This was absolutely delightful! I was a little concerned at first because it's a VERY slow start, but once Wren accepted Lowry's invitation I was hooked.

I'm going to add a disclaimer before this next comment: I adore fanfiction. I love it. I read it, I write it, it's fantastic.

This book reads like my very favorite kind of slooooow-burn enemies-t0-lovers postwar fanfiction. The kind where two members of opposing sides are forced into close proximity and slowly, slowly learn that the other is not a heartless monster, and inevitably falls for them. I can't get enough of that dynamic in fanfiction and it was a delightful surprise to find it in this book.

I felt for Wren. She's sympathetic and determined and has so much heart. And I felt for Hal, who was forced to kill and kill and kill again when he was no more than a child, who regrets all the killing and wants nothing more than to make amends and shift his country away from war. They're a perfect match.

The villain is nearly at cartoon-villain status, but the way he morphed his demeanor to show concern, caring, humor, and darkness all within seconds was chilling. As was the atmosphere in the manor Hal and Wren were trapped in.

Wren's love for Una was beautiful and heartbreaking, as first loves so often are. Wren and Hal's attraction came on slowly and lingered, gradually strengthening in a way that made it all the more believable. I loved their interactions, their dynamic, the way they were drawn together.

The ending was perfection, wrapping it up and tying a neat bow around the whole delicious package. I hope there's a sequel because I definitely want more.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for providing an e-arc for review.

This was a breathtaking romantic fantasy that I absolutely sped through. Saft's debut novel introduces us to a healer and a forbidden romance in a war-torn country. It's masterfully crafted and emotional to the core. Definitely recommend!

Though some elements of the plot/mystery were predictable, Down Comes the Night is a beautifully vivid fantasy world with a believably flawed protagonist. It explores the tragedy of war and its effect on soldiers, magical and otherwise. The descriptions of the Hall and the winter landscape are lush and cinematic. And I appreciated Wren being casually bi without spending an excessive time discussing it on the page.

Down Comes the Night is one of my most anticipated reads this year. A YA fantasy with gothic vibes? Who wouldn't want to read it? While there were elements I would have liked more of, overall, it generally does what it sets out to do--capture our hearts and leave us enthralled--but you have to get past the beginning to get there. The beginning of the book immerses readers in the world Saft's created and familiarizes us with Wren's current predicament. Like in any fantasy novel, establishing the world is crucial. While interesting with its ongoing political conflicts and magic system, I was a bit turned off largely due to Wren constantly lamenting over her love for best friend Una and not having those feelings reciprocated. It's not until Wren arrives at the manor that she seems finally in her element and turns into the character I hoped she would be--compassionate and competent, less caught up in a tortuous, somewhat unrequited love. It is also at the manor that the writing itself takes on the tone I was hoping for--mysterious and slightly eerie. Had the book begun and ended at Colwick Hall and been able to retain the air of mystery cultivated at the manor, I likely would have enjoyed it a lot more--not that the other parts weren't well written; it was just better there. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book. Individuals expecting a fully immersive gothic novel may come away a bit disappointed because, above all, it is a YA fantasy that contains elements of the aforementioned genre along with a murder mystery. Readers who head into the novel with this understanding will appreciate the book much more. (3.5 stars rounded to 4)

Seldom do I find myself gushing over a novel and stating this may be the best book I will read all year. After all, we are barely crawling into March and much can happen in the next ten months. However, author Allison Saft has crafted a gem that fantasy lovers should not miss.

There are many various fantasy elements that Ms. Saft uses like an award-winning chef, sprinkling them here and there while resisting the urge to employ too much of a good thing. Yes there is magic here, yet not everyone can wield it and there are entire countries that find their populace without the talent. Science pushes for its place here, and the use of electricity and horseless carriages are on the verge of becoming commonplace.

The plot involves Wren, a healer recently dismissed from the Queen’s Guard. She is hired by Lord Lowry, who hopes she will be able to find a cure for one of his servants. There are secrets Lowry is keeping from her, and right from the start Wren realizes she will have to be careful. There are also events unfolding that others have put into placed, and Wren soon finds she is caught in the middle of political intrigue involving Vesria, Cernos, and her home country of Danu.

