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French Letters #3
The Anonymous Letters of C Forestier
Paris, 1825. Isabelle de Tourzin cannot afford to fall in love with a mortal. Not again. Ageless and nearly invulnerable, she spends her days in private grief and plots to end Malbosc, the powerful, secretive man who seduced her only to leech her magic for more than a century.
She was rescued before she had the chance to kill him, and he’s eluded her ever since. At last, Isabelle has in her hands a magic compass that will point her toward her quarry. Infuriatingly, a cunning stranger keeps disrupting her search. The interloper claims to be hunting Malbosc as well. Trust is impossible, but the stranger proves to have useful information. Isabelle reluctantly agrees to an alliance.
The stranger—a shameless liar who appears to be a man named Forestier—accompanies Isabelle across France. He’s charming and unexpectedly kind. It’s been a lifetime since she enjoyed anyone’s company so much, which makes Forestier an even greater danger than Malbosc. Forever is too long to live with a broken heart.
She was rescued before she had the chance to kill him, and he’s eluded her ever since. At last, Isabelle has in her hands a magic compass that will point her toward her quarry. Infuriatingly, a cunning stranger keeps disrupting her search. The interloper claims to be hunting Malbosc as well. Trust is impossible, but the stranger proves to have useful information. Isabelle reluctantly agrees to an alliance.
The stranger—a shameless liar who appears to be a man named Forestier—accompanies Isabelle across France. He’s charming and unexpectedly kind. It’s been a lifetime since she enjoyed anyone’s company so much, which makes Forestier an even greater danger than Malbosc. Forever is too long to live with a broken heart.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2024
2 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Felicia Davin
15 books198 followersWhen not writing and reading fiction, Felicia Davin (she/they) can be found teaching or translating French. She loves linguistics, singing, and baking. She is bisexual, but not ambidextrous.
Originally from Kentucky, she currently lives in Massachusetts with her partner and their cat.
Originally from Kentucky, she currently lives in Massachusetts with her partner and their cat.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 13, 2024
delightful!! for a hot minute there i thought it was going to be the highlight of the series for me, but that honor still goes to book 2.
i think my main criticism (which is admittedly perhaps a matter of personal preference) is that i'm a bit unsure about how i feel about the pacing. you know, it's funny, when i was about halfway through the book i was talking to a friend and telling her that i am so impressed with how davin simultaneously balances the magical hijinks and the romance progression. my absolute favorite part of the book was the middle, where isabelle and forestier are going across france in a stagecoach, hunting the Big Bad of the series and simultaneously getting to know (and like) each other. just...perfection!! perfect balance of plot and character work and romance vibes. in the last third of the book, however, davin kind of... has to deal with the plot and the romance one at a time? and while it definitely works on a thematic and character level (isabelle HAS to fulfill her "purpose" in order to be able to want anything for herself or even accept that her purpose is to just *be*), i did find that the plot lost some of its thrill for me after the Big Bad had been disposed of.
honestly it sucks that it's so much easier to write about the things that didn't 100% work for me because it makes it sound like i didn't like the book, and i genuinely had a great time!! full-on grinning while reading, taking my kindle with me in hopes that i'd catch a few moments on the bus to read another chapter, highlighting passages, the works. davin is as great at epistolary writing and crafting distinct, lovable characters as ever, the queerness of it all goes without saying - the vibes are simply very, very good. my wholehearted recommendation for the entire series!!
EDIT bcs i forgot to thank the author for the ARC!!!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
i think my main criticism (which is admittedly perhaps a matter of personal preference) is that i'm a bit unsure about how i feel about the pacing. you know, it's funny, when i was about halfway through the book i was talking to a friend and telling her that i am so impressed with how davin simultaneously balances the magical hijinks and the romance progression. my absolute favorite part of the book was the middle, where isabelle and forestier are going across france in a stagecoach, hunting the Big Bad of the series and simultaneously getting to know (and like) each other. just...perfection!! perfect balance of plot and character work and romance vibes. in the last third of the book, however, davin kind of... has to deal with the plot and the romance one at a time? and while it definitely works on a thematic and character level (isabelle HAS to fulfill her "purpose" in order to be able to want anything for herself or even accept that her purpose is to just *be*), i did find that the plot lost some of its thrill for me after the Big Bad had been disposed of.
honestly it sucks that it's so much easier to write about the things that didn't 100% work for me because it makes it sound like i didn't like the book, and i genuinely had a great time!! full-on grinning while reading, taking my kindle with me in hopes that i'd catch a few moments on the bus to read another chapter, highlighting passages, the works. davin is as great at epistolary writing and crafting distinct, lovable characters as ever, the queerness of it all goes without saying - the vibes are simply very, very good. my wholehearted recommendation for the entire series!!
