In The Ravenous Dark Cover

Title: In The Ravenous Dark
Author: A.M. Strickland
Genre: YA, Fantasy, LGBT+
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton 
Format: e-Arc
ISBN: 9781529370461

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Summary: In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard them—and control them. Ever since Rovan’s father died trying to keep her from this fate, she’s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, she’s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception.

Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she can’t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul.

Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heart—if she doesn’t betray them first.

Content warnings : murder, blood, gore, and sexual content.

disclaimers

I received an ARC from Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughtonin exchange for a review. This kindness does not affect my opinions of this book, which are wholly my own. This post uses affiliate links,  and I may receive a small commission for purchases made through them at no cost to you.

My ARC Review of
In the Ravenous Dark

Narrative style: third person | Perspective(s): dual (Rovan and Ilviros)

In the Ravenous Dark is a decadent, spellbinding, and richly-imagined dark fantasy about Rovan Ballacra, a bloodmage forced to follow in her father’s footsteps. It has everything I love about dark fantasy novels: magic, monsters, a kiss of horror, and characters who straddle the blurry line between life and death. It was the perfect storm, really. The gorgeous cover, the Greek-inspired setting, and a premise that hooked me from the start—everything about this book was fate!

The characters were undeniably the best part of the book. There’s Japha, a non-binary badass with a witty tongue, an eye for fashion, and a total gossip (but I love that about them!). Lydea is steadfast, loyal, fiery, and open-minded, but she doesn’t stand for the evils of the world and will fight against them for those she loves.

Rovan is, perhaps, the most reckless and trouble-making of them all. She is fiercely protective of those who matter to her, never knows when to keep quiet, holds people accountable for their actions, and questions everything, especially things others turn a blind eye to. I love how she’s a snarky asshole at times, even to the King of Thanopolis. It’s a rather endearing trait, in my humble option.

All the characters are coming into their own, discovering what they’re capable of, learning to use and control their magic,  and finding their own, unique voices to speak up. I especially enjoyed watching as Rovan confronted the horrors of her life—the lies, her magic, the truth that threatens to destroy Thanopolis—but it doesn’t derail her. She grows in the face of adversity, and I couldn’t help rooting for her to kick some serious ass.

Additionally, I appreciated the diverse LGBT+ representation in In The Ravenous Dark. I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA dark fantasy brimming with both non-binary characters and pansexual polyamorous relationships, but I deeply enjoyed the inclusion in the story.

To be honest, I normally struggle with LGBT+ representation in many books, especially YA, because too few stories make it about the whole person rather than just their sexuality.

There seems to be an overwhelming trend of making characters as obviously queer as possible, which is great for those it resonates with, but it doesn’t quite reflect the experiences of those who are quieter souls about their sexuality.

However, In the Ravenous Dark was a perfect balance of queer rep that didn’t overshadow other aspects of each character. I loved how it was an important part of who they are, but not the only aspect worth exploring.

What I Didn't Love About
In the Ravenous Dark

Nearly everyone raves about the world-building in In The Ravenous Dark, but I was rather disappointed by it. When I saw it was Greek-inspired, I was over the moon! I was stoked to dive into a rich and immersive world of deities, rituals, and ancient culture. However, as I read the book, almost none of that was included.

Maybe it’s my own perception of what “world-building” is, but I personally felt the world was shallow; it was devoid of a sense of culture, people, and history, which was frustrating. We don’t get a peek at what the people believe or why they perform the rituals they do, or how they live.

Although set in a Greek-inspired realm obsessed with death, there’s little to no reference to gods or goddesses. Everything was centered around the magic, which was soft at best.  Little was explained about how the blood magic actually worked, though we do get brief glimpses into the impact it has on users. W don’t see the cultural ties between blood magic and its users, the underworld, and the living world inhabited by the characters. Everything felt disjointed and scattered. It lacked cohesion.

There were also holes in the story that kept tripping me up. The Broodmare concept, for example. It forces blood mages to marry and reproduce with non-blood mages in order to maintain their magical bloodlines. These pairs have always been exclusively male-female.

Interestingly, this makes it clear that this world places a higher value on heterosexuality as a means of passing on magic (it’s the only way, to our knowledge, that this can be done). Yet, none of the characters face adversity when it comes to their sexuality. No one pushes back, bats a lash, disapproves, or makes a comment. It felt utterly unrealistic.

Because we know little to nothing about the culture of the people, it’s difficult to understand why there’s so much acceptance. This is especially boggling when you factor in vital role magic plays in the society.

All in all, In The Ravenous Dark remains one of the most unique and diverse dark fantasy stories of 2021.

I would have preferred better world-building, and the writing style was a bit more sparse than I cared for. However it contains excellent representation, witty dialogue, and fully-realized characters.

In The Ravenous Dark is great for those who love a bit of violence and romance with a shot of magic on the rocks.