Psychopomp & Circumstance

by Eden Royce, Bahni Turpin

Ignyte and Mythopoeic Award-winning author Eden Royce pens a Southern Gothic historical fantasy story of a contentious funeral in her adult fiction debut.

Phee St. Margaret is a daughter of the Reconstruction, born to a family of free Black business owners in New Charleston. Coddled to within an inch of her life by a mother who refuses to let her daughter live a life other than the one she dictates, Phee yearns to demonstrate she's capable of more than simply marrying well.

When word arrives that her Aunt Cleo, long estranged from the family, has passed away, Phee risks her mother's wrath to step up and accept the role of pomp―the highly honored duty of planning the funeral service. Traveling alone to the town of Horizon and her aunt's unsettling home, Phee soon discovers that visions and shadows beckon from every reflective surface, and that some secrets transcend the borders of life and death.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fiction, Novella, Fiction, Gothic, Historical

5 pages, Audiobook

First published October 21, 2025

About the author

Eden Royce is a writer from Charleston, South Carolina now living in Southeast England. She’s a Shirley Jackson Award winner and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for her adult fiction, which has appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

Her books for young readers have received Walter Dean Myers Award Honors, and been recognized as a Bram Stoker Award winner, an Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist, an Ignyte Award winner, and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner for outstanding children’s literature.

Find her on social media via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/edenroyce.

Sign up for her newsletter: https://edenroyce.eo.page/sbtyt

Reviews

[Jess Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really strong novella. I’d give it 4.25/5 stars. I would love a full novel set in this world and in New Charleston.

From the name and description, I thought this would focus more on the actual planning and execution of the funeral for her aunt. However, this is more about Phee’s journey. Her journey with stepping out from under her parents, standing strong for her aunt, to honor her memory, all the while learning who she was and the life she led. Phee is also confronting uncomfortable truths about herself and her family.

Although this is speculative, I related so much to Phee’s relationship with her family, how scary it is to step out in your own, but the joy that comes with it.

I would have liked more about the town she was in, the townspeople, and the funeral planning services because it sounded really cool. But, that wasn’t the focus of this novella. It also wasn’t as spooky as I thought it would be—it was a little bit— but I thought it would be creepier. Still highly recommend it.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title/Author: Psychopomp & Circumstance by Eden Royce
Format Read: eBook purchased at Bookshop.org
Pub date: October 21st, 2025
Publisher: Tordotcom
Page Count: 176 (eBook was 160)
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978125033...
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
- Historical fiction/Gaslamp fantasy (post-Restoration era 1863-1877) "New Charleston"
- Tea books! (lots of tea drinking)
- Southern Gothic
- Death, funerals, burial rites & rituals, family
- Coming-of-age and coming-into-power
- Strong FMCs
__
Minor complaints:
- I wanted more descriptions of the setting--I wanted to *see* New Charleston and Horizon
- I think the psychopomp rituals and rites needed a bit more story time

Final recommendation: 
I love the main character, Phee St. Margaret. Her mother stifles and suffocates any kind of independence or agency so when the opportunity arises for her to lead the funeral preparations for a beloved aunt, Phee jumps at the chance to take on this extraordinary task. Phee meets a lot of interesting characters along the way. This is a novella, so our time with these characters is brief but lingers long enough to get a sense of why they're on the page. My favorite scenes are the ones where Phee is exploring her aunt's house and there is a pervasive sense of dread and mystery.
Mood, Aesthetics, and character-development are definitely at the forefront of this short work of art. I would love to read a longer novel in this universe with Phee--I hope Eden Royce explores this character further, especially given the ending...it felt like a beginning

Comps:
Psychopomp book: Vermillion by Molly Tanzer
This book gave me, Creatures of Rot & Ruin, vibes by Molly Tanzer
Other Gaslamp fantasy books: The Night Circus, Soulless, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

[Strega Di Gatti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eden Royce’s debut novel for adults will test the patience of adult readers. Psychopomp and Circumstance is a fantasy novella that takes 150 pages to circle around 50 pages worth of ideas. To quote a distraught Milhouse Van Houten: “When are they gonna get to the fireworks factory (pomp)???”

Newly 21, Phee St. Margaret is tasked with preparing a pomp (a homegoing or funeral ritual) for her estranged Aunt Cleo, a woman who founded a town of freedpeople outside of "New Charleston" during the American Reconstruction era.

