The Luminaries

by Susan Dennard

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Only the Luminaries, a society of ancient guardians, stand between humanity and the nightmares of the forest that rise each night.

Winnie Wednesday, an exile from the Luminaries, is determined to restore her family's good name by taking the deadly hunter trials on her sixteenth birthday. But when she turns to her ex best friend Jay Friday for help, they discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

"You'll want to get lost in the world of The Luminaries again and again.”
—Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author

• ISBN13: 9781250871879
• Publish Date: 8 November 2022 (first published 1 November 2022)
• Publish Status: Forthcoming
• Imprint: Macmillan Young Listeners
• Format: Audiobook
• Language: English
• URL: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250871879

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Winnie Wednesday comes from a line of monster hunters. Like many of her kind, she lives in Hemlock Falls. Unlike most of her kind, Winnie's direct family has been shunned. They bear the brunt of the guilt, as her father was declared a traitor (and worse).

All Winnie ever wanted was to become a hunter, and she's not going to let this exclusion stop her from trying. In fact, if she tries and succeeds, she could make the lives of her brother and mother so much better. She has to try. No matter the risk or the cost.

My Review:

Like many other Susan Dennard fans, I have been counting down the days to the release of The Luminaries. The excitement began a couple of years ago when Susan Dennard read a choose-your-own-adventure of sorts on Twitter, with readers getting to vote on Winnie's actions. It was a blast – it was also something we all needed at the time (think about the timing).

Now we have the first novel in our hands, and it feels amazing. Was it what I was expecting? Yup, I would have to say! A lot is going on in this world, and I'm not just talking about the monsters. We have several hunter families, internal politics, and more than a few mysteries.

Naturally, world-building is one of my favorite elements. I'm also particularly curious about one mystery, but I won't share my theories at the moment (spoilers! If you want to discuss this privately, send me a PM).

Winnie is a young and determined protagonist, which I know some readers cherish (while others avoid). Personally, I appreciated her drive and thought she made several good points. Even if she was a bit reckless on more than one occasion, I guess that's a Wednesday trait, huh?

I hope the second novel will answer some of these questions, though I have no idea how long we'll have to wait until then. Regardless, I'm sure it will be worth it.

Highlights:
Magical society
Young Adult Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Monster Hunters
Based on interactive tweet thread
Quest for Justice

Trigger Warnings:
Bullying
PTSD
Exclusionary Behaviors

Thanks to Tor Teen and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own. Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy