that a) didn't bash you over the head with it, and b) didn't take itself too seriously (this is a short novella about assassination revenge after all). It had subtle misogyny as a topic, tackled it well, had grief and who gets to grieve and tackled it well, and it had just women being on equal standing with men and tackled it well! Kudos to Miss Dunato there.
One topic that Ghost Apparent also tackled that I wasn't expecting was the tiniest bit of critique of true crime in there! In Chapter 2, Orsiana goes:
"...but the crowd hangs on the gory details, on the explicit violence. It's the blood they want, not the solemn mourning."
I interpreted this as a subtle reference to how true crime fanatics are only looking for the goriest, most gruesome, horrific crimes, and not letting the families grieve.
I'm very curious as to the Eastern Adriatic inspiration, as I felt like I was missing folklore references that would've helped me enjoy the story more.
For what I didn't like, for all that was in the book, it still felt very plateau-ish the entire book. I think part of that is because about half of the book is in the synopsis, and an event at literally the butt end of this book is included.
The ending was also incredibly underwhelming for what it's worth- I was expecting more and it felt very abrupt.
In short: it's a fun standard read!
— thanks to the publisher for the arc —
August 4, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Ghost Apparent by Jelena Dunato is a third person-POV fantasy novella with Adriatic deities and courtly politics. Orsiana is the only child of the Gospodar of the city of Abia and has recently reached the age of eighteen. On her father’s birthday, Orsiana and her aging father head over to the home of Caril, Orsiana’s uncle, only for him to kill her father and plan to sell Orsiana into slavery. Instead of accepting that fate, she jumps into the sea and learns she’s part of a much larger plot put in place by the gods.
I am not super familiar with Adriatic, Baltic, or Slavic deities so I did end up looking them up after reading to learn more about them. Dunato revisits the Goddess of Death, Morana, but also introduces readers new to these mythologies to Korab, Lada, and Veles. Each god has a different role that they want Orsiana to play but are all working within the tapestry set in motion that has less to do with Orsiana and more to do with the future of her country. Orsiana is basically a pinball in their plans going exactly where they want and she has little say, but she does what she can to get some kind of power in the situation and to make her own decisions.
When Orsiana chooses drowning over slavery, Korab saves her while Veles disguises her, providing her a way to sneak around Caril’s new home and learn his plans and about other people. A poet who had previously been sweet on her didn’t realize she was disguised and his words make her realize he didn’t actually see her but saw his idea of her. It drops the veil of romanticization and exposes that pretty words don’t necessarily mean genuine affection.
One thing I thought was really cool was how Orsiana’s father celebrated his daughter’s education. Early in the novella, he tells her that a book she read is inappropriate for her age and that she will enjoy it, which is a bit of a wink to the readers who read books that many would say are not appropriate but their parents realized said readers were mature enough to handle the material.
I would recommend this to readers looking for books featuring Adriatic folklore, fans of courtly politics in their fantasy, and those looking for a short, fairly grounded fantasy that focuses on the relationships between gods and mortals.
Ghost Apparent by Jelena Dunato is a third person-POV fantasy novella with Adriatic deities and courtly politics. Orsiana is the only child of the Gospodar of the city of Abia and has recently reached the age of eighteen. On her father’s birthday, Orsiana and her aging father head over to the home of Caril, Orsiana’s uncle, only for him to kill her father and plan to sell Orsiana into slavery. Instead of accepting that fate, she jumps into the sea and learns she’s part of a much larger plot put in place by the gods.
I am not super familiar with Adriatic, Baltic, or Slavic deities so I did end up looking them up after reading to learn more about them. Dunato revisits the Goddess of Death, Morana, but also introduces readers new to these mythologies to Korab, Lada, and Veles. Each god has a different role that they want Orsiana to play but are all working within the tapestry set in motion that has less to do with Orsiana and more to do with the future of her country. Orsiana is basically a pinball in their plans going exactly where they want and she has little say, but she does what she can to get some kind of power in the situation and to make her own decisions.
