What an absolutely stunning book that I will be thinking about for the next week – or maybe month – straight. This was my first Alix E. Harrow book and it certainly won’t be my last. Harrow’s prose is so rich and evocative that I was hooked from just a few paragraphs in.

I picked up the book for the lady knight and stayed for one of the more beautiful love stories I have had the pleasure of reading. Somehow this book made me run the whole gamut of emotions multiple times over. Sir Una and Owen completely captured my heart, and I didn’t want to leave them at the end.

This book will be going to the top of my recommendation lists in the fall. Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!

They way that Alix can rip my heart out and put it back together is truly astounding.

This epic story that spans time with Alix's touch of magic was just AMAZING.

This book shares the power in stories and the burden those who witness bear.

I can't say enough amazing things about this book, Alix gets better and better with each book.

I genuinely do not know what to write about the plot that wouldn't be a spoiler, in my opinion you should go into this book blind and let it transport you where it will. Highly recommend if you enjoy time travel, knights, romance and political intrigue.

I've yet to read anything by Harrow that I did not love, but this was a particular brand of painful.

This is the sort of book that reminds me why I fell in love with reading.

Absolute poetry, written with no regard for your mental well being. 😭😭

I love that I frequently couldn't tell where we were headed, because I often see twists coming a mile away.

If you need a good cry, highly recommend 😭😭😭😭

I devoured this book in a few sittings (would have done it in one sitting, had I the time!) and it was a 5-star read, one of the best in the genre. It is a great romantic tale in a fantasy setting, with a double-POV and two protagonists with unique voices, backstories, and archetypes—but it is also so much more! Under this surface, Alix Harrow weaves a story of myths and retellings, a meditation about how history is born; offering a nuanced approached to who is a victor and who is a villain. This general reflection extends to and shines through her protagonists and a cast of secondary characters: each of them, including drunken fathers and stern academic advisors, develops in surprising depth and their stories have multiple plot twists. I was invested enough to notice that one very secondary character does not have a clear resolution at the end and to wonder about a hidden significance of a very passing figure—perhaps I'll uncover these on a reread or when the book gets released, or perhaps it's simply a proof that the author got me invested enough in "insignificant" figures!

In terms of the main characters, I LOVED Owen Mallory's POV, his backstory, and his evolution, and his scholarly ambitions. His prejudices and beliefs shine through his chapters (and the Everlasting is primarily his POV) and his writing style reflects the changes he underwents as the plot progresses. I tremendously enjoyed his unreliable POV and how he missed certain plot twists that were obvious to me or uncovered certain plots that were not obvious to me. The Everlasting is as much his story as it is Una's—the knight's whose legend laid foundation to Owen's nation and his personal ambitions. Owen's story is set in a fantastical country that resembles interwar Europe (Britain?), Una's story is set in generic Middle Ages—this unspecificity is important for the plot which I don't want to spoil too much. Their language, characters, and customs are shaped by their time; though medieval reality is sometimes more progressive/surprising than Owen (and the reader!) might think ( LGBTQ+ relationships were normalized at Una's time, for example, but erased from the history that Owen learned in textbooks—something that's relevant for irl understanding of history as well).

The only complaints I had are about Una's POV (small complaint) and the how a certain villain was introduced (larger flaw which I keep non-specific for the sake of spoilers). We get to know Owen through experiencing his history, his reactions to the world, his voice. We first get to know Una through legends and stories (makes sense) but when we get her POV chapters, her voice is not as unique or personal as Owen's. Some of that might be related to her more reserved character, to her (as a character) being less invested in storytelling than Owen (a historian) was, and to the moment in her life when we get to know her (when her legend nears its end and she's more disillusioned than the young knight she once was) which makes an OK literary choice—but still, I wish we got to know more of Una, especially how she was in her youth. I feel that Owen's backstory/motivations were more complete.

Lastly, the villain of the story had a brilliant and interesting backstory but... it was laid to the reader in villain's monologues which tended to be quite long. I had trouble visualizing how could anyone let the villain speak for so long without interruptions, or why the villain would explain/lay out her plan. "Show" rather than "tell" strategy would have worked better here, even if we had to get some chapters from villain's POV for that.

