When I read the excerpt for Lakesedge over on Bookishfirst, I was intrigued by the story. The beginning is dark and deals with heavy themes, but it offered a good glimpse of the characters, atmosphere, tone, and the setting/lore that would influence the rest of the story. I wanted to keep reading, so the excerpt did its job. And I’m glad I read this one, because it was an entertaining book.
The two sentences that open Lakesedge’s first chapter boldly assert: “There are monsters in the world. There are monsters in the woods.” Pg.1
It’s labeled as gothic fantasy, and for the most part I agree with that description. It did feel like fantasy YA that picked up certain aspects about the gothic genre to add to it—such as decayed wealth, tragic characters, and a curse. The setting—which was dark, isolated, and enigmatic—also helped build the immersive atmosphere. It was a highlight.
I also stuck around to see how their efforts to unravel the curse would turn out. I’m all for a story about dangerous woods—it’s one of my favorite fantasy tropes—and I liked how Clipstone built the history of the curse. It was appropriately horrifying, and it demonstrated the kind of deity the Lord Under actually was.
Even while writing this, I’m still trying to decide how much I liked Violetta Graceling as a main character. On one hand, I appreciated her dedication toward protecting the only family she had left. She’s the sole POV in the story, and she had her moments of witty banter and ingenuity. On the other hand, part of the explanation offered for withholding certain details until it was convenient to know them, left me feeling a little let down. It went from “I know nothing about this,” to “Okay, maybe I did, but that’s beside the point.”
But, the ending was riveting. All the consequences I was waiting for—they happened. The character arcs Clipstone steadily built during the story—those paid off. There were no easy victories, and I loved it.
Lakesedge was a solid story, and the questions that came about as a consequence of its ending presented plenty of options of what could happen next. It was an entertaining read, and I would read the sequel.
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Henry Holt & Co. [BYR]) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
The two sentences that open Lakesedge’s first chapter boldly assert: “There are monsters in the world. There are monsters in the woods.” Pg.1
It’s labeled as gothic fantasy, and for the most part I agree with that description. It did feel like fantasy YA that picked up certain aspects about the gothic genre to add to it—such as decayed wealth, tragic characters, and a curse. The setting—which was dark, isolated, and enigmatic—also helped build the immersive atmosphere. It was a highlight.
I also stuck around to see how their efforts to unravel the curse would turn out. I’m all for a story about dangerous woods—it’s one of my favorite fantasy tropes—and I liked how Clipstone built the history of the curse. It was appropriately horrifying, and it demonstrated the kind of deity the Lord Under actually was.
Even while writing this, I’m still trying to decide how much I liked Violetta Graceling as a main character. On one hand, I appreciated her dedication toward protecting the only family she had left. She’s the sole POV in the story, and she had her moments of witty banter and ingenuity. On the other hand, part of the explanation offered for withholding certain details until it was convenient to know them, left me feeling a little let down. It went from “I know nothing about this,” to “Okay, maybe I did, but that’s beside the point.”
But, the ending was riveting. All the consequences I was waiting for—they happened. The character arcs Clipstone steadily built during the story—those paid off. There were no easy victories, and I loved it.
Lakesedge was a solid story, and the questions that came about as a consequence of its ending presented plenty of options of what could happen next. It was an entertaining read, and I would read the sequel.
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Henry Holt & Co. [BYR]) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you!