Phee spends the majority of this book berating herself about not having visited her aunt and agonizing about whether or not she can handle organizing the pomp. Royce shares only the thinnest sketch of what is included in this enormous task, so we have little understanding of what Phee is being asked to accomplish. Reading this story feels like half-listening to a coworker dithering about filing paperwork for a project you’re not involved in. When Phee is not reiterating and reiterating how guilty and challenged she feels, she is observing objects in her aunt's house.

Magical creatures are inserted into otherwise ordinary sentences like the author used “find and replace” in Microsoft Word. A carriage doesn’t have horses, it has hippocampi (horses with fins). Messages don’t arrive by pigeon, but by tyefrin (talking birds). We find out late in the game that some people can turn into animals.

Magic use is inconsistent and seems unnatural even to the characters. When experiencing a strange illusion after looking into her aunt’s mirror, Phee thinks the incident must be “her imagination”. Wouldn't someone in this world assume the mirror is a magical object like many other items in the house?

Behaving like a confused outsider is a hallmark trait of characters in young adult novels. Phee repetitively asks herself questions in a style that you usually see in YA, e.g.: Surely, she only imagined the door with no opening? Does the door with no opening exist? Is this mysterious key for the door with no opening? Etc. Royce does not trust her adult readers to follow the story without telling us what’s happening over and over again, and making sure all her character’s worries are underlined and repeated multiple times.

Psychopomp and Circumstance is not a Civil War story as it takes place in the Reconstruction era and references the end of slavery, but the addition of magic makes me wonder how it affected historical events as we know them. Spells exist, and are used to curse candy. Presumably they do other things. Spirits appear for the purpose of delivering closure to loved ones. Phee doesn't think about magic use in her life unless an object or creature is in front of her to describe to readers.

Did American history play out the same except it happened with spells and spirits and such? We will never know. So many questions to repeat (over and over and over).

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psychopomp & Circumstance is a fantastic horror novella that see myself recommending to a lot of people. It's more spooky than scary for the most part, but it deals with grief in such an insightful way, while also weaving together a fascinating world and incredible atmosphere.

Set in a magical version of the Reconstruction-Era American South, it follows Phee, a young Black woman whose aunt has died unexpectedly. The aunt had been estranged from Phee's mother but against her mothers wishes she volunteers for the important duty of organizing the funeral service. She travels to her aunt's somewhat haunted home and begins the process, all the while dealing with spooky happenings and processing her own grief and sense of guilt. Truly what this book acomplishes in so few pages is impressive. It drew me in immediately with the story and didn't let me go. Highly recommend this one! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[brewdy_reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Thank you @tordotcompub for the complimentary review copy ♡

This is a quickie little novella that drew me in from the first chapter, which felt a like a southern ball, regency-reconstruction era reimagined.

Phee (Phaedra St. Margaret) is 21 and unmarried to her family’s chagrin, but she wants more from life than becoming someone’s wife. No one in her family seems to see her, maybe other than her estranged Aunt Cleo.

When said aunt dies, Phee volunteers to perform her homegoing, to lay her spirit to rest. The second half was a little flatter, and I wanted a bit more from the plot.

Because of its length, certain things couldn’t be fully fleshed out. Such as how one puts a hex into a piece of peanut brittle, or the backstories of the many characters we meet in Horizon.

However, beautiful writing, can’t wait to discuss with my buddy reading group, and will look forward to whatever @edenroycebooks writes next.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young woman leaves home for the first time against her mother's wishes to plan the funeral of her estranged aunt. This was a quick read, maybe too quick? This gothic historical fantasy is set during the post-Civil War Reconstruction era, but it's also in an alternate Southern USA with magic and fantastical creatures inserted into the story. Some elements of the book I found very intriguing, though I was left with a lot of questions. Fantasy really isn't my cup of tea, and I was hoping there'd be more gothic suspense surrounding the funeral ritual (homegoing).

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 15-20pgs had me thinking this might be a DNF for me, by the end I really liked the world.

Issues I had at the beginning. I found the MFC extremely unlikable. It’s ment to show her journey from complete reliance on her parents to complete independence. I don’t think she had to be quite so self absorbed for that to happen. Also everything is described in minute detail. It felt like author had done excellent research but then didn’t filter out what was unneeded to move the story along.

Positives by the end. A thoughtful exploration of how the planning of a funeral can be healing. The author does a good job showing how memories are unreliable. Really loved the world that was created.

[Zoë · Rating 3 out of 5]

lowkey living the dream (no husband, inherits house ???)

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a struggle for me to get through.
It is a combination of historical fiction and fantasy that was clever in theory, but the execution left a lot to be desired. It takes place during reconstruction after the Civil War, but with magical creatures that I had never heard of, and were not really brought to life for me with much explanation of what they are. I did not expect this from the synopsis, and it was an unwelcome surprise.

Phee has never been allowed to do much of anything without her mother's overbearing presence, so such a complicated undertaking as what they call a homecoming is a huge deal for her.
So much of this book is Phee's repetitive thought process as she worries over whether she is up to the task of planning and executing a funeral worthy of Aunt Cleo, a woman she loved dearly but who had been ostracized from the family. There is also her guilt over not having visited her when she was alive. I mean, I get it. Don't keep telling me. In such a short novel, it is best to just get on with it rather than repeat the same things.
Then there is Aunt Cleo's house, which I was expecting to be spookier, and the writing style that I did not find appealing.

You may enjoy it more than I did, but this book was not for me.
My thanks to Tordotcom for the finished copy.

[John Wiswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The business of psychopomps is tricky, but it's trickier when it's a family business. Royce digs into the mire of the Reconstruction Era to spin supernatural intrigue like you've never read. This book is fresh and raw.

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella, set in the post-US Civil War Reconstruction era, takes the reader into a story about loss, betrayal, and most, importantly, agency to make choices for ourselves and to believe in our instincts and intuition to forge our path.

The main character, 21-year-old Phee, was interesting and I would enjoy reading a full novel about her, her parents, and her recently deceased aunt.

This is billed as a horror read but it was not. It did have paranormal and fantasy aspects which added to the story. It was not scary or creepy which made this a great choice for me (and other non-gore, non-scary book lovers).

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[BiblioSizzle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royce is a wonderful author. Her prose were atmospheric and dreamy and really set the tone of the novel more than even the words on the page did. Every time I picked this up I was transformed into a reconstruction era patron. I felt like I lived in horizon.

Was this horror? No. I struggle to even call it paranormal or fantasy because so much of those elements were left up to the reader. I’m sad this was so short. I feel like there was so much more we could’ve done in this world.

I need a sequel where Cross and Phee get together.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light fantasy about a pampered young woman accepting to be the pomp for her estranged aunt's funeral...and finding herself and her own capabilities all along.

The novella itself is...interesting? This is more a 3.5 star rating for me, rounded up. I think because we were a bit too into Phee's head, and so the rest of this incredibly fascinating alternate world (Reconstruction-era South Carolina, with a dash of magic and steampunk) didn't really get the attention I thought it needed. There're layers and layers to the book, though, and it's about grief and figuring out yourself and moving on (in various ways), and how lies manifest and corrupt and ripple through the years.

Anywho, it's surprisingly cozy, and that cover is to DIE for.

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Psychopomp and Circumstance by Eden Royce with exactly zero clue what a psychopomp was, which feels mildly embarrassing but also kind of perfect. I mean, I love when a story sneaks up on me and then proceeds to completely surprise me, and this absolutely did so.

With this being only a novella, I don't want to give too much away. So, the basic set-up is that we follow the young woman Phee St. Margaret, who was born into a well-off free Black family in New Charleston, and whose life is tightly managed by a mother who has already mapped out her future. Phee, understandably, would like a say in that, so when her estranged Aunt Cleo dies, she jumps at the chance to serve as pomp, planning the funeral rites, even if it means facing her mother’s wrath.

That's all I will say, but there is much more hidden behind the veil here, if you will. Royce did such a great job bringing this fantastical version of the Reconstruction-era American South to life, and the gaslamp Southern Gothic vibes are immaculate. Think meddling mothers, carriage rides, social climbing, and ballroom politics, but add haunted houses, creeping shadows in mirrors, and a streak of Black gothic magic running through it all. It is elegant, eerie, and just darkly fun.

The real highlight for me was Phee’s journey though. Her internal struggle feels painfully honest as she wrestles with self-doubt, family expectation, and the quiet but persistent desire to choose her own path. Watching her inch toward trusting herself was deeply satisfying, and I loved how it grounded all the supernatural strangeness in something so real, relatable, and human.

