Get ready because there is so much going on for this one, it was really interesting. It’s a queer dark fantasy debut that is set in a Jewish folklore-inspired reimagining of 19th century Eastern Europe. It’s being pitched for fans of Leigh bardugo so that kind of gives you the vibe it’s going for. It’s following two estranged husbands and a spymaster on opposite sides of a civil war. It really is as rich as it sounds. There were some problems I had but overall, enjoyable!

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for this arc in exchange for an honest review. This book deals heavily with trauma and it does not skim over anything. It is authentic, honest, and brutal. It does not shy away from the topic at hand and it was refreshing to see how Samotin navigated this without trauma-dumping or romanticizing it. Nevertheless, this book was simply good. I had no expectations going in other than to keep an open mind, and other than a lot of the aspects that I can see heavily triggering other writers, this story was interesting, kept me captivated, and succeeded in what it sought to do. However, I just couldn’t remember much or take away much after the conclusion of the story. That’s not a bad thing, however. Sometimes, that is all a story is.

The Sins on Their Bones is a queer, Jewish, dark fantasy reminiscent of Shadow and Bone meets Full Metal Alchemist. While the premise sounds incredible, and the writing that I saw was very good, unfortunately I will be unable to finish this novel after having read approximately 30%. The author did mention trigger warnings at the beginning, but I thought I would be able ok with the contents. However I was wrong, the contents of this book are a little too much for me to handle personally, so I will be unable to continue. But from what I did read, I can see others liking this provided they’re ok with the trigger warnings and graphic content.

Dimitri Alexeyev was an accidental Tzar. He had parents, brothers, brothers who had children … he was far enough away from the throne that he could relax, settle into a life with his new husband, and simply enjoy his days in peace and quiet, wrapped in Alexey’s devotion. All of that was destroyed with the violent deaths of his family, leaving Dimitri the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo — and leaving Alexey a mere step away from the power he so desperately wants.

Alexey is a man of faith, who turned to the Holy Science for power. He sought God and was answered. Accustomed to commanding Dimitri, in bed and out, he was taken aback when Dimitri actually said no, when Dimitri tried to stand between his people and Alexey’s religious madness … and now, Dimitri is the Tzar in exile, with a handful of faithful followers and a husband who is amassing armies large enough to swallow the world.

A husband who is coming for him.

Dimitri’s court consists of Misha, a gifted healer; Ladushka, a devoted friend; Annika, a reluctant general; and Vasily, his spy master, who is also a bedmate. Not a lover, though. Dimitri’s heart still yearns for Alexey — the Alexey who he married, the Alexey he loved. Vasily is devoted to his Tzar, the man he will always love, even beyond death.

This is a book that draws heavily from the Ashkenazi Jewish culture. It’s a significant element in the story, with prayers, demons, and angels a constant companion to the characters. There is also quite a bit of gore, violence, cruelty, and murder, as well as marital rape and the rape of a child, so be aware of these are triggers for you.

Dimitri feels like a very passive character, often waiting for someone to tell him what to do. Part of this is due to his own nature, being more inclined to yield and follow rather than argue and lead, but he’s also suffering from PTSD, thanks to the emotionally abusive relationship he endured with Alexey. When Dimitri was married, it was neither with his permission nor his involvement. His parents arranged for a political union and handed him off. When he became Tzar, it wasn’t because he wanted it, simply because there was no one else. When his husband told him to perform a blasphemous ceremony, Dimitri did as he was told.

Vasily is Dimitri’s fuck buddy, someone who served him and who was called into his tent one night and made his lover. The power dynamics of their relationship aren’t really examined. By the beginning of the book, Dimitri is already languishing in exile, sometimes letting Vasily into his bed … but only if Dimitri has a blindfold on so he can pretend Vasily is Alexey. And only if Vasily fucks him the same way Alexey fucked him. Dimitri goes along with this because he loves Vasily, but in his POV scenes — especially at the beginning — his thoughts were less about loving Dimitri and more about hating Alexey. A religious ritual has Dimitri and Vasily sharing dreams and thoughts while Vasily goes back home to spy on Alexey. And it’s in these dreams that the two men actually start talking. But it’s a lot of telling. A lot of words, declarations of love and fondness backed up because they can feel each other’s emotions, but it’s still just the book telling me what they feel, rather than showing the characters experiencing these moments.

