The Rave

The Aelfraver Trilogy #1

by J.R. Traas

The Aelfraver Trilogy, set in J.R. Traas's futuristic fantasy world of El, is a story about teenage rebellion—against the ruling elite and their gods.

GO HOME, ALINA
When Alina K’vich lost her parents, her grandfather Dimas gave her a home and a purpose. At The School, he trained her to become an Aelfraver—a hunter of arcane beasts, demons, and other anti-human entities. For ten years, they built a life together. Then, one night, in the middle of preparing dinner, Dimas vanished.

Now seventeen, and stuck with her grandfather’s debts, Alina resorts to illegal Raves in her rundown hometown. But these small-time contracts simply aren’t enough: The School lies in disrepair, the power’s shut off, and the bills remain insurmountable. In a last-ditch gamble, she signs up for a Rave whose massive reward could rewrite her entire future. However, she’s far from the only Aelfraver to answer the call of such an alluring bounty…

Out of options, Alina sinks the last of her money into a forged Raver’s license and a one-way ticket to New El, the floating Capital. There, an unnamable horror—her target—busies itself slaughtering the nobility in the dead of night, leaving no survivors and no witnesses. Protected only by her wits and spells, Alina must find a way to save New El, her School, and herself.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

554 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2021

About the author

J.R. Traas is an author, editor, and tutor who has published over twenty books, as well as various short stories and poems.

With well over a decade of teaching experience, it has been his privilege to instruct dozens upon dozens of young people in a plethora of subjects. Some of his students have won awards and scholarships for their writing. One of them calls him “Gandalf”—the highest compliment he has ever received.

Gandalf lives near Atlanta with his wife and their animal friends.

Heading over to Blankbooklibrary.com is the simplest way to reach him and, if desired, join the conversation. If you liked this story, please leave a review and spread the word. Cat food, after all, doesn’t grow on trees.

Reviews

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a fan of wonderfully written YA urban fantasy with a mixture of science fiction and an air of mystery? If so - I have just found your next read!

The Rave is the first in a new self published fantasy trilogy that is an absolute delight. I honestly had no idea I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. I am very much a character driven reader and this story delivered and exceeded expectations in that regard.

Our main character, Alina, is a seventeen year old who has found herself on her own and struggling to make ends meet after the abrupt disappearance of her grandfather, Dimas. Not only is she alone to attempt to deal with her grief - she is also alone in paying the massive amount of debt Dimas left behind in regards to their home and The School.

Alina dances a touch over the line of the wrong side of the law to make ends meet, but then an opportunity to participate in a high stakes Rave in the floating capital city of New El present itself. This opportunity could either save her....or end her. Alina doesn't see any other options, so she decides to carry her deception of being a legal Aelfraver up to the Capital in an attempt to be the one who takes down the mysterious beast that is terrorizing the Noble Families.

We follow her on this journey, with mysteries wrapped in mysteries - delightful characters - a magic system that reminded me very much of The Dresden Files (which is an all time favorite of mind). I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere, somehow this book got its claws in me and I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a book where you keep telling yourself "Just one more chapter!"

I did receive this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, but I can also tell you honest that I cannot wait for the release of the 2nd book! This is also a story that I love so much that I know it will be one I reread time and again!

[Lena (Sufficiently Advanced Lena) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5

Thanks to the author, J.R. Traas for sending me a review copy of The Rave!

At this point we all know that sci-fantasy either works or doesn't for me, and this time around it definitely works. The Rave is set in a world that feels fantastical but also steampunk, and adding all around some science fiction elements. I actually believe that everyone who enjoyes any of this genres would really enjoy it.

In this world we have Alfravers, or monster hunters for hire, they deal with different monsters that we have all around.
We are going to follow Alina, a seventeen year old struggling Aelfraver after the death of her grandfather. She decides to bet everything and goes to New El, the floating city, just to take part in a Rave with a huge prince, and this is where our adventure begins.

I was sooo surprised by this book, the first I found I thought it was scifi, the moment I was contacted by the author I thought it was fantasy and when I started it, turns out it was a mix of both, that works seemesly. I'm usually very picky with my sci-fantasy so I'm extremely happy to have found a book that I can gladly recommend.

