exploringthestacks's Book Journey

This book is quite literally my dream fantasy book. It was fast-paced, but not rushed or underdeveloped, and the perfect length to get invested in the story without having to invest a ton of time into it (don’t get me wrong, I love long novels, but short novels have a special place in my heart when done well!). My favorite element was the basis in Slavic folklore. I really enjoy exploring and learning about folklore from cultures around the world, and I felt that this was a really nice introduction to Slavic folklore. It was nice to listen to and read this one at the same time so I could enjoy the feel of the book and understand how to pronounce the Polish words. I also loved that Roth incorporated the folklore from other cultures with the banshee family being Irish and Mexican.

One element that was really well done was the idea of culture and belonging. All three of the main characters feel like outsiders within their cultures, and Roth explores things like familial duty and immigration in an interesting way within the context of a magical Chicago.

The real-world setting was amazing as well. Magical realism is probably my favorite fantasy sub-genre, and this book was all the more fun to read being set in Chicago, where I live. I could really feel Roth’s intimate knowledge of the city, particularly the north side, and I was so much more immersed in the story because of how real the world felt.

I loved how immersive this novella was and quite enjoyed the introduction to Slavic folklore that it provided. I can’t wait to pick up the second book!