Alexey is ambitious, curious, innovative, and a man of two natures. On the one hand, he keeps an injured demon as a pet — not because it’s a demon, but because it was injured and needed him. Ivan, Dimitri’s half brother who looks much like him, is taken as Alexey’s lover and, while he’s treated to the same rough and violent sex, is handled kindly. He knows he’s a replacement, but Alexey lies to him, telling the boy he’s wanted, loved, valuable, and important to make him happy. When Vasily is cozening up to him while under cover, Alexey responds to his overtures, even though he’s not interested, because he wants to keep Vasily content and friendly.

While I understand that people are complex and can hold more than one opinion at a time, it felt odd that Alexey — in his own POV chapters — while ruthless and violent, isn’t quite the monster he is in Dimitri’s mind. While he’s supposed to be the villain of the book, it also seemed strange that he’s the second POV character, given equal weight and and as much attention as Dimitri and Vasily. While his chapters were among the more interesting, dealing with the world and the region rather than what Dimitri would eat for breakfast, I don’t think they quite worked with the book as a whole. It felt like Alexey should have been either more of a monster or more of a person, not a confused and conflicted weather vane. Likewise, his ending is abrupt and felt like too little for someone who had been built up to be a powerful threat.

All in all, little of this book worked for me. I didn’t feel any chemistry between any of the characters. Dimitri never interested me and Alexey’s chapters undercut some of the monstrousness he was supposed to have, as his actions didn’t always line up with how evil he was supposed to be. The world building only really showed up in Alexey’s chapters, and while the magic system was interesting, it was drawn from real life religious beliefs, rather than being part of this world. It was an imperfect fit, with the world around the religious magic not always lining up, and it left me wanting more answers than the few I was given.

This isn’t a bad book, it just didn’t work for me, and personally, I don’t really think it’s good enough to recommend. However, as always, if you do choose to give this book a try, I hope you enjoy it.

A rich fantasy rooted in Jewish folklore that gently handles the painful, traumatic experiences of its characters with love and care, while ultimately celebrating the healing and renewed capacity to love that comes with time and kindness.

SINS is for its first half a slow paced character study, particularly of Dimitri, the former tsar recovering from an abusive relationship with his ex-husband Alexey (the current tsar, who is no longer quite human) and reckoning with his love for the man who abused him and stole his throne - while also wondering if he could come to care for his spymaster Vasily, who offers him love without conditions or toxicity.

The plot doesn’t really pick up until the second half of the novel (which is unsurprisingly the half I found more enjoyable). Although this is a duology, SINS ends on a satisfying note - I’m excited to read the sequel without being frustrated about cliffhangers or unresolved plot points.

I’d recommend this to readers interested in a slow burn romance, a deep exploration of characters healing from past trauma, and a world that draws heavily on Jewish folklore. Those looking for a faster paced fantasy may struggle with this a bit more, at least for the first half.

** Thank you to Penguin Random House Canda for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review**

rating: 3.5 /5 ⭐️ rounded to 4

I wasn't able to truly finish this book before the due date because of finals and other obligations, but I did find it enjoyable from what I read. Like others have said, the plot is a bit sluggish and I found it a bit hard to drudge through at times. The characters were full of depth and I enjoyed their interactions throughout what I read. I do believe that this would've done better as a series or something of the sort, as this had so much detail that should've been expanded upon even more.

Overall, this is a good book with great MLM representation and I think this is a great read for those of us hungering for LGBTQ+ fantasy reads. Give this one a try when you see it in the bookstores!!

Happy reading!

I did not finish this book in time. What I did read, I enjoyed - it was captivating and very well written. The visuals were stunning and I found myself immersed very quickly in the storyline and world building.

I think perhaps this would have benefitted from being a series. I lost sense of what was happening and why, as we didn't know enough about the world before the story starts to know what the stakes here are. The multiple POVs was also a hindrance to understanding what was going on, as we were reading three different perspectives on events we hadn't been shown.

Once the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo, Dimitri now suffers life in self-inflicted exile after losing the civil war against his now-estranged husband Alexey Balakin. Dimitri is grieving yes, but also plotting on how to stop the man he loves from using the sect of Holy Science to remake the world in dark and terrible ways. Alexey, power-hungry and furious over the betrayal, names himself acting Tzar and the chosen of the Lord.

