Down Comes the Night is a gothic tinged YA novel that's gorgeously written--with lush, dark atmosphere and a story that will definitely appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo. This is perfect since the Netflix series based on her works premieres in April!

Allison Saft's first novel is such a stunner--Wren is a fantastic heroine and her story, along with Hal's and their exquisitely paced romance--and I expect Down Comes the Night to be the first breakout YA hit of 2021. And it couldn't happen to a better book!

Gothic murder mystery vibes in the package of YA fantasy. The story is well-written, and I enjoyed it after just accepting a couple of assumptions the reader is given at the beginning. Tremble, O Man, at the name of Hal Cavendish, scourge of the north, dreaded fighter and ruthless general of the front lines...who is first encountered in an obscure mansion on his sickbed masquerading as a servant. Ah yes, I'm trembling in my boots.

Wren is a unique magical healer in that she is first and foremost a student of medicine, throwing around clinical terms for everything from broken bones to herbal remedies to dissection. If you're into precise anatomical language, Wren's your girl.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday for the ARC**

I finished this book and thought it was good; I really enjoyed it. It’s been a couple days now, as I write this review, I find this book and these characters randomly popping into my head, so I’d say that this book was more than good. Thinking about a book and its characters days after finishing it is always a good sign that the story was compelling and well written… at least in my opinion. The characters and this world that the author has created is romantic and dark but throughout the story there is the underlining idea of hope… but also, who doesn’t love a good enemy to lovers?

The main characters, Wren Southerland and Hal Cavendish, are enemies. Wren the niece of the Queen of Danu and a healer while Hal is a soldier with a deadly reputation as well as magic from Vesria known and is also known as The Reaper. Wren has been lured in by the charming and persuasive Lord Lowry of Colwick Hall in the neutral country of Cernos to come heal a servant of his house. Wren takes the offer, running from the woman she loves and the Queen she only wishes to impress. Upon arrival, Wren finds Colwick Hall to be intimidating and curious….and her patient to be the one person she never expected to see. Over the course of the book Wren an Hal must work together to discover the mystery of the house as well as the missing soldiers from their perspective countries.

This is a hauntingly gothic story, and I loved every minute of it. I’m a sucker for a good enemy to lovers as well as a gothic and dilapidated mansion in the mountains with eccentric Lords with secrets. Down Comes the Night really did hit all the best YA enemies to lovers points but it did it with unique magic and a dark setting. The characters were well developed and intriguing and the main characters had you rooting for them from the beginning. The supporting characters were also well developed and brought more insight into the lives of the main characters. The world building was beautiful and sucked you right in.

All in all, I loved this book and will certainly recommend it to others. If you’re a fan of gothic mansions, enemies to lovers, and character growth you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book.

just finished this gem of a debut! here are my thoughts:

- the DEDICATION. “for all the girls who feel too much.”
- described as a “snow drenched romantic fantasy”
- a mysterious mountain estate and a murder mystery feel
- a good “fantasy” for the non-fantasy reader
- the point of the book was set up extremely clearly, i liked that it wasn’t demanding to keep up with
- things are not always what they seem
- theme of how compassion and empathy are typically viewed as weaknesses
- “you’re worth more than what you can do”
- expectations that we feel from authority figures, and the courage it takes to truly choose something for yourself
- “she wasn’t weak for feeling, either. hardened hearts were breakable. but hers had endured again and again.”
- a story about friendship, forgiveness, and belonging

thank you to net galley and wednesday books for the arc in exchange for an honest review. pub date 3/2.

Down comes the night was a beautiful surprise for me.
The book is very well written, the descriptions are on point and the characters are very captivating.
The plot although falls in some fantasy tropes cliches it is very captivating and in other ways very different from the typical YA.
The magic system is so good and details as well as the world-building I really enjoy it!
I loved the vibes on the main setting and all the politics that this book involves.
Thank you the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for this e-arc.