When Orsiana chooses drowning over slavery, Korab saves her while Veles disguises her, providing her a way to sneak around Caril’s new home and learn his plans and about other people. A poet who had previously been sweet on her didn’t realize she was disguised and his words make her realize he didn’t actually see her but saw his idea of her. It drops the veil of romanticization and exposes that pretty words don’t necessarily mean genuine affection.
One thing I thought was really cool was how Orsiana’s father celebrated his daughter’s education. Early in the novella, he tells her that a book she read is inappropriate for her age and that she will enjoy it, which is a bit of a wink to the readers who read books that many would say are not appropriate but their parents realized said readers were mature enough to handle the material.
I would recommend this to readers looking for books featuring Adriatic folklore, fans of courtly politics in their fantasy, and those looking for a short, fairly grounded fantasy that focuses on the relationships between gods and mortals.
August 15, 2024
Ghost Apparent tells the story of a young princess, Orsiana who, after her father is assassinated by her uncle, sets about reclaiming her birthright to become the leader of the city state of Abias.
With help from the gods, she sets about a complicated plan to bring her uncle to justice and also win the hearts of the people. However, she soon finds that the task before her is an arduous one and that the attention of the gods is something that can prove as challenging as her tasks.
Ghost Apparent is a mixed bag of a book for me. There is some interesting stuff in the book. Orsiana is a likeable heroine (I am not sure that this may be politically correct, but I want to celebrate the femininity of the protagonist) who struggles against adversity to regain her birthright.
I liked the fact that Orisana is a feminine character and the differences of a woman as the main character were built upon rather than her being a man in woman form. She’s strong, she’s ruthless at times but ultimately she uses the different strengths a feminine character can bring (please don’t think that I believe that a woman can’t fight as well as men do or be just as strong because that is not the case,it just sometimes is nice to see other aspects of femininity being employed such as brains rather than brawn, and see strength in other ways).
The inclusion of Slavic mythology is also interesting and brings something else to the table rather than the usual inclusion of mythologies.
Now some of the things that didn’t work for me is the use of the present tense. I found that hampered the immersiveness of the storytelling. It kind of kept me at arms length rather than feeling I was part of the story.
In addition, I was not overly enamoured of the final act. I thought it fell into something that was not particularly dynamic.
However, there is something that I did like about Jeleta Dunato’s writing and I would definitely read some more of her works.
With help from the gods, she sets about a complicated plan to bring her uncle to justice and also win the hearts of the people. However, she soon finds that the task before her is an arduous one and that the attention of the gods is something that can prove as challenging as her tasks.
Ghost Apparent is a mixed bag of a book for me. There is some interesting stuff in the book. Orsiana is a likeable heroine (I am not sure that this may be politically correct, but I want to celebrate the femininity of the protagonist) who struggles against adversity to regain her birthright.
I liked the fact that Orisana is a feminine character and the differences of a woman as the main character were built upon rather than her being a man in woman form. She’s strong, she’s ruthless at times but ultimately she uses the different strengths a feminine character can bring (please don’t think that I believe that a woman can’t fight as well as men do or be just as strong because that is not the case,it just sometimes is nice to see other aspects of femininity being employed such as brains rather than brawn, and see strength in other ways).
The inclusion of Slavic mythology is also interesting and brings something else to the table rather than the usual inclusion of mythologies.
Now some of the things that didn’t work for me is the use of the present tense. I found that hampered the immersiveness of the storytelling. It kind of kept me at arms length rather than feeling I was part of the story.
In addition, I was not overly enamoured of the final act. I thought it fell into something that was not particularly dynamic.
However, there is something that I did like about Jeleta Dunato’s writing and I would definitely read some more of her works.
August 15, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
The author knows how to craft a well writen and lush, full of lore story. Seeing how many thing the summary promised I was affraid it would be a little to much but I was mistaking a lot.
This story unfolded through the pages so well and in a flowy way that made not want to stop and always turn the next pages.
In addition to that, the author has an incredible way to write, I highlighted so many quotes just because I found them beautiful.
This book is enchanting, but not as your everyday fairy tale. It will have you surprised when you think you have guess.
Orsiana is a character that evolves a lot during this story and I liked to read her story, I would even like to read maybe other stories with her (they would probably be heartbreaking though).