All around him, Dimitri’s closest allies and friends watch him sink deeper into the muck of depression and heartbreak while they try to lift him back into the light of their love and support. This band of outcasts must craft an extraordinary plan to get close to the enemy in order to cause Alexey’s downfall. Vasily, Dimitri’s closest friend, must offer himself as the sacrifice. There is so much at stake in this book!

The Sins on Their Bones was given the label of a queer dark fantasy. It takes place in the fictional version of 19th-century Eastern Europe/Russia and has been seeped in East European Jewish mysticism, folklore, and traditions. It is a novel in three views, Dmitri, Alexey, and Vasily. A pair of ex-lovers, a set of closest friends, and the interactions between the three of them and their inner circles. It is a slow, creeping plot of deep dark desire and trauma shaping the world around them.

While there are plenty of things from the complex backstory and history of the world and characters, I didn’t find the starting point of the novel to be a problem. It is a very slow read, because the plot is moved forward in chinches, only to backtrack a bit on the next page. There are a number of sex scenes that don’t offer much to the storyline other than highlighting the fact that the main three characters are all twisted by their traumas and coping in unhealthy ways. But again, this didn’t detract from my liking of the book so much as it slowed the plot down. What I loved about this book was the immersion into the post-war world that Dimitri lives in. I could feel the swirling sadness and longing from him the moment he stepped onto the page. The distressing drive for power in Alexey was larger than life. The longing and courage of Vasily was a stab straight to the heart. The characters were so fully developed that I could easily fall in love or burn with hate for them.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGally, thank you! And this is my honest review. It is a four star rating for me, simply because the pacing is so slow and inconsistent that it took me too long to reach the end. It is a well-written, incredibly smutty, and highly funny book containing a world, magic system, villain, and hero, plus anti-hero that I could very well see myself reading another book about. The novel comes with major warning labels. It has a large portion told from the perspective of an abuser and it is not comfortable or easy to stomach. The violence and cruelty can be difficult to witness for others, so I do no recommend this book lightly. At the end though, this is a book of crawling out of the darkness and discovering the light, a book of hope.

Content Warnings
Major
Domestic Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Violence, Blood, Gore
Moderate
Mental Illness, Alcohol, War, Injury detail, body horror,
Minor
Drug use, Torture, Child Death, Emesis/Vomit

3.75 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for providing an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Sins on Their Bones was a unique reading experience for me, and one that over time I think I will come to appreciate even more.

I found the pacing a little sluggish. Some of the scenes could have been more engaging, more eventful, especially in the early chapters. There were sections of dialogue that felt redundant/repetitive and sometimes I felt a character's actions or language didn't harmonise well with their identity. It did take me a little while to connect with this one. So be aware that this is a slow burn narrative but I think the payoff is well worth it.

Samotin's world-building is very tangible and she has stitched elements of her Jewish heritage into a beautiful and terrifying depiction of an Eastern European landscape under siege. Caught in its death throws, the people of Novo-Svitsevo struggle to carve out a place for themselves in ever narrowing gaps between stretches of war-torn farmland; their way of life endangered by a supernatural threat nobody could have prepared for. It is a brutal, harsh, and unforgiving setting, shrouded in melancholy and fear, but its people hold tightly to their traditions, to their duty to the living and their memory of the dead, and to their appreciation for what remains. Despite being saturated in loss, the narrative never feels without hope.

I struggle sometimes with sombre stories but Sins strikes a good balance between showing us the horrors of war and illuminating the resilience of human kind. The cast are lovable and easy to invest in, and their playful antics provide a respite from the intensity of what is happening both inside and around them.

I definitely recommend checking the content warnings for this one. It is dark. The cast are all at various stages of healing from trauma both in their interpersonal relationships and their exposure to acts of brutality on the battlefield. Samotin does not pull punches. The sex scenes are frequent and often uncomfortable to sit through, and there is a very interesting but equally disturbing discussion here about the dangers of domestic abuse in partnerships underlined by D/s dynamics (though to be clear, the author does not villainize D/s).

The magic system was fun and I enjoyed trying to place the elements that were directly inspired by Jewish mysticism. I recommend checking the author's notes at the back of the book for more context after or even before reading, as she speaks quite passionately about her goals with this part of the story.

