Review by Booklist Review
There are two types of magic in the mist-locked kingdom of Blunder; both harm the user, and only one is legal. Elspeth Spindle is cursed with the illegal form of magic, the result of a childhood illness. Her curse absorbs something from each Providence Card she touches. As a result, the Shepherd King's soul, whom she named Nightmare, resides in her and is gradually taking over as her magic degrades. She hides at her uncle's country house most of the year, but this year she attends Blunder's equinox celebration, where her uncle trades his Nightmare Card to the king in return for her cousin Ione's engagement to Hauth Rowan, the brutish heir to the throne. Magic always comes at a cost, as Elspeth is reminded when she joins a rebellion against the king, working to save the kingdom from its magical curse. Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth's--and Nightmare's--riveting adventure.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gillig's spooky, unpolished gothic fantasy debut and series launch introduces Elspeth Spindle, who has spent her life hiding how a magical fever known as the "infection" gave her the ability to absorb the power from Providence Cards, 12 playing cards used to perform specific kinds of legal magic. Touching just one card led to a monster, Nightmare, taking residence in Elspeth's head and frequently commandeering her body. Nightmare helps Elspeth fight off a highwayman searching for her uncle's Providence Cards--only for the highwayman to be revealed as the king's nephew, Ravyn Yew. Now Elspeth is drawn into a desperate conspiracy to collect all 12 card types by the solstice to cure the infection before the King kills Ravyn's infected younger brother and Nightmare completely takes over Elspeth body. There are some hiccups here: Nightmare's penchant for speaking in oddly metered rhyming couplets feels inappropriately twee in such a blood-drenched book, and the twist reveal of Nightmare's true identity is entirely obvious. Still, the steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novak, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out. Agent: Whitney Ross, Irene Goodman Literary. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT The kingdom of Blunder lies shrouded in mist, governed by the magic of the Providence Cards. There are twelve face cards, each with their own power, allowing their owners to wield the power of the specific card. Few people in Blunder actually have intrinsic magic. In fact, when a child is "infected" with full-blown magic, the Destriers come with the Physician to kill the infected patient. A former Captain of the Destriers hides his daughter Elspeth from this fate, sending her away to an aunt. Years later, Elspeth is the embodiment of the Nightmare Providence Card, with a monster in her brain. When she celebrates Equinox at the King's castle, she can no longer hide her abilities and joins a quest to reunite the far-flung deck of Providence Cards, hoping to finally lift the killing mist from her country. Elspeth's slow-burn romance with a mysterious highwayman adds depth to the story. VERDICT A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig's debut; fantasy readers will enjoy.--Jennie Mills
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