As a college-level educator in the Humanities I'm thrilled by the conversations this novel might initiate about nationalism, nationhood, nation-building, myth-buidling, myth-retellings, and how history gets written. I'm tempted to assign it in courses that concern these topics as a contemporary reading that students might enjoy after more historical primary and secondary sources; to initiate such conversations and I'm pleasantly surprised by how universal this story is. I went in thinking it'll be about saints and Middle Ages (actually, the small complaint I have is that religion is important in this world but very very non-specific; almost like an afterthought or something only used to assign Una cool names like a "saint" — I wish we as the society learned how to craft stories about female knights WITHOUT referencing Joan of Arc!) but setting Owen's story in the more modern/industrial world allows for more conversations about colonialism, modernity, and the construction of Middle Ages/legends in our time.

Thank you, Tor and Netgalley for this great ARC!

The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow is a beautifully written story of a knight and a scholar entwined through time. Drawing heavily on folklore and Arthurian themes, I found the story structure delightful and unique.

Owen Mallory is a scholar of the Middle Dominion period, and most avidly, of the tales of Una the Everlasting, the mythical knight that won the crown and forged the Dominion for their first queen, Yvanne, over one thousand years ago. A former soldier, he struggles with the aftereffects of his military service and how it impacts him and his relationship with his father. Wounded and returned from the front, Mallory now lives an academic life, focusing on unearthing the true story of Una Everlasting. When an impossible book arrives one day, it sets off a chain of events that puts Owen face to face with Una, with orders from the tyrannical Vivian Rolfe to record Una’s story. But things are not as they seem, and Owen quickly learns that some things are beyond price.

Told in a first-person limited POV that alternates between Owen and Una, the prose is lovely and smooth, carrying the reader between dialogue and descriptors with ease. Harrow has an almost otherworldly quality to her writing that transports you while avoiding feeling pretentious or stilted. I was engaged the entire time and devoured this book in one setting. The story is intimate and personal, being heavily character-driven. The world-building is lovely if sparse, but is well-constructed to frame the characters and I found the story well-balanced. Think an impressionistic painting versus a hyperrealistic one.

It is set in essentially two time frames, the Middle Dominion of Legend (think English Medieval period) and modern-day Dominion - which had a vaguely 1940s feel to it. These are not flashbacks however, and are integral parts of the story. The timelines are well-blended and I did not feel jolted by switches. The Middle Dominion timeline is queer-normative, with several LGBTQ characters, including one of the MCs, while the Modern Dominion is heteronormative and punitive towards same-sex relationships. There is mild sexual content, with more insinuation and less description.

There are several really well done reveals, and I was unable to predict several of them. The ending is well-executed and I was very satisfied by the way Harrow concluded the story.

The relationship between Owen and Una is beautifully built, and despite the repetitive structure of the story (time-loop “redo’s”) I did not find the story repetitive. The POV switches and subtle changes to each timeline keep the story fresh. It feels like two people recounting a story to an old friend, but with weight and dignity to it. The tragedy of the story struck me particularly hard, and I was emotional at the end. It is bittersweet in tone throughout, at times tragic and despairing, at others hopeful and full of love. The character development of both Owen and Una is well done, and I found their arcs to be very satisfying.

If you enjoy stories rooted in Arthuriana, folklore and folklore retellings, deeply tragic love stories, and fables, you will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it and look forward to having a fine press copy on my shelf, as I am sure Subterranean Press will not pass up this gem.

This is one of the most incredible books I’ve ever read. The love story is so unique, the characters so captivating. It’s unlike any time travel romance I’ve ever read.
Alix E Harrow’s other books were very good but this one felt like a masterpiece. I want to get a physical copy to treasure on my bookshelf and fill with annotations.
I can’t sing this books praises more highly.

A quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part even if it breaks his heart. A beautiful novel about the stories that shape our lives and the divine and ordinary inevitability of love.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 | 𝐓𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐄. 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰

Summary: A cowardice historian will travel back in time to aid a revered knight in completing her ultimate quest, no matter the cost. For the very fate of the country is dependent on it.
Owen Mallory, has spent his entire life in reverence and admiration of the legendary knight, Una Everlasting. The lady knight who built the nation through her tireless heroism and epic crusades.Who King Arthur'd a fabled sword from an ancient tree and was said to be the greatest swordsman to ever live. Despite Una's ultimate sacrifice for Crown and Country her life has been forgotten.

Owen is tasked with revealing her true story, a revelation that will forever bind their destinies and love across the ages.

My Take: The writing in this book is so immersive, and elaborate. In my opinion, no one can compare to Alix E Harrow's unique and gorgeously intricate writing style. I especially admired how the characters are described as real people with flaws both physically and mentally, not romanticized, but still portrayed as beautiful. With the women being the strongest characters in the book and the ultimate bad asses.

The saga of Owen and Una's love story is so heart achingly beautiful and goes beyond devotion and unconditional.
Despite being a fantasy novel, The Everlasting is a love story. An ultimate true love, sacrifice everything, destined soulmates, love story. And I couldn't have admired it more. The time travel element was a bit confusing and of course redundant but was necessary and important to the plot. Even though I wanted to hate the villain in this story I couldn't help but sympathize with her plight and in some instances, agree with her. The ending of this book will stay with me for a while, being idyllic and seamlessly wrapped up with the last sentence leaving me literally laughing out loud.

This book really took me by surprise! It was deeper than I expected with a lot of relevant social commentary tied into the story, without it feeling preachy. You really feel connected to the characters and their tragic story, and you root for them the whole time.

An Academic, a Hero, and a Wicked, Wicked, Queen who must be overcome — tumbled about via a magical book and a unique and somewhat poetic instantiation of time travel. Nobody can write like Alix E. Harrow and (most of) her characters are compellingly relatable as they come to terms with the barrenness and often hopelessness of their lives when closely examined. There is an insistent love story, which is both sweet and determined in the face of some pretty intense road blocks, and there is a very satisfying conclusion (thank goodness). The characters have real depth, and there is plenty of the reflection that I like. There is also plenty of action (the Hero is a fighter par excellence — demonstrated frequently lest we forget it!) and some nice twisty gender bending as your unconscious biases are challenged by the fact that the Academic is a man and the Hero a very strong and very believable woman. The story was well-paced with twists and explanations doled out to a curious and hungry reader brain.

I’m a long time fan of Harrow and have read (and mostly loved) everything she has written. This book is just as well-written as my favorites but I do have a few issues which make it not one of *my* favorites. It starts quite slowly — I almost gave up but read a few reviews which insisted that I get to the 35% mark before stopping and they were right — things got much more interesting at that point. My real complaint, however, is how bad the “bad guy” was — no complexity, just complete selfish evil — and how depressing and dystopic lives were across all of time. It’s a familiar and somewhat comforting (assuming a good ending) trope about the High Stakes, good vs evil, outcome, but I didn’t enjoy all the sadness, weariness, and hopelessness that comprised most of the pages. It may be that my tastes and needs are changing, but I prefer to read about people having the agency to improve their own lives, rather than the no-other-option need for rescue from the larger-than-life oppressor. Still — masterfully done by Ms. Harrow, as always.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I will wait for you. Beneath the yew."

This book follows a scholar as he finds his place in a world filled by war. The Dominion, a great empire, seeks to maintain its hold on those it has conquered and Owen finds himself in opposition with his father, a rebel to the empire. After joining the war effort, surviving it, and rejoining university as a scholar of history, Owen's life changes as he finds the only known primary source about his idol, Una Everlasting.

This tale is a mind-boggling one and after one read through, I'm not sure I completely grasped all of it. Time travel and alternative timelines are heavy themes throughout this book that make for an intriguing and confusing tale. I was so lost at times I thought I would not enjoy this book but the ending truly made me love it. The story of love reigns supreme in this book and truly keeps it in one piece. If there is anything you can count on, it is the loyal and undying love of our main characters as they journey to different moments in time and unlock their own histories. This book is clever and I really must do another read of it when it comes out as I think my second read through will certainly be more fruitful than the first as I'll have an idea of what's going on. This was a harder book to get through but at the end, it all became worth it!