I have a full review on my channel that comes out tomorrow at 1 PM GMT/UTC https://youtu.be/96mDivjef7s

Oh my gosh, this book is so good. There's so much I could say about this story, but I think my favorite things are the characters and the best uses for the enemies to lovers and only one bed trope. I'm a huge enemies to lovers fan and watching Wren and Hal fall in love made me so happy. Plus, the only one bed scene made me so giddy because I knew it was the end for their them as enemies and the beginning as lovers, even if they didn't know it.

One thing I had trouble with though was Hal's quick descent from ruthless war criminal to a soft, fluffy love sick puppy. I wanted him to retain some of his ruthlessness throughout the story and while he shows glimpses of it, he basically ends up a big softy all around. I would have loved to see him be soft with Wren and ruthless/cold with everyone else. It would have made me so happy.

Besides that, I think the character progressions were fantastic. Wren grows into her personality more and goes from being almost childish to mature and fun to read about. Una loses her "I'm too tough for you" shell and finally opens up, which was hands down my favorite scene, besides the one bed scene. And then we have Lowry, who doesn't necessarily change, but more so shows his true colors. I loved his ability to switch personalities quickly and go from being that goofy, person you can't take seriously to an insane person!

Overall, I loved this book and can't wait for more from the author.

What a rollercoaster. Let me start off by saying, if you love the enemies to lovers trope, there's only one bed trope, mystical, gothic manors, and political conflict - you've just found your next favorite book.

I loved this book so much and even though the beginning is a little slow, we are quickly moved into some action Once Wren decides to go to Lowry's manor. Meeting her nations biggest enemy, Hal, on his deathbed is not as surprising as finding out that there is something darker and deeper going on in the manor and Wren is going to find out what. I loved Hal and Wren's progression from enemies to friends to lovers. More so enemies to lovers, but there was a brief glimpse of friendship in between.

Lowry is such a strange character, he broke up a lot of the dark, drab, macabre setting of the castle and Hal's mood. Wren is a bit annoying in the beginning due to us believing she is a compassionate healer who could never think to bring anyone harm. Once the plot gets moving, it's clear that Wren can be vicious when she needs to, especially with her words.

I loved so much about this story, namely the characters who makes the plot that much better. Una is an interesting person to watch grow, though I wanted Hal to remain a bit darker than he ends up being. He goes from ruthless war criminal to lovesick puppy pretty quickly, even for a dying man, and I wanted him to retain some of that ruthlessness. Either way, I could not get enough of this book and I can't wait to read more from this author!

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is an intriguing, slow-burn YA fantasy. Wren is a healer in the military of her queendom, which is frequently at war with the neighboring kingdom, both waging a god/goddess inspired battle. The lines have been drawn throughout their history, and the war seems as though it will never end, albeit there is a short armistice. As soldiers are disappearing, it seems that this may soon come to an end.

On a mission to discover what is happening to the missing soldiers, Wren heals a spy for the other side accidentally allowing him to escape. The queen, her aunt, condemns her as this was her final chance and strips her rank, sending her to the abbey until further notice. Once there, Wren receives a strange letter from another neighboring mountain kingdom who has remained out of the wars waged below. They offer to lend aid to her country if she comes to heal a mysterious sickness plaguing the servants. Although the queen forbids it, Wren takes her chance and travels there.

What she finds when she arrives is unexpected and becomes more twisty around every corner. Wren will have to discover who she is and who she wants to be as she finds a path forward.

What I loved: Although ultimately not unexpected, the mysteries of what was going on really kept the pages turning in this book. The characters were also really intriguing, with much growth and development throughout the story (and bisexual rep). The setting was really fantastic, with all the creepiness and haunted feelings to set the stage. I was really interested in the kingdoms and their histories as well that have led to the present, and I felt that the book balanced the amount of information given with the length and pace of the story really well - we learn just enough to move through the book without any knowledge dumps.