With great twists and a super easy to follow writting style The Rave could probably turn into the new favorite book of huge chunk of people. I'm also so glad it doesn't have a love story out of the blue.
Since I'll be talking more about this one in a video I will conclude with the feeling that this might turn to be one of my favorite trilogies depending on the rest of the books! So if you feel like trying The Rave DO NOT hesitate and give it a read!

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.25

Alina has been trained to become an Aelfraver—a hunter of beasts and demons by her uncle who then disappeared, leaving her all alone. With crippling debt.
Yeah, life isn’t looking too good for her.
That means when a job opportunity comes up in the floating Capital to get rid of a fearsome entity terrorising the population, she gives up everything she has (which admittedly isn’t a lot) in one final bid.

"One day you'll have to decide, Alina. Do you wanna be like your granddaddy and make a fair living actually helping people? Or, are you plannin' to cling to your tall tales and nonsense? You hurt yourself as much as others, actin' as you do, abusing your heritage.”

The world building was fantastic - a mix of cyberpunk and fantasy - and with real drawbacks of using magic.

The characters were engaging, fun and quirky. Alina, the heroine, was AMAZING! I loved her.
She’s strong, funny and is the definition of rash and fiercely loyal.

A big perk of being a social outcast was that you had a lot of time to think. (Then again, a big downside of being a social outcast was that you had a lot of time to think.)

“What do you call a personal communication device you've trapped a demon in-side? A Cell Phone."

But then she remembered. She wasn't the type of girl who needed saving.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, and cover is amazing! Would highly recommend.

[Amanda F · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I had no idea what to expect, but it was recommended to me, so I just jumped in. We are immediately thrown into the action. We then quickly meet Alina, and learn a couple of things about her. 1. She's a teenager 2. She's impulsive 3. She's smart and strong 4. She acts before she thinks. :) She is dealing with lots of crap and it doesn't really get better through this book. But it's a fun ride with some wonderful quotes. I highlighted so many things in this one and really just had such a great time with this book overall. I highly recommend this for any Sci-Fi/Fantasy readers. Also, that cover is just beautiful and the huge ball is actually the capital city where most of the book takes place. If you don't see how cool it looks on the cover and want to go explore, then I don't know what's wrong with you. :) Read this book. You won't be disappointed!

[Marisca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say I really loved reading this book. Once and a while you get a book that completely transports you to a wonderful and amazing world that you just can't stop reading!!! For me this book was one of them. I always stuggle to find a good science fiction/dystopia book with the correct mix of things but this book had the correct dosis of all things. Action, adventure, dystopia, sience fiction and a little bit of romance. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.. Well done Mr Traas!

[Jesus Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This is my spoiler-free review of The Rave by J.R. Traas)

First and foremost, the attention to detail captivated me the most to read this novel all the way through. There's an enthusiasm for the world-building that seeps through the page when reading about the lore, the city's history, the Aelf (the proper name for demons of this universe), and the world our heroine enters. There's a cinematic descriptive touch to the entirety of the novel. The depiction of the landmarks, the imaginative locations, of city life up in the clouds where everyone is better off or of a higher class than the "terries" down below is remarkable on its own. These vivid visuals flourish the story starting in the City of Truct of the Nation of El where our protagonist Alina K'Vich is originally from and permeate all the way through to the climactic finale in the city up in the sky known as New El.

Alina K'Vich is left with nothing but "The School" as her home. But is on the verge of losing it because she can't pay her rent. Being an Aelfraver (a demon slayer) there's a bounty for this Aelf referred to as "The Bane of New El," a great threat to the nobles that it has become an open call for all the Aelfravers of the land to collect their great bounty if they can eliminate this threat that's been hunting down their own elite. Alina has little to no money left but chooses to risk it all for a one-way ticket and a chance at turning her life around. But once she arrives in New El, she soon realizes she is out of her league, yet she stays in stride and perseveres.

Out of the many main characters I've read through the years, she is one of the few that I not only like as a person but also one that I was rooting for all the way. Perhaps it's the bias of experiencing hardships through my personal life and having very little to fall back on and the empathy it creates from being understood of what it's like to endure said struggles yet choosing to fight for a better day that made me respect her too. Also because I admire her determination to save her school with the hope she clings on to better her life despite the abundant dangers that lie ahead. More importantly, she's not the type of person that wishes everything will fall into place and conveniently things do. No, that's not her case. It's through putting herself in these dangerous situations and piecing the puzzle trying to figure out who is the culprit of these calculated deaths, something that would be beyond the attempts of any simple-minded Aelf. It's through being resourceful, daring, sticking to her beliefs and not succumbing to blatant killings, and the bonds she forged with the characters she meets in her journey that makes this a wonderful read.