5/5

No, don't be forever doomed to the cycle of violence where you die over and over again in my arms. You're so sexy aha.

Beneath the yew tree a knight and a historian meet, but they have no idea they’ve done this all before, the story is already written, and they're doomed to follow it to its bitter end. Spanning the course of a thousand years in a never ending time loop, Alix E. Harrow’s, The Everlasting brings a lens on the inner workings of a nation and the bedraggled battle-worn knight as its Atlas, upholding its gilded promises. Like a beating machine with a rotten core, Harrow constructs the kingdom of Dominion and its stronghold obtained through a simple story, The Legend of Una Everlasting. In this tale an orphan becomes a knight, becomes a legend, raised to the side of a queen and struck down to further her reign. Told through various iterations of the deaths of Una Everlasting, Alix E. Harrow unfurls the power of stories, the cost of bearing witness by way of the pen, and the agendas of tyrants written into the very fabric of a nation's history. The fantastical has its roots buried deep in Dominion and through this labyrinthine tale is the truth of a decaying land made known. The Everlasting is an Ouroboros, a tale with no true end or beginning, but for Harrow the cycle is a reflection of a violent nationalism and the story a sword to be wielded to further its complete and utter domination.

The Everlasting is a stunning, emotionally resonant novel that left me breathless. Alix E. Harris has crafted a sweeping, beautifully intimate story that explores legacy, identity, and the invisible threads that connect us across time.

From the first page, I was captivated by Harris’s lyrical prose—each sentence feels purposeful, evocative, and deeply felt. The narrative flows effortlessly, shifting between moments and memories with a grace that few authors achieve so seamlessly. The characters are richly drawn and complex, and their emotional journeys feel authentic and deeply human.

What I appreciated most was how the novel blends a timeless, almost dreamlike atmosphere with grounded emotional stakes. Harris explores themes of memory, love, and personal history with quiet power and profound insight. It’s the kind of story that invites reflection and rewards a slow, thoughtful read.

The Everlasting is not just a novel—it’s an experience. One that lingers long after the final page.

Perfect for fans of literary fiction with emotional depth and lyrical writing. A must-read debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

💫 Silly me, I thought I could start the upcoming book by one of my favorite authors a few days before an epic journey and savor it long enough to make it to takeoff at least. Nope. Finished in 2 days. Guess I'll reread it on the way to Kazakhstan tomorrow. And again in October when it comes out (10/28).

✏️ Sir Una Everlasting is exactly the kind of legendary hero one could construct an entire founding myth around. And Owen Mallory is exactly the kind of man to fall so deeply in love with her he'll break time itself again and again to be by her side.

"If I couldn't have you or heal you or save you -- if I couldn't love you -- then I would make all of Dominion love you, forever and ever."

❤️ I love how Harrow breaks the rules. This story is told in first person, third person, a dash of second, sometimes like a fairytale, sometimes like a war movie, sometimes like a letter; but always with such heart. And my God the *yearning* between these pages, these characters, and the fulfillment!

As a history student and a journalist, I also loved the nerdy premise at this book's heart: What if all the myths and legends we have that don't quite agree are just fragments of a story that's being written and rewritten right under us?

"Because no throne is held easily, or for long; because a nation is a story we tell about ourselves, and stories change, if you let them. Because where there is power, someone will oppose it."

✉️ Themes include: love in all its forms, nationalism in all its follies, myth-making, history, family and destiny.

👥 If you enjoyed Morgenstern's The Starless Sea, I think you'll love this. Bookish and history-obsessed readers will love it for sure. Fantasy-romance readers will find plenty to love (chapter 17 I am looking at you and blushing). There's a mean horse and a dragon and an academic advisor. And a sword, obviously.

📍 Read when I should have been packing. No regrets.

