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Daughters of Light #1
The Castle and the Cloister
The kingdom of Honoria is a difficult pawn to move. To change it for the better, one young woman will have to risk everything she holds dear.
Brought up in poverty and abuse, Fia left her old existence for her infant daughter Miriel’s sake and hopes to be granted refuge at Raea’s cloister, the last stronghold of a matriarchal religion which forbids bloodshed of any kind. But Matria Dolenza, the cloister’s overseer, insists that to gain the cloister’s protection, Fia must leave Miriel behind and travel to their country’s capital, where Fia must take on the role of wet nurse to the conquerors’ heretic queen. Dolenza lays out a single, nebulous term for Fia’s service: before returning, she must prove herself capable of striving for something larger than her own wellbeing and that of her child.
With no choice but to comply, Fia goes to the capital, where a dynasty of warriors have held the reins of power for two centuries, subjugating the great nation of Honoria and threatening the continued existence of Raea’s cloister. But the nature of her errand is further complicated by what she finds—a queen covertly bound to Honoria's old pacifist ways and struggling for peace, and a blind priest serving as the head of his court’s brutal new religion while harboring a bitter grudge against the king.
It is a treacherous landscape of enemies, allies, and intrigue. Fulfilling Dolenza’s orders will require Fia to undermine established powers, confront the best and worst in herself, and alter the course of a nation.
Brought up in poverty and abuse, Fia left her old existence for her infant daughter Miriel’s sake and hopes to be granted refuge at Raea’s cloister, the last stronghold of a matriarchal religion which forbids bloodshed of any kind. But Matria Dolenza, the cloister’s overseer, insists that to gain the cloister’s protection, Fia must leave Miriel behind and travel to their country’s capital, where Fia must take on the role of wet nurse to the conquerors’ heretic queen. Dolenza lays out a single, nebulous term for Fia’s service: before returning, she must prove herself capable of striving for something larger than her own wellbeing and that of her child.
With no choice but to comply, Fia goes to the capital, where a dynasty of warriors have held the reins of power for two centuries, subjugating the great nation of Honoria and threatening the continued existence of Raea’s cloister. But the nature of her errand is further complicated by what she finds—a queen covertly bound to Honoria's old pacifist ways and struggling for peace, and a blind priest serving as the head of his court’s brutal new religion while harboring a bitter grudge against the king.
It is a treacherous landscape of enemies, allies, and intrigue. Fulfilling Dolenza’s orders will require Fia to undermine established powers, confront the best and worst in herself, and alter the course of a nation.
Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Laura E. Weymouth
9 books746 followersLaura Weymouth is a Canadian living in America, and the sixth consecutive generation of her family to immigrate from one country to another. Born and raised in the Niagara region of Ontario, she now lives at the edge of the woods in western New York, along with her husband, three wild-hearted daughters, an unruly garden, and an ever-expanding menagerie of animal friends.
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This gave me major Priory of the Orange Tree vibes and I was HERE for it.
There are three main characters that create a beautiful tapestry of political intrigue, a division between belief and responsibility, and intimate relationships.
A desperate mother seeking sanctuary who becomes the Queen’s wet nurse. A heretic queen navigating treacherous court politics torn between her pacifist innocent nature and desire for peace for the greater good above all. Finally, a plotting blinded priest who knows and does more than he should.
“I have no intention of handing our daughter a world more broken than the one I was given. Whatever it takes, I will give her a life that is better and freer and closer to peace than mine ever was. If I have to alter the course of a nation in pursuit of that end, so be it. Honoria must move, because I will not.”
This is a deep character study with each person caught between a rock and a hard place. Be that their convictions, religion, duty, family, and love.
There’s also a great contrasting of the characters which created difficult dynamics and choices.
The romance is such a minor sub-plot, but whilst I liked it, I have to say I was disappointed this wasn’t sapphic. That’s what I thought we were leading to, especially with the comparison to Priory of the Orange Tree.
I can grow fond of what I’m able to control, but I can’t love it, not truly. I can only love those who are equal to me—who may choose to yield, but could just as easily force my own submission.
I appreciated that there was clearly thought behind the blind priest in each scene. I am sick of fantasy books that seem to forget their character’s limitations scene to scene. Saying that, you do have to suspend your belief slightly with his prowess and capability at times.
This isn’t a standalone, but you will definitely be satisfied by how this one plays out. I was shocked by one of the reveals and a bit annoyed by one of them. My Instagram DMs are open to people who have finished.
A soft five stars.🌟
Physical arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
There are three main characters that create a beautiful tapestry of political intrigue, a division between belief and responsibility, and intimate relationships.
A desperate mother seeking sanctuary who becomes the Queen’s wet nurse. A heretic queen navigating treacherous court politics torn between her pacifist innocent nature and desire for peace for the greater good above all. Finally, a plotting blinded priest who knows and does more than he should.
“I have no intention of handing our daughter a world more broken than the one I was given. Whatever it takes, I will give her a life that is better and freer and closer to peace than mine ever was. If I have to alter the course of a nation in pursuit of that end, so be it. Honoria must move, because I will not.”
This is a deep character study with each person caught between a rock and a hard place. Be that their convictions, religion, duty, family, and love.
There’s also a great contrasting of the characters which created difficult dynamics and choices.
The romance is such a minor sub-plot, but whilst I liked it, I have to say I was disappointed this wasn’t sapphic. That’s what I thought we were leading to, especially with the comparison to Priory of the Orange Tree.
I can grow fond of what I’m able to control, but I can’t love it, not truly. I can only love those who are equal to me—who may choose to yield, but could just as easily force my own submission.
I appreciated that there was clearly thought behind the blind priest in each scene. I am sick of fantasy books that seem to forget their character’s limitations scene to scene. Saying that, you do have to suspend your belief slightly with his prowess and capability at times.
This isn’t a standalone, but you will definitely be satisfied by how this one plays out. I was shocked by one of the reveals and a bit annoyed by one of them. My Instagram DMs are open to people who have finished.
A soft five stars.🌟
Physical arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thanks to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster Canada for a chance to review this arc!
The Castle & the Cloister is a political fantasy following three characters trying to shape the future of a war shattered continent.
The political aspect of this novel was its success. A lot of thoughts were put into politics & it didn’t feel convoluted. Information was given at a good pace, and made it easy to follow.
Where the novel lost its spark for me was how religion was handled. Maybe it’s on me, but I didn’t expect this story to be so religiously heavy. From an atheist point of view ; I found both religions to be problematic. Unfortunately, it was clear which one was intended as the ‘good’ one vs the ‘bad’ one. I struggled with the narrative in that aspect and would’ve preferred an impartial view.
One aspect I think should’ve been mentioned in the synopsis is how heavily pregnancy/motherhood is present & a major part of this story. I think this would help find its rightful audience.
