Hi book friends! I’ve got another incredible fantasy pick for you today, I know I’m a little late getting to this one, but goodness am I glad I finally picked it up! And now my copy of book two has arrived, I’ll promptly be diving back into the world of the Shepherd King. If you’re yet to have the pleasure of meeting Elspeth, Ravyn and The Nightmare, this review is for you.

TL;DR It’s a darkly lush gothic fantasy with one of the coolest magic systems I’ve come across in years, and fairy tale vibes, but like, the Brothers Grimm versions…

ELSPETH NEEDS A MONSTER. THE MONSTER MIGHT BE HER.

An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle’s head – she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, she is thrust into a world of shadow and deception. Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to cure the town of Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. As the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a gothic fantasy romance about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom.

Title: One Dark Window

Author: Rachel Gillig

Link: https://www.amazon.com/One-Dark-Window-Rachel-Gillig-ebook/dp/B09QCCH9N7/

Format: Audiobook

Review: 5 stars

I knew I was going to love One Dark Window before I even opened the cover, the blurb absolutely sold it to me – a girl with a monster inside her mind? Highwaymen? Dark magic? And romance? Yes please! I ordered the paperback of book two as soon as I finished and now I’m desperate to pick it up (just as soon as I finish writing this review!).

One Dark Window is like Renegade Nell meets Wuthering Heights with added tarot cards and a thick fog separating them from the rest of the world, similar to the Fold in Shadow and Bone. There’s even an evil entity living in the misty woods that kills anyone who ventures too near without a talisman (rabbit’s foot, etc.). It was very atmospheric and the writing was descriptive but still fast-paced, which I loved.

The magic system was ingenious and yet so simple, using different cards from a special pack, called Providence Cards, created by the legendary Shepherd King. Each card has a different design and allows the user to access a different type of magic – but nothing comes for free, even magic.

Elspeth was the type of female main character I absolutely adore, still feminine but oh so capable, cunning and clever. Even when the Nightmare inside her mind wasn’t taking over her body and giving her enhanced abilities, she was still a brilliant protagonist with as much agency as an unwed young woman in a gothic novel can possibly have.

She’s been hiding her affliction from the physicians and Destriers (the King’s best cavalrymen, tasked with eradicating magic-wielders and anyone who succumbs to the infection that causes magical abilities) since she was nine years old. Magic, other than from the Providence Cards, has been outlawed by the Rowan King, so Elspeth is in a lot of danger if anyone finds out about the Nightmare…

Enter Ravyn Yew, mysterious and handsome nephew to the king, and Elspeth’s worst enemy. Because he’s the Captain of the Destriers, and he’s taken a special interest in our girl, for reasons known only to himself. And as the tension between them builds and their secrets start to come to light, Elspeth realises he may not be the biggest threat she faces. Because the Nightmare is growing stronger, and it’s only a matter of time until it overpowers her completely.

The romance in One Dark Window was *chef’s kiss*, Ravyn is a true gentleman, and a bit of a rogue when he wants to be. I’m looking forward to seeing the romance between them grow in book two, after all the longing stares and accidental touches, and that one scene (iykyk), it’s the least we deserve!

The world building in this book was absolutely incredible, Gillig has thought of everything and I was gripped by the explanation behind the Providence Cards, the Shepherd King and the mist. If you’re also a big fan of a detailed backstory, then you’ll definitely enjoy this about One Dark Window, there’s so much to the world, its history and magic system, and I really enjoyed learning about it all.

I’m dying to read Two Twisted Crowns and find out what happens next for Elspeth! I gave One Dark Window 5 stars, I listened to the audio book and burned through it in a few days, but my copy of book two is a paperback because I recently cancelled my Audible membership due to having too many audiobooks and not enough time. Obviously I regretted that immediately, but we move.

If you love gothic fantasy, historical novels and dark fairy tale-esque books, then this series is definitely for you!

I’m currently working on a gothic romantic fantasy called The Rose and the Serpent, so it was great for research. I can only hope that my next book will be anywhere near as atmospheric, captivating and swoony as this one! One can dream…

Lyndsey

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