Forbidden magic, a family secret, and a night to reveal it all…

In Bright Ruined Things we meet Mae, who has lived on the Prosper family’s island her whole life and wants nothing more than to learn Lord Prosper’s magic, marry the man of her dreams, Miles, and live happily ever after, but when a dark secrets floats in on the tide, Mae’s insulated world is turned inside out.

The characters are multi-faceted, especially IVO, who is portrayed as a brilliant magician on the edge of crazy with an unrequited love for Mae.

Mae came across as a bit of a pushover for the first half of the book. Her desperation to become a true part of the Prosper family wore thin after a while. I wanted her to be more like wild child Chloe and tell them all where to go, lol.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read.

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”

Bright Ruined Things is a Shakespeare retelling of The Tempest, which I have not read. I doubt it matters. Initially I was pulled into the story. The island is ruled by the Prospers--a family that uses magic to control the spirits on their island and make aether, which powers the entire world. Mae is an orphan who also lives on the island--the daughter of a human steward--and desperately wants to stay. But she's turning eighteen, and at that point she'll be cast off--unless she can convince the patriarch of the Prospers to train her in the magic that rules the island and its spirits.

She's also in love with Miles, a Prosper grandson, although she's been promised to Ivo, the grandson who is set to inherit everything. It's a love triangle...sort of.

There's a lot of "sort of" in this book. I identified enough with Mae's struggle--she wants to keep what she has always known, staying in her safe home and using magic that has been forbidden to her. Totally relatable! But it's the getting there that becomes a bit of a slog. Miles is not the love affair that makes the book tick, but neither really is the supposed love triangle. I couldn't really see how any of that developed amongst all the family bickering and lengthy attempts to reveal secrets that can't be revealed until the end, because the book is mostly straight-forward and scanty in terms of its plot. The pages and pages of dialogue and bickering didn't connect me emotionally to the characters, and the sort of love triangle didn't get me interested either. I really wanted to love a 1920s-era historical fantasy, but this one just didn't connect.

**Review to be posted on my blog on 9/30/21**
**3.5 STARS**

Likes:
I was intrigued about this book because the cover screamed 1920’s and reminded me of The Great Gatsby and I was in the mood to read a book in that period, but this one comes with a twist. I don’t remember much about Shakespeare’s The Tempest, since it’s been awhile I’ve read it but that’s okay, this is a reimagined version of The Tempest and it hooked my interest for sure.

The mood is set on an island full of magic, mystery and wealth. Here we are on First Night, where the Prospers and guests will celebrate how they tamed the wild spirits of the island when they first settled there. The Prospers are a powerful and wealthy family because of this magic. When they arrived on that island, they harnessed the wild magic there and became wielders of that magic. The magic, wealth and power is then passed down through generation, to an heir. The current heir is Ivo, who is one of the grandson’s of Lord Prosper, the patriarch of this powerful family.

Mae, our main character is described as this mousy, unimportant person who is a ward of Lord Prosper until her eighteenth birthday which is coming up quick. But Mae isn’t mousy, she is hungry. She has always wanted to belong on the island, and belong to the Prospers, but how? She’s just Mae, a nobody, but she decides that will change. Mae goes through many challenges in this book and it was fascinating to see how far she would go to make her plans come true.

There is an array of characters because the Prospers have a few grandchildren: Appollonia, Alasdair, Miles, Ivo and Cordelia (Coco). I love all their names, it fits the theme of the 1920’s and each character is different with their own motivations. I loved the whole mess of their interactions and it gets chaotic with Mae thrown into the mix!

While Mae is scheming her way into the Prosper family, there is another matter at hand. The spirits, who populated the island before the Prospers came and tamed them are dying. The spirits are servants to the Prospers but no one knows why they are getting ill. Truths are revealed, and Mae, along with the Prosper grandchildren learn about how the magic of the island is being harnessed and at what cost.

Random Notes:
Triggers: violence, suicide ideation, slavery,

Mae is in love with Miles, or is she really? Or is he someone she needs to attain her goals? I needed to find out but as far as romance goes – the only one who has much of a romance drama going on is Appollonia. Mae and Miles’ connection felt frail. It bugged me a little because I wanted to know and see it play out but I will say it ended as dramatic as the whole story was from beginning to end. Mae had her heart set on one Prosper throughout the book and I don’t know that she deserved who she got in the end. I needed more.