EDIT bcs i forgot to thank the author for the ARC!!!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
October 27, 2024
Start with form: "The Anonymous Letters of C Forestier" is, like its predecessors in the trilogy, epistolary; or "documentary" might be a better word, because the narration takes place via not only letters and notes but also diary entries.
No complaints, please, about the absurdity of our protagonists faithfully keeping up with their diaries while engaged in a manhunt. Because the artifice is the point. The French Letters series interrogates the idea of what is "natural," decides it's a heap of rubbish, and drop-kicks it into outer space. Forestier, for example, is always Forestier, but sometimes he's he, and sometimes she's she, and which set of genitals Forestier is wearing at any given moment has no relation to which pronoun rightly applies. Not to mention, Forestier is capable of infinite physical permutations: this person is the logical endpoint of the gender shenanigans throughout the series.
Contradictions abound. Isabelle de Tourzin is immortal -- she can't physically die -- but she's done her best to kill off her capacity for human connection, for pleasure, for joy, and for love. She's writing in her diary, which you might expect to be an occasion for truthfulness, but she lies to herself constantly, and her unreliability, especially concerning her feelings, reveals them to us, her readers. (Readers, I should point out, of a diary which the book tells us is "encrypted," but not to us!, and boy is this review going to go down a French Studies rabbit hole any minute now. By the way, Forestier's diary is written in "an invented shorthand," but of course ... we can read it. I'll say for Forestier that at least they do seem to be telling their diary "the truth.")
Incidentally, Forestier, who is not immortal, bears the nom de vol "Cheats Death." I merely mention it. And when "Caution drove [CF] to meet me [Isabelle] in a place with stringent limits on what we could do and say," that place is ... a brothel. Give that some thought. (Well, yes, of course brothels have rules like every other social setting, but the received idea is of a place of total license.) And oh, the finale, a grand play on lies, truth, and translation.
In reading "The Anonymous Letters," I went through all the permutations of amusement, from breathing out to snorting to giggling to helpless laughter ("I am a good husband, and I respect my wife’s need to dress like a pile of dirty laundry," Forestier explains); fair warning, though, that I also went through the range from wince to gasp to full-on sobbing. Naturally (ahem), I sniffled through the happy ending -- not "happy ever after," though, because immortality is a curse.
Let me not omit to remark that the sex. is. smoking. hot.
Many thanks to Felicia Davin for the ARC. This was delicious.
No complaints, please, about the absurdity of our protagonists faithfully keeping up with their diaries while engaged in a manhunt. Because the artifice is the point. The French Letters series interrogates the idea of what is "natural," decides it's a heap of rubbish, and drop-kicks it into outer space. Forestier, for example, is always Forestier, but sometimes he's he, and sometimes she's she, and which set of genitals Forestier is wearing at any given moment has no relation to which pronoun rightly applies. Not to mention, Forestier is capable of infinite physical permutations: this person is the logical endpoint of the gender shenanigans throughout the series.
Contradictions abound. Isabelle de Tourzin is immortal -- she can't physically die -- but she's done her best to kill off her capacity for human connection, for pleasure, for joy, and for love. She's writing in her diary, which you might expect to be an occasion for truthfulness, but she lies to herself constantly, and her unreliability, especially concerning her feelings, reveals them to us, her readers. (Readers, I should point out, of a diary which the book tells us is "encrypted," but not to us!, and boy is this review going to go down a French Studies rabbit hole any minute now. By the way, Forestier's diary is written in "an invented shorthand," but of course ... we can read it. I'll say for Forestier that at least they do seem to be telling their diary "the truth.")
Incidentally, Forestier, who is not immortal, bears the nom de vol "Cheats Death." I merely mention it. And when "Caution drove [CF] to meet me [Isabelle] in a place with stringent limits on what we could do and say," that place is ... a brothel. Give that some thought. (Well, yes, of course brothels have rules like every other social setting, but the received idea is of a place of total license.) And oh, the finale, a grand play on lies, truth, and translation.
In reading "The Anonymous Letters," I went through all the permutations of amusement, from breathing out to snorting to giggling to helpless laughter ("I am a good husband, and I respect my wife’s need to dress like a pile of dirty laundry," Forestier explains); fair warning, though, that I also went through the range from wince to gasp to full-on sobbing. Naturally (ahem), I sniffled through the happy ending -- not "happy ever after," though, because immortality is a curse.
Let me not omit to remark that the sex. is. smoking. hot.
Many thanks to Felicia Davin for the ARC. This was delicious.
February 2, 2025
4.5 stars. Excellent conclusion to a compelling and unusual queer fantasy/ romance/ adventure series. Definitely my favorite of the series.
June 26, 2025
I was recommended this book by a friend because it had bigender representation. Before starting it I read the first book of this series, because I felt it was necessary for context. That book was a bit too horny for my tastes, so I was a bit hesitant to pick this one up. But I'm glad I did. Isabelle's personality in combination with the slow burn was a delight to read. Watching her walls slowly come down because of the efforts of those surrounding her was very enjoyable. It was also nice to get to know CF better. Glad I gave this book a shot.
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August 21, 2025We read all books in the series and reviewed them together. Find more at The Scandalous Letters of V and J and The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q, and our full review can be read at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Fairly explicit
Character Chemistry: The attraction may be instant, but I absolutely believed the connection
Plot: We are dealing with dangerous magical objects and writing lots of letters
Overall: I really enjoyed this series; book 3 is an absolute banger
By far my favorite of the trilogy. I liked The Scandalous Letters of V and J and The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q but I absolutely LOVED this one. Maybe because of the misanthropic heroine (my favorite kind!) or maybe because the road trip made for more space for the relationship to develop.
Ok, so remember that Delphine’s husband was killed after the emerald necklace was destroyed? The mega evil bad guy, Malbosc, created the necklace many years ago in order to control Isabelle de Tourzin. Isabelle is immortal; specifically, she has magic blood that keeps her alive—and can keep others alive if they bathe in it or drink it. (Her blood was made magic through the desire of her first love to survive a disease they both caught. She might have some *feelings* about her immortality and the self-imposed requirement that she now remain alone forever.) Malbosc wants the necklace back, but really, he wants Isabelle back so he can get more of her magic blood. Isabelle has decided it’s time to rid the world of Malbosc once and for all, and if she dies in the process, well, so much the better!
C. Forestier is also hunting Malbosc; Malbosc took Forestier’s magic comb, which allows the user to change their appearance. Isabelle does not want a travel companion, but Forestier refuses to take no for an answer, so it’s off on a road trip!
The end result is a delightful slow burn with some excellent action scenes and great emotional beats—and yes, it is primarily told through journal entries, letters to secondary characters, and cute little notes that Forestier writes to Isabelle.
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Heat Factor: Fairly explicit
Character Chemistry: The attraction may be instant, but I absolutely believed the connection
Plot: We are dealing with dangerous magical objects and writing lots of letters
Overall: I really enjoyed this series; book 3 is an absolute banger
By far my favorite of the trilogy. I liked The Scandalous Letters of V and J and The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q but I absolutely LOVED this one. Maybe because of the misanthropic heroine (my favorite kind!) or maybe because the road trip made for more space for the relationship to develop.
Ok, so remember that Delphine’s husband was killed after the emerald necklace was destroyed? The mega evil bad guy, Malbosc, created the necklace many years ago in order to control Isabelle de Tourzin. Isabelle is immortal; specifically, she has magic blood that keeps her alive—and can keep others alive if they bathe in it or drink it. (Her blood was made magic through the desire of her first love to survive a disease they both caught. She might have some *feelings* about her immortality and the self-imposed requirement that she now remain alone forever.) Malbosc wants the necklace back, but really, he wants Isabelle back so he can get more of her magic blood. Isabelle has decided it’s time to rid the world of Malbosc once and for all, and if she dies in the process, well, so much the better!
C. Forestier is also hunting Malbosc; Malbosc took Forestier’s magic comb, which allows the user to change their appearance. Isabelle does not want a travel companion, but Forestier refuses to take no for an answer, so it’s off on a road trip!
The end result is a delightful slow burn with some excellent action scenes and great emotional beats—and yes, it is primarily told through journal entries, letters to secondary characters, and cute little notes that Forestier writes to Isabelle.
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October 11, 2024
Isabelle is the queen of grumpy characters. I thought I knew grumps before I met Isabelle. I was wrong. Her grumpiness is often exploited for humour (for the reader, mostly), but there were a few piercing moments where it hit me afresh where her impenetrability comes from, and then I inexplicably find myself crying?? Isabelle spends a significant portion of the book unlearning herself; it's deep and it's aching. The end though? The last few pages had me bawling. And after the feelings Isabelle and C. put me through, I think I earned every tear.