As for the characters… I did feel that the tone regarding them was cold & lacked depth. Fia was probably the one character that had the most character development. That character did rub me the wrong way at first though because she made me think of every single person that wants you to act like their child is the most important human being on earth while completely disregarding your own. How she disregarded the orphanage babies while only wanting safety for her child was off putting, to be quite honest.
Overall, i honestly think I wasn’t the intended audience for this. If you want to read a political fantasy that has a focus on religion & motherhood - this will be for you!
The Castle & the Cloister is a political fantasy following three characters trying to shape the future of a war shattered continent.
The political aspect of this novel was its success. A lot of thoughts were put into politics & it didn’t feel convoluted. Information was given at a good pace, and made it easy to follow.
Where the novel lost its spark for me was how religion was handled. Maybe it’s on me, but I didn’t expect this story to be so religiously heavy. From an atheist point of view ; I found both religions to be problematic. Unfortunately, it was clear which one was intended as the ‘good’ one vs the ‘bad’ one. I struggled with the narrative in that aspect and would’ve preferred an impartial view.
One aspect I think should’ve been mentioned in the synopsis is how heavily pregnancy/motherhood is present & a major part of this story. I think this would help find its rightful audience.
As for the characters… I did feel that the tone regarding them was cold & lacked depth. Fia was probably the one character that had the most character development. That character did rub me the wrong way at first though because she made me think of every single person that wants you to act like their child is the most important human being on earth while completely disregarding your own. How she disregarded the orphanage babies while only wanting safety for her child was off putting, to be quite honest.
Overall, i honestly think I wasn’t the intended audience for this. If you want to read a political fantasy that has a focus on religion & motherhood - this will be for you!
Did Not Finish
August 13, 2026DNF 8% for now
I don’t want to diss on this book too much because I really didn’t get very far in. But I was not expecting The Castle and the Cloister to be so focused on motherhood and pregnancy which are themes I typically avoid in my fantasy. Early reviews just reinforce that this is much more of a central theme than the marketing suggests.
I may come back to this one later once I see more reviews.
I don’t want to diss on this book too much because I really didn’t get very far in. But I was not expecting The Castle and the Cloister to be so focused on motherhood and pregnancy which are themes I typically avoid in my fantasy. Early reviews just reinforce that this is much more of a central theme than the marketing suggests.
I may come back to this one later once I see more reviews.
May 7, 2024
Literally my magnum opus. It took me twelve years to perfect this story, and I cannot WAIT to share it with all of you!!!
October 4, 2026
Forgot to mark this as finished.
Review to follow!
Review to follow!
August 19, 2026
I keep going back-and-forth about how to rate this book because I spent the first 60% of it thinking that I was about to have a new favorite. There were maybe a couple of things that I side eyed, but overall I was thinking five stars. New fave.
Then little by little a couple of things started to pop up that were disappointments. Plot conveniences and easy solutions to problems that really didn't even need to exist. Characters acting so bizarrely that I couldn't even reconcile it in anyway that made sense. And then the last 20% of this was so full of deus ex machina that I spent more time rolling my eyes and shaking my head then enjoying anything I was reading. And there was something included about a sexual assault that pissed me off so much that I really honestly just can't get over it. I have never in my life had a book go from something I was loving so much, to something that I never want to think about again. Anyway I won't be continuing this series, and this is definitely going to be my biggest disappointment of the year.
Then little by little a couple of things started to pop up that were disappointments. Plot conveniences and easy solutions to problems that really didn't even need to exist. Characters acting so bizarrely that I couldn't even reconcile it in anyway that made sense. And then the last 20% of this was so full of deus ex machina that I spent more time rolling my eyes and shaking my head then enjoying anything I was reading. And there was something included about a sexual assault that pissed me off so much that I really honestly just can't get over it. I have never in my life had a book go from something I was loving so much, to something that I never want to think about again. Anyway I won't be continuing this series, and this is definitely going to be my biggest disappointment of the year.
August 14, 2026
I enjoyed this one! The worldbuilding was probably my favourite part. Laura Weymouth created such an interesting world shaped by war, religion, and the lingering consequences of conquest. I especially liked the contrast between Honoria’s pacifist, matriarchal faith and the much more brutal Inver religion. There’s a lot of history and religious lore woven into the story, and it really made the world feel lived-in. The religious side may be too much for some, it was a stretch for me as someone not particularly religious at all. But it was super interesting so I kept with it and I came to understand both sides a bit better.
I always love multiple POVs. We follow Fia, a young mother seeking sanctuary for herself and her daughter, Ariana, a queen trying to navigate a dangerous court while pushing for peace, and the blinded Inver Priest. I thought having these very different perspectives worked really well because they each have their own motivations, loyalties, and complicated relationships with faith and power.
The plot is very much a slow-burn political fantasy, with court maneuvering, religious tensions, shifting loyalties, and the ever-present threat of war. It’s not a book that relies on constant action, but there is still plenty of tension. I really enjoyed watching the characters make increasingly difficult choices as their personal lives became tangled up with much bigger political and religious conflicts.
The characters were a huge part of what kept me invested. Fia and Ariana in particular were interesting because motherhood isn't just a side element of their stories—it genuinely shapes their motivations and the choices they make. I also appreciated that the characters aren't simply making “good” or “bad” decisions. There are a lot of morally complicated choices, and I was constantly wondering what I would do in their position, especially being a mother myself. I definitely didn't agree with everything that took place!
This is definitely a character-driven fantasy, and I think that’s important to know going in. It takes its time building the world, the religions, the political situation, and the characters, but I thought that slower approach really paid off.
And that ending?! 😩 I knew this was the first book in a duology, but I was still NOT prepared for where it left things. Needless to say, I will be very interested in seeing where book two takes these characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. My thoughts are my own.
August 5, 2026
Let me start by saying: excuse me?!? What was the last 20% of this book? I was so nervous I was practically SHAKING. The twists just kept coming, and I felt swept out to sea. And the epilogue?! Mind blown. I am absolutely feral for the next book.
Laura Weymouth actually reached out to me to see if I would be interested in a copy of The Castle and the Cloister, because we both share a deep love of Robin Hobb. Laura has a Q&A at the end of the book where she mentions Hobb as one of her favorite writers for fiercely intelligent, fully immersive worlds. And Laura has done that in her debut adult fantasy novel.
This world Laura had created is intricate and hauntingly beautiful and grotesque but striving for goodness and peace and light. This is a medieval-esque fantasy world with deep religious ties, that every character is using to further their own agenda. You’re going to need to enjoy complex court politics and following multiple povs all doing morally grey things. You’ll enjoy this authors deep devotion to women and children, and how motherhood changes women and their perspectives. You’ll enjoy this if you like a character driven story where motives and clear, where the narrators are unreliable, and where no one is going to behave in the way in which you expect.
