Book Review | In the Ravenous Dark

In Thanopolis, bloodmages are prized possessions of the King. They’re bound to guardians from the underworld to both protect … and to control them. Rovan’s father died trying to save her from this very fate, so she has spent her life having to hide her magic. However, when she accidently reveals her powers, she’s captured and thrown into a court of intrigue.

Be still my heart. As soon as I heard In the Ravenous Dark pitched as a story about a pansexual bloodmage, I was sold instantly. I adore any book related to necromancy, so the blood and death magic components were completely up my alley.

I also really enjoyed the characters and the relationships in this book! Rovan is great as an MC. She’s flawed, impulsive, and filled with sass and wit. Not to mention, the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Rovan and her ghostly guardian was probably my favorite aspect of the book.

However, I do feel like this book suffers from serious pacing issues. The story starts off incredibly strong with a fantastic hook. Then it suffers from a mid-novel slump with balls and tutor lessons, and by the second half, it becomes kind of a hectic mess with rushed character and plot developments. To be honest, I feel like a lot of my main gripes would have been resolved if the story had been told as a duology instead of a standalone—especially since it feels like the story also has 2 separate climaxes.

Pacing issues aside though, In the Ravenous Dark is an enjoyable queer fantasy filled with multi-faceted characters, delicious dark magic, and a steamy ghost romance.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : May 18, 2021
Publisher : Imprint
ISBN : 1250776600
Pages : 400

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