aw with grief from her mother’s unexpected death, 16-year-old Bree enters an early college program at UNC. Immediately, a tinge of magic and lore is in the air. As Bree begins the initiation process in an ancient order, she finds she uncovers a power she never imagined and forms connections she is not sure she is willing to make.
I was instantly drawn into Tracy Deonn’s incredible world-building. Layering magic into the folds of a historic institution, Deonn creates a world where nepotism and racism weigh heavily on her characters.
The writing here is brilliant. I especially enjoyed reading how Bree navigates a PWI. While Bree is never isolated and even championed by Nick, she constantly feels she is navigating a space where those around her do not welcome her.
I could not help but instantly root for Bree. Despite struggling to navigate her grief, she is passionate, brave, and, at times, quite spontaneous with her actions. There is a significant theme of struggling to connect with your ancestors, and I appreciated how Deonn spoke about her loss of connection after losing her mother.
The double standards and microaggressions were a reminder that the work of dismantling oppression both begins and belongs to the oppressor.
There is a raw truth to her writing that I found particularly engaging. As someone who resides in the southeastern United States, I especially appreciated Deonn’s willingness to discuss how the same buildings Bree attends class were built by those within the chattel slavery system.
Nothing here feels surface-level. From character backstories to the hierarchy within the order, Deonn crafts effortlessly and with great detail. While there are so many layers to this book, I felt they were handled with care.
Yet, there were numerous twists I did not see coming.
𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 is addictive, brilliant, full of magic, relevance, courage, and a special found family.
I cannot wait to continue to book two!