This is a high fantasy story. And while there is a small romantic subplot that has left my heart aching, it is not the main plot of the story. Badass women plotting and scheming and doing bad things in the name of the greater good is what it’s all about. Loved this!
Laura Weymouth actually reached out to me to see if I would be interested in a copy of The Castle and the Cloister, because we both share a deep love of Robin Hobb. Laura has a Q&A at the end of the book where she mentions Hobb as one of her favorite writers for fiercely intelligent, fully immersive worlds. And Laura has done that in her debut adult fantasy novel.
This world Laura had created is intricate and hauntingly beautiful and grotesque but striving for goodness and peace and light. This is a medieval-esque fantasy world with deep religious ties, that every character is using to further their own agenda. You’re going to need to enjoy complex court politics and following multiple povs all doing morally grey things. You’ll enjoy this authors deep devotion to women and children, and how motherhood changes women and their perspectives. You’ll enjoy this if you like a character driven story where motives and clear, where the narrators are unreliable, and where no one is going to behave in the way in which you expect.
This is a high fantasy story. And while there is a small romantic subplot that has left my heart aching, it is not the main plot of the story. Badass women plotting and scheming and doing bad things in the name of the greater good is what it’s all about. Loved this!
August 8, 2026
Thank you Saga Press for the free book!
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
The Castle and the Cloister was a heavily political, truly epic historical fantasy that focuses largely on the quiet, visceral sacrifices of motherhood (a criminally underrepresented role in fantasy) and religious practice under oppression.
The character work is immense, with a layered, multi-POV structure that added a lot of nuance to the plot. I really loved how each perspective worked together to build their own unique tension throughout the story. The characters themselves were my favorite part of this book, each having incredible depth, their own distinct background, and clear motivations.
The political web within this story is vast and complicated. I loved how messy everything and everyone became over time, but I would have loved a bit more of that excitement laced throughout the story. The narrative moved at such a deliberately slow pace that it required an immense amount of patience, and felt a bit too weighed down for my personal preference. Many of the dialogue is done as internal monologues, which were drawn out and became a little repetitive for me.
That said, all of these pieces fall into place within the last 25% of the novel, leading me to wholeheartedly proclaim that each meticulous detail is worth it by the end.
Overall, if you’re in the mood for an ultra-slow burning, character driven, historical fantasy with an incredible payoff, I do recommend checking this one out. However, make sure that you have the time and mental energy necessary for a very dense story.
✄----------
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
✄----------
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✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
The Castle and the Cloister was a heavily political, truly epic historical fantasy that focuses largely on the quiet, visceral sacrifices of motherhood (a criminally underrepresented role in fantasy) and religious practice under oppression.
The character work is immense, with a layered, multi-POV structure that added a lot of nuance to the plot. I really loved how each perspective worked together to build their own unique tension throughout the story. The characters themselves were my favorite part of this book, each having incredible depth, their own distinct background, and clear motivations.
The political web within this story is vast and complicated. I loved how messy everything and everyone became over time, but I would have loved a bit more of that excitement laced throughout the story. The narrative moved at such a deliberately slow pace that it required an immense amount of patience, and felt a bit too weighed down for my personal preference. Many of the dialogue is done as internal monologues, which were drawn out and became a little repetitive for me.
That said, all of these pieces fall into place within the last 25% of the novel, leading me to wholeheartedly proclaim that each meticulous detail is worth it by the end.
Overall, if you’re in the mood for an ultra-slow burning, character driven, historical fantasy with an incredible payoff, I do recommend checking this one out. However, make sure that you have the time and mental energy necessary for a very dense story.
✄----------
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
✄----------
Follow me on Instagram for more bookish content
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I need the second book of this duology now!
The Castle and the Cloister is a beautiful character driven story following 3 different points of view. Full of power struggles, political intrigue, and the power of motherhood. The ending of this book left me in disbelief and hungry for more.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for the gifted eARC. 4.5 stars
The Castle and the Cloister is a beautiful character driven story following 3 different points of view. Full of power struggles, political intrigue, and the power of motherhood. The ending of this book left me in disbelief and hungry for more.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for the gifted eARC. 4.5 stars
September 8, 2026
The slow burn, character driven, political fantasy of the sort I always yearn for while reading. The Castle and the Cloister works within that small framework for the majority of the book; however, it never feels like too small of a world. Perhaps it's the depths of the mountain or the fierce fervor of the women, which makes this book feel as epic and worldly as any far ranging political fantasy I've ever read.
The Castle and the Cloister follows Fia, a new mother with nothing, seeking to win a place in Raea's Cloister for her and her daughter. Raea is the sun goddess, one of the Blessed Three. The price of a spot sends Fia from the safety of the cloister to one of the deadly, bloodiest courts I know of in fantasy. Fia is fierce, stubborn and so resourceful as she rises to the challenge.
There, we meet Ariana, Queen of this court, and Orden Invers, her King. Ariana is an apostate soria (priestess) of Lyria, the star goddess of the Blessed Three. She's floundering, sworn to a goddess of peace, living in a bloodthirsty court where her King rules with iron might.
And finally, Priest. A blinded man sworn to the Invers clan's new gods of blood and justice. Easily the first character I fell in love with in this book. He's got wit aplenty and a banked fire inside ready to burn despite his lot in life.
I loved all of these characters and the side characters. Honestly, from the page to the matria to the spymaster, if there was a character I was supposed to love or sympathize with, I did, and oh boy, do I hate the villains too. I love to hate a good villain.
Like I mentioned before, the world feels real and fully fleshed out. Religion is a very integral part of this world, and I loved that the old goddesses felt so fully developed and present yet mysterious. Not present in a walking around the world way or even super involved, but I do enjoy when gods feel actually able to influence the world and the lives of the people who pray to them. Vice versa I found it interesting new gods don't seem as present or real, and I wonder if that will come into play at all with any future books.
If I had to nitpick anything, I would say the ending maybe didn't hit as hard as I could have hoped. It did until it didn't. No spoilers, but a couple of things did feel a little deus ex machina. Not in any way or amount to ruin the story for me, but hopefully, the next book can recover with how they play out.
This book is still in the running for one of my favorite things I've read this year. Some really great themes of love, devotion, and sacrifice as well as depictions of motherhood I've never seen before in fantasy, and even if I dont have kids of my own, I can appreciate the realness shown. I will eagerly be awaiting the next book to see what happens for some new favorite characters next.
The Castle and the Cloister follows Fia, a new mother with nothing, seeking to win a place in Raea's Cloister for her and her daughter. Raea is the sun goddess, one of the Blessed Three. The price of a spot sends Fia from the safety of the cloister to one of the deadly, bloodiest courts I know of in fantasy. Fia is fierce, stubborn and so resourceful as she rises to the challenge.
There, we meet Ariana, Queen of this court, and Orden Invers, her King. Ariana is an apostate soria (priestess) of Lyria, the star goddess of the Blessed Three. She's floundering, sworn to a goddess of peace, living in a bloodthirsty court where her King rules with iron might.
