Was I expecting to read the most spot on description of depression I’ve ever seen in a frothy regency faerie tale? I most certainly was not, but I loved it.
Theodora Ettings lost half of her soul as a child to a vengeful fairy who had made a bargain with her mother. She is now drifting through her days with only half the amount of feelings that she should have. Having very little sense of embarrassment or fear is quite the drawback for a young woman in regency England, causing Dora to be constantly and accidentally scandalous. She’s content to be the wallflower while her sweet cousin husband hunts in London. Unfortunately she attracts the attention of the new Lord Sorcier, who is as good at being scandalous as she is though less accidental about it. He is going to solve the mystery of her half a soul and the mysterious plague afflicting children in workhouses across the city with her help or not.
With some further investigation I found that Atwater did intend Dora having half a soul to be a metaphor for neurodivergence. It certainly touched a nerve here, not in a bad way but in an “Oh! I recognize you!”. That such a description was woven through a thoroughly entertaining Regency romance/fantasy was just icing on the cake. Also included is the short story The Lord Sorcier which gives us a look at the beginning of Elias and Albert’s friendship during the war.
I highly recommend Half A Soul and am very much looking forward to reading more in this series. I’ve already got the next two on hold at my library.