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My rating system:
✧✧✧✧✧ - loved it, no complaints
✧✧✧✧ - loved it, some technical flaws
✧✧✧ - liked it
✧✧ - disappointing
✧ - unenjoyable

This book felt like a need for me after I saw it described as Six of Crows meets Fullmetal Alchemist. And I think that's an apt comparison in a lot of ways, but it also doesn't really do this book - or those series - the justice any of them deserve.

"The Sins on Their Bones" was sadly just solidly okay for me, as much as I wanted to love this. It had a lot of promise. The mythology, the mysticism based in Jewish folklore, and the bonds between the characters in Dimitri's court were all very well done. This is a mythos in writing that just doesn't get the exploration that it deserves, so to see it appreciated and treated so lovingly here was wonderful. It's obvious that Samotin, both from the story itself and from her author's note, has a deep love and respect for her heritage and it shines through in the book. Meanwhile, the strongest part of the story is the relationships between Dimitri and his surviving court. They all so very clearly love each other and are dedicated to helping Dimitri. And the particular bond between Dimitri and Vasily was so great to follow and watch develop.

On the other hand, I think the biggest downfall of the story was where and when it was set in relation to the overall plot. We're dropped down in the aftermath of the Novo-Svitsevo civil war, trying to piece together how these characters know each other and what happened between Dimitri and Alexey and how exactly everything fell apart. This book could have benefited from being a duology, or a trilogy, that detailed the war and then the aftermath, instead of counting on readers to try to figure things out through details dropped in conversations between characters. We barely learn about the characters themselves - their motivations, their backstories, anything - because of this. And it made the inclusion of Alexey's PoV (a solid third of the book) seem wasteful, when we could have focused on Dimitri and Vasily instead.

So, overall, it was a promising book but it just didn't have the follow through that would have made it a great read.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley.

DNF. I was looking forward to this book, and really wanted to love it, but regrettably I couldn’t. I have nothing to say about the plot, since I wasn’t able to read past the first few chapters (though the blurb sounded really promising, and I was curious to learn what would befall the characters), but unfortunately the writing style is juvenile and lacking. Maybe it gets better as the book progresses, maybe it doesn’t. I couldn’t look past it in order to push on and find out.

That said, the premise DOES sound very promising. Maybe in some time I’ll come back to the book with a fresh perspective and try again, in order to find out what happens with Dimitri and his estranged husband. Lovers to Enemies is a fascinating, heart-wrenching dynamic that I wouldn’t mind seeing more of.

This book was a transcendent experience for me. The comp titles of Six of Crows and Captive Prince are 100% accurate, so if you like either of those I’d definitely recommend this book. Also if you’re looking to read good romantasy you need to pick this up ASAP (also check out my top tier romantasy shelf for other recs)

First off if you’re interested in this book definitely look at the in depth trigger warnings on the author’s website because this book deals with some difficult topics. I adored Dimitri and Vasily’s relationship and the exploration of how “broken” people can learn to love themselves through others. The supporting cast of Dimitri’s court were also a wonderful group that felt really fleshed out. As a reader you could see that their devotion to Dimitri was not because of his royal blood but because of the kindness he shows to others. Even though he was the villain, I also loved reading from Alexey’s point of view. Samotin created a villain whose motivations you can really understand. The pressures of the world and his family broke Alexey, but he refused to acknowledge it and instead succumbed to darker forces.

Aside from the characters, the magic in this world was so fascinating to me. I have not had the chance to read much fantasy that explicitly celebrates its Jewishness and I really enjoyed it. The mysticism and reverence for God was something that I found super compelling as someone raised Christian.

Finally the ending of this book was truly perfect. These boys have struggled for their entire lives and it feels right that not everything is fixed and that they can revel in a happy for now not a happily ever after.

Thanks to Random House Canada for providing me a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Do you ever finish a novel and sit staring at the pages after, fundamentally altered as a person and unsure of how to proceed? That's me, right now.

The Sins on Their Bones is a dark fantasy novel about the aftermath of a civil war, the complexity of human relationships, and the farthest reaches one must go to save themselves and those they love. It's raw, and heartbreaking, and funny, and I loved every moment. I can recognize that there are some minor flaws - primarily the pacing in the first half - but sometimes a novel wows you so much that you just don't care.

Samotin has a style of writing that feels influenced by Leigh Bardugo, particularly by the Grishaverse, which only adds to my enjoyment. She writes characters that I come to love and villains that I love to hate, she crafts an interesting magic system, and she writes a normatively queer world (something that seems like such a small detail but that I, as a queer reader, find immensely meaningful and greatly appreciate). The portrayals of grief and depression in this novel are particularly hard-hitting, and it's just. so. GOOD.

Read the content warnings before you dive in because this book covers some pretty heavy topics, but it's well worth the read in the end. I promise.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC!

Unfortunately, I could not finish this book. I'd like to say up front that there are probably plenty of people out there that will disagree with me and that would enjoy reading this. However, I feel this book being marketed as dark fantasy is a mistake. Within the first 25 pages of the book, the main character has at least two other characters lusting after him while he mopes about his ex-husband causing a whole heap of trouble in the main character's former kingdom. This is very much an adult romantasy book, not dark fantasy, even though it does have dark elements. The focus of the story seemed to be on relationships.

Also, this book did something that I have come to loathe. The first few chapters are just info-dumping about things that happened in the past. It's just a self-pity fest by the main character mourning the life he lost before being exiled. The things he's remembering, though, sound interesting enough it made me question why the book didn't just start there? It could easily be a duology at the very least with the first book covering the events leading up to the main character's exile, and the second book could cover the consequences. The author didn't do that, though. So, I DNF'ed this book because I came to dread picking it back up again.

I'm sure people who enjoy books like Fourth Wing and books by Sarah J. Maas would enjoy this somewhat unique take on romantasy, but I am not the target audience.

This book was so much darker than I was expecting and definitely one of those stories where there may be a very impressive detailed plot and a lot of worldbuilding, but really the most important part is the way the relationships and characters are portrayed. There is such a beautiful portrayal of the love between friends, of the way people are prepared to lay down their lives for each other and for causes they believe in, The casual intimacy and care that all of the group show for each other was perfect. On the other hand this book also offers characters who are so vile that just seeing their name on the page send shivers through you, people are wretched and broken and vile, who keep pushing for what they want at the detriment of all else.

One of my absolute favourite things is when a fantasy novel tackles religion. This was beautifully done here, with an examination of power structures, and personal faith, and glory and awe of the divine versus the quiet prayers whispered at night. It just really brought this whole story to life for me in a way that nothing else could've done.

Ultimately, I feel that this was a novel about unhealthy relationships, escaping them, and how we can forge forward to find people who will love us in the ways that we really deserve. My heart broke continually from the first page of this book right until the end!

2.5 stars.

I can see this working for many readers, because there are so many elements that I also enjoyed: the Jewish culture and mysticism, the secondary characters who make up Dimitri’s court, the portrayal of two broken people finding safety and acceptance in one another. There was never a point where I considered not finishing, despite the pacing and plot issues, and reading the author’s note and acknowledgments allowed me to view the story with deeper empathy. Unfortunately, though, this just didn’t work for me.

The opening chapter had so much potential, but from there, I honestly feel it never quite reached that promised potential. The main reason was the writing and structure. Samotin’s writing on a prose level was generally alright, but she relied on characters spewing details from the war (which we never got to see) to provide context. In other words, telling rather than showing. Honestly, much of the book read like a sequel. I also found it repetitive, with similar lines and sentiments repeating themselves in all three perspectives. Which leads into what I saw as the main hindrance: Alexey’s POV. I’m all for authors delving into the mind of the antagonist, especially since Alexey is an abuser and deluded by his own need to control everyone and everything, but 1) I never got a definite motive from him, and 2) having his perspective consist of a third of the book took up space that could have been dedicated to fleshing out Dimitri and Vasily (as individuals and as lovers) and actually giving Dimitri’s court something to do besides mope around the townhouse—like they’ve been doing for a year. Let me see them scheming. Let me see Dimitri being a competent leader and ruler rather than continuously wallowing in bed. That’s not to discount his abuse and his right to grieve everything he’s lost, and I liked the author’s decision to open on a protagonist at his lowest, but this has been going on for a year and the court has made no progress against Alexey.

That being said, I adored Dimitri’s relationship with the court, who were the shining points of the book for me. There was such camaraderie between them, a sense of love and respect and family, that even while I wanted them all to be doing more, their interactions were delightful. I do wish there’d been depth to the world itself, but I enjoyed the presence of demons and angels and the conflict between the different branches of religion; this could have been pushed even further to add another degree of conflict. And while I heavily wanted to see more of Dimitri and Vasily’s relationship—specifically how their friendship started, how Dimitri saved him—I was feral over the amount of casual affection between them (and the entire court, really), which highlighted how they made the other feel secure.

Despite my many complaints, I did actually have a good time reading The Sins on Their Bones. It may not have been my cup of tea, but I know plenty of people will find a new favorite in this.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a dark and gory fantasy set in a queer normative 19th-century Eastern Europe and inspired by Jewish folklore full of grief and trauma, but also the characters moving on from it and how family and love impact our lives

this is incredibly dark and gruesome, there are many hard to read moments of SA and body horror/violence, so check TW before reading. by having the narrative told through three pov’s, the world and past history of the characters is slowly learned and we see just how different they all are following a war that tore everyone apart. i really enjoyed having the different characters telling the story as it meant there were different interpretations of the past

jewish folklore and history are present all throughout, and i found myself really enjoying learning about it and how religion plays a part in their lives. the world itself is interesting and i liked the politics that we were introduced to

this is not about romance in the sense that the story is based around it, but rather focuses on the past abusive romance between Dimitri and Alexey, and the growing relationship between Dimitri and Vasily. the two vastly different relationships ships have a large role in who Dimitri is as a person, and the growing romance is one that brings joy and hope to both Dimitri and the reader in such a bleak and horrifying world. this definitely is not a romantasy and the abusive relationship between the two holds deep scars and wounds over Dimitri, and a large part of the narrative is him learning and growing as a person following the breakdown of the relationship

the found family truly broke my heart, they all love each other so deeply and the bonds between them are so precious. family and identity are some of the main themes within the story, and their progression as a group to the end of the story is so beautiful seeing them finally have the opportunity to be free from their trauma and pain

Confession time…. I only got this book because of the beautiful cover, and then I saw it was LGBTQ+ and grabbed it as a Read Now from Net Galley.
Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I felt bored through that story even though there was a lot happening and magic, murders and deception. The book read fast like I finished it in 3 days but it felt like it drug on forever. I did almost DNF it but decided to just power through.
I didn’t really care about any of the characters. I feel like we weren’t made to like them really or form connection they were just there and there were quite a few of them.
I’m not sure I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the review copy.

The Sins on Their Bones had me at Jewish dark fantasy, and it delivered. This semester, I finally delved into my copy of Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion by Joshua Trachtenberg (though I admittedly got stalled by other reading commitments), and it was quite rewarding to recognize many of the terms and phenomena in Samotin’s novel. Without that prior knowledge, however, I wonder if the distinction between the central fictional religion/magic system and its offshoot would have been sufficiently clear, other than that one is “good” and associated with the protagonist and the other is evil.

From the start, the found family greatly appealed to me and reminded me lovingly of Shadow and Bone. I had no trouble following the three alternating POVs since their voices were so distinctive, and each one felt necessary to properly unfolding the story. Nevertheless, I had a difficult time connecting with some of the peripheral characters’ emotional stakes. I understood their roles in the group, but because the vast majority of their bonding occurred in the past and is only referenced as such, they felt less three-dimensional.

I also would not take the content warnings lightly. The Sins on Their Bones is gritty and consistently graphic in recounting sexual trauma. Although important to multiple character arcs, it felt overwhelming at times. The long-term effects of such abuse are also treated very sensitively, which I appreciated exploring in the context of a fictional version of 19th century Eastern Europe. I also always adore emphasis on platonic friendships, so I enjoyed that they were upheld alongside romance.

Even after completing the book, I’m not sure how I feel about the story occurring after the Novo-Svitsvevo civil war, after Dmitri assembled his ragtag inner circle/court, after he withstood so much abuse from Alexey, usurper and manipulative husband. It certainly provided an angle I’ve never encountered before, but I think it distanced me from the characters too much and quelled the potential for intricate political intrigue and military strategy.

Overall, a grim historical fantasy rich in Ashkenazi mysticism that drops the reader in an odd, sometimes unpleasant place, but not one that I would refuse to revisit in a sequel given the chance.