If cyberpunk fantasy with magical and mystical elements piques your interest then I highly recommend this novel.

[Malcolm F. Cross]

Clearly built on the bones of a thousand things the author loves geeking out over, The Rave is a book about a rising heroine making her start in a world of rockstar monster-hunting heroes. Drawing inspiration from a thousand sources, from Battle Angel Alita to Fantastic Beasts by way of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it both struggles to distinguish itself and succeeds in laying the foundations of a rich setting.

Aelfraver – one who kills the Aelf, eldritch magical creatures plaguing the world beneath the Nation of El - a planetoid chained to the world and constructed at the behest of the long-slain dragon tyrants whom enslaved mankind. But that was long ago, the dragons were slain, and cyborgs and hovercars crowd the planetoid-city’s streets while among the terrestrial underclass of ‘Terries’, Alina K’Vich, heir to one of the most respected trainers of Aelfravers in the world, is summoned to join The Rave. A hunt that will lead her to discover her heritage goes far beyond a decaying school and an aptitude for geomancy.

As you can tell, it’s a book that is trying to fire on all cylinders all the time. Powerful setting, strong character work, the presentation is strong – great cover and typesetting, well edited... but this wasn’t a book I loved. I can see a ton of people are going to love it, will love it, but for me it fell short in three major ways.

The first, and fundamentally the least important, lockpicking. Lockpicking comes up several times in the plot and is described in terms that are... probably convincing to people who don’t obsessively watch youtube videos where guys explain how security tumblers in locks work, but turned me right off. (There was an apparently serious discussion about using a tennis ball to break into a car lock, which got busted on Mythbusters. But given that the characters who enthusiastically talk about this actually break through doors elsewhere, I don’t know that it was a joke.)

The second, and this one is purely down to personal taste, while the setting is clearly very richly worked out – right down to rockstar-esque Aelfravers with fan clubs and press events – the book never really feels like it fully interacts with its setting. The plot involves a Rave (which is a hunt for Aelf... Aelfs? Aelves? I’m not actually sure how Aelf is pluralized. I think it’s one Aelf, two Aelf, three Aelf, so... ... Yeah, anyway) on New El, this chained down planetoid built by dragons where you can stand on the ‘bottom’ side and look up at the planet below – which was a great scene – but other than that cool scene, and the fact that some Aelfravers do some stuff, it never really felt like it mattered that the Rave happened on New El, rather than Truct – the considerably (and literally) more down to earth hometown for our protagonist, Alina. There are multiple spells and types of magic, but relatively few play a role in the way the plot plays out. There’s a roster of characterful Aelfravers that could compare with the WWE, but in a lot of scenes, outside just a few standout characters, the Aelfravers are treated like a crowded mass of potential violence. There is a wonderful setting, but I never felt like the book embraced it tightly enough.

Third, and I think it’s a much larger issue – and one that is much more likely to impact readers – the pacing in this book feels a little broken. There are a lot of scenes where transitioning from one part of the plotline to the next part are slowed down by Alina standing in a queue to get on a train, or wandering around trying to find a briefing... and while that does ease off as the book progresses, the pace picking up, it really felt to me like the author was feeling their way through their plot rather than confidently taking me with them on the wild ride they clearly wanted to take me on.

But, that’s me. And I am overcritical of everything. So who do I think would enjoy this book? Let’s turn to my panel of imaginary readers.


Reader the first: Casey the Collector
Casey is here to make your fan-wiki, and there are tons, and tons, and tons of things in the Rave with tiny little details to unpick. A lot of Casey’s work has already been done with a glossary and bestiary at the end of the book and on the author’s webpage, but styles of magic, name-dropped Aelfravers who all seem to have their own style, their own little dramas to figure out. If you scratch the surface of the book you will find a ton of stuff pouring out – the only problem is that, as I mentioned earlier, while this feels like it draws from a thousand cool things, from anime and comics and games and cyberpunk lit, the fact it doesn’t go all in on using all the cool stuff in here means it’s limited in how far the setting actually gets to elevate the book past its inspirations. But that setting is still very cool.