The themes in this book were also thought-provoking. For instance, a major theme is that of strength, how it is defined and how it can be manifested. Wren is not traditionally strong - she has a lot of kindness and mercy for others that leads to difficult situations. She is not always the best soldier, and she cries on occasion. However, this does not make her necessarily weak - her strength is in these same qualities that make her feel out-of-place. There is also a potent theme about war, and the toll that it enacts on the countries involved as seen throughout the book. Other themes about grief, desire for belonging, jealousy, and fear add to these intriguing messages and would be great to discuss in a book club context.

What left me wanting more: The ending felt a little rushed after the heady build-up, and people change on a dime after single events in ways that suited the plot but without the lead-up that seemed warranted. In terms of the romance, I also wanted a bit more. I enjoyed it, but the healing bond is originally blamed, and I think I needed to see more of the substance behind it. Although the length of the book was right for a stand-alone, I think with the complexities of this world and the characters, spreading it out into a duology would have been helpful to take a deeper dive into it all - after the slow and deep beginning, the ending felt a bit too rushed to me. On the other hand, there is always something to be said for stand-alones, so I did appreciate that everything was wrapped up in this book.

Final verdict: Immersive, imaginative, and absorbing, DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is a dark YA fantasy that will captive readers in its unique world. Recommend for fans of THE WINTER DUKE, A GOLDEN FURY, and GILDED CAGE.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I did not realize this was fantasy - the cover and title really say "gothic mystery" to me. I'm honestly not a big fantasy reader but I gave this a try. It would be a great fit for a reader who likes that gothic atmosphere and also wants a big fantasy/paranormal element.

The story features two kingdoms, a main character who is a healer (and the niece of the evil queen). When she's invited to a mansion to heal someone, she's shocked to find that it is the most hated man in her kingdom. (Cue hate to love romance.)

While this one wasn't really my cup of tea, if you love the idea of a Gothic vibe mixed in with fantasy, check this book out!

This book was very intriguing to me. I love fantasies, Gothics, mysteries, and romances and it had all those elements. It was a unique mix of the genres and overall I very much enjoyed it. I would have given it 4 stars but there are a few odd descriptions in the book that I thought were unfortunate. Since I read an ARC of this book I don't want to directly quote from it, as things could change, but the words used to describe a few things made me think of Christopher Paolini's weird word choices for descriptions in his books. My favorite, and the one I've referenced in more than one of my reviews is when he describes a strawberry as having a beard, so you kind of get the idea of what I'm talking about in this book. It only happens 3 or 4 times and mostly early on in the story, but it bothered me. That being said, I loved the creepy atmospheric vibes I got from this book. I also loved the enemy to friends romance that was included. The villain was pretty obvious, it was just a matter of figuring out all the pieces and how they fit together. I thought the reasons got to be a little over the top, but other than that, this was a very good read and I would try another book by this author.


Thank to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

First, that cover! Stunning. I really enjoyed the slow burn style of this book. Once the setting changes to the mansion I was totally gripped. I'm a sucker for a creepy setting and I loved the premise of being there with only an enemy to rely on for survival. That they both needed each other added new layers to the tension. The characters were well drawn, and the threads compliment each other without being overpowering. It had an atmosphere that held me in it's bleak hands to the last word. The end was fantastic. A great read.

Enemies to lovers in a gothic, snow-drenched mansion? YES PLEASE! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this novel and thoroughly enjoyed this rich world of magic and politics, where science and medicine inform a new and fascinating magic system infused with nature and healing goodness. Hal and Wren are slowly bound together by a common goal, a mutual enemy, and a blossoming bond. Duty bound Una, flamboyant and mysterious Lowry, steadfast Hannah and more inform this story to build a rich Victorian-esque world of murder and intrigue. What a debut from Allison Saft!

I loved the gothic vibes of this ya fantasy standalone. There's a mysterious and creaky old house, macabre science, and a heavy whiff of desperation to move things along. The magic system is intriguing without being so intricate as to detract from the mood. It has a biological bent, and both descriptions of magic and our protagonist, Wren's, world view often come through in those terms.

