One Dark Window
I have seen and heard multiple people express that the sequel to One Dark Window is even better than One Dark Window, in which case the sequel is just going to blow me away because I thought this book was so good in itself.
The book is set in the kingdom of Blunder, which is beset by a magical mist that is expanding year by year. Main character Elspeth was infected by the mist as a child and has to hide the infection because magic is not permissible except through the use of Providence Cards. Her magic is that she can absorb Providence Cards, so ever since she touched a Nightmare Card at age 9, she’s had a being she calls the Nightmare in her head. Elspeth ends up crossing paths with the king’s nephew and joins a group of people who are trying to unite a full deck of Providence Cards to end the mist’s hold on Blunder.
I think this has been classified as a romantasy, but I’m not sure I would call it that. There is definitely a strong romantic subplot, but the driving force of the novel is the quest to unite the Cards while hiding their actions and Elspeth’s infection from those who would take issue with it. While the romantic feelings between Elspeth and Ravyn seem to develop quickly, they are slower to act on those feelings, which I appreciate as someone who dislikes insta love.
The world-building is somewhat constrained. We learn about the lore of the Providence Cards and the Shepherd King but not much about how the king treats Blunder’s ordinary citizens or the social mores of the world (e.g., there seem to be some traditional gender roles but not much of a reaction to premarital sex). However, the constraint seems to parallel the confinement of Blunder itself, which has become more and more isolated over the years as the mist spreads. This allowed the atmospheric writing to shine. Rachel Gillig also builds and releases tension so well, and it is especially noticeable in this first book, which made the book very hard to put down.
Two Twisted Crowns
I ended up racing through this sequel before I ever had a chance to finish writing and posting a review for the first book, so now I’m combining the reviews. The first book ended on a cliffhanger, and the sequel picks up mere days afterward. The Nightmare is now in full control of Elspeth’s body, her family members are all jailed or on the run because they hid her infection, and Hauth lies near death. The beginning is a bit slow; it doesn’t drag but it takes a little time for the action to really get started. The pace picks up when Ravyn, the Nightmare, Jespyr, and a couple of minor characters set out to find the Twin Alders to unite the Deck of Cards, while Elm stays behind with Ione. Elm and Ione feature much more significantly in this novel, which is told from the POVs of Ravyn, Elm, and Elspeth.
As much as I liked learning more about Elm and Ione, I loved spending more time with the Nightmare. He is funny and snarky and callous while still having some degree of affection for a limited number of people, most notably Elspeth. I found Ravyn to be the least compelling of the characters, though not unlikeable. He just wasn’t as interesting or memorable as the others, lacking in complex character development and a strong personality.
I actually found that I liked both books almost equally. I rated One Dark Window 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) and Two Twisted Crowns 5 stars. While I did like the second book a little more, probably because of the character work and how it ties everything together, the first one is still a strong novel. I loved this duology, which features a unique magic system and gripping tension, and I can’t wait to see what Rachel Gillig does next.