Book - Nevernight

Romeo Kennedy really does judge a book by its cover as he reads Nevernight, Book #1 of the Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff...

Nothing quite like a bloody great crow on the cover of a fantasy book to get the blood racing. And Nevernight did just that. That cover by the way is by Kerby Rosanes. And what a magnificent cover it is.

So then, on with the book’s synopsis (And as always fairly light spoilers ahead.)

Destined to destroy empires, Mia Corvere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and daemons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no ordinary school, but Mia is no ordinary student.
The shadows love her.
And they drink her fear.

Darkness in a world that is lit by three suns. A cat who is not a cat but made of shadows. Yep, sounds pretty cool right?

Thought so.

This is the first book that I have read by Jay Kristoff and I am certainly ready to read more. Kristoff has written a really exciting novel that gives the reader a first glance into Mia’s world. One which is full of sadness and of brutality but also has moments of tenderness, and humour. The introduction by an unknown narrator will give the reader a wider impression of world they are about to enter. It definitely makes an impact. The footnotes throughout the book too were very good and for me they didn’t slow the fast pace down but served to give a deeper look into the politics, religion, and history of Godsgrave and beyond. Also the first few chapters are written in almost a mirrored way, echoes of past into present that are quite dreamlike/nightmarish but beautifully done. In my notes for this review I put, ‘There is something musical about the first few chapters. A prose harmony.’

Most of the book takes place in The Red Church, the murderous cult where skills are honed. It is really not a place that one would want to get a scholarship for. A place where thievery and murder are pretty much commonplace and it’s the educators who are somewhat frivolous with their use of violence against their own students. It makes for quite an intense read but very exciting.

Mia’s journey has well and truly begun, and I look forward to see how deep into the shadows she goes.

Image - Amazon