What really captivated me was the description. I have read many books where the author works hard to paint a wonderful landscape of words, but after a few chapters the instances become woefully thin and the detail slips back down into something more mundane. Ms. Saft performs yeoman’s duty here, extending her wonderful use of language from beginning to end. Sometimes a phrase will be inserted, such as “…her hair rippling like a spill of dark water” or “disappointment and relief tangled in his voice.” Sentences can become an entire portrait: “Ribbed vaults laced the ceiling like a corset, and stained-glass panels loomed above them, caged by their leaded frames.” For me, this was a book to be read slowly, as I feared reading too swiftly might cause me to miss something.

I liked the plot, and the author’s ability to paint her characters into corners where escape seems impossible. This kept the tension tight near the end as the book raced toward its conclusion. While I always hope the next book I read is going to be incredible, it’s going to take something special to knock this one off its pedestal. Highly recommended. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

I received an advanced copy of Down Comes the Night through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Content Warning: Down Comes the Night contains scenes of violence, death, torture, and detailed depictions of medical procedures.

Wren is a fantastic healer, but the very things that make her a success in medicine have proven to be her downfall as a soldier. According to her commanding officer, Wren is too compassionate, a trait that makes her vulnerable on the war-front. She can’t quite seem to bring herself to the levels of cruel conviction that her fellow soldiers manage, no matter how fervently she believes in her country. When one mission too many goes awry after Wren’s intervention, she is discharged. But, when a mysterious note arrives inviting her to come to Colwick Hall to heal an ailing servant, Wren finally sees a chance to prove herself. Despite the risks, Wren sets off to the ice-coated castle to find redemption, no matter the cost.

You can get your copy of Down Comes the Night on March 2nd from Wednesday Books!

Down Comes the Night was- rightfully- one of my most anticipated reads for Winter 2021! This book had the perfect wintery atmosphere, making it an ideal book to snuggle up and read during the end of this chilly season. Though the climate in the story is sub-zero, the character interactions heat things up before too long. The single element that really made Down Comes the Night stand out in my mind was the way that Allison Saft seamlessly blended science and magic, finding a flawless balance between the two. As someone with a background in biology, I loved watching the ways Saft integrated medicine with magic through Wren’s healing abilities. I desperately want to read more books with scientific magic systems!

My Recommendation-
Down Comes the Night is an absolute must-read for people who love unique systems of magic, especially folks who possess scientific dispositions. This book would be a great choice for people looking for nuanced bisexual disaster representation within a fantasy novel!

That’s a delightfully gothic cover, huh? I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this book, but I love books that star healers, especially ones that have to make hard decisions, and this book definitely lived up to that (and the creepy cover).

The fragile peace between the kingdoms of Danu and Vesria looks ready to break, and Wren, the illegitimate niece of the Danubian queen, is the only person who’s able to stop it. After being thrown out of the guard for healing (and then losing) a prisoner, she receives a mysterious letter from a noble in Cernos, a neutral neighboring country that’s more technologically advanced than Danu and Vesria but lacking their magic. If Wren will go attempt to heal a sickness that’s infected his household, Lord Lowry will convince the Cernosian nobility to side with Danu. It sounds too good to be true, but with no other good options, she accepts. Wren can’t help healing someone in pain, even if they’re her enemy, which is how she got herself in hot water in the first place. But it’s even worse when she discovers that almost everyone else in the house is dead, except the mystery patient, who turns out to be Hal, the Reaper of Vesria, a monster who’s killed many Danubians with his magic. Healing him would be treason, but letting him die is unthinkable. Her compromise? Healing him enough to be able to kidnap him back to Danu to stand trial. But there’s more going on than just a sick patient, and soon Wren’s life – and the war between the two countries – is hanging on her skill and bravery.

“Everyone is afraid of me. But not you.”
There was a strange brew of hope and frustration in his voice.
“Do you want me to be?”
“No.” He removed his hand from hers. He spoke softly, almost achingly. “I don’t.”


Wren starts the book in love with Una, her guard commander and friend. While it seems like at least some of those feelings are returned, Una’s committed to her job and a relationship would be both a distraction and, even worse, illegal due to the chain of command. Her relationship with Hal builds slowly – after all, it’s both enemies-to-lovers and he’s near death when she first meets him, and forgiveness is the last thing on her mind. Danu has a history of retribution. One of the favorite sayings of their Goddess is “whatever is done unto you let it be repaid thrice over” and the Vesrians have similar warlike tendencies. Wren, on the other hand, is compassionate and kind, traits she’s been told make her too soft and unsuited for the Guard. While she’s tried to push them down to be useful, to not feel anything, it feels almost impossible to her. Wren’s desperate for love, and between her upbringing and training in the Abbey and the Queen’s cold reaction to her, she’s convinced the only way she’ll win any approval is to be the best healer in the Guard. She’s also willing to settle for whatever scraps of affection Una’s capable of giving her. But during her time healing Hal, she slowly realizes that maybe her emotions aren’t the handicap she thought, and that maybe all her worth doesn’t lie in how well she can heal someone.