A person who we needed to know more of? Ivo. He’s the oddball of the grandkids. He has the most magical power, he’s unkempt, and totally misunderstood but it would have been nice to really get to know him better.

I did like the mysterious setting of the story, but as far as the 1920’s? I got it from the names but they really could have taken this story and placed it in any era.

There were times in the story where I was getting frustrated with the secrecy. It was slow going. But it does come to a big climax at the end of the story, which was my favorite part because there was so much backstabbing, truth bombs, action, mystery and revenge! Choices had to be made and it was interesting to see what paths they all chose.

I’d have loved more information about the magic and background on the spirits. Maybe Aeris could have provided more of that knowledge when he wasn’t being obnoxious? It is explained a little more but near the end of the story. It would have been nice to be fed something in the beginning and middle too. But all of these events happen in one day, one special night, so it’s a tight window to get the whole story in.

Final Thoughts:
I think Bright Ruined Things really captured the vibe of an island with powerful magic and something amiss. It had the mysterious island, exuberant wealth, the girl hanging on the outside wanting in, a messy not-quite-love story, family drama, complicated relationships and moral choices to make – although, those choices should have been easy ones from the moment the Prospers settled on the island. I had fun getting to know all the flawed characters in this story, where each had their own agenda. We get to see and explore their decisions, whether they are right or wrong. In the end, I was entertained, but there were times I was a bit frustrated with how little information was being revealed. Overall, I enjoyed it and finished it in one night.

The Quick Cut: A girl who was spent her life serving a family with a magical source wishes to become one of them. When the island where it comes from starts falling apart, secrets are let loose and chaos ensues.

A Real Review: Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the ARC for an honest review.   
 Many of us have probably thought about what it would be like to live in a world with magic. What if it did exist, but as an energy source that could do amazing things? Would you want that power to bring some good in the world or would you instead want to take it for your own devices? These are the questions Mae asks about the Prosper family she serves. 
 Mae has spent her life serving the whims of the Prosper family, but all she has ever wanted was to become one of them. They are the ones with the magical island that serves as a source of aether - a power source of the magical variety. Every year, the entire family comes together on First Night - the day the head of the family first discovered the island's magic and began aether production. Now that Mae is eighteen, she is looking to secure her spot in the family by making her crush Miles see her as more than just the help. Except nothing goes according to plan when the island's spirits start dying and the family is left wondering what is happening. What is causing their source of power to fall apart? Is someone sabotaging what they have?
 This book has the elements it needs to succeed: a magical island, a mysterious family harnessing it, and the glitzy glamour of the 1920s. So what could possibly be wrong when all these components have come together? Unfortunately for me, what is missing at its core is heart. The words paint a beautiful world that at first brings in your interest, but without characters to feel gripped by and get emotionally connected to - an exciting world isn't good enough. You need a balance of both to create a powerful story. 
 Mae is painted as a social climber who is ignored instead of appreciated by the family she works for. You're meant to root for her desire to be a part of the family and to become romantic with Miles, but I couldn't get there with her. She's worked for this family for years and wants to be one of them. However, for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. The Prosper family is made up of a bunch of brats with no distinguishable positive traits. Their power and money is the only thing I could imagine someone wanting from them. If that's what makes Mae interested in them - I don't want to feel connected to her. 
 Mae's emotional lead is Miles, but I didn't really feel any sort of connection between them. Even after they have moments together, I didn't find myself rooting for them to end up in a relationship. Mae also has plenty of time with Ivo, someone she used to have a close friendship with. Ivo comes off as cold and unemotional. For someone who used to be close with Mae and feels betrayed by her, you'd think he would have some sort of emotional response around her. Instead it just feels a bit unattached. 
 A gorgeous landscape that's missing the emotional connection to pull the reader in. 
My rating: 3 out of 5

If I’ve learned anything from perpetually reading, it’s this: don’t ever trust anyone on an island. Case in point, “Lord of the Flies,” “The Great Gatsby,” “The Tempest”–need I say more? To add to this list, Samantha Cohoe’s YA October release “Bright Ruined Things” cements my opinion that characters placed islands are untrustworthy to a T.

Living on an island controlled by the family patriarch, Mae is just a step above the spirit slaves Lord Prosper conquered decades ago in the island hierarchy. Mae longs to have a magic of her own and a place amongst the wealthy Prospers. On First Night, a celebration of Lord Prosper’s conquering, the web of lies Mae has believed her entire life starts to unravel as secrets are revealed about herself, the island, and the Prospers’ magic.

“Bright Ruined Things” is meant to be a retelling of Shakespeare’s classic play “The Tempest”–the only similarities being a few shared names, the infamous island, and the Prosper patriarch acquiring magic like Shakespeare’s Prospero. Although an immersive read, knowing that “Bright Ruined Things” is meant to retell Shakespeare’s play seems to be a half-hearted attempt to reimagining the iconic play.

If anything, “Bright Ruined Things” exudes West Egg from “The Great Gatsby” vibes–the grand, family home, extravagant wealth, and 1920s atmosphere aligning almost perfectly with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic.

The characters start off mildly likable; Mae, Miles, Coco, and Ivo are made out to be pawns in a game they have little control over and have ambitions outside of the island’s legacy. Yet, as the story progresses and secrets are revealed, it’s evident that the youngest Prospers are not the reluctant and ambitious characters they’re originally made out to be. By the end of “Bright Ruined Things,” you’ll surely hate every character for a wide range of reasons, not limited to selfishness, greed, and overall dick-ish antics.

Yes, Mae is meek at times and a little unlikeable, but that’s the whole point of her character growth. Not every character seeks the morally good choices that readers wish for–many (just like real people) are self-serving and genuinely unlikable. Although the climax pressures Mae to act in selflessness rather than her own self-interest, I always love a character who doesn’t follow the usual heroics and martyrdom of many YA heroines.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to fully agree or love a character to like them. Suppose readers can love the morally gray murderer in other YA novels. Why can’t I like the loathsome protagonist that makes me want to constantly throw the book across the room?

By the time the climax came around, the edge-of-your-seat tension Cohoe had laid the groundwork for in the first half fall flat and leave you wondering, “Where did all that pent-up tension go?” If not for the events following the catastrophic event on Prosper island, there’s little reason to read past the climax, in all honesty.
Moments of misogyny and elitism from the Prosper family make for decisive commentary throughout the novel and divulge the reader in the pretty illusion the Prospers have created for Mae and the outside world–not unlike the real elites of our world.

I still hold that characters placed on islands are the most untrusty of all–the bubbles they have created only stifling their own freedom. “Bright Ruined Things,” although mildly anti-climactic, makes for an immersive and imaginative read that will pull you in for a wild ride.

Mae has only ever known the island. Though she wishes to go to the mainland, Mae holds true love for the island and all it holds. Yet, she feels like she doesn't have what she wants most -- magic. And it is the greed and ambition that can guide us towards this one desire that Samantha Cohoes impressively explores in her sophomore novel.

This book is set in the 1920’s which is my favorite era so I had really high expectations for this book. It started out interesting with the spirits and the magic system but just fell kind of flat for me. With it being set in the 1920’s I was excited to be immersed in the glamour and atmosphere that comes with that but it didn’t happen. All in all this wasn’t my absolute favorite read but I will be checking out the authors other works.

Initial Thoughts
I loved A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe and basically begged Wednesday Books for an ARC of Samantha's next book.

Some Things I Liked
Great Gatsby vibes. I loved the 1920s glamour and the nods to France. The setting was so opulent and mysterious and I loved every second of it.
The Tempest. I've literally been saying forever that I wish someone would write a YA retelling of The Tempest and BOOM, Samantha Cohoe for the win. Loved it.
Morally grey characters. Everybody, and I mean everybody, was morally grey in some way and I lived for it.

One Thing I Wasn't Crazy About
The romance. I wish the romance was tied up a little more. I really wasn't into Milo as a love interest and I loved Ivo and wanted so much more of him.

Series Value
I'd definitely love to read more about this world and these characters. However, I think that the mystery would be a ruined a bit by sequels. The story ends on a perfectly mysterious note and another installment would demolish that ambiguity.

Final Thoughts
This was the retelling of The Tempest that I always wanted. I am definitely going to keep reading Samantha Cohoe's books.

While Bright Ruined Things features gorgeous writing, it let me down because it simply couldn't keep my attention. I really wanted to love this one, but it was just a miss across the board.

I love The Tempest and was looking forward to this book a lot. However, despite it being beautifully written, it simply was too tedious to read. Which is a bummer because I was really looking forward to enjoying this read.

Bright Ruined Things is a kind of soft introduction to magical realism. It is unpredictable, satisfying, and perfect for teens and adults alike. This book allows an escape from the real world while maintaining enough reality to feel familiar. And the ending, well, let's just say I did not see it coming but I could not be happier.

