A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft was MAGIC. Pure MAGIC.

This book felt so original, unlike anything I've ever read, and it takes a lot for me to say that. It was refreshing. It wasn't just words on a page; this was storytelling at its finest. The type that pulls you in as a child and doesn't let you go (in the best possible way).

I remember reading it and being blown away. It was poetic and mesmerizing, and I felt as though I was transported to another world and time. Allison captures the readers with beautiful descriptions in a way I haven't seen an author do in many years.

This world of fantasy is gorgeous, just like the cover.

A Far Wilder Magic is character-driven, which I appreciate, with a dual POV that I love. Margaret and Wes are everything and more, and I wanted them to have everything. It was a journey, and tears were shed for these characters, but I regret nothing.

I connected with every part of this book, and I would 100% recommend it to all readers.

I feel gratitude and emotion as I say thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an e-arc for my honest review. It was an honor.

Okay, I remember falling in love with this book because of the cover but as I started reading it I completely fell in love. The writing truly makes it feel like you're stepping into a new world. It was magical and lovely.

I had high expectations for A Far Wilder Magic...and unfortunately, it quite didn't live up. Margaret lives in a small coastal town, alone except for her dog and horse, waiting for her mother to return and enduring prejudice/discrimination from many townspeople due to her cultural/ethnic heritage. Wes is an aspiring alchemist desperate for one last chance to prove himself and provide for his family. When a hunt for a magic fox comes into town, their paths collide. I loved these characters and their complex, multi-faceted, personalities that grew throughout the narrative. The romance felt organic and built in a way that felt natural and true to human experience (no insta-love). I especially loved the portrayal of the heroine, Margaret, as the stronger/more capable one in the relationship, since many romances show the opposite. Wes and Margaret's dynamic was blend where they equally subverted and fit into aspects of traditional gender roles, making their relationship dynamic 3-dimensional and not bound by parameters often seen in the romance genre. The foxhunt story was unique and not something I've seen before, and the descriptions of the "hala" were a perfect blend of creepy and cryptic.

The reason this book disappointed me boils down to its trying to do too much. The premises were intriguing but there were so many threads that the focus was spread too thin across them all and the book couldn't seem to settle on what it wanted to be/convey. Here are some spoiler-free examples:
Genre -- A Far Wilder Magic is marketed as YA, but I would put it in the NA (New Adult) category. About halfway through, the slowburn becomes decidedly more mature and sexual in nature. This didn't bother me personally, but I did feel the tone switch was sudden and had little set-up.
Setting -- Atmospherically, the setting was worded beautifully. But I found the actual world-building to be lackluster, it is a strange blend of fantasy and reality that is clearly inspired by historical period pieces but also mentions modern inventions/objects. I also felt that religions/ethnicities felt too close to actual real-life groups, just slightly modified and names changed. I enjoy high-fantasy and for me, this just fell short of being vague enough to truly feel like fantasy without any heavy world-building.
Pace -- The first half of the book was very slow and while it picked up nicely in the middle, the ending felt rushed as all those thread were hurriedly tied up. Certain character dynamics and social themes were suddenly heavily emphasized all at the end when they had not been given the same weight throughout the novel. Although everything wrapped up nicely, it felt somewhat dissatisfying because it lacked the carefullness and gradual build-up that had been in the first half.

Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars. A Far Wilder Magic would best suit YA/NA readers looking for a slowburn romance set in a low-fantasy, atmospheric world.

Margaret Welty lives alone in the family manor on the outskirts of town. She mostly keeps to herself, until she spots the legendary Hala, the last of magical creatures. The person who kills the Hala is rewarded with a substantial monetary prize, magical secrets, and fame. Only problem is, in order to participate in the sanctioned hunt Margret must have an alchemist partner. Enter Weston Winters, an aspiring alchemist brave enough to join Margaret in the hunt. So begins a beautiful story about loneliness, learning to trust others, and trusting yourself. This is also a tender love story that is sure to tug at your heart strings. I truly enjoyed this book, rich with unique magic, strong female lead, and beautiful dialogue.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NatGalley for the review copy! I was very excited to see Ava Reid blurb for this book, I’m a huge fan!