“It gets to be quite claustrophobic. The shortening days. The wind and snow and the insufferable creak of the old foundation. It’s enough to drive anyone mad.”


Wren’s a healer first and foremost, so there’s a lot of medical terminology and some particularly squicky surgeries (the words “eyeballs” and “speculum” do not belong in the same sentence, please) which gave it a bit of a Frankenstein feel. The book did have some of that delightfully gothic feel as well. I mean, there’s even a scene with the heroine wandering around in a nightgown with a candelabra. The villain is creepily sinister, and Wren spends a chunk of time wondering, with all the weird things going around in the manor, if she’s going mad or just plain paranoid.

“What was Hal Cavendish against everything she held dear? What was guilt against the certainty of survival, of redemption? She liked him, yes. Far, far more than she should. But she could not trust her own heart; she had wrecked herself in the storms of its desires time and time again.”


As for cons, it does get a bit heavy-handed with the moralizing, and while I liked the complicated relationships between Wren and Una and Isabel, I found their actions at the end of the book a little too pat. I also had a hard time buying how quickly Wren forgave Hal for basically being a mass murderer. Yes, he was brainwashed into it, and yes, he’s changed, but I didn’t feel like he earned his redemption.

Overall, I’d give this 3.5 stars. I was captivated by the emotion and ambiance, and if this turns out to be the start of a series, I definitely want to know what happens next.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I think there was a disconnect between the synopsis/marketing of the book and the actual content of the book itself. I went into Down Comes the Night thinking it was a fantasy/mystery story in a gothic setting. I imagined the writing would be atmospheric and that I would get a strong haunted house vibe. Instead, the plot focused much more on the romance between both Wren and her best friend, Una, and Hal, a solider from the warring nation.

There is a mystery, but for me at least, nothing was shocking or twisty about it. Readers will be able to guess what is going on long before the characters discover answers to the mystery. But, I don't think the mystery is the main focus of this novel, so I wasn't as bothered by that.

If you go into this book understanding that you are really reading a fantasy romance instead of a fantasy/mystery or a gothic mystery, I think you will enjoy the story more. While I did find Wren’s character frustrating at first, she’s very impulsive and makes questionable decisions, the pacing and gradual buildup of the romance felt believable, although I think some POV chapters from Hal would have made this a stronger book.

Overall, this was just an ok read for me. It lacked in the world building department (not descriptive enough to feel immersed in the reading experience) and Wren’s character was a bit too erratic for my taste to feel connected to her, especially for single POV character.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced reader e-book copy of this novel.

First I would like to thank St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for inviting me to read this early through Netgalley. Down Comes the Night was a solid 3 stars. There was nothing inherently wrong but it didn't bring anything new or unique to the genre either. It was a young adult fantasy using the same overused tropes in the same way as hundreds who have come before.

The story goes: Wren is part of the Queen's Guard but becomes dismissed. She receives a letter from the Lord of Colwick Hall asking for her healing services to help cure a mysterious illness that is killing his servants. In the background, there are two territories on the brink of war.

This felt like three separate stories that were smashed into one. There were tone and atmospheric shifts that went back and forth between murder mystery and psuedo-gothic fantasy and romantic fantasy with an odd dip into court intrigue at one point but then quickly forgotten. When I first decided to accept the request to read early, it was due to the promise of a snow-drenched "gothic fantasy" -- I am almost certain that the original marketing had a focus on gothic fantasy vs the now "romantic fantasy." I was a little disappointed when I began and the gothic vibes were missing. When I imagine gothic fantasy, I expect a level of grit - haunted houses, creepy monsters, shadowy magic, passionate emotion, and a dreadful and foreboding atmosphere. In Down Comes the Night, we lack most of the above and any gothic vibes present were minimal. There were some gothic vibes once the story moved into the mansion plotline but it still continued to feel predominately like a murder mystery-romantic fantasy. The author used a lot of sentences to tell us that things were creepy but never exactly showed us.