This book is about the search to belong. But also about how, when this search is tainted by greed and ambition, beauty and wonder are killed.

I loved reading this book from Mae's perspective and first seeing the island, her home and the only place she has ever known, through her eyes. There's an innocence and purity that is slowly lost as the reality of what lays behind the power of the Prosper family is divulged.

I recommend this book if you enjoy a well-written book. But mostly, if you are open to books about imperfect characters who are full of layers, some of which you might not like. Yet, they are written thoughtfully and truthfully. There is grief and darkness. But also more... all that culminates in the perfect and bittersweet epilogue!

I have to say it, wish there had been more scenes with Ivo <3

~ READ THIS IF YOU LOVE:
➦ Broody love triangles

➦ Dark family secrets

➦ YA Magical Realism

➦ Coming of Age stories

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
This was a decent read for me. There were definitely times when I found myself extremely annoyed with the main character but overall I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting take on magic and the balance and cost of it. There were a few events that I had hoped would play out differently but I was happy with the ending and it left me wanting more.

This is a YA magical realism book. Mae has spent her life longing for magic and to belong on the island the way the Prospers do. As she gets closer to this goal, she begins to realize that most of who the Prospers are is just an illusion and that their lives are not as great as they seem. Mae has to learn to embrace who she is and to stop trying to be what she thinks people want her to be. She begins to see that it will take all of who she really is to find the life she wants and that people-pleasing brings her nothing but regrets and unhappiness.

Bright ruined things by Samantha Cohoe is amazing! I loved the atmosphere and the story. The writing was also very beautiful.

A 1920s retelling of The Tempest, Bright Ruined Things follows Mae. She is a teenager that desperately wants to fit in with the Prospers, the magical family that lives on her island. Always an outsider, she feels ( no, knows) that everything in her life will be better if she could only have magic like the Prosper patriarch. Following the themes of unrequited love, self-esteem and belonging Bright Ruined Things is a fun, magical read that left me waiting for a sequel.

I loved this book! The description drew me in, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. There were twists and turns, many surprises which kept me hanging on. I loved the underlying theme involving magic, something I am not typically drawn to.

I enjoyed the story and the pacing of how it was told. The characters were interesting and their relationships were well crafted. It was hard for me to place the story in the time it was supposed to take place in. There were also holes in character development that were hard to overlook. What happened to Mae’s parents besides that they were dead? I have it 3 stars because it felt like there could have been one more draft written.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me access to the ARC of this novel, a reimagining of Shakespeare's The Tempest. The worldbuilding was stellar in this novel, and the characters are richly realized and dynamic. I don't want to give away the plot too much, but there is magic, intrigue, and romance to be found. If you've read the original play, you will enjoy this very much; even without that background knowledge, it is still a book I will recommend to my high school students who like fantasy.

Thanks to Netgalley gor sending me an e-arc of this amazing book. The release date for this is October 26, 2021. I was drawn to this book by this gorgeous cover and it gave me Great Gatsby vibes. Bright Ruined Things is a YA historical fiction fantasy. The historical fiction genre could be loosely interpreted by the items that are mentioned and a notable figure, Bessie Coleman.

We follow a girl named Mae who lives on this mysterious island that has a ton of magic. The family that "founded" the magic is the Prosper family. They are wealthy snobs who control the magic. Lord Prosper is the one who found the island and colonized the spirits who didn't utilize the magic. One day, Mae notices one of the house spirits laying on the ground leaking and dying. It is a shock to her because the spirits can't die. She gets another shock that she is being given to the eldest Prosper grandson and heir to the Prosper magic and money. If she refuses, she will get kicked off the island because she is not family. She is the former caretaker's daughter who requested that Mae stay on the island until she was of age.

The magic system was my favorite part of the whole story. I was intrigued, anxious, annoyed and heartbroken. Mae was annoying with her thoughts and this story was somewhat predictable because it has the obvious snobby rich family who can't think of anything but themselves. The ending was not what I expected and I kind of hope there will be a sequel or a companion because the last line could pave the way for another story.

This story had the most magical and unique setting. If you like 1920s magical island vibes, this story is for you!

The plot was equally as unique, even if the whole mystery was a bit predictable. Even if you knew the direction the story was going, the sequence of events still surprised me along the way and kept me engaged. The pacing was perfect.

I think what was missing for me was the characters. I know the point was that they were all unlikeable, but i couldn’t get behind any of them. Usually, this hurts my enjoyment a bit.

Overall, 3.5 stars!