And finally, Priest. A blinded man sworn to the Invers clan's new gods of blood and justice. Easily the first character I fell in love with in this book. He's got wit aplenty and a banked fire inside ready to burn despite his lot in life.
I loved all of these characters and the side characters. Honestly, from the page to the matria to the spymaster, if there was a character I was supposed to love or sympathize with, I did, and oh boy, do I hate the villains too. I love to hate a good villain.
Like I mentioned before, the world feels real and fully fleshed out. Religion is a very integral part of this world, and I loved that the old goddesses felt so fully developed and present yet mysterious. Not present in a walking around the world way or even super involved, but I do enjoy when gods feel actually able to influence the world and the lives of the people who pray to them. Vice versa I found it interesting new gods don't seem as present or real, and I wonder if that will come into play at all with any future books.
If I had to nitpick anything, I would say the ending maybe didn't hit as hard as I could have hoped. It did until it didn't. No spoilers, but a couple of things did feel a little deus ex machina. Not in any way or amount to ruin the story for me, but hopefully, the next book can recover with how they play out.
This book is still in the running for one of my favorite things I've read this year. Some really great themes of love, devotion, and sacrifice as well as depictions of motherhood I've never seen before in fantasy, and even if I dont have kids of my own, I can appreciate the realness shown. I will eagerly be awaiting the next book to see what happens for some new favorite characters next.
September 6, 2026
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I picked this up mainly because of its cover and was greeted with a very well crafted character driven story that focuses on all the politics in an interesting fantasy world.
The pacing was very much a slow burn, but I rarely found myself losing interest. I really liked the character work and seeing the story play out from the different perspectives, it had me feeling like I was there with them watching the story unravel. I never knew how the story was going to play out and I’m very interested to see what happens in the second book in this duology!
I picked this up mainly because of its cover and was greeted with a very well crafted character driven story that focuses on all the politics in an interesting fantasy world.
The pacing was very much a slow burn, but I rarely found myself losing interest. I really liked the character work and seeing the story play out from the different perspectives, it had me feeling like I was there with them watching the story unravel. I never knew how the story was going to play out and I’m very interested to see what happens in the second book in this duology!
August 4, 2026
Excellent, twisty story of religion and politics across four POVs, centring experiences of early motherhood.
This is intricately plotted such that I needed to reread the first few pages just to make sure I had my head around the kingdoms and deities, though I'm not sure if that's the book's own pacing or me whisking through the pages too quickly. However, once I had everything straight, this was deeply satisfying. The POV characters, particularly the two women, were all very different and very grounded. Fia is an absolute force of nature and if I read a better character this year I'll be delighted because she's a phenomenon. Ariana is likewise completely believable in her behaviour and motivation, and I do feel for the two men -- no mean slouches in their own right -- but definitely having to work to keep up in the story.
I am still confused about one plot twist (and rereading that part didn't clear things up) but otherwise cannot wait for the second half of the duology to come out.
Rating: 16/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance review copy provided by the publisher.
This is intricately plotted such that I needed to reread the first few pages just to make sure I had my head around the kingdoms and deities, though I'm not sure if that's the book's own pacing or me whisking through the pages too quickly. However, once I had everything straight, this was deeply satisfying. The POV characters, particularly the two women, were all very different and very grounded. Fia is an absolute force of nature and if I read a better character this year I'll be delighted because she's a phenomenon. Ariana is likewise completely believable in her behaviour and motivation, and I do feel for the two men -- no mean slouches in their own right -- but definitely having to work to keep up in the story.
I am still confused about one plot twist (and rereading that part didn't clear things up) but otherwise cannot wait for the second half of the duology to come out.
Rating: 16/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance review copy provided by the publisher.
July 16, 2026
“𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫.”
The Castle and The Cloister immediately reminded me of Game of Thrones, where the women were honestly the backbone of the entire story. Fia and Ariana are no exception - they gave me strong Cersei and Sansa vibes. I also found it really refreshing how motherhood was embraced in a fantasy novel, as it’s not something you often get to see. Laura’s writing is absolutely incredible as well and had me hooked from start to finish.The Castle and The Cloister proves, once again, that we would, in fact, be better off without men (lol).
the vibes ™:
- strong fmc’s
- motherhood
- religion
- politics
The Castle and The Cloister immediately reminded me of Game of Thrones, where the women were honestly the backbone of the entire story. Fia and Ariana are no exception - they gave me strong Cersei and Sansa vibes. I also found it really refreshing how motherhood was embraced in a fantasy novel, as it’s not something you often get to see. Laura’s writing is absolutely incredible as well and had me hooked from start to finish.The Castle and The Cloister proves, once again, that we would, in fact, be better off without men (lol).
the vibes ™:
- strong fmc’s
- motherhood
- religion
- politics
October 18, 2026
so i did finish this. but only because i had literally nothing else to do on the flight home from taiwan (shoutout to scoot's inflight entertainment and two minute noodle meal service!)
like game of thrones but more boring. nothing happened for ages and none of the characters were that interesting. there was finally some plot in the last few chapters of the book but there's no way i would have got there if i had anything else to read. tried to google the ending but it came out too recently so couldn't even do that. plus it's a duology so they didn't even end it that nicely.
if it was a less heavy book i might have given it one extra star just for not being so heavy on the bike, but it didn't even have that going for it.
won't be reading the next one that's for sure.
like game of thrones but more boring. nothing happened for ages and none of the characters were that interesting. there was finally some plot in the last few chapters of the book but there's no way i would have got there if i had anything else to read. tried to google the ending but it came out too recently so couldn't even do that. plus it's a duology so they didn't even end it that nicely.
if it was a less heavy book i might have given it one extra star just for not being so heavy on the bike, but it didn't even have that going for it.
won't be reading the next one that's for sure.
August 4, 2026
This book starts a very enjoyable new fantasy series. The setting is the continent, The Hand, split into three waring lands: Honoria, Caervallion and Vesper. Another land, Song Royale sometimes aligns itself with Honoria, sometimes with Caervallion. And there are also the pacifist Corrin people, who are overrun and abused by all.
There are four important gods: the three goddesses of peace (Silith, Raea and Lyria) and the warlike Tyrus.
Most of the action takes place in Inverlyn, Honoria, where Orden Inver is king. His wife, Ariana, is a former soria of a Lyria cloister, and his blinded brother, Silas, a priest of Tyrus. The other main character is Fia, who yearns to be accepted as a soria in the very prosperous cloister of Raea, more for security for herself and her daughter, than a particular religious calling.
Ariana and Fia became friends when tending to the wounded soldiers of a major battle between Honoria and Caervallion. Later, Fia becomes wet nurse to Ariana’s son in Inverlyn. Both women have been set missions by their respective cloisters, but neither are able or willing to fulfil the missions as directed.