She's though, she's a girl in a world of men and understands that she can't relies on any of them, and that she's the only one her to help herself.
I liked to see her anger, her hope and her love. A love story between her and her city that I wasn't expecting but was one of my favorite part.
I would have loved to see her relationship with Divna more but I understand that this is a short story and it was enough.
The only thing I didn't really like was the gift she got from the second god, it felt a little to easy for me. But I liked the idea of an encounter with a God per chapter. It made it even more look like a fairy tale, a dark one with a bitter sweet ending(that made me like it even more), but a fairy tale still.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
The author knows how to craft a well writen and lush, full of lore story. Seeing how many thing the summary promised I was affraid it would be a little to much but I was mistaking a lot.
This story unfolded through the pages so well and in a flowy way that made not want to stop and always turn the next pages.
In addition to that, the author has an incredible way to write, I highlighted so many quotes just because I found them beautiful.
This book is enchanting, but not as your everyday fairy tale. It will have you surprised when you think you have guess.
Orsiana is a character that evolves a lot during this story and I liked to read her story, I would even like to read maybe other stories with her (they would probably be heartbreaking though).
She's though, she's a girl in a world of men and understands that she can't relies on any of them, and that she's the only one her to help herself.
I liked to see her anger, her hope and her love. A love story between her and her city that I wasn't expecting but was one of my favorite part.
I would have loved to see her relationship with Divna more but I understand that this is a short story and it was enough.
The only thing I didn't really like was the gift she got from the second god, it felt a little to easy for me. But I liked the idea of an encounter with a God per chapter. It made it even more look like a fairy tale, a dark one with a bitter sweet ending(that made me like it even more), but a fairy tale still.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
August 15, 2024
I have to start this review by saying that I don't think novellas are the story format for me. I though they could have been, but this story proved it wasn't the case.
This story follows Orsiana, whose father is brutally murdered in front of her. Then she is sent to Seragian slavers. However on the way she falls into the ocean and she prays for the gods to save her. There is a little bit a little mermaid moment where she loses her voice and then she is returned back to the city, unable to tell anyone who killed her father and how she survived. And did I mention that her father was the ruler of the region and she is now his only heir? A lot of things follow when she tries to take back her rightful place. More gods, more wishes.
The biggest problem for me personally was that not everything that happened in the story was given as much attention. For many parts, I would have loved to hear more, see more, but then we just moved on. I know that this wasn't a full novel, and i think in this case this is very much a me problem, but this style just didn't work for me. There was a hint of romance but for the most parts, Orsiana just did stuff and then other stuff happened. I found it hard to see the emotions and the feelings behind the words. I think the story was wonderful, but at the same time, it wasn't given enough time to be everything it could have been. Now there just was a lot of stuff happening and way too fast.
3 stars, wasn't for me, but others might like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jelena Dunato for the arc.
This story follows Orsiana, whose father is brutally murdered in front of her. Then she is sent to Seragian slavers. However on the way she falls into the ocean and she prays for the gods to save her. There is a little bit a little mermaid moment where she loses her voice and then she is returned back to the city, unable to tell anyone who killed her father and how she survived. And did I mention that her father was the ruler of the region and she is now his only heir? A lot of things follow when she tries to take back her rightful place. More gods, more wishes.
The biggest problem for me personally was that not everything that happened in the story was given as much attention. For many parts, I would have loved to hear more, see more, but then we just moved on. I know that this wasn't a full novel, and i think in this case this is very much a me problem, but this style just didn't work for me. There was a hint of romance but for the most parts, Orsiana just did stuff and then other stuff happened. I found it hard to see the emotions and the feelings behind the words. I think the story was wonderful, but at the same time, it wasn't given enough time to be everything it could have been. Now there just was a lot of stuff happening and way too fast.
3 stars, wasn't for me, but others might like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jelena Dunato for the arc.
August 22, 2024
Title: Ghost Apparent
Author: Jelena Dunato
Genre: Dark Fantasy & Mythology
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: September 24, 2024
📖 S Y N O P S I S 📖
When her father is killed in a bloody coup and her uncle seizes the city, Orsiana pleads for help with the only power still willing to listen, unaware that the gods will use her as a pawn in their own game.