Wren is the bastard niece of the queen and a healer in the military. A person with her magical gifts must either be assigned to the war effort or to the abbey, and Wren will do anything not to be literally cloistered away with no friends or love in her life. She's eager to prove herself, but frequently gets into trouble for prioritizing the well-being of others over the mission. When she steps out of line once again, she is sent back to the abbey, away from everyone she loves, unable to protect and care for them. Until she receives a mysterious letter, that is. A noble from a neutral country asks her to come lend her considerable healing prowess to an ill servant in exchange for lending Wren's country political support in the war and thus returning her to the Queen's favor. It seems too good to be true, but lacking other options, Wren sneaks off to do what she can.

The story has a well-developed romantic storyline, and it also features tumultuous friendships and family relationships. The theme through it all is forgiveness, and it is well-executed. My only complaint is that the plot was on the predictable side, but sweet Wren was often in the dark as the drama progressed. I recommend this to readers seeking Gothic vibes, a complete and atmospheric standalone ya fantasy, or a story about embracing compassion as strength.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel. It hits shelves on 3/2!

Down Comes the Night is an enjoyable tale of magic and science, justice and healing, and wanting to do the right thing in a world of harsh choices. This debut YA novel by Allison Saft didn’t always quite hit the mark for me, but it was a good read all the same.

The main character, Wren, is an illegitimate niece of the queen of Danu and a talented healer in the Queen’s Guard. Wren has a bit of a reputation for recklessness to the point that her best friend and superior, Una, often tries to counsel her to steel her open heart. She fears Wren’s impulses and penchant for disobedience will only get her into trouble – especially since Danubian soldiers are starting to go missing and tensions are escalating with their nation’s ancestral enemy, Vesria.

When Wren’s compassionate nature leads her to heal a prisoner and inadvertently help him escape, Wren is dismissed from the guard in disgrace. Trying to escape a reassignment to a dangerous post, Wren instead flees to the neutral nation of Cernos in the employ of an eccentric nobleman. Her employer requires her aid in curing a treasured servant that’s fallen gravely ill with an unknown sickness. But upon arriving at the snowy, gothic Colwick Hall she is horrified to learn that her patient is none other than Hal Cavendish, an enemy soldier from Vesria who has the blood of many of her people on his hands.

I found Wren to be a compelling character with realistic flaws and an instinctive impulse to heal what she can – whether it be the ills of a body or the ills of society at large. I liked that Wren’s emotional nature is never treated as a weakness. She’s prone to tears easily, yes, but that never meant she doesn’t get the job done. I’ll admit that sometimes her impulsive nature and lack of practical judgement did make me shake my head, but I appreciate that this just makes her a more nuanced character who isn’t infallible. She isn’t perfect, and can be a bit naïve, but she still tries her best to do the right thing.

I also admired that although she’s supremely competent in her profession, her skills are as much a product of her hard work as it was natural aptitude. She studies even non-magical branches of medicinal knowledge rather than relying solely on her magical connection to fola. Outside of her accomplishments as a healer, however, Wren’s personal life is a bit of a mess. She’s spent her whole life yearning and working to earn the love of her aunt, the queen, only to be rebuffed at every turn. She’s also in love with her best friend, Una, who made it clear long ago that she’s chosen her duty as a soldier over a relationship with Wren.

This made her developing relationship with Hal all the more interesting. He’s her nation’s greatest enemy and capturing him should impress both the queen and Una, but she can’t help but feel for him when it becomes clear that Hal is genuinely remorseful for the harm he’s caused. They are initially reluctant to trust each other but quickly realize they must work together when they uncover a plot that would put both their nations at risk. I do wish that Hal as a character was developed more than simply being the repentant love interest for Wren, though.

The timeline was something that I struggled with a bit. So much occurs in the span of just a few weeks and sometimes the change between settings or events would be a bit choppy. I'd find that these transitions would break my immersion in the book because certain things just seemed so sudden. I admit I was also a little perplexed that Hal and Wren seem to fall in love in so short a time despite being enemies upon their first meeting, although this might be the fault of my preconceived notions from other reviews that this would be a “slowburn” romance which I personally did not find to be the case. But I appreciate the work they put in to see past prejudices and old grudges.

