Member Review

I received a free eARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Keeper of Night was one of those books that I feel really on the fence about. While there were a lot of aspects I liked, overall it just didn't hit the mark for me.

So I'll start with what I liked:
- the writing was good. At times it was beautifully descriptive, but on the whole it was straightforward and easy to read.
- the worldbuilding and magic system were highlights for me. Not only do we have a rich world of Japanese mythology, with appearances from creatures ranging from kitsune to Yuki-Onna. I really liked how the Reapers in Britain and the Shinigami of Japan had different gods and methods of soul extraction. I also liked that they had different types of magic - Reapers have powers over time, while Shinigami have power over light.
- I liked the general plot, but I admit I saw the twists coming because of a prior interest in Japanese mythology. Still, I thought the new spin on established mythology was clever.
- I thought the exploration of identity and the difficulties of being biracial were done well. This was especially potent because of the differences in Ren's treatment compared to her half-brother, Neven. Despite their love for each other, he can never fully understand what Ren feels, and the tension between them because of it really drives home the point.

So now to the parts that didn't quite work for me:
- I felt like Ren crossed the line between morally grey into complete anti-heroine, and I wasn't really a fan. I don't mind an unlikable heroine if she had redeeming qualities, but Ren is selfish, and hates pretty much everybody. Neven really serves as her conscience, Jiminy Cricket-style. And she doesn't even treat him that well.
- The moments when Ren had the opportunity to grow through the choices she made- either positively or negatively - were essentially taken away from her, so she seemed passive in her own story right until the end of the book. She really only makes two clear decisions, the first of which is to go to Japan and become a Shinigami, and the last which ends the book.
- I really didn't understand or enjoy Ren and Hiro's budding 'romance.' It's very insta-lovey.

So in the end, I liked a lot of elements from The Keeper of Night, but the character development is what really let me down. Unfortunately I don't think I feel invested enough to continue with the sequel, but I can see a lot of people really enjoying it. I think it has similar vibes to The Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa and Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald, so if you enjoyed those you may like The Keeper of Night.