Now, I do have to admit the plot itself did not fully wow me. Like, this is only novella, and yet it oddly drags in places while also feeling rushed in others. Some of the dialogue and inner monologue felt repetitive, and I would have happily traded a bit of that for more horror and more detail about the psychopomp rituals and magic.

That said, I still happily devoured this novella in a single sitting, and I would absolutely recommend it, especially on audio. Psychopomp and Circumstance is just such a refreshingly unique historical fantasy with strong themes of grief, family, and self-discovery, all wrapped in the best Southern Gothic atmosphere, and I love it for that. And hey, now we both know what a psychopomp is.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Imagine if an artist announced their intention to depict, like, Mars, but they do so by drawing extremely detailed… trees. That’s what it felt like to read PSYCHOPOMP & CIRCUMSTANCE. Loved the idea, and I think there was a good message in here that will resonate with many young people, but the execution was severely hampered by questionable writing choices, as well as some significant continuity errors that I hope will be reviewed before publication.

21-year-old Phaedra “Phee” St. Margaret struggles to conform to her mother’s expectations of what her future should look like: marrying a successful man, starting a family, and giving up any notion of financial independence by engaging in work. When news arrives regarding her estranged aunt’s death, Phee seizes upon the opportunity to do the important task of arranging her funerary affairs on her own, despite her mother’s strong disapproval, her own self-doubts about whether or not she’s up to the task, and unfamiliar and overwhelming tasks set in a house that seems to have a mind of its own and resists her every move.

Good things first. What a creative world this is, set in the American South in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era, except with gothic magic and all-Black characters. So we’ve got ballrooms hobnobbing with magical creatures, haunted houses rubbing elbows with carriage rides. The journey of self-discovery and growth that Phee undergoes will be instantly relatable to young adults, as well as those of us who remember the terrifying time of not fully trusting ourselves, yet feeling as if we want to draw away from our parents’ choices and values.

Unfortunately, the way that Royce chose to tell this story meant that its full potential wasn’t fully realized. First, it’s in the scenes and details she chooses to write about, and what she chooses to omit. For some reason, PSYCHOPOMP & CIRCUMSTANCE lingers over the most mundane scenes and conversations, while summarizing/skipping over arguably more interesting situations. So for instance, we get pages of Phee agonizing over her ability to arrange her aunt’s funeral while she’s by herself on a long carriage ride, while the actual tasks that Phee has to do for the pomp are totally skipped over. We have to read the least necessary conversations between characters (“Oh, I’m so sorry I haven’t invited you in yet! Where are my manners? Let me take your coat” etc), while, for some reason, the book does not go into any detail about the more interesting conversations that could be had (eg “She then talked her years-long friendship with Aunt Cleo”). Why does the book do this? I don’t know! It literally hammers home the most obvious information–mostly the repetitive thoughts Phee has about her own incompetence–while simply not giving the information that is more interesting and unique.

Which leads to my second problem with this book: the inconsistent and underdeveloped world-building. There are two strands here, the historical one and the fantastical one, and neither is sufficiently fleshed out. The story is set in 1868, and it is implied that the Civil War and the subsequent freeing of enslaved people happened along the same timeline as it happened in our world. So how, then, did Phee’s parents manage to live as freed Black people and amass enough money for her to grow up living in a mansion with about a dozen rooms, in a city called “New Charleston”? In one scene in Phee’s aunt’s house, Phee flicks a switch in the wall to turn on some lights, but I’m pretty sure that almost no one had electrical systems installed in their homes in the 1860s… and if this was because of a different way in which electricity was discovered and commercialized in the book’s world, it was never explained.

The fantastical elements in P&C are similarly underdeveloped. Any magical system has to have rules. This book’s problem is that it leads readers to believe that we have fully understood the boundaries of its magic system, and then introduces yet another magical element without any warning. And this doesn’t happen only once. So for the first 30% or so of the novella, we are led to believe that the only magic this world contains is the existence of some random magical creatures (each of which appears only once in the entire story). Then we have a haunted or magical house (although the reasons for its hauntedness or seeming displeasure are never explained). And then, in quick succession near the end of the book, we get: magic spells, sentient natural elements, a vaguely mysterious city, witchcraft and potions, and–finally, randomly–shapeshifters. Ummm, wut. It’s so much, and it’s never integrated in a way that was convincing to me.

