Book of Night by Holly Black

Book of Night

by Holly Black

'Dark, strange, thick with mystery and twists Book of Night is everything delicious and frightening I've come to expect from Holly Black.' Leigh Bardugo, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ninth House

'If Neil Gaiman channelled Stephen King, the result might be this book . . . scintillating prose, whiplash twists, and a voice of character that demands to be heard from again.' James Rollins, New York Times bestseller of The Starless Crown
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies.

Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn't pick, a book she couldn't steal, or a bad decision she wouldn't make. She's spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie.

Now, she's trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but going straight isn't easy. Bartending at a dive, she's still entirely too close to the corrupt underbelly of the Berkshires. Not to mention that her sister Posey is desperate for magic, and that her shadowless and possibly soulless boyfriend has been keeping secrets from her. When a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie descends back into a maelstrom of murder and lies. Determined to survive, she's up against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, gloamists, and the people she loves best in the world - all trying to steal a secret that will allow them control of the shadow world and more.

'
Holly Black is a master of fantasy with the Midas touch -- there is no story she cannot turn to gold.' V.E. Schwab, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

'Superb, entangling magic and mystery around the gritty horrors of human nature, neglectful parenting and the scourge of severe income inequalities . . . Will have you frantically turning pages and finishing in less time than you thought possible. Everything you could want from a modern fantasy.' SFX

'A gripping ride from start to finish. Book of Night invites you to reckon with the shadows of your past.' Olivie Blake, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

'A delicious, dark, adrenaline rush of a book. I'm already dying to see Charlie Hall's next con.' Alix E. Harrow, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Once and Future Witches

'Heart, soul, and a bit of kink -- Book of Night is smart, decadent fun.' Kelly Link, Pulitzer Prize Finalist

'A dark romp full of danger and shadows with a razor-sharp heroine and vivid magic.' Zoraida Córdova, bestselling author of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

'A deliciously clever page-turner.' Paolo Bacigalupi, New York Times Bestselling author of The Water Knife

'Book of Night delivers hot sex, a breathless plot, perfect characters, and some of the most gorgeous writing I've read in years, sharp as a razor blade, clear as a one-way glass.' Ellen Kushner, award-winning author of Swordspoint

'Black is a master at world-building.' The New York Times

Reviewed by Inkslinger on

5 of 5 stars

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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.)

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Reading updates

  • 28 March, 2022: Started reading
  • 30 March, 2022: Finished reading
  • 3 May, 2022: Reviewed