I often read dozens of reviews before I pick up a book. I like to be spoiled on themes and plots and sometimes even endings; it gives me comfort when I embark on an emotional journey. However, sometimes there are benefits of reading ARCs - for example, I was not spoiled on Forestier's name (which I had to pause and censor from my own review just there). Do you know the pleasure I felt laying eyes upon this name for the first time? (I must be in love; with who or what is up to the reader.) (You see these books inspiring me to whimsy?!) This series is brimming with tiny details and turns of phrase that you could easily miss. They are precious treasures, little secrets. These books embody the essence of the epistolary form and indeed the spririt of letter-writing.
I really cannot lavish enough praise on this series for the enjoyment it has brought me. Between its cast of sparkling characters (and disgruntled ones), its equally fascinating cast of magical objects (now including an exceedingly haunted house), and its endless wit and capacity for spite, not to mention its queer and romantic fascinations, it has kept me entertained from page to page. I've already reread the first book multiple times and I know I will do the same with the others. They're the kind of books that you have to return to every now and then to remind yourself how the author DID THAT, and then marvel anew.
I would love to end this review wittily, but really all I want is for you to read these books too so we can talk about them for the little piece of eternity we share.
I often read dozens of reviews before I pick up a book. I like to be spoiled on themes and plots and sometimes even endings; it gives me comfort when I embark on an emotional journey. However, sometimes there are benefits of reading ARCs - for example, I was not spoiled on Forestier's name (which I had to pause and censor from my own review just there). Do you know the pleasure I felt laying eyes upon this name for the first time? (I must be in love; with who or what is up to the reader.) (You see these books inspiring me to whimsy?!) This series is brimming with tiny details and turns of phrase that you could easily miss. They are precious treasures, little secrets. These books embody the essence of the epistolary form and indeed the spririt of letter-writing.
I really cannot lavish enough praise on this series for the enjoyment it has brought me. Between its cast of sparkling characters (and disgruntled ones), its equally fascinating cast of magical objects (now including an exceedingly haunted house), and its endless wit and capacity for spite, not to mention its queer and romantic fascinations, it has kept me entertained from page to page. I've already reread the first book multiple times and I know I will do the same with the others. They're the kind of books that you have to return to every now and then to remind yourself how the author DID THAT, and then marvel anew.
I would love to end this review wittily, but really all I want is for you to read these books too so we can talk about them for the little piece of eternity we share.
March 24, 2025
rlly fun book, took a break so i could read physical books on the beach. maybe made me a little less into the romance but i love the characters and the plot is great. love this world and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!
October 24, 2024
The Anonymous letters of C.Forestier by Felicia Davin is the latest in a library of books written by this author and the third book of the ‘French Letters’ series. It focuses on two characters: Isabelle de Tourzin, a fierce, centuries old woman with healing blood and a score to settle, and C. Forestier, a bigender ex-con who has had his only source of magic stolen from him and would do anything to get it back. The two begrudgingly team up and travel across a magic riddled France to murder a dangerous and abusive man called Malbosc, who just so happens to be both of the pairs ex-boyfriend and the source of everything that has gone wrong in their lives and the lives of their friends too.
The book follows Isabelle and Forestier through journal entries and letters sent between the pair, with a few letters written by other characters thrown in to provide more details and information. Additionally, we get some cameos of the protagonists from the previous two books in this latest edition (it's especially nice to see how Victor has flourished from back in The Scandalous Letters of V and J!). A really nice touch for this book (and something that I've not seen much of elsewhere) is the trigger warnings that Davin has listed at the beginning so that readers are aware of what they are getting into and can avoid the story if they would struggle with any of the topics that are written about.
It is a real triumph of writing that Davins characters can be morally grey but still highly lovable, and the way she writes gender is especially refreshing. There are plenty of beautiful quotes in The Anonymous Letters of C. Forestier and each character has a clearly defined written ‘voice’. The prose in this book is almost poetic and so full of yearning it's practically tangible. Davins writing style just draws you in in every book you read. She hooked me with Thornfruit and I've been obsessed ever since! What an absolute pleasure to be able to read an ARC of this latest addition to her publishings and be immersed once again in the magic of this world.