And finally, we have the continuity errors. These are serious enough that I’m going to drop a private note to the publisher, so that hopefully someone (anyone, please) can check it before the book’s official publication date. Let’s just say that I wonder if this story had started as either a novel or a short story, and then was either chopped down/padded out, with the result that different parts of the story don’t line up.

So yeah. I was really looking forward to this story’s creativity, but while Phee undergoes an interesting journey of self-discovery, we see very little of the interesting and essential stops on her journey. I’d still be interested to see what Royce has for her readers next, but I’m going to need a lot more convincing before I’d feel comfortable recommending her works.

[Raquel Flockhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

“In some circles, folk would have called Auntie a witch, but there is a different kind of magic that comes over a person when they are content in themselves.”

Psychopomp & Circumstance is a Southern Gothic historical fantasy novella set in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. It follows Phee, a young woman who travels to a village to prepare the funeral service for her estranged aunt, against her mother’s wishes and fleeing family expectations that she find a husband. What Phee doesn’t expect is to find a house that seems to hold its own secrets.

I found the premise very interesting, as well as the way it explores grief, but I would have liked more of it. Perhaps I was expecting more Gothic elements, and therefore I found the way the story unfolds rather anticlimactic. Personally, I think that with the few fantastical aspects it has and how we only see glimpses of them, it would have worked just as well as a historical novella, without speculative elements.

[Jocelyn (jocelyn.reads.books)]

DNF @ 50%, pg. 83/159

I'm bummed. I'd been anticipating this since before its release.

This felt like when I had to write papers for class and had only a couple paragraphs of solid content, but had to find a way to stretch it out.

The writing was fine, even good at times. I kept getting my hopes up as I came across a few pretty lines here and there. I think the story had a lot of potential. But I'm not sure I've ever read a book in which less had happened by halfway. And I say that as one who usually doesn't need a lot of plot, preferring character development and world building. Maybe part of the problem was this book was also somewhat missing those elements. I kept feeling like we were *almost* getting somewhere, but we never really did. This effect was magnified by the fact that it's a novella, in which case one would expect things to move along more quickly. A lot of things were repeated, especially Phee's feelings regarding her mother and wanting to break free.

The fantasy elements were kept to a bare minimum or only hinted at—at least up to the point where I stopped. We were told about several fantastical creatures, but it was mostly just their names and maybe one or two sentences about them. They felt impossible to visualize or understand why/how they existed in this world. It seemed like those elements were just stuck in there to have the story be something else besides historical. Or maybe the author had an idea in her head and didn't convey it well on paper, I'm not sure.

I think this might have worked better as a short story where the author could have gotten straight to the point in order to hold the reader's interest, and could have gotten away with minimal world building. Then she would have been able to take out some of what felt like filler. The amount of time that Phee just... wandered around her aunt's house with nothing happening was frustrating, especially given the short length of the book.

One other aspect that caused me to struggle with the historical world building was the anachronisms. Another review mentioned the light switch, but other examples include bathroom (not a word in common use at that time) and phrases like "I mean," also not in use in the same way at that time. I get that fantasy can take liberties, but anachronisms are something that are very difficult for me to be okay with in a historical setting.

I'm sure some readers would like this novella, but it wasn't for me. Because I felt like the writing had potential, I'm interested in checking out the author's middle grade books.

Personally, I think the editors let Royce down with this book.

[Lancakes]

Something about this didn't quite click for me. I found it kind of hard to get into, but by midway I was enjoying myself more than not. I think, for me, it had a few too many ideas and pieces for comfortably fit into a novella, and so some things felt abrupt, I think I would have felt a better pacing if this had been expanded into a novel - I certainly think there was enough material to support a novel.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really my only and chief complaint is that this novella could have easily been longer. Eden Royce has built a rich world full of gothic magic and dark lore in such a short number of pages. I wanted to know more about every concept introduced. I hope we get a second book set in the same world.

The vibes are spot on :
- southern gothic
- funerals, bearing the deceased
- Magic, conjuring, otherworldly beings
- ghosts and haunting
- coming of age
- dark side characters
- family secrets
- delightful food descriptions, cozy tea, and spirits
- dust when there should be dust, damp when there should be dampness
- a spooky September mood

I can’t wait to see what this author writes next because I am sure to pick up anything she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy. This is sure to be a fave read of mine for this year.

