No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions. When her grandfather disappears, leaving only a mysterious orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, try to dissuade her from searching. Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself drawn to the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s trapped in, along with the devastating boy who feels so familiar. With the help of Hawthorne—an enemy turned reluctant ally who she grows closer to each day—Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice. Haunting and romantic, Kristen Ciccarelli's Edgewood is an exciting novel from a bold, unforgettable voice in fantasy.
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**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Kristen Ciccarelli returns with a standalone fantasy centered on song and sacrifice. Readers follow Emeline Lark who is living her dream of making her way in the music industry. But as Emeline works to realize her dream, there is much she is leaving behind. Whenever Emeline sings, the woods come for her. When her grandfather is missing and a tithe marker is left in his place, Emeline has to return to Edgewood to bring him home.
Ciccarelli's Edgewood has every bit of feeling of old world fairy tales. The shiftlings, the Wood King, the shadow skins, and all the rest of the dangers and delights of the wood are the very embodiments of the modern fairy tale. Even the themes of sacrifice and equivalent exchange and fairy deals are all things that are common to the genre and familiar. Edgewood isn't successful because it is doing something new. It is successful because Ciccarelli does it well.
The most powerful part of Edgewood, for me, is the running themes around memory. Keeping it, losing it. the value of it. Anyone who has had the experience of watching a loved one lose themselves to age will feel the presence of Ewan Lark strongly. Anyone who has had the experience of gaining and losing love will feel Hawthorne. And anyone who has felt the drive for a dream and questioned whether or not that dream should actually come true will feel Emeline.
Overall, Ciccarelli has added a wonderful story to the realm of fairy tales and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to explore Edgewood early.
0DNF @ 55%
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing an e-arc and ALC of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
Unfortunately this whimsical fae urban fantasy just didn't work out for me. There is nothing WRONG with this book. But I found that I wasn't able to connect to the characters in any way and it was keeping me from connecting to the story as a whole.
This is a very classic feeling YA fantasy. This hits all the beats of fae stories we know and love and I think this is something a lot of readers will enjoy.
But these character felt undeveloped. They all had a single characteristic that was harped on again and again (all music puns are intended, you're welcome). Not only did this leave me feeling disconnected from them, but it made the story feel repetitive. I didn't need any more details or reminders about Emeline's singing.
Which also led to my not being invested in the romance. Since I didn't know who the characters were beyond superficial traits, I couldn't buy into their attraction or connection.
If you love classic fae fantasy, definitely give this one a try. This is a plot driven story I think a lot of readers will love. It sadly just wasn't for me.
0I received an e-arc of Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I am DNFing at 33%, but I might revisit later when the audiobook is available.
The main character, Emeline says that she's 19, but I don't think she acted like she was, and I just did not care about her singing career. I was only really interested once she got to Edgewood and met Hawthorne who I'm assuming will be her love interest. I was also confused as to where Edgewood actually is, Emeline says repeatedly that she has to drive 7 hours from Montreal to get there but that doesn't narrow it down.
I was getting vibes from Miss Peregrine's, An Enchantment of Ravens and A Curse So Dark and Lonely, so if you're looking for a standalone urban fantasy similar in vibes with a creepy forest, a dragon creature and some fey magic this might be the book for you.
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