Thrown back on the streets of Abia, armed with the gods’ double-edged gifts, Orsiana must thwart her uncle’s plans and learn what it takes to rule a proud, stubborn city that thrives on artifice and wit. She will plot, fight and use lethally tuned verse to stir a rebellion. But just when her uncle’s Machiavellian schemes start to topple, a new player will enter the game, and the gods will raise the stakes. It’s easy to fight an enemy you hate, but how about an enemy you fall in love with? If she wants to win, Orsiana will have to risk the last precious thing in her possession: her heart.
💭 T H O U G H T S 💭
I have not read anything by this author before, but people have told me that this is a prequel novella to Dark Woods, Deep Water, which I will be reading. The world-building was so easy to understand and the plot was so action-packed that it kept me intrigued...and wanting more. The main character was likeable and it did not feel like the situations she was placed in were too easy or too hard to solve. The ending was bittersweet and I'm hoping it sets up for the full-length novel.
⚠️CONTENT • WARNINGS⚠️
• violence
• murder
• blood
• torture
• suicide
Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.
NetGalley note: This is labeled as horror, but I would say it does not have any true horror elements and is more so a dark fantasy.
I talked about this book in a weekly wrap-up: https://youtu.be/WYc7QRUDhUk (starts at 17:10).
Author: Jelena Dunato
Genre: Dark Fantasy & Mythology
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: September 24, 2024
📖 S Y N O P S I S 📖
When her father is killed in a bloody coup and her uncle seizes the city, Orsiana pleads for help with the only power still willing to listen, unaware that the gods will use her as a pawn in their own game.
Thrown back on the streets of Abia, armed with the gods’ double-edged gifts, Orsiana must thwart her uncle’s plans and learn what it takes to rule a proud, stubborn city that thrives on artifice and wit. She will plot, fight and use lethally tuned verse to stir a rebellion. But just when her uncle’s Machiavellian schemes start to topple, a new player will enter the game, and the gods will raise the stakes. It’s easy to fight an enemy you hate, but how about an enemy you fall in love with? If she wants to win, Orsiana will have to risk the last precious thing in her possession: her heart.
💭 T H O U G H T S 💭
I have not read anything by this author before, but people have told me that this is a prequel novella to Dark Woods, Deep Water, which I will be reading. The world-building was so easy to understand and the plot was so action-packed that it kept me intrigued...and wanting more. The main character was likeable and it did not feel like the situations she was placed in were too easy or too hard to solve. The ending was bittersweet and I'm hoping it sets up for the full-length novel.
⚠️CONTENT • WARNINGS⚠️
• violence
• murder
• blood
• torture
• suicide
Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.
NetGalley note: This is labeled as horror, but I would say it does not have any true horror elements and is more so a dark fantasy.
I talked about this book in a weekly wrap-up: https://youtu.be/WYc7QRUDhUk (starts at 17:10).
August 23, 2024
🌿
𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥 ~ Jelena Dunato
🏰
Novela de fantasía oscura, de no más de 100 páginas, la cual se mueve a un ritmo acelerado y no pierde el tiempo al momento de introducir cambios en su estructura.
~
Primera vez que tengo la oportunidad de leer a esta escritora croata, y disfrute mucho el folclore eslavo.
La historia se trata de la fuerza, tenacidad y enfoque de Orsiana para recuperar su trono, que le ha sido arrebatado por su tío quien ha asesinado a su padre.
~
Su característica principal y que me pareció original, es que ella se puede comunicar con los dioses, pidiendo ayuda en diferentes situaciones en las cuales no siempre obtiene lo que ella quiere, sino como a los dioses les place otorgar esos deseos.
~
Si bien la historia tiene un buen argumento de principio a fin, me ha quedado corta. Literalmente. Creo que se hubiese beneficiado más si hubiera al menos 300 páginas.
~
Se trata de una precuela de su anterior novela " Dark Woods Deep Water"(DWDW), pero aún así la autora ha mencionado que se puede leer como una novela independiente. Por lo tanto creo que hizo falta en ésta una mayor construcción del mundo, que me describa mejor el lugar donde están parados los personajes, la relación entre ellos, cuál es el motivo por el cual su tío asesina al padre de Orsiana, sus deseos y anhelos que lo llevaron a tomar esa decisión.