The Inver ruling family has always been militant, and has sought to conquer the entire Hand. Orden Inver, under the influence of his wife, appears to be working towards a more peaceful solution. But has he genuinely changed?
Orden and Ariana have gathered the leaders of the factions (except Vesper) in Inverlyn to discuss terms for ending the wars: Afon of Caervallion; Gileta of Song Royale; and the Corrin Arbiter and Arbitress.
The story involves divisions and loyalties within religion, politics and family. It is obvious from the start, who is evil (Afon), but never who is fully good. Apart from Afon, the other characters have their doubts and flaws.
Who will survive?
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
There are four important gods: the three goddesses of peace (Silith, Raea and Lyria) and the warlike Tyrus.
Most of the action takes place in Inverlyn, Honoria, where Orden Inver is king. His wife, Ariana, is a former soria of a Lyria cloister, and his blinded brother, Silas, a priest of Tyrus. The other main character is Fia, who yearns to be accepted as a soria in the very prosperous cloister of Raea, more for security for herself and her daughter, than a particular religious calling.
Ariana and Fia became friends when tending to the wounded soldiers of a major battle between Honoria and Caervallion. Later, Fia becomes wet nurse to Ariana’s son in Inverlyn. Both women have been set missions by their respective cloisters, but neither are able or willing to fulfil the missions as directed.
The Inver ruling family has always been militant, and has sought to conquer the entire Hand. Orden Inver, under the influence of his wife, appears to be working towards a more peaceful solution. But has he genuinely changed?
Orden and Ariana have gathered the leaders of the factions (except Vesper) in Inverlyn to discuss terms for ending the wars: Afon of Caervallion; Gileta of Song Royale; and the Corrin Arbiter and Arbitress.
The story involves divisions and loyalties within religion, politics and family. It is obvious from the start, who is evil (Afon), but never who is fully good. Apart from Afon, the other characters have their doubts and flaws.
Who will survive?
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
August 4, 2026
The Castle & the Cloister was an interesting fantasy with politics, religion, and motherhood at its heart. It reminded me a lot of Priory of the Orange Tree and Game of Thrones with a medieval fantasy setting, constant political machinations, and strong female characters.
We follow Fia, a postulant for the sun goddess, and a new mom, who is just looking for a peaceful place to make a life for her and her daughter. Unfortunately, Fia gets sent to be the wet nurse for the queen, an apostate soria of another goddess, who she knew in her youth. In spite of herself, Fia becomes a strong political ally to the queen, and helps shape the future of the court. This was a slower read that required more focus, but was very interesting and well-woven.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
We follow Fia, a postulant for the sun goddess, and a new mom, who is just looking for a peaceful place to make a life for her and her daughter. Unfortunately, Fia gets sent to be the wet nurse for the queen, an apostate soria of another goddess, who she knew in her youth. In spite of herself, Fia becomes a strong political ally to the queen, and helps shape the future of the court. This was a slower read that required more focus, but was very interesting and well-woven.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
August 24, 2026
DNF at about 25%.
I loved Weymouth's The Light Between Worlds, so I was excited to give this new series a try.
Unfortunately, this is just not good by epic adult fantasy standards, which is surprising to me because The Light Between Worlds was so wonderful and skillfully written.
The Castle and the Cloister has 4 POVs. They are all one-dimensional characters, and those dimensions are told to the reader, not shown. As a result, they are not interesting. Two of the characters have been married to each other for almost a decade, and yet the story couldn't convince me why they were together or whether they even liked each other.
The world of the book is a whole continent with at least 4 different countries in it, and yet characters leave one location to go to another halfway across the map and just appear there almost instantly. There is no sense of scale, or time, or "realistic" hardships of the journey.
Certain plot and writing choices also don't make sense. The Priest (that's right, he doesn't have an actual name) takes refugees from his underground altar/church through a mountain, on a walk that is some unspecified distance, and yet even though The Priest has lived his entire life in this city and this country he has no idea where they end up on the other side. Separately, his brother the king, also a POV character, plans on starting a war and invading a different country, announces it loudly ahead of time to every nation on the whole continent for some reason, and the leader of that target country is invited to come stay in the king's city, in an inn. What?
I loved Weymouth's The Light Between Worlds, so I was excited to give this new series a try.
Unfortunately, this is just not good by epic adult fantasy standards, which is surprising to me because The Light Between Worlds was so wonderful and skillfully written.
The Castle and the Cloister has 4 POVs. They are all one-dimensional characters, and those dimensions are told to the reader, not shown. As a result, they are not interesting. Two of the characters have been married to each other for almost a decade, and yet the story couldn't convince me why they were together or whether they even liked each other.
The world of the book is a whole continent with at least 4 different countries in it, and yet characters leave one location to go to another halfway across the map and just appear there almost instantly. There is no sense of scale, or time, or "realistic" hardships of the journey.
Certain plot and writing choices also don't make sense. The Priest (that's right, he doesn't have an actual name) takes refugees from his underground altar/church through a mountain, on a walk that is some unspecified distance, and yet even though The Priest has lived his entire life in this city and this country he has no idea where they end up on the other side. Separately, his brother the king, also a POV character, plans on starting a war and invading a different country, announces it loudly ahead of time to every nation on the whole continent for some reason, and the leader of that target country is invited to come stay in the king's city, in an inn. What?
September 8, 2026
As someone who was homeschooled for all of my K-12 education, it tracks that this was written by a homeschooler.
August 5, 2026
A very high four stars, The Castle & the Cloister had me hooked from the first chapter with its immersive writing and strong character focus, and it did not let up.
A political and character-driven fantasy, The Castle & the Cloister focuses mainly on Fia and Ariana, with a couple of other POVs sprinkled in, and not only did I enjoy both characters (along with supporting cast), but I also enjoyed the contrast between them. These are two women who have strong bonds to their religious orders (each worshipping a different goddess under the same religion, essentially) and whom are both mothers, a very important theme explored throughout the book.
Both Fia and Ariana were compelling characters when contrasted to one another, but also stood on their own merits. This book was definitely more Fia's book, and I loved seeing her growth over the book as she got pulled into the politics and the orbit of the Priest. The sequel promises to have more focus on Ariana, and I can't say I'm not eager to get to be inside her head a bit more and better understand and uncover her motivations.
There were a lot of political machinations at play throughout the book, which I always find fascinating in fantasy when done well (which this was). Far from being an epic fantasy with action scenes and sprawling battles, this book spent its time on the politics and the religion. I never found it slow, but again: up my specific alley. I've seen others say that the two religious factions were not created equally in that one is very clearly the "good" religion, which I agree with, but I'm hopeful that book two will delve a bit more into the "bad" religion through the eyes of the Priest.
Overall, an expertly-crafted fantasy with characters whom I cannot wait to read more about.