Here is an example:

"The house seemed to stare back at her from the belvedere squatting on its scaled roof. It raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Someone was there, watching her. She could feel it."

The world was made up of Cernos, where Colwick Hall was located, which was a territory superior in electricity, while two territories of Vesria and Danu continued to cling to their gods and relied on magic instead of advances in technology. Wren (a Danubian) had never seen electricity work before arriving at Colwick Hall.

I would've liked to see more character depth and development with Wren, Hal, and Lowry, the eccentric owner of the hall. They lacked dimension with flat characterization - especially with Hal and Lowry's characters. I did love how Wren did not just rely on her healing magic, but sought out books and went the scientific route to help develop medications to aid in her healing. There is supposedly a slow burn romance but it felt quite instant love to me. The bisexual representation with Wren is done well.

The magic system that Vesrian and Danubian's could wield was based on a recessive trait that allowed for the manipulation of the energy that flowed through the fola - an energy bound to receptors in the body's cells. The magic varied from family to family. Some could thicken bones, others could regenerate. Cernosians' genetics equipped them with a fully functioning fola but they were unable to make magic. I was hoping to see a little bit more of the magic - especially the shadowy/darker magic. We do see a lot of Wren's healing magic however.

Down Comes the Night
By: Allison Saft

This is a hands down 5+ star book. Oh, how I loved this book!!! This is a book I will be buying a couple copies so I can give them to my friends. The characters, the magic, the slow burn, the mystery… all of it was incredible.
The writing style was enjoyable, and the story unfolded from Wren’s perspective. I love the relationship her and Hal build.
I am at a loss for words at how to describe this book. All I can say is it is amazing, and a must read for anyone.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the book.

With only about 100 pages left, I gave up reading this book. I didn't feel it really hooked me until 150 pages in, and even then I found it slow moving and repetitive.

I love queer characters, I love gothic settings, but it's definitely more of a fantasy and world building novel that merely takes place in a castle. My struggle was mostly with the characters and feeling like the pacing was too slow. While Wren is a bi lead character, she is introduced as obsessed with her best friend and commanding officer, Una, but later falls for Hal. While that's plausible, we never saw any internal struggle with being away from Una, it was like out of sight/out of mind. So when Una came back I wondered how that would play into her new relationship, but over 200 pages in none of that was really mentioned.

For me, the book simply lacked enough tension in the pacing and plot to keep me reading, and all the relationships formed in the book felt insincere, not quite authentic enough for me to care about them as a reader. There were moments that hit strong, but it wasn't fluid throughout.

Down Comes the Night is pitched as a gothic romantic historical fantasy novel and it both fits and doesn't fit that framing. I've been trying to sift through the various subplots and characters to figure out the essence of the book and I'm not sure it quite came together in the end. A case of close-but-not-quite-there. However, I think this is a book that will work well for a lot of readers, so let's get into it.
The story opens as Wren, unrecognized niece of the Queen, is letting her empathy overrule orders once again. She heals a prisoner and he escapes. Her commanding officer Una--the woman Wren loves--is angry but defends her when they're brought before the Queen. Wren is stripped of her military assignment and given two terrible choices: have her magic surgically removed or go heal in the mines. Her desperation leads her to accept an offer that seems too good to be true and she escapes Una's escort to the mines to serve as healer to a notorious nobleman in a nearby, un-allied land.
When she arrives, she finds out that everyone in the manor is dead or mysteriously sick, including a servant who turns out to be the baddest bad guy and heir to the kingdom Wren's people have been at war with for generations. The two nations are currently at an armistice, but soldiers on the border have been disappearing on both sides and war is looming. Wren is bisexual and Una is an emotionally-constipated disaster so I'm glad they aren't end-game, but Hal wasn't as swoony as I was promised. The world seemed queernormative which is always a plus!
The blurb tells you that Wren and Hal fall in love and save the world, but it doesn't tell you how damn gross this book is. It's pretty quickly apparent that the lord of the manor is responsible for the illness and death among his staff, but it gets worse as the book proceeds. There's a lot of discussion of eyeballs and a scene with a "wet squelch" as a speculum is inserted to take out an eyeball. I could tell that the author did a lot of eyeball research because it's very descriptive. *shudder*
Okay so eyeballs and murder and lots of gore and medical ick in general. The romance is present and I think it was probably okay, but I never really bought into Wren's quick forgiveness of a mass murderer. Hal is deeply apologetic and wants to make amends, but he's still a mass murderer, you know? Your mileage may vary.
In all, there are gothic vibes here and a historical-but-not fantasy setting, but it's not a true gothic. The characters are trapped in the house by illness and a murderous nobleman, but there wasn't a building sense of dread, that creeping, growing feeling that I associate with a gothic. It's certainly dark, there's a terrible mystery and quite a bit of angst, but something was missing.