~
Sí me dejó con la intriga de leer DWDW, primero porque quiero adentrarme más en este folclore y segundo porque es una novela de casi 350 páginas. Les estaré contando en cuanto lo haga.
~
Muchas gracias a @netgalley por la copia avanzada de este libro.
.
.
.
.
.
#books #netgalley #instabook #booksofinstagram #booktok #campnetgalley
𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥 ~ Jelena Dunato
🏰
Novela de fantasía oscura, de no más de 100 páginas, la cual se mueve a un ritmo acelerado y no pierde el tiempo al momento de introducir cambios en su estructura.
~
Primera vez que tengo la oportunidad de leer a esta escritora croata, y disfrute mucho el folclore eslavo.
La historia se trata de la fuerza, tenacidad y enfoque de Orsiana para recuperar su trono, que le ha sido arrebatado por su tío quien ha asesinado a su padre.
~
Su característica principal y que me pareció original, es que ella se puede comunicar con los dioses, pidiendo ayuda en diferentes situaciones en las cuales no siempre obtiene lo que ella quiere, sino como a los dioses les place otorgar esos deseos.
~
Si bien la historia tiene un buen argumento de principio a fin, me ha quedado corta. Literalmente. Creo que se hubiese beneficiado más si hubiera al menos 300 páginas.
~
Se trata de una precuela de su anterior novela " Dark Woods Deep Water"(DWDW), pero aún así la autora ha mencionado que se puede leer como una novela independiente. Por lo tanto creo que hizo falta en ésta una mayor construcción del mundo, que me describa mejor el lugar donde están parados los personajes, la relación entre ellos, cuál es el motivo por el cual su tío asesina al padre de Orsiana, sus deseos y anhelos que lo llevaron a tomar esa decisión.
~
Sí me dejó con la intriga de leer DWDW, primero porque quiero adentrarme más en este folclore y segundo porque es una novela de casi 350 páginas. Les estaré contando en cuanto lo haga.
~
Muchas gracias a @netgalley por la copia avanzada de este libro.
.
.
.
.
.
#books #netgalley #instabook #booksofinstagram #booktok #campnetgalley
July 24, 2024
A fast-paced dark fantasy novella packed with political struggle and Slavic folklore.
Orsiana is a young heiress who loses everything when her father is murdered in a bloody coup. Desperate, she begs the gods for help and they respond with gifts which are as tricky and dangerous as the gods themselves. Alone in Abia - the town she lost - Orsiana needs to find allies and figure out how to beat her bloodthirsty uncle and reclaim her power.
In a little over 100 pages the author built a vivid, complex world of political struggle and tricky gods populated by plausible characters. The main character does a tremendous amount of growth - from a naive, sheltered girl to a savvy master player - and still remains relatable and sympathetic. There are no easy choices, no simple solutions and I love it how even the romantic subplot has a dose of pragmatism to it. It has a ring of a dark fairy tale, with beautiful, immersive prose and danger lurking under the surface.
This is the second book I read from this author and I am eager to see more.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Orsiana is a young heiress who loses everything when her father is murdered in a bloody coup. Desperate, she begs the gods for help and they respond with gifts which are as tricky and dangerous as the gods themselves. Alone in Abia - the town she lost - Orsiana needs to find allies and figure out how to beat her bloodthirsty uncle and reclaim her power.
In a little over 100 pages the author built a vivid, complex world of political struggle and tricky gods populated by plausible characters. The main character does a tremendous amount of growth - from a naive, sheltered girl to a savvy master player - and still remains relatable and sympathetic. There are no easy choices, no simple solutions and I love it how even the romantic subplot has a dose of pragmatism to it. It has a ring of a dark fairy tale, with beautiful, immersive prose and danger lurking under the surface.
This is the second book I read from this author and I am eager to see more.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 30, 2024
Who doesn’t like folklore and mythology right? Well, this story was enraging, emotional, comforting, fantastical and a real pleasure to read!
Through the description of the characters and the location, the town of Abia, I was thrown into the Mediterranean culture and for me it was like being back home in Italy, and specifically in Sicily where I spent many summers as a kid. The language and the description transport you in Abia and it’s so easy to picture yourself there with Orsiana.
Not only the atmosphere is great, the story is also compelling, mixing political and familial feuds with folklore, adding a bit of mystery and deceit, and the result is an entertaining read. In all of this, we also have an underlying coming of age story of the main female character, that alone has to find a way to honour her father’s memory and live life her own way!
I think this would appeal to lovers of Greek mythology and folklore alike, plus is a very short read!
Thanks to the author and Ghost Orchid Press for a copy and this is my honest review.
Through the description of the characters and the location, the town of Abia, I was thrown into the Mediterranean culture and for me it was like being back home in Italy, and specifically in Sicily where I spent many summers as a kid. The language and the description transport you in Abia and it’s so easy to picture yourself there with Orsiana.
Not only the atmosphere is great, the story is also compelling, mixing political and familial feuds with folklore, adding a bit of mystery and deceit, and the result is an entertaining read. In all of this, we also have an underlying coming of age story of the main female character, that alone has to find a way to honour her father’s memory and live life her own way!
I think this would appeal to lovers of Greek mythology and folklore alike, plus is a very short read!
Thanks to the author and Ghost Orchid Press for a copy and this is my honest review.
August 18, 2024
A riveting political fantasy tinged with fairy tale and horror
In this short book are worlds. From its opening languor to the immediate horror, with its plucky heroine and the touch of gods, and a romance to boot, this feels like something old made new, of a fairy tale that we once knew and just now unearthed again. The best stories start late and finish early, and this book follows that formula, bearing in its short length more than enough to make you return and return again. With more than a nod to the Little Mermaid, Aschenputtel and Donkeyskin, the central character of Orsiana will grab your heart and make you ache for her to win; but like the best fairy tales, victory comes at a cost, and the loss of innocence.
A brave, wonderful fairy tale: four and a half stars, rounded up to five.
In this short book are worlds. From its opening languor to the immediate horror, with its plucky heroine and the touch of gods, and a romance to boot, this feels like something old made new, of a fairy tale that we once knew and just now unearthed again. The best stories start late and finish early, and this book follows that formula, bearing in its short length more than enough to make you return and return again. With more than a nod to the Little Mermaid, Aschenputtel and Donkeyskin, the central character of Orsiana will grab your heart and make you ache for her to win; but like the best fairy tales, victory comes at a cost, and the loss of innocence.
A brave, wonderful fairy tale: four and a half stars, rounded up to five.
September 8, 2024
“Why do you invoke gods if you’re not prepared to bargain?”
Eighteen-year-old Orsiana witnesses her father, the ruler of the city of Abia, being brutally murdered by her uncle and his henchmen. Shortly afterwards she drowns; but don't worry, this is just the beginning.
In an underwater palace, in a cave full of gemstones, in the streets of a great city, Dunato weaves a beautiful, sad tale of revenge and love. The prose is gorgeous, with the present tense narration lending it a poem-like quality, and the story progresses logically toward its inevitable conclusion. There’s a fair share of twists, too, all of them well-prepared and grounded in solid worldbuilding.
The plot may revolve around the miracles performed by three gods (plus a bonus one), but the real magic here is Orsiana herself and her love for her father and her city. A wonderful, strong, poetic tale.
Eighteen-year-old Orsiana witnesses her father, the ruler of the city of Abia, being brutally murdered by her uncle and his henchmen. Shortly afterwards she drowns; but don't worry, this is just the beginning.
In an underwater palace, in a cave full of gemstones, in the streets of a great city, Dunato weaves a beautiful, sad tale of revenge and love. The prose is gorgeous, with the present tense narration lending it a poem-like quality, and the story progresses logically toward its inevitable conclusion. There’s a fair share of twists, too, all of them well-prepared and grounded in solid worldbuilding.
The plot may revolve around the miracles performed by three gods (plus a bonus one), but the real magic here is Orsiana herself and her love for her father and her city. A wonderful, strong, poetic tale.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews