Book Review | Daughter of Redwinter

Raine can both see and speak to the dead—a trait many would kill her for since gravesight is associated with the reviled Faded.

However, when she uncovers a deadly stolen artifact, she’s brought into the fortress-monastery of Draoihn for questioning and unwittingly pulled into an ancient conflict. There she must unravel the mystery behind how the relic was stolen while trying to hide her own powers.

Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald presents a Scottish-inspired dark fantasy that brims with vivid worldbuilding. Quite literally. The magic users in this book worship all the colors of the rainbow that are emitted from the Light Above while fearing the faded grey world of the Night Below.

However, I think I primarily took issue with the middle of the book. There's a lull in action because Raine is in comfy new place and there isn't as much of a sense of danger and tension. The main plot takes a backseat and is replaced with petty relationship drama about who has a crush on who.

It may be a personal preference, but I wish the story had instead focused more on something like the politics between the clans or the fact that, hey, bodies are mysteriously being dug up.

Overall, Daughter of Redwinter creates an intriguing world that is almost reminiscent of my beloved Abhorsen Trilogy. I'm a sucker for anything with necromancy, so I just hope this series has more emphasis on the dark magic and the dire background conflict as it progresses.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : June 28, 2022

Publisher : Tor Books

ISBN : 1250811716

Pages : 352

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