A Dark and Hollow Star (A Dark and Hollow Star #1) by Ashley Shuttleworth
Published: February 23rd 2021 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Review:
Myth: 4/5
Nausicaä was sort of an immediate favorite for me. From her initial thoughts like, “If there was anything Nausicaä had learned in the past 116 years on Earth - and the last 300 she’d been alive - it was that revenge was not a cure for pain, but exacting it did make her smile.” to all of the quips thereafter, she was the dark and broody badass of this tale and I loved seeing her in that role.
From how easily the fantasy worlds we know and love were worked into quips (look out for HP, LOTR, MCU, it was a delightful list), to how D&D was thoroughly worked into the plot, this book had something for just about every nerd out there. It felt good to get to know the characters. I didn’t think we got to know Vehan and Aurelian as much as I would have liked, but I have a feeling there is a lot more of their story to unpack in the next book.
There was a lot of world and character building in the first half of the story and a quick pace toward the finish line for the last 40% of the book. I couldn’t get enough of watching Arlo coming out of her shell.
Magic: 4.5/5
The interweaving of the fae courts with the human world was well done, but what was masterful was the inclusion of proper immortals or titans on top of that. I loved the layering of magic, and honestly the fear of what is usually considered a “human magic.”
Overall: 4/5
If Nausicaä wasn’t enough (she was), the mix of fae lore, greek mythology, and alchemical magic was plenty to keep me enthralled.
Check out our Author Q&A with Ashley Shuttleworth
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