Reader the second: Parasocial Pepper
Pepper wants to have a good time escaping into a character’s head, and here, for the most part, the book delivers. We spend most of our time with our protagonist, Alina, who is a sassy seventeen year old both trying to find her place in the world and leave a mark on the world so big that you can see her from space... or from the surface of New El, high above. She’s ambitious, she’s got that sassy attitude, but in a few too many places she meanders through her plot in a way that felt slow, slow, slow. The scale of Alina’s swinging from her pits of despair to heights of victory, however, offset that quite nicely for Pepper. Also of note, we spend a few chapters with a nasty assassin who clearly shares some DNA with Dolph Lundgren’s killer priest character from the film Johnny Mnemonic – and Tolomond gets to be the psycho crazy killer we didn’t know we’d be delighted to meet.


There’s a lot to like about this book – but there are also pacing issues that mean I don’t plan to dip back in for the sequel. There’s some stuff that’s a little... ehhhh, such as when a rich and powerful character takes Alina on a night out on the town and gets her blackout drunk. (She’s seventeen! I get the guy is rich and powerful, but the fact this was ignored after the fact felt off.) Some of the coolest concepts about the setting are to be found in the glossary and bestiary, rather than in the book’s prose itself – which I thought was a shame, but I also know there are readers out there who are going to love reading the supplemental material and going back and forth between that and the main books to try and figure out the story’s secrets – there are a few which are foreshadowed in a way that had me making wild guesses, some right and some wrong, about the way things were going, and what the real fates of some characters would turn out to be.

I think it could be a stronger book, especially with some tight cuts, but that’s starting from a pretty decent baseline. So even if I’m not in this book’s enthusiastic audience, I am not remotely surprised that there are readers out there who’d disagree with me on many of my quibbles with The Rave.

If you’d like to find out just how hard you disagree with me, you can find out more on the author’s site for the series at https://blankbooklibrary.com/

----------

This book has not yet progressed far enough through SPSFC to require scoring. If it does, I will update this with a score.

You can find out more about SPSFC here: https://thespsfc.org

You can find all my reviews and posts dealing with SPSFC 2023 here: https://sinisbeautiful.com/tag/spsfc3/

Disclaimer: Please be aware that I am deliberately trying to take a different perspective to my usual one while judging for SPSFC 2023. Ordinarily I have a very narrow taste profile for what I like, and as part of my writerly practice I usually engage with books by tearing them to shreds and picking through what’s left to see if I can learn anything. I don’t think that’s a helpful point of view to review/judge from, and since reviews are for readers, not for writers, I’ve tried to avoid that here. (As you can see above. Your call on whether or not I succeeded, of course.)

[Sibil]

I read this book for SPSFC.
At the moment I am just writing down some thoughts on it.
I think this book's main pro is also its main con because there is so much between these pages! And it is good, because it is brilliant, with a rich and fascinating world, and a diverse cast of characters (all interesting and worth meeting) but it is also not so good because you want to see more (more about the Aelf, for example, or more about a character, but you can't because you are swapped away by the story and the plot and you have to follow along). Mind me, it is a pretty big pro and a small con, because the situation is not so dire. I mean, the author did a really good job juggling all of these elements, and his creation is alive and mostly well-developed (we have an overpowered character, and some "plot holes" linked to him) but sometimes it feels like some things should have been developed better, or that we should have gone a bit deeper with them.
For example, what drew me in was the way in which Alina chose to deal with Aelf. She refuses to kill, and the way she finds around that is brilliant. This was what made me think that this book was worth reading as a whole because the idea here is genius! (And okay, it made me think a bit about Pokemon, but in the best possible way!), and I really thought (and hoped) that we would see more of this around. And we don't. Mind me, it should have been a bummer but, to be honest, it wasn't. Sure, I feel like the author should have developed this part more... maybe writing about some minor Raves before going big, I am thinking along those lines, but the book is long and complex and full of things as it is, so I understand why he didn't do it. But still, I would have loved it.
I hope that this example helps clarify what I am talking about.
Anyway, this is a captivating book, and I am recommending it wholeheartedly, because there is so much going in there, and it is a solid read. Also, we have amazing characters and some really good dialogue!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jay

Really liked The Rave, Book I of a trilogy! JR Traas painted such vivid pictures, delivered well developed characters and wrote such an intricate plot. It kept me intrigued, wondering what would happen next. As I read, I could really see it all happening.
There's a glossary which adds even more depth to the terminology used specially for the world he created.
I'm looking forward to The Rebel which is Book II to see what unfolds next!

[Vallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, I loved it! I love a good arcanotech setting, and even more I love a responsibly written female protagonist who is too busy getting things done to get stuck in a stereotypical dystopian love triangle. I hear the audiobook is also on its way, and I can’t wait to hear what it sounds like. Overall, very excited to see what comes next from this witty and talented author.

[Buzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rave was a superb mix of SciFi and Fantasy. Charming characters meet numerous, overwhelming deadly obstacles in a nonstop adventure of magic and monsters. This book had an interesting, increasingly intense pace that at some point feels like eating popcorn. You find yourself up at 3am, stuffing your face, while the ratcheting tension makes you wake your wife as you scream “Come on, Alina! You’re in over your head?!?!?!”

Despite my concerns for her well-being, I loved Alina. Mezami = yes, please. But, Cho… Cho is my favorite. The chemistry between this cast of misfits is endearing and the care they show for each other feels genuine (arguments, poor decisions, flaws, and all).

The mystery, action, and what the author dubs “Arcane Punk Cyber Fantasy” elements blended wonderfully in his futuristic, dystopian floating city. Tolomond scared the business out of me while the ruling elite made me hope that Traas didn’t get a glimpse of our own future to steal for the setting of his book…

Super fun read and I would highly recommend. I haven’t had this much fun in a series since Mistborn. I am buckled in for the trilogy and excited to see how it plays out. :)

[Heather Barksdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Rave” introduces Alina K’Vich, a seventeen year old Aelfraver (hunter of beasts and demons). Alina has lost almost everything: her parents, grandfather, and most of her things. She is on the verge of losing her family home and is near broke when an unlikely opportunity presents itself. Alina decides to join in on a Rave with a reward that could change her life. Of course, she will need to find the target and capture them before all of the other Aelfravers.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I liked the take on magic (Niima), Alina’s use of it, and some of the interesting futuristic elements like the city dragon guardian and the next level VR. But my favorite aspect of the story was the development of the characters. Alina herself is self conscious and powerful, skilled and novice. She’s a fantastic protagonist. A couple of the ancillary characters also stand out...

The full blog review can be found here: https://heatherlbarksdale.com/blog/bl...

I received a free copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.

[Skylar BB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a diamond in the rough. The characterization is flawless, the plot is quite intriguing and the way the author describes the scenes is like weaving an imagery for the readers, It's so beautiful.
I also liked how even the side-stories reflected the reality we live in without sugarcoating it: the terrorist attacks of extremists in France and other countries.

My favorite quote from this book:
“Life is a shout. What we create—friends, family, legacy—is the echo. We remain as long as our echo, and no longer. By our words and deeds, we try to brush up against eternity. Only to fail.”

[Aváness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a fantasy story with layers and invented language and a bit of a mystery as well! The Rave by J. R. Traas has it all. I was immediately impressed by the clever way the author sets up the introduction of the main character. The descriptions of the floating capital of New El are so vivid, I could see this as a great movie as well. I’m interested to see what variety of new and even more diverse characters might be introduced in book two because I’m definitely planning to check it out! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Jeffk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. A nice mix of a bit of science fiction into an interesting fantasy world with magic and demons. I am curious to see how the Intriguing main character grows in the future installments of the series. Looking forward to getting the next book after picking this one up at Awesome Con.

[Jamie Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Camilla Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the world and setting, intriguing plot, but suffered a bit from pacing issues and therefore the ending felt a bit rushed with lots of information and catching up on the plot.

The world building parts were my favourite as you could tell there was some power and cultural dynamics due to the whole "one world but divided", political intrigue, the Gild and other sections of the world, the Aelfravers and the Elementals, etc. There was a lot to explore, but unfortunately I was left wanting more detail and exploration of those as we followed Alina trying to get by during the Rave. Still, I quite liked what we got.

It started very action-packed as a good introduction to the world, the concepts, and what kind of character Alina is as well as her background - which I quite liked. However the story then felt very distracted from the central mystery surrounding the plot, leaving very little breadcrumbs for keeping the intrigue alive as we wander off and end up with some very funny and lovable allies.