❗Thank you Tor/Forge (@tordotcompub) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Incredible! Words cannot express how grateful I am to receive this ARC. Alix E. Harrow created a captivating world with incredibly complex characters. This book was unique and thought provoking!

Harrow weaves magic, myth, and feminist fury into a dazzling, time-spanning epic. Lush and evocative, it’s a story you’ll want to linger in.

In the Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow, my newest review book from Net Galley, there is a knight thats also a legend and Owen Mallory wants to know more of her story. He gets his wish in the most unexpected way: he travels back in time and meets her. What follows is an adult tale of fantasy and romance and time travel and heartbreak and...

Honestly, I don't think any description about this book could do it justice. Ever since I read Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, I have considered it one of my favorite books, if not my favorite. And I think The Everlasting may be better than that book. I don't want to give too much away about the book. I think you all deserve to discover this one on your own. So I just want to sing its praises a bit more. Though, I doubt I can do that justice either.

The Everlasting is so well written. Everything from the characters to the setting to the narration to the plot twists are just so well done. This book. Like I said, I can't do it justice. I'm struggling with words. So I'm just going to come out and say it: I love this book. I really love this book. The Everlasting was a book that I had a hard time putting down. I didn't want to stop reading it. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I knew I needed to get back to it. I had to find out what happened next.

Alix E. Harrow is such a great writer. If you haven't read Ten Thousand Doors of January, you need to go read that. If you haven't read Starling House, you must go read that. And you absolutely should read The Everlasting when it comes out. And yes, I know I didn't mention The Once and Future Witches. Thats a book I have and have not read to my shame. I need to read that one as soon as possible. Alix E. Harrow is one of my favorite writers.

The Everlasting is such a beautiful book. It is one of my favorite books I've read this year, if not my favorite. Thats saying a lot because this is a year with books like The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Staircase in the Woods, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World, The Night Birds, and so many more. The Everlasting is such a great book. All of those books are great but The Everlasting...

I'm running out of words. I can't do this book justice. You must read it. I'm so honored to read it early. It was such a wonderful gift in a very bad time for me. It transported me somewhere else. I will miss it. I will keep it in my heart. Thank you, Alix. E. Harrow.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an early digital copy of this book for review. The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow comes out on October 28th, 2025.

This could very well be the best book I have ever read.

I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. There were so many times throughout that I was convinced it would be a tragedy and not come to the pleasant conclusion.
I wish I was better at detecting grammatical errors because I am sure that there are more hidden messages in the book that I 1 Didn’t think to look for till the end, and 2 have terrible grammar so I wouldn’t see them even if I was looking for them.

The themes and messages throughout are something I have often talked about with my own husband and children, and the fact that history is written by those in power. History is easy to manipulate especially if it’s a generation removed.

This book was beautifully written with so much emotion, not only did the tragedy make me cry but I was also overcome with emotion at the happiest points as well.
You fall in love with the characters in a way that usually takes several books in a series to achieve.
And the whole writing style as if it is a love letter between the two of them. Just a whole new level of emotional destruction.

This is the kind of book that you can’t stop thinking about every time you have to put it down.

It follows the tale of the legendary lady-knight Una and Owen Mallory, a historian sent back in time to write her story—over and over again, until they get it right. I can’t tell you much more without giving too much away, but it’s a journey I recommend you take yourself.

My thoughts on this book shifted a lot as I read. I struggled with the necessary repetitiveness of the time-loop plot, but I was completely invested in the characters. Their story tugged on my heart so deeply, and I found myself thinking about them all the time. The time travel, the yearning, and the rebellion were executed so well. Also, the ending had me tearing up.

This timeless (but also quite timely) tale explores the dangers of hero worship. It is told in a unique narrative structure by a depressed lady knight and a traumatized historian who have been continuously thrust into a time loop by a power-hungry, egotistic ruler. There is romance, but it's not actually romantic - there's no cheesy love story here.

This is one of those books that sticks with you for a while after turning that last page. I'll admit that I didn't feel super connected to the characters nor invested in the story for the first 1/3 of the book, but once I realized what Alix Harrow was doing, I was riveted. Highly recommend to all fantasy fans.