The “gothic” aspect of this story didn’t really sell me either. This seemed to be much more of a political fantasy with an underlying mystery than a gothic horror. The plot was very readable, if not especially complex or groundbreaking, but I find this forgivable since the story is largely character-driven and really reliant on how much you appreciate the characters.

Despite some of my issues, I still believe this book has a lot to offer. Wren is well-written character and the overall message is one of love and hope, which is a balm in these frankly trying times. This is a solid debut that’s well worth a read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for the honest review.

The eARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange of honest review.

Where do I begin?

Down Comes The Night is an perfect standalone, the kind of book you'll love to read muzzled in your blanket with a steaming hot chocolate in your hand. How could a book be so full of yearnings?

Saft’s main character in this story, Wren, believed all her life she was good for nothing except her magic. Being a royal bastard, she didn't even get love—not even recognition—from the Queen, even though she wanted it desperately. There's also Una, who had been her friend and past lover, but the girl is also seeing her as weak and too softhearted. It seemed that she could never be enough for everyone around her.

So when she met Hal—the sworn enemy—in Colwick Hall, having to attend his injury, slowly she's getting used and close to him. At this part, the attraction between them is undeniable. Hal saw her like she's precious. He admired her compassion, her kindness, and her softheart; something that Wren never got from everyone else before. And she saw Hal more than his magic, that he is human that capable of feeling something—emotions, remorse of what he had done. I love every bit of their interactions, full of tenderness and love. How they would go against the world to save each other, again and again. They warmed my heart.

Till the end, Wren is still as compassionate as ever, even in the face of her enemy and danger. It cost her greatly. But also it's a part of her that I admire throughout the entire story, the part that makes Wren so Wren. She learned to embrace her nature; that she didn't have to be what everyone expected her to—hard-edged and ruthless. She could just be her kind self, that there's a bravery in them, too. No wonder Saft wrote “For the girl that feel too much” in her dedication page.

It's appreciated that Saft blended the perfect amount of mystery, science, apothecary, and medicine in it too. Down Comes The Night is truly an enticing, gothic and romantic story you shouldn't miss.

P. S. The last chapter! It's the best conclusion, I love that for them. Wren and Hal are always going to be my favorite soft pairing. I'm crying, you all.

~ Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an early copy in exchange for honest review! RELEASE DATE: March 2 ~

4.5 stars!

Blood repaid in blood until there would be none left to spill.

That's the reality of the world for Wren Southerland. It's cruel, and compassion is viewed as weakness. She's just a girl who cares. So, she's also an abomination.

This book opens with the author's words,

For all the girls who feel too much.

From the moment I read them, I had a feeling I would like this story. Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a stunning debut full of atmosphere, excitement, and, most importantly, heart.

So much about this story stood out to me, but I think my absolute favorite aspects were our main characters. Wren is someone anyone can relate to-- someone who desperately seeks validation, but refuses to compromise her values to get it.


Opposite her we have Hal Cavendish. Vesria's ruthless warrior. At least that's who everyone thinks he is. But, as Wren and the reader both gradually discover, this might not be the whole truth. He may not be the monster he's known as.

Mercy is the most difficult thing.

This book explores some themes I've found compelling before. The idea that kindness is not weakness, and that cruelty is not strength. This sentiment reminds me a lot of the Ironteeth culture and Manon Blackbeak from Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series. So, if you appreciate that aspect in either story, I'd definitely recommend the other.

While this theme remains the heart of the story, another aspect does really shine, and that's the romance. I absolutely loved the discourse between Hal and Wren, and think their love story was a perfect vessel for the development of their individual characters.

'Why are you crying?' he rasped.

She was crying for Hal Cavendish. For herself. For the broken people they were and the children they should have been. All she could manage to say was,

'Goddess knows you won't do it yourself.'

The monster who's soft and the girl who's strong teach each other to feel. I think that's pretty beautiful.

Plot-wise, I don't think this book does anything revolutionary, but I enjoyed it all the same. Anyone who likes YA fantasy will fall right into the world of Wren Southerland, and leave knowing they're not powerless.