Wow.

Just wow.

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is a romantic-fantasy-meets-murder-mystery dripping with prose that seemed to slide like blood from a wound: utterly effortlessly. So many times I stopped just to reread a line twice, even three times, absorbing the weight of the words and the power they carried. World- and character-building permeated every line, every description and more than anything else, this book just felt so carefully crafted that I soaked it up like a sponge.

I don’t want to give much away, so as far as synopses go: DOWN COMES THE NIGHT follows the somewhat winding path of Wren Southerland, a healer gifted by magic and a surgeons knowledge. After landing herself in trouble with her aunt, the Queen, Wren sets out to reclaim her position, no matter the cost.

I absolutely adored Wren. She is absolutely a disaster bisexual but I understood her decisions and why she felt she had to make them. And ultimately I empathized with her, at the way she’d been raised and the things she’d grown so desperate for.

I also adored the relationship that developed between her and the LI. Everything about it just felt so well done, the halting back and forth, the carefully blooming trust, fragile as a vein. Their differences, and the way they seemed to only heighten their similarities. I just really loved them and was fully rooting for them.

Overall, this was a wonderful, beautifully written story and I savored every page. I believe it is a standalone (there is no cliffhanger ending and all threads are resolved) but I would absolutely love to see more from this world and I will definitely be on the lookout for this authors future works.

**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Every year there are a few books that are so good I end up buying at least one extra copy (for lending, of course!) and pestering everyone near me to READ IT READ IT READ IT!! (Special thanks to my friends who actually do read the things– you’re the best friends a girl could ask for. <3)

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is absolutely one of those books. I am so in love with it. The wrestling over compassion– is it a weakness or a strength? The sparring (verbal and otherwise) between people who are on the brink of war. The investigation into mysterious deaths inside a wealthy icon’s country manor. I can’t even believe all of those things fit so well into one story, but they really did. It was like the perfect blend of mystery, fantasy, romance and exploration into humanity. Have I mentioned that I LOVE THIS BOOK yet?

The characters totally captivated me. Wren with her impulsive big-heartedness and her complex relationship with her aunt and commanding officer. She and Una, her captain, had me at page one. And then, Henry, who was destined to be a favorite since I love the strong silent type. So many layers. And the back and forth between him and Wren was both hilarious and heartbreaking.

I guess the only thing I could say against this book is that aside from the emotional coming-of-age Wren experiences, there isn’t a lot here that’s truly YA. Wren is an experienced medic and seasoned soldier. I didn’t mind that because I love the story so much, but if you’re looking for something with a very young adult feel, this book might not scratch that itch.

I’ve been listening to the Shadow and Bone trilogy lately, and I definitely think fans of Leigh Bardugo will enjoy DOWN COMES THE NIGHT. I think it will also appeal to fans of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I have mixed feelings about this Young Adult book.

Saft is a debut author and it sort of shows. While the concept and poetic style are smartly done, at times I was bored and a bit confused with the inconsistencies.

I did like the dark Gothic vibes and murder mystery plot. I also liked the fact that Wren being bi-sexual felt natural to the plot and story and not just added in. She wasn't Bi for the sake of having a Bi character, if that all makes sense?

I also felt the ending was both resolved but not! LOL

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesdays Books for the chance to read an advance copy of Down comes the night by Allison Saft. The description of this young adult book sounded fabulous and while it wasn't available at the time of me to request a copy, I was able to "wish for it" and the publisher very nicely sent be a copy to read. While I normally love YA books, this was very hard to get into and not for the reason some might think, The over-amount of angst, was just a little too much for me, and I found it really dragged the book down for me.
Wren’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself. However, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths. With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall. I liked the fact the main character was bi-sexual, there are still too few book where the main character is LGBT. This book is touted as a YA gothic/fantasy romance. I think anyone in their late teens who love pining romances/angst driven fantasies will really enjoy this...adults maybe not so much.

Hellooooo, this was so good??