Thank you to the publisher, S&S/Saga Press, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
A political and character-driven fantasy, The Castle & the Cloister focuses mainly on Fia and Ariana, with a couple of other POVs sprinkled in, and not only did I enjoy both characters (along with supporting cast), but I also enjoyed the contrast between them. These are two women who have strong bonds to their religious orders (each worshipping a different goddess under the same religion, essentially) and whom are both mothers, a very important theme explored throughout the book.
Both Fia and Ariana were compelling characters when contrasted to one another, but also stood on their own merits. This book was definitely more Fia's book, and I loved seeing her growth over the book as she got pulled into the politics and the orbit of the Priest. The sequel promises to have more focus on Ariana, and I can't say I'm not eager to get to be inside her head a bit more and better understand and uncover her motivations.
There were a lot of political machinations at play throughout the book, which I always find fascinating in fantasy when done well (which this was). Far from being an epic fantasy with action scenes and sprawling battles, this book spent its time on the politics and the religion. I never found it slow, but again: up my specific alley. I've seen others say that the two religious factions were not created equally in that one is very clearly the "good" religion, which I agree with, but I'm hopeful that book two will delve a bit more into the "bad" religion through the eyes of the Priest.
Overall, an expertly-crafted fantasy with characters whom I cannot wait to read more about.
Thank you to the publisher, S&S/Saga Press, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
September 12, 2026
I picked this book up at work because of that disgustingly beautiful front cover, and wasn’t really sure what to expect. It’s probably one of my best impulse buys of the year, because this book blew my fucking mind!
The story itself matches the cover for beauty, because what we get is a heart-wrenching, tragic, gorgeous narrative of a kingdom torn between wars and suffering beneath the hand of a king who endeavours to be better than his bloodthirsty family legacy, but never quite escapes that shadow.
Drawn into the crossfire birthed by King Orden’s continuing rivalry with fellow monarch, Afon, are two of the most quietly powerful female characters I’ve never had the privilege of following.
Arguably the main character, Fia is a new mother, seeking sanctuary at the titular Cloister of Raea, this world’s sun goddess. In order to earn her place, she’s sent to Orden’s castle to lend aid to his queen, who has recently given birth. Fia leaves behind a six-month-old daughter, and even though she’s separated from the girl for most of the book, her bond with her child is palpable. However, in leaving her behind and helping Queen Ariana by nursing her newborn son and navigating the court of the Kingdom of Honoria and its disdain for both Fia and Ariana’s gods, Fia proves herself capable of sidelining her own needs in favour of those who require her aid. Though she wavers at times, and is adamant she cares only for herself and her daughter, she takes to court life and proves herself capable of manoeuvring its dangerous waters.
Ariana herself is far more vulnerable, both physically and mentally. Though she does harbour love for the king fate drew her towards, her relationship with Orden is complex and precarious. He loves her in his own way, but it’s made clear that the reason he was first drawn to her was her readiness to bow before him. Orden loves what he can control, and he believes he controls Ariana. Though this may be true at face value, Ariana’s is a subtler strength, exercised through quiet gestures that, when orchestrated in the right setting, showcase the power of her character. She’s willing to abuse the reputation she has at court for being a meek woman hiding in her husband’s shadow, because she knows her enemies will overlook and underestimate her. To their detriment.
I also want to take a brief moment to praise how this book frames maternity and women’s bodies as they carry and then give birth to children. We get to experience the dread and fear of childbirth itself, as well as the discomfort of breastfeeding, but are also shown the beauty involved. For example, at one point stretch marks are referred to as “sunlines” and I can’t think of any worthier way of highlighting the power of a woman’s body than that.
The third of this book’s cast of main characters, the Priest, is also thoroughly engaging. As King Orden’s half-brother, he poses a threat to the throne but, because he is blinded and pledged to his family’s war god, is allowed to continue operating within the castle. His chapters were immersive as hell by virtue of the author’s ability to make us rely on senses beyond our sight. Just as the Priest must navigate his world without his eyes, so must the reader.
And despite the loss of his sight, the Priest isn’t vulnerable by any means. He’s adapted, rigging his underground home with wires by which to navigate, and having learned to identify people by their tread, their smell, or the clothes they wear. He’s also able to hold his own in a fight, using the sounds of his opponent’s breathing as a way of placing them and dodging their strikes. There’s a persistent aura of cynicism to the Priest that compelled me, and he’s perfectly aware of the bloodthirsty reputation of his family, the war crimes his brother has committed, and his own part within the tyrannical system.
Orden himself gets a few POV chapters, and I was surprised by how much I wanted to like him. It’s made clear from the outset that he’s the author of at least one major atrocity, and he continues to see people horribly executed for their faith, and allows gangs of pressers to force innocent civilians into his army so that they can become canon fodder for a war on a distant front (a war everyone has told him he can’t win). He banished his young daughter (his and Ariana’s first child) to the Cloister because she was born with a goddess-mark, and refuses to have anything to do with her. However, when he interacts with the people directly around him, he’s not the monster he must appear as to the masses. He cares deeply for his wife, to the point of obsession and possessiveness. He allows Fia to care for his newborn son even though he has no reason to trust her beyond Ariana’s friendship with her. He tries to maintain alliances. He acknowledges the temper his family is known for and endeavours to master it, and also acknowledges when he fails to do so.
There is also an incredibly engaging romance subplot that I wasn’t expecting, which I won’t detail to avoid spoilers. It creeps up on you, and the slow-born nature of it ensures the chemistry between the two characters in question is impeccable. There’s even an open-door scene detailing the culmination of this romance, which is written just as beautiful and meaningfully as the rest of this book.
I know I’ve waffled about the characters for most of this review, but this is a very character-led story. The plot is very much dictated by the actions of the characters. The multiple ongoing wars are caused by Orden’s stubbornness as king. The political machinations surrounding the succession now Ariana has given birth to an heir are orchestrated by Fia and the Priest, and sometimes Ariana. Ariana herself is responsible for organising the council attended by the nation Orden is allied with (Song Royale) and the nation he is currently warring with (Caervallion).
Overall, this is a perfect combination of engaging character dynamics, strong female characters operating from places of perceived weakness, and delicate political machinations hosted between several fractious nations. It’s a quieter fantasy, but all the more meaningful for it.
The story itself matches the cover for beauty, because what we get is a heart-wrenching, tragic, gorgeous narrative of a kingdom torn between wars and suffering beneath the hand of a king who endeavours to be better than his bloodthirsty family legacy, but never quite escapes that shadow.
Drawn into the crossfire birthed by King Orden’s continuing rivalry with fellow monarch, Afon, are two of the most quietly powerful female characters I’ve never had the privilege of following.