Due to the odd pacing during the middle part of the book, the last 10 or so % of the book felt like we were suddenly catching up on clues for the central mystery, we get the confrontation and reveals, and then a load of information that both Alina and we struggle to understand and process. I'm not a fan of how that was handled, and it wasn't the only instance of having an overload of information that I failed to retain.

Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and funny - Alina is very much a young unfortunate character, who has a lot of walls up to protect herself which includes being sassy. I think at times she bordered on overly sassy at the wrong time, as in it didn't fit the situation, but generally I quite liked the sass. I tend to not really love young characters, but Alina was very bearable for my tastes. But I still don't think she was owed an apology alone by her childhood friend. They both acted like dicks.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.
This was a unique book. I was interested the entire time, but I felt like there were times when it was a little wordy. Could have been shorter- in my opinion. And for me, the “reveal” came a little too late. It kept getting hinted at but then it would move on. I think that was intentional by the author to build suspense but also for a major shock - I just wanted that to come a little sooner.
Characters: 3.5/5 - Some characters were 100% memorable, others felt like characters in other books I’ve read or TV shows/movies I’ve seen.
Atmosphere/Setting: 4/5 - The atmosphere and setting were good but not outstanding - IMO
Writing Style: 3/5 - It felt a bit wordy to me - could have been cut down in places - and the book in general felt longer than it needed to be. I wanted that big reveal to come sooner than it did which is part of why it felt so long to me.
Plot: 4/5 - The plot was good - steady and developed along the way. Easy to follow.
Intrigue: 5/5 - I was always intrigued - even when I had a feeling about something/someone, I was still interested and intrigued until the very end.
Logic: 3/5 - Some things made absolute logical sense, other things were kind of explained, and some things I feel like needed more explanation (maybe in subsequent books?)
Enjoyment: 4/5 - I enjoyed this read and will likely continue the series - one day.
Total: 26.5/7 = 3.78

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me back into reading after a long hiatus. It It took me on a very fun, intense, and surprising journey. I love the Sci-fi/fantasy mix with technology, magic, and monsters/various creatures that are truly unique. I always love a female main character and the characters were refreshing. I didn’t feel like Alina, the main character, was a damsel in distress, but instead a stubbornly independent young woman. At the same time, she is a teenager who is still figuring it all out, and she developed throughout the story in a way that I appreciated, because it didn’t feel forced. Based on the overall character development in this book, I think we will see Alina and the other characters change dynamically throughout the series. I can’t wait to start on the second book!

[Janet Surrusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book. The story is well written. The only complaint is the many comparisons to items most people would never be aware of, like Durian fruit.

[Shelley]

Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2023/05...

[Emily Epp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world building was deep and original. I also loved the relationship between the characters, it will draw you in to the world that you never knew before. You will love this book as well as I did!!

[Micah Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book in part because it's quite different from the stories I'm used to reading. Not so much in genre (I read a ton of fantasy as it is), but in terms of style, tone, and theme. The main character is an angsty, brash teenage girl with extreme levels of immaturity, to the point that I was never entirely sure if I should be cheering for her or not. There's a kind of over-the-top superhero demon-hunting flavor that reminds me of an anime like Mob Psycho 100. The world aggressively and unapologetically mixes urban fantasy and near-future sci-fi tropes, which also feels like an anime. The overall tone feels like something for which I don't know the term... something like rebellious street kid culture, maybe? Lots of disillusionment with society and the upper class, casual use of slang, characters with prickly shells who quickly lash out if they feel mistreated.

As I mentioned, the main character is absurdly immature, and is so self-destructive and hostile to other characters that I found her difficult to respect at all. She befriends a sort of street urchin girl who's even more prickly than she is. She has connections with several male characters who she views as villains but I never was totally sure if they qualified as such. The actual villain (who we mostly see in his own POV chapters) is a two-dimensional religious zealot, and I found him somewhat annoying because he feels like a caricature (which is unfortunately a bit common in modern fantasy).

Overall, it's hard to quantify my opinion. The characters frustrated me, but half the time I felt like I was *supposed* to find them frustrating. The plot did have a lot of mystery to it, though I guessed the big twist around a hundred or so pages before it happened. The action scenes are fun. I appreciate how the story and setting unapologetically throws out cool visuals and magic and technology without trying to feel at all realistic. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but the themes are muddy and I'm not sure it ever quite felt worthwhile.