Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows, #1)

by Sophie Jordan

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
3.5

Reign of Shadows is a dark book- literally and figuratively. In the literal sense, the whole world is dark, due to some kind of crazy perma-eclipse. Can you even imagine how awful it would be to never have sunlight? Well, welcome to this hellish world! Obviously, things aren't going great. Which brings me to the figurative sense. The world is brutal. I guess people must have turned into real assholes when they weren't able to sunbathe, or maybe they'd invested too much money in Ray-Bans, I don't actually know, but they'd kill you just as soon as look at you. As such, Luna ends up having to escape the only place she's ever known, because people want to kill her, even more than they want to kill everyone else, because she is a princess they thought was dead, after all. So off she goes into the dark woods with Fowler to try and be not murdered.

So the story boils down to survival and a very interesting dynamic between Fowler and Luna. Fowler wants to love exactly zero people. And Luna, she just wants a chance to live after being cooped up in a tower for most of her life. The loathing-turned-romance was very slow and believable, and I like it. I like it a lot. I cannot wait for more of it, frankly, and I am SO excited that we get more of it. Luna and Fowler both undergo great development as characters too, and it's really sweet to see their personalities unfold during the story.

The atmosphere of the book was on point too. I absolutely sensed the darkness, the fear, the unsettling creepiness that permeated this whole world. The only actual problem I had with the world was that while I felt the misery and discomfort, I didn't really understand what led it to be that way. Yes, the eclipse, but I had a lot of questions, which I will just go ahead and assume, for now, will be answered in the sequel.

My other issue was that I don't completely understand the world. I don't understand who (or what?) the "Dwellers" were (can't even explain them because I don't get them- just some kind of... non-human entity? Former human? Seriously, no idea.) or how this world was set up. There was the tower, and then a bagillion miles of woods, and then a city in the trees.... and I guess the kingdom from which Luna came from. That all probably sounded confusing, but that's just because I am a little confused, clearly.

And then the plot really picks up. And one page into that, the book ends. So, this is the definition of cliffhanger. The cliffhangiest of all the cliffhangers. So do with that what you will.

Bottom Line: Loved Luna and Fowler and their development. Loved the atmosphere and suspense. Loved the questions that remain to be answered. Didn't so much love my confusion. Overall, definitely worth it for me, especially because hopefully the second book can answer my burning questions! (And more Luna and Fowler, please and thank you!)

*Copy provided by publisher for review