[Theta Chun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Eyre but post-reconstruction magical south???? Sign me up

[Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychopomp and Circumstance was such a strong way to start my reading year. Eden Royce’s writing immediately pulled me in, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere, themes, and the way the story unfolded. It felt thoughtful, layered, and emotionally engaging in a quiet but powerful way.
That said, I wasn’t completely sold on the open ending. Certain events felt like they stopped just a bit too soon, and I would have loved a little more closure after everything that built up. It didn’t ruin the experience for me, but it did leave me wanting just a bit more resolution.
Overall, though, this was a great read and a solid first book for 2026. I’m really glad I picked it up and would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy speculative stories with depth, atmosphere, and heart.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR: The vibes and the emotion of this were fantastic.
Source: NetGalley - thank you so much to the publisher!

Plot: Phee, attempting to find her own life and freedom, takes up the task of planning her Aunt’s funeral.
Characters: They were varied and interesting, almost lacking in how much I wanted more though.
Setting: A lovely small town. It felt like there was so much more we could have had. Not to mention the house itself.
Fantasy: The fantasy was so light, but I wanted SO much more if.

Thoughts:

My only complaint about Psychopomp & Circumstance is one I don’t often have about short work. I am usually quite satisfied with shorter stories, novellas. Yet here we are, and I wish we had so much more than what we were given.

The characters have a great start here! You can see the beginnings of what would be fantastic characters. We see Phee grow, meet fascinating other members of the community, and it shows so much potential. Yet we’re left wanting more, and to see where her life goes.

I also loved the setting and the magic. It was never explained, simply accepted in this Reconstruction era world that magic exists. Spirits roam, and the sea comes to talk. I need more.

So for this one I am left but pleased but wanting. Is there going to be another book in this world? I certainly hope so. Do I recommend reading this one - of course. But go in knowing it’s going to leave you a bit wanting.

[domsbookden · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

Psychopomp & Circumstance is a good, quick novella with an elegant writing style that perfectly matches its setting and atmosphere. The prose feels refined and deliberate, carrying a sense of grace that makes the story easy to invest in. I especially liked that it follows a well-to-do Black family in the Reconstruction era, which adds a layer of depth and perspective not often seen in historical fiction.

The genre labeling feels a bit misleading. The book walks a fine line between historical fiction and historical fantasy, but that balance ends up working against it. I would describe it more accurately as a historical coming-of-age story with subtle glimmers of magical realism. I just wish it had fully committed to one side or the other instead of trying to straddle both, which made some moments feel a little uncertain in tone.

The pacing is slow and dreamlike, which fits the atmosphere but sometimes holds the story back. It never bored me, but given its length, I think the novella could have spent less time lingering in certain moments and used that space to flesh out the world and its magical elements more fully.

Despite my issues with the story, Royce’s voice and craftsmanship are undeniable. The writing is beautiful, the characters feel authentic, and the themes of family and identity come through clearly. I would read more from Eden Royce, especially a full-length novel where her lush style and layered storytelling has more room to thrive.

[Josh Caporale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Virgil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wonderful world! I wish it was in a better book.

[Rachael | ☾ whimsicalfiction ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of world building and character development Eden Royce managed to do in under 200 pages is genuinely magic. This was such a beautiful read!

[Krissy (books_and_biceps9155) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @torbooks for this beautiful little book! Obsessed with the gorgeous cover and all the vibes it brings. This is a short novella that packs quite a punch. This is truly a coming-of-age story for Phee, our MC. She learns a lot in the few pages about standing up for oneself, the exploration of grief and righting of past wrongs.

This takes place in the Reconstruction era, and I think Royce could write a full-length novel about the town of New Charleston in and of itself. It was fascinating. This is full of gothic fantasy and a bit of magic. Perfect for someone wanting to celebrate spooky season without getting scared.

[Carrolet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ It’s 1867, the Reconstruction period in our country, and thousands of the newly freed are in search of family, opportunities, or a place where they can feel safe. There are also many Black people who are doing well. They are businessmen, politicians, educators and others who are in the position to push our race forward and help those who need it. Phaedra, the main character in this story, belongs to the second group and has taken on the responsibility to pomp her recently deceased aunt. To pomp the deceased is a very important role. The failure to do it well could result in imprisonment. There’s a bit of family drama, some fantasy and spookiness, a romance, and a coming-of-age tale mixed together to make this novella an enjoyable read.
Bonus: The cover is beautiful.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, Eden! Review coming.