Arguably the main character, Fia is a new mother, seeking sanctuary at the titular Cloister of Raea, this world’s sun goddess. In order to earn her place, she’s sent to Orden’s castle to lend aid to his queen, who has recently given birth. Fia leaves behind a six-month-old daughter, and even though she’s separated from the girl for most of the book, her bond with her child is palpable. However, in leaving her behind and helping Queen Ariana by nursing her newborn son and navigating the court of the Kingdom of Honoria and its disdain for both Fia and Ariana’s gods, Fia proves herself capable of sidelining her own needs in favour of those who require her aid. Though she wavers at times, and is adamant she cares only for herself and her daughter, she takes to court life and proves herself capable of manoeuvring its dangerous waters.
Ariana herself is far more vulnerable, both physically and mentally. Though she does harbour love for the king fate drew her towards, her relationship with Orden is complex and precarious. He loves her in his own way, but it’s made clear that the reason he was first drawn to her was her readiness to bow before him. Orden loves what he can control, and he believes he controls Ariana. Though this may be true at face value, Ariana’s is a subtler strength, exercised through quiet gestures that, when orchestrated in the right setting, showcase the power of her character. She’s willing to abuse the reputation she has at court for being a meek woman hiding in her husband’s shadow, because she knows her enemies will overlook and underestimate her. To their detriment.
I also want to take a brief moment to praise how this book frames maternity and women’s bodies as they carry and then give birth to children. We get to experience the dread and fear of childbirth itself, as well as the discomfort of breastfeeding, but are also shown the beauty involved. For example, at one point stretch marks are referred to as “sunlines” and I can’t think of any worthier way of highlighting the power of a woman’s body than that.
The third of this book’s cast of main characters, the Priest, is also thoroughly engaging. As King Orden’s half-brother, he poses a threat to the throne but, because he is blinded and pledged to his family’s war god, is allowed to continue operating within the castle. His chapters were immersive as hell by virtue of the author’s ability to make us rely on senses beyond our sight. Just as the Priest must navigate his world without his eyes, so must the reader.
And despite the loss of his sight, the Priest isn’t vulnerable by any means. He’s adapted, rigging his underground home with wires by which to navigate, and having learned to identify people by their tread, their smell, or the clothes they wear. He’s also able to hold his own in a fight, using the sounds of his opponent’s breathing as a way of placing them and dodging their strikes. There’s a persistent aura of cynicism to the Priest that compelled me, and he’s perfectly aware of the bloodthirsty reputation of his family, the war crimes his brother has committed, and his own part within the tyrannical system.
Orden himself gets a few POV chapters, and I was surprised by how much I wanted to like him. It’s made clear from the outset that he’s the author of at least one major atrocity, and he continues to see people horribly executed for their faith, and allows gangs of pressers to force innocent civilians into his army so that they can become canon fodder for a war on a distant front (a war everyone has told him he can’t win). He banished his young daughter (his and Ariana’s first child) to the Cloister because she was born with a goddess-mark, and refuses to have anything to do with her. However, when he interacts with the people directly around him, he’s not the monster he must appear as to the masses. He cares deeply for his wife, to the point of obsession and possessiveness. He allows Fia to care for his newborn son even though he has no reason to trust her beyond Ariana’s friendship with her. He tries to maintain alliances. He acknowledges the temper his family is known for and endeavours to master it, and also acknowledges when he fails to do so.
There is also an incredibly engaging romance subplot that I wasn’t expecting, which I won’t detail to avoid spoilers. It creeps up on you, and the slow-born nature of it ensures the chemistry between the two characters in question is impeccable. There’s even an open-door scene detailing the culmination of this romance, which is written just as beautiful and meaningfully as the rest of this book.
I know I’ve waffled about the characters for most of this review, but this is a very character-led story. The plot is very much dictated by the actions of the characters. The multiple ongoing wars are caused by Orden’s stubbornness as king. The political machinations surrounding the succession now Ariana has given birth to an heir are orchestrated by Fia and the Priest, and sometimes Ariana. Ariana herself is responsible for organising the council attended by the nation Orden is allied with (Song Royale) and the nation he is currently warring with (Caervallion).
Overall, this is a perfect combination of engaging character dynamics, strong female characters operating from places of perceived weakness, and delicate political machinations hosted between several fractious nations. It’s a quieter fantasy, but all the more meaningful for it.
July 28, 2026
“Laura Weymouth is a genius.” ~ A thought I thunk ten times while reading this book.
August 11, 2026
thank you so much for del rey for sending me an arc of this to review!
this is an amazing sweeping, epic fantasy filled with politics, religion and finding your true self. we follow three main characters: a bastard priest who has connections to the royal family, a postulant who is trying to complete her vows and a pacifist queen, who has worked in the shadows for the last decade to try keep peace. however, war is brewing on the continent, and it seems that all efforts of keep stability between the different nations is near almost impossible.
i thought this was a fantastic first book! it really set up the world Honoria richly, and infuses the political turmoil with the views of religion and the significance of these goddesses in the world. it was one of those moments were you can see this fragile peace is going to shatter, but laura did a great job at building this tension and keeping me at the edge of my seat at times.
the strong point of this book for me was the characters, and you know how much i love good character work. Fia, Silas and Ariana were all very fleshed out characters, each POV had me engaged in the story and there interactions with each other, this fierce loyalty they had, was wonderful to see. Fia was definitely my favourite: she's headstrong, and will do anything necessary to protect the ones she loves, even if that means making the hard and morally ambiguous decisions. there is a small romantic subplot, which i loved, as it never took away from the overarching plot or message of the story, but kept me on my toes.
without getting into spoiler territory, i fear i do need book 2 like as soon as possible. especially after reading the last few chapters of this book. and that epilogue, i was cheering at one point and then by the end i was like 'OH no i'm sad now'
overall, a really strong introduction to a new epic fantasy world. I would definitely say this is for fans of Robin Hobb, who like a slowburn kind of pace, with the action and stakes coming later on. But i thought the wait was well worth it, and when it did kick off, i found myself unable to put it down
this is an amazing sweeping, epic fantasy filled with politics, religion and finding your true self. we follow three main characters: a bastard priest who has connections to the royal family, a postulant who is trying to complete her vows and a pacifist queen, who has worked in the shadows for the last decade to try keep peace. however, war is brewing on the continent, and it seems that all efforts of keep stability between the different nations is near almost impossible.
i thought this was a fantastic first book! it really set up the world Honoria richly, and infuses the political turmoil with the views of religion and the significance of these goddesses in the world. it was one of those moments were you can see this fragile peace is going to shatter, but laura did a great job at building this tension and keeping me at the edge of my seat at times.
the strong point of this book for me was the characters, and you know how much i love good character work. Fia, Silas and Ariana were all very fleshed out characters, each POV had me engaged in the story and there interactions with each other, this fierce loyalty they had, was wonderful to see. Fia was definitely my favourite: she's headstrong, and will do anything necessary to protect the ones she loves, even if that means making the hard and morally ambiguous decisions. there is a small romantic subplot, which i loved, as it never took away from the overarching plot or message of the story, but kept me on my toes.
without getting into spoiler territory, i fear i do need book 2 like as soon as possible. especially after reading the last few chapters of this book. and that epilogue, i was cheering at one point and then by the end i was like 'OH no i'm sad now'
overall, a really strong introduction to a new epic fantasy world. I would definitely say this is for fans of Robin Hobb, who like a slowburn kind of pace, with the action and stakes coming later on. But i thought the wait was well worth it, and when it did kick off, i found myself unable to put it down
Did Not Finish
September 3, 2026DNF at 43%.