P.S. Can someone PLEASE make some Hal and Wren fanart???? Goddess knows I don't have the talent, but I would do anything to see these two. Thanks in advance ;)

This was a highly anticipated novel but didn't quite cut to the level for me. The world building was amazing, the prose was great, but the characters were hard to connect with. In fact, some were downright turn offs, their actions barely defendable no matter what the excuses were.

I will certainly have hopes for anything this author puts out in the future but this particularly story wasn't for me.

Wren is a healer. She is in the Queen's Guard and is to follow the orders of her best friend Una. Una sees everything in black and white, while Wren sees the greys in life. Not every decision can be as clear cut as Una would like them to be. When Wren disobeys orders yet again, she is removed from the Queen's Guard.
While trying to figure out how to put her life back together, she receives a letter from an eccentric lord, requesting her help as a healer. She takes his offer of employment. She has to find a way back into the Queen's good graces and get back to Una.

That is just a small part of this book. There is so much more to the story! I loved these characters. Wren and Hal are great. I didn't even mind the romance too much. I really liked the gothic vibe. I liked the writing style. It was very easy to follow. I look forward to more from this author.

Allison Saft’s debut novel, Down Comes the Night, is simply a wonderfully crafted tale with references to the Victorian Gothic era. And you know I love gothic fantasy and magical things. Speaking of which, my heart melted when I read that magic is based around medicine and science! Not only that, Saft’s simplistic writing style captivated me entirely, from the very first page,

I very much feel rooted to Wren’s mind, feeling the hurt and pain, the perseverance, and throughout the book, I can feel the sense of urgency coming from her. I believe my favorite of the entire book is Wren Southerland, her character strikes me the most memorable. Think my nerd side is showing, reading about the medical and surgical terms (Wren being a talented healer with magical abilities), and I learned quite a lot!

I also adore Saft writing a bisexual representation without having it a forefront of Wren’s character, and the relationship she had with Una are heart-wrenching at most. The other characters such as Hal, Queen Isabel and Hannah, even the eccentric Lord Lowry brought life to the story. With such a dynamic cast of characters, the story does not feel forced or slow at times.

I have to say the mystery within the book grabs my attention as well, it was fascinating to explore Hal’s wild theory (ripped straight from the book, coughs) and how it moved the plot along. It really checks off my favorite tropes: shady person + twisted mansion = together to put the end to the war. What’s more to love?

As much as I enjoy this book, there were a few key points that are missing from the story. Hal, for instance, was one of the few characters I wish could really be expanded upon. Like the other YA fantasy books I read, I certainly did not connect to his character as a whole. Especially when the romance aspect came between Wren and Hal. It sounds good on paper at first, seeing how they grow and learn from each other but it’s not quite there. Though at times, I feel Wren and Una have the best chemistry in my opinion (considering they have a history together).

Following so, I also wish the world was fleshed out more, and it's a shame the magic system has so much potential. The idea of having a medicinal based magic like what Wren used is refreshing to see in YA Fantasy. So if there’s a possible spin-off about Wren's world, I am down for it! I believe like many debut books, this is a learning progress to many authors and writers, alike. That being said, I am still impressed after reading Down Comes the Night and excited to see how Saft grows as an author!

If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, gothic fantasy, or mystery, then I would recommend this book.

Allison Saft’s debut fantasy, Down Comes the Night, pleasantly surprised me. I began the story expecting to read about two enemies who became trapped in a haunted house. Yes, Down Comes the Night does feature a creepy house and many other gothic elements do appear throughout the novel as well, but there is so much more to the novel than just the events that transpire at Colwick Hall.

Down Comes the Night explores how a person is more than just their talents and/or gifts. It is novel about expressing emotions. Themes of kindness, mercy, and forgiveness appear many times throughout the novel.

Fans of The Winner’s Curse trilogy by Marie Rutkoski would enjoy reading this fantasy standalone. Many of elements explored in Rutkoski’s trilogy are discussed in Down Comes the Night. Many thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.