A Quick Note On This Review: This article includes affiliate links to Bookshop.org as a way of supporting both local bookshops and my own ability to write.
In a world where magic is outlawed save for those who wield Providence Cards, the Rowan King has mandated that anyone found practicing magic be put to death, even if they only gain the power after being infected with a mysterious illness. Elspeth Spindle has managed to evade detection for the better part of her life, despite the fact that she has a monster living in her head called The Nightmare after she fell ill as a young girl. If the Destriers, an elite force of cavalrymen tasked with enforcing the ban on magic, found out, Elspeth would almost immediately be put to death. But when Ravyn Yew, the captain of the Destriers takes an interest in Elspeth and her abilities, she has to find a way to leverage The Nightmare if she wants to survive.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is a novel that might be billed as a romantic fantasy, but there’s plenty of the novel that lends itself better to other fantasy subgenres than the romantic fantasy one. The relationship between Elspeth and Ravyn is interesting, but there’s more to the novel than their romance which is why it ultimately was so appealing.
While many fantasy novels rely on customized magic systems, One Dark Window creates something new in the form of cards created through a series of deals between The Shepard King and the deity of the woods. Further, the presence of a magical illness, the mythos Gillig creates to explain the magic system, the unique abilities that magic grants to its users all deviate from the traditional canon of fantasy novels, making One Dark Window a refreshing addition to anyone’s TBR pile. In some ways, it’s similar to R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars or Babel, or The Necessity of Violence, each of which make different contributions to the structure of magical systems similar to how Gillig does in her own book.
For casual readers, One Dark Window would be enjoyable to anyone who enjoys a darker fantasy novel that is similar in spirit to the Grimm fairy tales. Gillig’s magic system is unique, and her take on the forces of Fae magic would offer a different experience than what some readers may be accustomed to, but it would add to the experience more than detract from it. Further, anyone who enjoys the Fourth Wing series would almost certainly enjoy One Dark Window for its combination of romance and magic.
For writers, One Dark Window would be worth the read for anyone looking to write a fantasy novel that does not rely on established magic conventions, but is still grounded in the familiar elements that fantasy readers come to expect. While Gillig doesn’t explicitly claim that Fae creatures are the source of the magic filling the world, anyone who has read enough of the genre can recognize the elements Gillig uses to evoke the connection, and this helps establish a familiar framework for readers to engage with as they try to understand the combination of magical illness and Providence cards within the same domain. Additionally, any writer looking to integrate romance could benefit from additional templates that explore romantic tropes, so even if One Dark Window doesn’t actually rely on it as much as other books do, it does offer some valuable context that a writer could benefit from.
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What’s Next?
I am an avid reader and have quite a few thoughts on how some books could benefit both people that want to be entertained and those looking to sharpen their literary skills.
If you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve been reading – and how it could benefit you – I will be publishing those thoughts on a weekly basis. Check back next week for a discussion of R.F. Kuang’s Babel, or The Necessity of Violence!
The Writerly Review 