Okay hear me out. The writing is phenomenal in this book so it’s probably more of a “it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” sitch than anything. It’s also probably a timing issue because I have Knave like literally just sitting there staring me in the face.
There are A LOT of politics in this book and A LOT of religious factions/ideologies that still, at 43% in, doesn’t make sense to me. While I love our two FMC’s with my whole chest and the Priest, and a badass female spymaster (honestly her story is riveting) the book is painfully sllllllooooooowwwwww.
I heard it really picks up at about 70% and gets insanely good, but unfortunately I just don’t have it in me to continue and find out.
I’m not a soft DNF’er so I won’t be coming back to this world but I did actually enjoy the time I spent here, so all was not lost. I really struggled with this decision, but ultimately I don’t see myself rating it higher than a 3, even if the ending lands, and that’s just not worth it at this point, but I can honestly see how people really like this one.
Okay hear me out. The writing is phenomenal in this book so it’s probably more of a “it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” sitch than anything. It’s also probably a timing issue because I have Knave like literally just sitting there staring me in the face.
There are A LOT of politics in this book and A LOT of religious factions/ideologies that still, at 43% in, doesn’t make sense to me. While I love our two FMC’s with my whole chest and the Priest, and a badass female spymaster (honestly her story is riveting) the book is painfully sllllllooooooowwwwww.
I heard it really picks up at about 70% and gets insanely good, but unfortunately I just don’t have it in me to continue and find out.
I’m not a soft DNF’er so I won’t be coming back to this world but I did actually enjoy the time I spent here, so all was not lost. I really struggled with this decision, but ultimately I don’t see myself rating it higher than a 3, even if the ending lands, and that’s just not worth it at this point, but I can honestly see how people really like this one.
October 19, 2026
4,8 stars, just because it took me a bit of time to get into it and get used to the writing style, but after 2/3 chapters, I was completely invested! A complicated, scary, fantastical, intense game of chess, which I really enjoyed.
September 1, 2026
4/5 stars ✨️
Political intrigue ✅️
Strong well rounded female characters ✅️
An intriguing world torn apart by war and greed ✅️
This was a slow read but the intricacy of the writing and descreptive passages truly emerged you in the story. I'm curious to see where the story will take us next.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with the ARC of this story!
Political intrigue ✅️
Strong well rounded female characters ✅️
An intriguing world torn apart by war and greed ✅️
This was a slow read but the intricacy of the writing and descreptive passages truly emerged you in the story. I'm curious to see where the story will take us next.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with the ARC of this story!
July 1, 2026
3.5 rounded up
September 21, 2026
idk man the last part of this book is pure nonsense. the only reason i’m not giving this one star is because the political machinations are engrossing—but an illiterate dweeb having the power to tweak so much behind the scenes? nah, mate.
the politics and maneuvering are otherwise very engaging, but the characters involved are unbelievable for multiple reasons. actually, none of the characters or relationships come across as realistic to me (and honestly, the two “romantic” relationships are really rather disturbing). 🤷🏻♀️
content warnings: disturbing religions, human sacrifice, innuendo, sex (one scene very brief and one scene long, rather graphic, deeply unnecessary, and legitimately one of the reasons i’m rating this book so low), one almost-sex scene
the politics and maneuvering are otherwise very engaging, but the characters involved are unbelievable for multiple reasons. actually, none of the characters or relationships come across as realistic to me (and honestly, the two “romantic” relationships are really rather disturbing). 🤷🏻♀️
content warnings: disturbing religions, human sacrifice, innuendo, sex (one scene very brief and one scene long, rather graphic, deeply unnecessary, and legitimately one of the reasons i’m rating this book so low), one almost-sex scene
July 11, 2026
The Castle and the Cloister is a sprawling, hypnotic political fantasy that weaves together religion, motherhood, and an enduring hope for survival and peace. Fia is a new mother who longs for nothing more than an ascetic life within her cloister. But as the threat of war looms, she is plunged into the role of an unlikely political queenmaker, going into the very kingdom that endangers both her and her daughter's safety.
Fia is fiery and stubborn, making her a hilarious presence amid the court's increasingly deadly events. There is also Ariana, apostate queen married to a tyrannical king. Their obsessive relationship is fascinating and grotesque, becoming a fault line that threatens to split the kingdom apart.
Together with a blind priest, they emerge as éminence grises, wielding influence through perceived frailty of their roles. It's this inversion of power that makes the story so captivating, especially against the feckless and violent masculinity that comes easily to men as kings.
Without going into spoilers, the novel is at its strongest when it explores the sacrifices each character makes, forcing them to reckon with selfish desires and morally fraught choices. Fia, bound by her blood prohibition, has to choose violence in the pursuit of peace—an unsettling contradiction that asks whether virtue can survive when reality is often otherwise.
The world is steeped in mysticism and devotion to the gods, yet Weymouth challenges their blind belief by confronting the horrors it can excuse.
If you're looking for a pacey read, this might not be for you. But patience is rewarded by Weymouth's meticulous plotting, as layers of disquieting secrets gradually come to light. It's a gripping political thriller wrapped in fantasy, with a tender thread of love against impossible odds and knowing that achieving something extraordinary always requires risking everything.
Fia is fiery and stubborn, making her a hilarious presence amid the court's increasingly deadly events. There is also Ariana, apostate queen married to a tyrannical king. Their obsessive relationship is fascinating and grotesque, becoming a fault line that threatens to split the kingdom apart.
Together with a blind priest, they emerge as éminence grises, wielding influence through perceived frailty of their roles. It's this inversion of power that makes the story so captivating, especially against the feckless and violent masculinity that comes easily to men as kings.
Without going into spoilers, the novel is at its strongest when it explores the sacrifices each character makes, forcing them to reckon with selfish desires and morally fraught choices. Fia, bound by her blood prohibition, has to choose violence in the pursuit of peace—an unsettling contradiction that asks whether virtue can survive when reality is often otherwise.
The world is steeped in mysticism and devotion to the gods, yet Weymouth challenges their blind belief by confronting the horrors it can excuse.
If you're looking for a pacey read, this might not be for you. But patience is rewarded by Weymouth's meticulous plotting, as layers of disquieting secrets gradually come to light. It's a gripping political thriller wrapped in fantasy, with a tender thread of love against impossible odds and knowing that achieving something extraordinary always requires risking everything.
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