The book follows Isabelle and Forestier through journal entries and letters sent between the pair, with a few letters written by other characters thrown in to provide more details and information. Additionally, we get some cameos of the protagonists from the previous two books in this latest edition (it's especially nice to see how Victor has flourished from back in The Scandalous Letters of V and J!). A really nice touch for this book (and something that I've not seen much of elsewhere) is the trigger warnings that Davin has listed at the beginning so that readers are aware of what they are getting into and can avoid the story if they would struggle with any of the topics that are written about.
It is a real triumph of writing that Davins characters can be morally grey but still highly lovable, and the way she writes gender is especially refreshing. There are plenty of beautiful quotes in The Anonymous Letters of C. Forestier and each character has a clearly defined written ‘voice’. The prose in this book is almost poetic and so full of yearning it's practically tangible. Davins writing style just draws you in in every book you read. She hooked me with Thornfruit and I've been obsessed ever since! What an absolute pleasure to be able to read an ARC of this latest addition to her publishings and be immersed once again in the magic of this world.
October 12, 2024
I received a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like Felicia Davin is writing some of the queerest romances out there right now; every book in this series explores transformation and community and the infinite strange magic of the body.
When the book starts, Isabelle de Turzin is a woman who cannot die and has already lived several centuries, and C. Forestier is a genderfluid shapechanger trapped in a single body by the theft of his magic. They are both driven by vengeance, but Isabelle is a ball of rage and Forestier is resolutely cheerful and playful. The hijinks of the first third of the book (sneaking into and out of the houses of villainous persons hiding their joint enemy, Alphonse Malbosc, as well as various other encounters in nighttime Paris, followed by a road trip by diligence carriage) seamlessly give way to the poignant personal and philosophical reflections of the second. Each of these people has been many different people throughout their complicated pasts, but for Isabelle transformation is painful and marked by loss and grief, whereas for Forestier transformation is the very essence of their being. By the final third, I was all but yelling at Isabelle to let herself be cherished by her community and her newfound beloved.
There is sexy swordfighting and scary swordfighting, and a haunted castle which is full to the brim with menacing atmosphere. The sex is great, tender, and inventive. The third-act breakup feels utterly necessary and even satisfying.
A joyful, heartwrending rollercoaster of a book.
I feel like Felicia Davin is writing some of the queerest romances out there right now; every book in this series explores transformation and community and the infinite strange magic of the body.
When the book starts, Isabelle de Turzin is a woman who cannot die and has already lived several centuries, and C. Forestier is a genderfluid shapechanger trapped in a single body by the theft of his magic. They are both driven by vengeance, but Isabelle is a ball of rage and Forestier is resolutely cheerful and playful. The hijinks of the first third of the book (sneaking into and out of the houses of villainous persons hiding their joint enemy, Alphonse Malbosc, as well as various other encounters in nighttime Paris, followed by a road trip by diligence carriage) seamlessly give way to the poignant personal and philosophical reflections of the second. Each of these people has been many different people throughout their complicated pasts, but for Isabelle transformation is painful and marked by loss and grief, whereas for Forestier transformation is the very essence of their being. By the final third, I was all but yelling at Isabelle to let herself be cherished by her community and her newfound beloved.
There is sexy swordfighting and scary swordfighting, and a haunted castle which is full to the brim with menacing atmosphere. The sex is great, tender, and inventive. The third-act breakup feels utterly necessary and even satisfying.
A joyful, heartwrending rollercoaster of a book.
September 20, 2025
Oh wow! I loved the ending to this historical fantasy series! The honour of the best one still goes to the second but this is a strong contender! I loved the characters and Isabelle’s (rightfully) prickly nature being slowly dismantled by Celeste! I really enjoyed how the other characters from previous books were brought back into the fold (I liked how cheeky and affectionately annoying Victor was) as well as how the quest to finally kill Malbosc was completed. For me the pacing was slightly off towards the end of the book, though that might be to do with the amount of plot threads to tie up, but the journey definitely makes up for the ending! I loved the twists and turns as well as how Isabelle’s backstory was revealed, and the uses of narratives other than letters (however I do miss the epistolary nature of the first two books but that would be very tricky for this narrative). As always the writing was spellbinding and the descriptions of revolutionary France was riveting. I loved the nuances of gender and appeared as well as the freedoms of sexuality (and women) were portrayed! I did like the romantic elements and finding out bit about how the previous protagonists are faring! So all in all a fabulous book!
December 11, 2024
got me again
Dearest author with whom I am lucky enough to have a rapport; you have to stop obliterating me like this. (Do not.)
I already loved Isabelle, and it didn't take me long to fall in love with C. Everything about this book was absolutely delicious, and funny, and sad, and it did make me cry at work today because I hit the 75% mark last night and I couldn't NOT finish it this morning.
