100 Page Review: One Dark Window- Rachel Gillig

Once upon a time, the Shepherd king sought magic from the Spirit of the Wood for his people. The spirit granted to him the 12 Providence Cards. When tapped thrice, they bestowed on their users magic.

As time passed, the people of Blunder ceased to venerate the spirit and so, it cursed the land with mist and magic that infected those near it.

Our main character, Elspeth Spindle, was infected as child. Her curse was absorbing the power of the card she had touched- The Nightmare. Any entity that has now been living in her head for 11 years..

The first part of the Shepherd King Duology, One Dark Window is one of my favourite books in the Fantasy Genre.

Age Rating: I would recommend this to reader's that are 16 years old and above as it involves mature elements.

 Review-

Pages 0-100

This review is slightly different as this is this a book I have already read recently. I thought I had to give it a re-read and review it because I enjoyed it so much.

Gillig's writing reflects the setting the setting of the book. It's poetic, meaningful and it supports the story of the kingdom of Blunder brilliantly. She has a way of blending plot and exposition together to make her writing extremely engaging.

She first focuses on telling us about Elspeth Spindle and building the world around her. Then, she introduces other important characters. One being her cousin Ione. The author shows us how Elspeth has only ever had Ione as companion which makes her believe that Ione is kinder to her than she actually is.. Elspeth raves about immediately as she is introduced. However, in the very next scene we see how she does not bother to find Elspeth when she leaves her father's home after being insulted by her step mother. Presumably, Ione goes on to have dinner with Elspeth's father and step family instead. This foreshadows the vain choice she goes on to make later despite Elspeth's warning.

100- 200

In order to lift the mist the Deck of the Providence Cards needs to be reunited. . There are multiple copies of almost every card. The rarest being the two Nightmare cards and only the Twin Alders, a card that is hidden deep in the forest and is possessed by the Spirit of the Wood itself.

The Rowan king's collection lacked a Nightmare card an the Twin Adlers. Elspeth knew her uncle had possessed one. The plot thickens when she discovered that the leader of the King's guards or Destiers, Ravyn Yew, had its twin hidden away right under the his nose. Ravyn, his family and his cousin the king's very own son Elm were Highwaymen. They were trying to reunite the deck by themselves and were essentially committing treason because they had personal stakes in the matter. Elspeth gets involved in the Yews conspiracy as she wants to find a cure to her own magic.

The author uses The Nightmare as a narrative tool in which he serves as a voice in Elspeth's internal dialogue. He has the answers Elspeth seeks, is a source of her power and one of her only true companions. Yet, asking for his help comes at the cost of her deterioration, the threat of which is looming over her future.

200- 300

This section of the book is completely exhilarating and action-packed. It begins with Elspeth joining the Yews on the heist to steal the Iron Gate. Tension rises as she allows the Nightmare to take over, revealing the extent of her powers. This makes others suspicious of the nature of powers, especially the youngest prince Elm.

The stakes only get higher as Elspeth learns the consequences of giving so much power to Nightmare who is only getting stronger. A few other plot points that the book was building up to are revealed. One in particular was heavily foreshadowed and sort of obvious, however, its true implications are yet to be explored further in the book.

Ravyn, Elspeth and others also have a multiple confrontations with the High Prince Hauth, who is also Ione's fiance. The relationship between Elspeth and Ione gets more strained while she grows closer to the Elms. This only heightens her stakes in their mission.

300- 400

I cannot say much about the last 100 pages without spoiling it. However, I would like to share my final thoughts on this book. The climax of this book is highly engaging, filled with tension and unexpected twists that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The ending especially is powerful and leaves you wanting more. It makes you curious about where it could possibly go in the next book after the predicament the characters are left at the end of this one.

The Nightmare, my favourite character in the series, is extremely well written and is as intriguing as he is witty. The lore, the world building and characters of One Dark Window really stand out. Overall, The Shepherd King duology reawakened my love for fantasy and inspired me to read more books in the genre. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves or wants to give young adult or fantasy literature a try.