Ruinsong is pitched as a dark, sapphic, romantic fantasy and in many ways, it delivers on that promise. The novel focuses on two young women; Cadence, the queen's powerful new Principal singer who is forced to use her magic to torture the queen's enemies, and Remi, the daughter of nobles who desperately wants to see her country change for the better. As the novel progresses, the two young women are thrust together and must figure out what they ultimately want and how to achieve it, while also dealing with their emotions and growing feelings for each other.

There were many things that I enjoyed about this novel. I loved the premise, and I genuinely enjoyed the character development. Cadence and Remi both feel complex in ways that (at times) fantasy characters don't, and I appreciate the effort to give them desires and hopes beyond the obvious or the simple. Although Cadence has been treated cruelly by the queen, she is also a parental figure which means that Cadence has more complex feelings about her than others might. Remi is a noble, which brings a certain amount of power and privilege, but she behaves as any 17-year-old young woman might, with the right impulses that can also be destructive in certain circumstances. The idea of singing magic was interesting and fun and made me wish that I could hear some of the songs. The descriptive language in the novel is well written and paints a picture of what these characters are like, and the world in which they live, without being over the top.

My issues are mostly with the pacing and the worldbuilding. In terms of the pacing, I genuinely enjoyed the novel's slow build and leisurely pace, so it was genuinely shocking to reach the climax and then have everything happen all at once. A lot of the last act of the novel felt rushed, which was in contrast to the rest of the book, and although I enjoyed what happened, I didn't enjoy feeling like I was missing things because they all happened so fast. Without giving spoilers, once certain choices are made by the characters, the novel almost speedruns to the finish and we get most of the information about what happens after in an epilogue. It just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the novel to get SO much information all at once rather than to continue the slow build. I also found the worldbuilding to be slightly lacking. Although the premise is interesting I don't feel like I fully understand how the magic works in this novel. It just...does. Furthermore, there are some questions raised about how individuals shape their magic through song, and whether you actually need your voice to accomplish things. I would have liked more detail and information about this, as well as maybe more information on the effect of magic on the wielder's body. I was confused that Cadence kept losing her voice - trained singers can sing for days without issues, so is it the magic? I don't know.

Overall, I did genuinely enjoy reading the novel (although I'm not sure I see a clear connection with the phantom of the opera other than there is an oppressed person with ties to the opera house). The romance is sweet and the settings feel incredibly lush. It's a beautiful novel and carries a strong message about the choices we make and the people we become. 3.5/5 stars (rounded up for the review).

This is a fairly basic YA fantasy with familiar beats. I do wish the romance wasn't so rushed, and I feel like the characters could use some fleshing out, but otherwise, it was a fine read.

Ruinsong is a fast-paced fantasy novel of a world where magic is contained in your voice. Cadence is a talented corporeal singer forced into service of a cruel queen. Remi, her friend from childhood, is a fierce young woman who has to bear the yearly torture the queen inflicts on the noble class. When the two meet again after years apart, their lives and the world will be changed forever.

The storyline of this novel is incredibly compelling, and I think it created a world in which readers will want to return. But I had a hard time deciding its audience. The content feels like a young adult novel, but the sentence structure and characters felt closer to middle grade. That makes it difficult to recommend to library patrons.

Also, the story is quite bleak and violent with nothing that brings levity to the book. There is very little characterization, we do not know the character’s motivations and needs and we get only small snippets of their history. The main romance plays out mainly in the final chapter, and I wish that there was greater development of their relationship with each other and the people around them throughout the story. More well-rounded characters that learn and grow through the story, and lighter moments of characters interacting, would have made the darker plot points more effective and chilling.

I do love the world that was created. The exiled community, the nobles who must suffer every year, the world where magic is in your voice. It is beautifully imagined and unlike anything I’ve read. If you care less about characterization and love fast-pacing, dark plots and LGBTQ+ representation, this is one to pick up.

“A darkly shining jewel of a story set in a fascinating new world. This queer romantic fantasy will replay itself in your mind long after you’ve finished, like an unforgettable melody.” –Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series