The characters in this series are so beautifully rounded out long before we learn their secrets that every time one pops up from a previous book it feels perfectly natural. Of course that person is here, says the reader's brain, they're all real and connected. And then you remember it's a book, and resume reading.
I have been gently but firmly pushing this series on everyone who will allow me to yap about them, and will only continue to do so.
One of these days I want to do a reread of them and take notes about the bits I particularly liked and why, because when I finish the first read I'm just incoherent with delight.
What an absolute treat this was.
Dearest author with whom I am lucky enough to have a rapport; you have to stop obliterating me like this. (Do not.)
I already loved Isabelle, and it didn't take me long to fall in love with C. Everything about this book was absolutely delicious, and funny, and sad, and it did make me cry at work today because I hit the 75% mark last night and I couldn't NOT finish it this morning.
The characters in this series are so beautifully rounded out long before we learn their secrets that every time one pops up from a previous book it feels perfectly natural. Of course that person is here, says the reader's brain, they're all real and connected. And then you remember it's a book, and resume reading.
I have been gently but firmly pushing this series on everyone who will allow me to yap about them, and will only continue to do so.
One of these days I want to do a reread of them and take notes about the bits I particularly liked and why, because when I finish the first read I'm just incoherent with delight.
What an absolute treat this was.
November 16, 2024
Absolutely delightful and exactly what I needed at this moment in time.
Well-written, well-paced and wonderfully charming. Celeste and Isabelle both 'jumped' off the page, especially Celeste. The romance was lovely and made me root for them - two imperfect people who definitely deserved their happy ending.
The stakes were also quite high and I appreciated the action and the tension towards the end.
There was emotion in the story too - transformation, joy found in the ability to be who you want to be, finding self-worth and the courage to trust others.
A great read!
Thank you to the author for an eARC!
P.S. I totally cracked up imagining serious, grumpy Isabelle writing about sexy times in pretty good detail in her diary.
Well-written, well-paced and wonderfully charming. Celeste and Isabelle both 'jumped' off the page, especially Celeste. The romance was lovely and made me root for them - two imperfect people who definitely deserved their happy ending.
The stakes were also quite high and I appreciated the action and the tension towards the end.
There was emotion in the story too - transformation, joy found in the ability to be who you want to be, finding self-worth and the courage to trust others.
A great read!
Thank you to the author for an eARC!
P.S. I totally cracked up imagining serious, grumpy Isabelle writing about sexy times in pretty good detail in her diary.
November 20, 2024
would give this 6/5 stars if i could, frankly. pitch-perfect narrators (isabelle maybe one of my most favorites out of any book?), incredible cathartic resolution to the series' larger plot, a romance that made me WEEEEEP. just!! wow!!
this series is such a lovely entry into the annals of trans fantasy and i'm so happy to have had the chance to unhinge my jaw and eat it like one of those enormous cartoon sandwiches.
this series is such a lovely entry into the annals of trans fantasy and i'm so happy to have had the chance to unhinge my jaw and eat it like one of those enormous cartoon sandwiches.
September 7, 2025
Queer magical realism fantasy told via epistolary/diary entries. Benefits from knowing the entire ensemble of characters and build up for both Isabelle and C. F. in prior books. Enjoyed this more than the second book. Some redundancy, especially when both are recounting the same event. Very much liked where Davin chose to end the narrative, though angst was only lightly applied.
November 18, 2024
An absolute delight from start to finish. Isabelle's stubborn, withdrawn exterior is a perfect match for Forestier's relentless desire to see what's behind those walls of hers. I was captivated by the story that these letters told, and I highly recommend it!
October 9, 2024
guys i love magical historical queer people so much. that's it. that's the review. cannot think of anything else to say other than I got an arc in exchange for the review but this is my opinion.
October 9, 2024
This book was an amazing story of overcoming the fear of grief and allowing yourself to live a full life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
4.5 stars! RTC
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January 9, 2025Shockingly, I couldn't get into this and hated the parts that I did read. The previous two books were both excellent but this is not it. I am so sad. Dnf
November 7, 2025
I liked book one, loved book two, but this one....I swear it was written specifically for me and I absolutely ADORE it!
January 12, 2025
really really charming book, i loved the characters and i didn't get confused at all despite not having read the first two! i love the world that Davin's created, and how inclusive it is! if i were in 1800s paris and magic was real, i'd absolutely be doing something like this haha
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews