Book of Night

by Holly Black

• ISBN10: 1250812216
• ISBN13: 9781250812216
• Publish Date: 15 August 2023 (first published 3 May 2022)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[pamela]

Book of Night was my first Holly Black book, and I wish it wasn't. I've heard great things about her YA novels, but this book just left me incredibly underwhelmed.

I loved the concept, and the urban fantasy/dark academia vibe, but the world-building, and character development were, unfortunately, pretty much non-existent. It made for a rather boring read overall. Book of Night is only 300 pages long, but it felt much longer.

The plot doesn't really get going until 100 pages in, at which point, I must admit it did pique my interest a little bit. But the ramped-up pacing didn't make up for the fact that the characters were two-dimensional, with a romance plot at the heart of the novel that never felt real. I barely got the feeling that Vince and Charlie were even friends, let alone in love, and without that central premise to anchor my belief in the plot, the whole thing just felt a little flat.

With a more developed magic system, any character development at all, and a deeper attempt at world-building, I could have seen Book of Night being a brilliant read. But ultimately, the experience just left me a little cold. There was no life, no soul to the novel which ultimately meant that, while it kept me interested enough to finish reading it, it is ultimately quite forgettable.

[Quirky Cat]

Book of Night is Holly Black's adult debut novel. In other words, it's the first novel of hers that isn't labeled young adult, and I am here for it. If you love darker fantasy stories, this will be a perfect read.

Charlie Hall has been a liar and a thief for most of her life. Despite this history, she's been trying to go clean. She really has. She has a new boyfriend, a job (a legal one too!), and is even paying the rent. This could be her big second chance.

Only...life doesn't work that way. Charlie can't keep her nose out of it; there are just too many compelling things happening around her. It doesn't help that her boyfriend keeps secrets or that old not-really-friends demand her help. Yet even Charlie isn't prepared for the level of shit she's about to stick her nose in.

I'll be honest; I wasn't sure what to expect from Book of Night. You never know how a super hyped book will turn out, you know? But let me tell you – I was not disappointed! This is Holly Black's first adult novel, and it is intense and brilliant.

As an adult novel, it's probably good to note that there are more trigger warnings than Holly Black's YA counterparts. I didn't think it was too much – but if you go into it expecting something lighter, you might be in for a bad time. Trigger warnings include (but are not limited to, since there are several milder ones) violence, gore, con artists, stalking, abuse, toxic living situations, cancer, self-harm (with the intent to get blood), and drugging.

I love the world that Black has built here. Where shadows can create magic, but only those that can waken (quicken) their shadows. It's a magical system I wouldn't mind seeing more of, so I hope that she returns to this world sometimes.

On that note, I was under the impression that this was a standalone novel, but I could easily see it becoming a series. It's one of those books with an ambiguous ending where it works either way, which I like in this case.

Overall I would have to say that I enjoyed Book of Night. I like this darker take on Black's writing style and worldbuilding and hope that it is something we'll see more of in the future.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Inkslinger]

Though I've fallen for Folk of the Air's Cardan through fan art and bought a handful of sets of the books, I've yet to read them. So, when author Holly Black announced her debut into adult fiction with 'Book of Night,' I was really excited to experience her writing for the first time.. uninfluenced by any perceptions or spoilers I may have acquired along the way.

 

All I can say is.. if this is a good representation of her creative work, I definitely need to go back and read everything else. Consider me a fan.  

 

I genuinely like Charlie, the main character which the story follows. She has a very natural texture to her that's uncommon, especially in modern fantasy. She's a girl with intentions to be sure, some good.. some bad.. but she owns them all. If she has any regrets, they're relatively few. She has a self-awareness that avoids the step into self-pity. Though she admittedly has faults, she seems satisfied for the most part with what she's chosen to use them for.

 

This story.. not unlike real life.. certainly has a darkness to it that leaves no one completely untouched. While that darkness simply tromps through some characters lives briefly, others are veritably mired in it.  

 

While I hesitate to call this story a retelling, as it hasn't been billed as such.. it's at the very least.. heavily inspired by a folktale referenced throughout. But what wonderful things Black has done with those inspirations!

 

The magical system is unique, speaking both to the vanity and power obsessed traits within humanity. She creates what could be a very realistic direction followed by those with magic, those who want it, and those in-between.. who might profit from acquiring it for others.

 

As for the rest of the cast of characters, they are well-rounded and interesting. Even those mentioned only for a moment, feel solid, like beyond the scene they have full lives and stories of their own. I love that, as so often a glimpse of a character ends up feeling like nothing more than the few lines representing them.  

 

Among the cast, Vince is certainly my favorite besides Charlie, but Balthazar, Odette, Posey, Adam.. good or bad.. they're all richly fleshed-out.  

 

Black managed to surprise me more than once, a feat which is not easy. Each surprise was a pleasure, expertly crafted, rather than the random nonsensical twists thrown haphazardly throughout a story that I've become accustomed to from modern writers. This author is not just a writer, she's one of those rare storytellers.. that has you hanging on every word. And between you and I.. the ending left me with the proverbial urge to.. 'kick puppies'.. as they say. Or something of that nature.  

 

Nonetheless, the ending was perfect. Do I hope there will be a follow-up book? Yes and no. Either way, I'm glad I pre-ordered a few copies of this book and I couldn't recommend it more highly. 

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

Featuring one of the most delightfully messed-up main characters I’ve read in a while, Book of Night is both wickedly clever and dangerously entertaining.

In a world where “quickened” shadows can be shifted according to the wearer’s mood, Charlie Hall’s shadow is disappointingly ordinary. It does not grow, act of its own accord, or shift on its own. That’s a good thing, since she has enough on her plate as it is. The thing is, Charlie Hall has never seen a bad decision that she isn’t willing to make. Con artist, thief, barista, and certified disaster, trouble has a habit of finding Charlie. To be fair, she doesn’t do all that much to avoid it. Ostensibly done with conning and stealing, Charlie nonetheless works in a bar that crime likes to frequent, she dates a man whose day job is cleaning up the messes left by violence, and she has a knack for upsetting the wrong people.

In a world such as that, it is inevitable that Charlie would be sucked back into a life of conning and stealing. This time the stakes are much higher: Charlie has to find a way to hopefully con her way out of a situation where every solution seems to spell death. The entirety of Book of Night is planned pandemonium, and I was hooked.

This is Holly Black’s first foray into adult fantasy, having garnered a huge fanbase in Young Adult fantasy. While Black’s signature twists and turns are present, the relationships are much more established, allowing me to enjoy the nuances of the characters without being distracted by relationship woes. Don’t get me wrong; as with everything else in her life, Charlie’s relationship with her boyfriend Vince follows the path of most resistance. However, the complications lie in the characters themselves, as opposed to their relationship status. In fact, seeing how Charlie interacted with the people around her was an excellent mirror into the morass of her rather messed-up psyche.

The story is sprinkled with scenes from the characters’ pasts, better developing both their personalities and the world. And it is such a cool world! Manipulators of shadows, known as gloamists, use their shadows to grasp at power, some legally and some otherwise. The wielders of power are fantastical, but the way the power is used to manipulate and control is completely familiar and believable.

There is always something going on, but never at the cost of the plot. The twists seemed to come out of nowhere, yet when I traced back the scenes in the book, the clues were right in front of me. The ending is fantastic, perfectly messy, instead of being tied into an overly neat little bow. While there could be a sequel, which I would gladly read, I almost hope that it is a standalone because the ending hit so well. Book of Night is an exciting urban fantasy from an author who can easily conquer any genre she chooses to write in.

*This review was originally posted in Grimdark Magazine
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2022/01/21/book-of-night-by-holly-black/