This was a slower burn than I anticipated, but I loved the alchemical magic system and the fact that this is a very different world than I’ve encountered in novels. Also the cover is gorgeous.

My one major gripe is this trendy “protagonist isn’t pretty” trope. I understand where it’s coming from, but in doing so we are still placing a value on appearance by explicitly stating female main characters aren’t pretty. I’m not sure why we are honoring men for living women “despite” their looks- I’d much rather read a book where characters fall in love without having to assign value to how one of them looks.

okay. i'm gonna be honest with you. this book was not it for me. i really wanted to like this book, but it did not work out for me. i'm so sad about it. but thank you to netgalley for letting me read this one early!!

A FAR WILDER MAGIC was a book I was looking forward to, as I enjoyed the author's debut, but ultimately found rather disappointing overall.

Unlike DOWN COMES THE NIGHT, I never felt like there was anything between Margaret and Wes, not real chemistry, connection, or any real reason to like it each other. I felt like I was being told they were falling in love without getting a reason other than the plot wanted it. They lacked tension too, so the "drama" points in the relationship didn't feel set up or believable.

Given this book is primarily a romance, the fact that it felt so lacking in that area rather undercut the book for me. It didn't feel like there was enough plot to carry the book along without that central romance grabbing me. Instead it was two people rubbing along badly as they tried to prepare for a hunt. Or rather, he did alchemical experiments and she did... something? All while dealing with bigots from the small town.

I really enjoyed the representation in this book. Wes is an immigrant from a minority religious group, and I think he also had some ADHD and dyslexic traits too. Margaret's father was part of a minority ethnic group, and possibly had anxiety/panic attacks (potentially related to PTSD.) It was a nice mix of intersecting issues and both have to deal with prejudice over their ethnic and/or religious backgrounds, but it was never made the focus.

I love alchemy in books. I'm a scientist and though I've spent most of my degree on Physics, I've done a lot of chemistry too, and alchemy always feels like it's bringing some STEM ideas into fantasy. Naturally then, I loved that aspect of this book, loved the careful approach needed to make it work with accurate measurements and calculations to avoid messing up.

Nope. DNF'd at about 40%. It just never really felt "real" for me, nor did I care about anyone or the whole hunt thing.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

This was not at all what I thought it would be, and I'm surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

I don't have the right words, but it felt much more *modern* that I anticipated. I normally don't enjoy that in my fantasy novels, but it really worked for me this time around. I really enjoyed Allison Saft's writing and our heroine, Margaret.

Also, this cover is absolutely stunning!

Oooh, atmosphere!

1910's/20's vibes, religion (and exploration of how this affects the way people view you), the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one, magic, a precious dog and some very, very different types of parents make up the basic backbone of this A Far Wilder Magic.

The rest of Maggie being the grumpiest grump with the a slightly unexpected reading-preference, Wes being an actual ray of sunshine who can and will flirt with <s>anyone</s> Maggie at every chance, and Trouble being the Goodest Boy.

And a Hunt. And a nasty creature. And some really shitty people. And some really <i>great</i> people. And ATMOSPHERE. Gah. Loved this.

A lush and beautifully written fable. I love the gradual unfolding of this story. Margaret is so incredibly resourceful and strong. I really admired her and enjoyed her sickly attitude. She wasn’t brash or headstrong. She was more bitter, reserved, careful of being hurt. It was easy to See Margaret, out there on the fields or in the house silently doing around through the empty rooms. Living alone as her mother has gone off into the world outside to pursue her own priorities, Margaret is left alone to fend for herself. This involves taking care of herself, the house and grounds hunting. And then it involves turning away potential alchemists who appear at her door, seeking her mother. This includes Weston Winters. This is Weston’s last chance. If her mother doesn’t take him on as a student, he will her be able to become an alchemist and run for office. And he will have to go back to his home to get a job and take care of his family.
Margaret lets him stay and they enter into an age old tradition - the Hunt.
Weston is more friendly, more outgoing and an outsider in her small town. I really liked his fish out of water feeling. He seemed like a big colorful blog set down in the dreary atmosphere. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a darkness or a substance. But he definitely seems like a colorful sun that shines suddenly into Margaret’s life and invigorates the town.
That said, this is no install. They really don’t like each other and it’s only slowly grown through the book that they feel mutual understanding and respect. I really liked this aspect of the story because it was focused on them as characters and first and how they made each other better and more complex.
The tone and setting is also a fantastic character in this story. The reader is really with them on the hunt, in the woods, walking about the falling down house. Feeling Margaret’s intense emotions and sensing her family’s deep rooted grief was well written, the heaviness becoming a real motivator to the characters in the story as well as being a rich setting.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this story. It’s a slow build and totally worth it and by the end, you’re rooting for both of them. There’s real danger, both magical and human, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how it would end.
A quick note too - that cover is gorgeous and once you read the book, it’s a remarkably accurate representation of those two characters and the world around them. Whimsical, murky and dark.
Go grab your copy.

** Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful adventure this turned out to be! I requested this book from the cover alone. It spoke to me, and for once that decision didn't come back to haunt me. A Far Wilder Magic is so unique to itself that it makes it hard to compare to other things. Its list of merits as a novel is extensive but I'll try my best.

For starters, this is either the first of a series or a stand-alone, so if you're in the mood for fantasy but don't want to commit yourself to 14+ books and thousands of pages, this is the perfect entrance for you. The page count is under 400, which is a rare find these days and very refreshing. It isn't dry. Allison Saft worked some real magic here in the world-building and fantasy elements without weighing down the book with a lot of exposition.

This is an emotional book. The setting is lush and lovely. The characters are believable and new. The ending was satisfying and the pacing hit the absolute jackpot. I adored this so so much that I purchased my own copy after reading the ARC, and I picked up Allison's debut as well, knowing absolutely nothing about it, just because I loved this one so much.

Definitely an author to keep your eye on. This book is a must-have for both fantasy and romance fans as it delivers in both departments. So so good.

WOW! I was blown away by this book. Everything from the writing to the world to the plot to the characters themselves was well done. I felt transported by the setting, captivated by the lyrical prose, and caught up in the very real and well developed struggles of the two leads. I loved pretty much every aspect of this book, and there's very little about it that I could criticize in all honesty. I will be buying a physical copy ASAP. And Allison Saft is now an author whose future releases I will be keeping an eager eye on.

I was fascinated by this book. I really enjoyed how Saft created a fantastical, alchemical world in what you could almost identify as an actual, historical place, blurring the lines of reality and unreality. I also enjoyed how she did the same with the faith of her characters, reshaping some of the traditional faiths into magical beliefs and systems, while retaining their inherent oppositions and prejudices to help create tension in her story.

But that wasn’t the only tension in the story. The constant build of pressure throughout the plot, between Margaret and Weston, between the hunters and the hala, between the locals and the outcasts, all of it lent for a wonderful story that made me want to know how it would all turn out. And it was pleasantly (refreshingly) not exactly as I expected.

I can easily give A Far Wilder Magic 4 out of 5 stars for creativity and readability. I’d recommend you check out this lovely fantasy for yourself.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital copy of this novel for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I loved this book and I’m not sure where to start explaining why. The premise of a mythical creature hunt with alchemy immediately drew my interest. The execution of the plot and world-building was incredible. The setting in a remote sleepy town was so comforting and well done that it was easy to feel immersed in the story and the investment I had in these characters is embarrassing. I wanted to yell (in a good way) about halfway through at these two blind fools, but the progression and development of their relationship was so amazing to read that I’ll let it slide.

The religious and political tones of this book were a layer I wasn’t expecting and while I can’t comment on the Jewish and Catholic coding of the characters and the representation it offers, I can say I really enjoyed that aspect of the book and I thought it added dimension to the story. I adored Margaret as a main character and I was so proud of her development throughout the story, especially at the end when she’s confronted with her mother.

This was my first book by Allison Saft and it definitely will not be my last. 4.5 stars.