This was atmospheric, romantic, and the prose was just lovely. I loved the writing style of the author and how the story unfolded in Wren's perspective. The plot was unique and thrilling, and as a reader, it never ran out of surprises for me. The characters get you hooked as well! We have a disaster bi MC, an emotionally constipated bestfriend, and a dark and brooding love interest. I was invested in these characters,

Apart from that, I was invested in the romance as well. There was a lot of tension and pining between Wren and Hal, and I loved their chemistry. (Also, enemies-to-lovers, plus "there's only one bed" trope?? I loved it!)

The world-building and the magic system were also great! I loved how science and magic blended together, I loved knowing about Wren's healing powers and how they worked. There was a lot of history between the three countries, too, which really helped pain the overall picture/situation for the plot.

I think my only complaint is that I wanted to see more action in the end, (and more pining? Because I love pain, I guess). I also wanted more characterization for Hal and, maybe Una too, since we see only little of her. But honestly, overall, this was so good!

CW: gore, blood (there are lots of medical procedures), violence, murder, torture (minor)

This book had so much promise for me, but it fell flat.
I liked wren. She’s a solid character. But Una annoyed me and I never connected with her. Though a small part, Bryer was much better for me.
Hal is incredible and I liked his and Wren’s chemistry.
As for the story? It was lacking for me.
I needed background about the 3 countries and their quarrels. I needed to know why Danu and Vesria were at war. I needed more background.
Where I needed less background was the medical stuff. It’s obvious the author has a medical background, but at times it got too much.
To that end, the part with Wren’s skills at the end came out of nowhere for me. I wished that could’ve been built upon more in the story.
I also felt it was a bit predictable.
While this book had promise for me, it fell flat. Sorry!

Have you ever read a book where the author is just clearly into the same vibes you are and every plot twist and writing choice is the one you would have made, and the whole story just hits every single sweet spot for you? Down Comes the Night did that for me, from the dip into Gothic horror to the unabashed revelry in a few of my favorite tropes (there is only. one. bed), to the earnest message that kindness and compassion and empathy matter in the face of the world’s insistence on coldness and hard hearts.

Down Comes the Night definitely has some important things to say and to explore about war and political corruption and generational trauma and grief and jingoism...but it also has some things to say about throwing a fur dressing gown on over your billowing white nightgown, snatching up a candelabra, and going to investigate the mysterious wails coming from the forbidden wing of the isolated manor in which you’ve been trapped. Plus some things to explore about aaaaaaalmost kissing your worst enemy when you have to share a bed with him because it’s literally freezing out and the only thing that can warm you is the smoldering heat of your mutual forbidden attraction, now SNUGGLE you frostbitten fools, snuggle!

Ahem.

In short, Down Comes the Night is a delicious read from start to finish, placing its soft-hearted, but no less capable and resilient for all that, heroine in a gritty political fantasy, a Gothic horror, an enemies-to-lovers romance, and a macabre medical thriller all at once. I gobbled it up like a cake baked expressly for me.


Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance review copy!


Content warning: War, death, murder, medical trauma especially involving eyes.

Oooh spooky, scary skeletons. Without the skeletons.. maybe.

After a slow start some slight gothic vibes, magic systems, raging wars and found family all come together in a pile of goodness in this one. Wren is definitely one of my favourite protagonists in a while; "strong" without being annoying about it, absolutely ready to do whatever it takes, but best of all, she is visibly emotional. And while she's not always too happy about how visibly emotional she is, throughout the book it seemed almost like she "grew into" her emotions and absolutely let it free instead of trying to hide it, and I love that. Give me emotional characters who don't see emotion as a weakness. Let people cry and yell and be emotional. Here for it.

Absolutely adored the interaction between Wren and Hal, but I didn't care much for the romantic subplot, which didn't seem necessary and didn't actually.. matter? At all? It felt a bit too instant-love-y and very convenient and I wasn't convinced. That might just be me, though, I'm seeing a lot of people really enjoying that aspect of it.

While on the subject of interactions, this was a really fun read, interaction-wise. The side-characters were developed beyond just their name and function to the plot, and their twisty-turny personas kept me into this whenever it was dragging a bit.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, this is a good book. It's not a perfect book, but a darn good one, and if you dig spooky castles owned by.. "eccentric" people, where you can get trapped in a snow storm trying to heal someone you probably shouldn't be, this is for you.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.