A Far Wilder Magic

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The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtimeacademic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest. Maggie and Wes make an unlikely team - a charismatic but troubled boy, and a girl who has endured life on the outskirts of a town that never welcomed her. But as the hunt takes over, the pair are drawn together as they uncover a darker magic that may put everything they hold dear in peril... The last of the day is bleeding out over the mountains, dribbling gutted-red light onto the yard. Once the sun sets completely, it’ll only get colder. She shivered herself sleepless for hours last night, and now everything aches like she’s been folded up in a shoebox. Procrastinating on her least favorite chore isn’t worth feeling like this again tomorrow. Margaret-Oh my poor sweet girl deserved so much better. I loved Margaret immediately; she is so determined and has so much grit. I loved her direct, no-nonsense personality. Her grumpy to Wes's sunshine was so perfect. I thought her journey to understanding that, not everyone that should love you, does, or is worthy of your grace and forgiveness. It was so emotional and had my heart aching for her. She was so relatable to me, and I found her story to be almost therapeutic in a way. Her relationship with Wes and how he showed her what real family should look like and what she deserves was so real and touching and so sad all at the same time bc she was so starved for affection and genuine love. I was literally in tears during a particular chapter where she has certain realizations, it was so beautifully written.

Narrator Jesse Vilinsky offers mesmerizing performances of two odd young folks who are proving their worth to the world and each other" -- AudioFile Magazine (Earphones Award Winner) I liked the development of the relationship between Wes and Maggie. Maggie has a hard exterior and comes across unapproachable and at times abrasive. Wes comes across overly confident and charming while hiding all of his insecurities underneath it all. Maggie has a way of seeing Wes for who he really is and all of his posturing. Wes sees how Maggie is truly hurting and how alone she has been all this time. As the two of them work together to win the hunt, they are also slowly healing themselves and recognizing who they are and what they want. Girls like her don’t get to dream. Girls like her get to survive. Most days, that’s enough. Today, she doesn’t think it is.” Loved Allison Saft’s writing in this book! It’s lovely and descriptive while still contained in a cozy, low-stakes fantasy setting. While there are magical elements mixed with alchemy and science, the strongest emphasis goes into the well-rounded characters and their slow burn romance. We get a great understanding of both the central characters and their outward pretenses vs. inner vulnerabilities. I also liked how the book explored religious persecution and finding belonging - these themes added more depth to the story. Wes’ honest talk about his family situation warms her heart and she finally let him wait for her mother’s return but as soon as she realizes he has enough talent to help her join the hunt, she finally asks for his help.Like this she looks like more wolf than girl- like some magic far wilder than alchemy runs through her." Margaret: my lovely and lonely girl, is a little rough around the edges, likes being alone, and can come across as unfriendly to anyone who isn’t her dog. However, it’s easy to understand why and forgive her bluntness once we see how she has been hurt, ostracised, and abandoned. A Far Wilder Magic completely lived up to my expectations, which says… quite a lot, given it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and I, well, cried when I got the arc. trigger/content warnings: animal death and injury, antisemitism, nationalism and xenophobia, PTSD, neglect and emotional abuse by a parent, mentions of parental death, mentions of death of a child, graphic descriptions of blood and wounds. I always feel like such a shit when I get an ARC of a book and don't like it. Especially if it's a hard copy. I know a lot of money goes into producing those copies and dispersing them, so I really try to only ask for books I think I'm going to like. And I totally thought I was going to like this. That cover! That premise! No, don't take me on a coffee date, I want to hunt mythical monsters through a moonlit wood. That was my first impression and I totally stand by it.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist—yet. He's been fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, and his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret. She begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her. Additionally, I was impressed with the different layers woven into this story. For example, there was quite a bit of commentary on discrimination against ethnic minorities and immigrants. It never felt forced, which I appreciated. It felt like a completely natural aspect of this story. Wes and Margaret’s unfolding romance is subtle and satisfying, and Saft’s prose is vivid and dryly humorous. Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s original Shadow & Bone trilogy will likely enjoy this honest, evocative romance.” — Bulletin for the Center of Children's BooksPlease know that what I’m about to say, I don’t say often: A Far Wilder Magic felt so original, and it was so good to read. Reading this was like breaking open freshly baked bread—both comforting and complex at the same time. Allison Saft has crafted a romantic fantasy with a genuinely swoon-worthy male lead, and the enemies to begrudging partners to lovers storyline is based on mutual respect and a real connection. It’s about family and belonging, loneliness, and finding ones own path. And it’s just a delight through and through." — Tor.com, "The 30 Most Anticipated SFF Books of 2022" Violence against animals and animal death. Situations of peril. Some reference to racist slurs. Two boys get into a fight more than once. Some animals are injured and killed by a magical creature. A boy is also pretty severely injured by the creature.