4.5/5 Stars

Margaret Welty is an outcast, awaiting her alchemist mother's return to their manor. One day, she spots the Hala, a legendary beast with great powers. Spotting the Hala means that the Halfmoon Hunt will commence, a competition to kill off the last remaining mythical being. In the hopes of making her mother return from her quest to find the Hala, Margaret wishes to join in the hunt as a sharp shooter. Unfortunately, only teams can enter, and one must be an alchemist. Her dreams are answered when Weston Winters shows up on her doorstep, requesting an apprenticeship with her mother. Both enter for different reasons, but are determined to win.

Although a pretty slow paced book, I thoroughly enjoyed this character-driven story. The setting of this book was so atmospheric, it felt like the 1920's, but with magic and alchemy thrown in. I found learning about the Halfmoon Hunt so interesting, even tough the actual hunt didn't take place until closer to the end of the book. I loved the slow burn romance between Wes and Margaret, I loved watching them butt heads in the beginning, but grow closer together as the story progressed. I was also a big fan of the complex family dynamics, not only between Margaret and her mother, but Wes and his big family as well. The Winters sister's were all wonderfully written, and I loved getting to know each of them. I definitely think this would be considered the grumpy x sunshine trope, which I always end up adoring. I listened to this on audio, and personally think the narrator did an amazing job with both of these characters. I love how we got dual POVs from both Wes and Magie, I think it really enhanced the story telling and emotions explored. Wes was definitely my favourite character, such a precious cinnamon roll full of charm. I really loved how Wes had dyslexia, and how sweet Margaret was when she found out. I loved how strong she became in the end, and how she spent a vast majority of the book learning her own self-worth. I loved the exploration of her mother's abuse and neglect, and how far she came by the end of the book. Also, big fan of Trouble, Maggie's hound, and her horse Shimmer I do love me some animal companions.

I really hope that we get another book featuring these characters one day, because I truly love them.

This book did not really click for me. It was enjoyable but not really remarkable in any way. I do think I am also not the target audience for this anymore and that may attribute to my overall dissatisfaction.

I think I would still recommend this for readers looking for a sweet romance with nice writing; however, I personally did not find it to be anything special.

A cool book with a very cool premise! I look forward to seeing what Allison Saft does next and reading it!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This one was super sweet. I really enjoyed the characters, the magic and the relationships in this book. My only complaint was that is a little too teen angsty for me, but I am not the target demographic here. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you for the ARC!

Review: A Far Wilder Magic 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫(4.5/5)⬇️
Spice : YA, fade to back, minimal.

Short review: This is a cozy coming of age story with a grumpy FMC and a sunshine MMC that fight the odds of the world to take the first step in their dreams.

Plot/Pace: This is where I subtracted the half star. The synopsis is incorrect about some plot points specifically about : why Margaret allows Weston to stay, the “discovering of dark magic”, the focus on the “deadly hunt”. The plot was more so about two characters coming to age and acting on their dreams together. If you want something Hunger Games - esque, this is not it. If you want a coming of age story about accepting who you are, processing past trauma, and stepping into your confidence/power, then this is the book for you. The pace for this reason lacked. I kept waiting for the Hunt to happen thinking the book was about the Hunt.

Characters: This is a grumpy/sunshine - the FMC is grumpy, the MMC is sunshine.
Margaret, the FMC, has the bigger character arc in this book. She faces a lot of difficult decisions. I really enjoyed reading about her.
Weston, MMC, is a little bit more of an “established” character compared to the FMC. From the beginning of the story, we know what he wants and why. He’s very lovable and at times slightly reminded me of Flynn Ryder from Tangled!
Both MCs are minorities in the book and I really enjoyed how that is also shown in their character development.

Setting: The setting of this world is important because it affects the plot so much. And actually I think this is where the synopsis should have focused on more. The reason we don’t get to the Hunt until the last 50 pages is because of the circumstances of the world. Both MCs are minorities and face many difficulties in even registering for the Hunt. A lot of important societal topics are touched upon. This may be a standalone but it could have a sequel that further shows how the MCs continue their journey in this setting.

Thank you NETGALLEY for the ARC.