This is not an easy book. It starts a little slow. Several things are unexplained, and we have to do the work to infer their meanings through context. But as the plot gets rolling, the book grabs your attention and forces you to keep going.

Set in a sort of alternate universe United States (New Albion) in some time around the 1930s-ish, this story of lonely Margaret and ambitious Wes deals with some pretty heavy issues. Wes is the equivalent of an Irish Catholic immigrant, while Margaret’s father was the equivalent of a Jew. And both of those cultures are recipients of hatred, prejudice, and injustice. The story tackles questions of bystanders failing to stand up for the oppressed, and the answers are realistic.

Wes and Margaret have a pretty typical hate-to-love relationship. Would they have fallen for each other had they not been thrown together by circumstance? Hard to say.

A lot is made of a traumatic experience Margaret had in her mother’s lab, but when it is revealed exactly what happened, it seems a bit overdone. I mean, I get that her mother was dabbling in some pretty hard-core alchemy, but why was it so traumatizing? That could be better developed.

I do have concerns about the suggested reading level. I teach 9th Grade English. Admittedly, I specifically teach reading intervention. But I think the complexity of the prose here might be a bit inaccessible for the lower end of the recommended demographic.


All in all, I found this a satisfying read.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Prejudice, racism, killing things, fistfights, swearing (a couple of F words), masturbation, unmarried sex. Parental abandonment. Magic (alchemy). There is a sex scene, but it is not described in detail. Same-sex relationships.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like magic, slow-burn romance, and people who want to change the world—especially when it comes with a dose of social justice.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my opinions.

This review also at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/03/romance-two-ways.html

I adored this book! So magical and wonderful. The setting whisked me away. Just the right amount of mystery, drama and romance to keep me interested.

The two main characters had such great chemistry, their scenes together were wonderful. And the Winters'?! Oh goodness, the contrast between their family dynamic and the Weltsey's was so heartbreaking.

Five star read for me!!

A very interesting, very original fantasy novel that is well written, highly readable, and leaves readers wanting more. I will admit I found the romance unnecessary and probably would have rated the work higher if I hadn't had to slog through a few oh-woe-is-me chapters. That being said, those chapters weren't excessive or poorly written...they're just not my cup of tea.

A Far Wilder Magic is a fantasy by Allison Saft . I'll be honest, I'm not going to attempt to sum up the story because I'll butcher it and the synopsis does a great job on its own.

I was invested in this story the moment Weston landed on Margaret's doorstep. They were both solid characters with depth. Margaret has been isolated for far too long and that shows in her interactions with those around her, and it breaks your heart that she yearns for love and acceptance from a mother who doesn't deserve it. Weston comes off as that carefree, flirty, aloof character who doesn't take anything serious, when he is the opposite. He has ambitious goals to make life better for immigrants such as himself, and he uses his flirtatious, shallow, outward appearance to keep people from getting close to him, so he doesn't lose anyone else he loves. They both have lost people and they have to build the trust and respect that happens between them. Their romance is slow but steady. The more they each strip away at the outer other walls that they've put up, they see the real beauty in each other. They both strongly fight their connection for the same reasons. The feelings they have for each other make them feel vulnerable. Weston has some quality pining that he goes through when his eyes open to her. While Margaret takes a lot longer to trust in her feelings of him, all the way up to the end.

Okay I know the story wasn't just a romance, this in fact a fantasy book. It did lose me a little bit with the religious and political aspects of the world building but that's not the book's fault, that's my fault for not loving that aspect of fantasies in general... So why do I read them? shush I just do 😂. However, I was here for the magic surrounding hala, the mythical creature, the rivalries, and the tension between our leads and the side character/villains.

In the end, A far Wilder Magic is a story of two young people who join forces for aa common goal and along the way find love, acceptance, and belief in themselves. It was a completely satisfying story from beginning to end, and I will definitely be reading more of this author in the future.

A Far Wilder Magic is an atmospheric adventure story. We follow Maggie and Wes as they begrudgingly team up to win the Hunt. You can expect lush descriptions of the forest, alchemy magic, and a slow-burn romance.

I can see why so many people love this story, but sadly this book was not for me. The pacing of the story was too slow for my liking. I found it hard to feel connected and invested in the story. The alchemy magic was also a tad confusing to me. I didn’t quite understand it, which detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

All in all, this is a solid YA Fantasy standalone. A Far Wilder Magic is perfect for readers looking for a book with a magical competition, alchemy, and atmospheric writing.

Allison Saft has written a story so tender and fierce that it immediately captures your heart and bring you along this wild ride.

In a small town bent on keeping their traditions alive, Weston Winters arrives with a mission: to become an alchemist. But upon meeting Margaret Wetley, he knows his life has been changed for good. Her town in preparing for The Hunt, a triumphant event which would see the end of a centuries long myth and one which winning could give Wes and Magaret everything they’ve been yearning for. But maybe what they want, is not what they truly need.

This novel enchanted me from the beginning. The rich atmosphere of the small town with such culture, history and lore is filled with unique characters and conflict that in itself could span a series. In a way, the setting was reminiscent of Stardew Valley in a way that exudes charm and liveliness. The two main characters, Wes and Margaret, have such deep stories and desires that you never question them along their journey. Clearly designed to mirror the religious conflicts of the early twentieth century, the protagonists embody what life was for them but also showing the readers a life full of love and hope, especially through the family lens. I praise the choice to allow characters their open and fluid sexuality especially for a historial fantasy. This proves that even if certian elements are key to the story, not everything has to be heavy and severe - in a story when one can write anything, Saft has written small glimpses of a kinder world.

In terms of time period, I did find there was an adjustment period. Magaret’s rural setting versus Wes’ more industrial one being largely different took a moment for me to situate in time. But once the true action of the story began, their worlds blended together seamlessly and uniquely.

For anyone who craves adventure, family, and characters who understand the importance of smutty romances, this story will become your own new tradition.

Margaret Welty is independent and fierce; she also has a dog named Trouble, who may have stolen my heart. When Margaret meets the charming Westin Winters, she’s thoroughly unimpressed, but Wes becomes the first person in long time Margaret can rely on. 

A Far Wilder Magic gives me Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire meets Leigh Bardugo vibes. It’s sweet, and moody with an interesting system of magic and a well realized world . I want to get lost in Margaret and Wes’ lives forever; I also really want a book 2 and 3 and 4 (and 5 and 6 and 7).

“What lies beneath her is as dark and inconstant as the sea, and if she lets herself surrender, Margaret doesn’t know if anyone will be there to catch her.”

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft is a beautifully written story set in a world filled with alchemy, magic, and religion. All blend together so well and makes the world feel real. The main characters, Margaret and Wes, both have their flaws and struggles, but that’s what makes them all the more likable. A great story and great characters, everyone should read this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced readers copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I had absolutely loved Allison Saft's debut novel, Down Comes The Night, and had been eagerly looking forward to reading her sophomore release. I had admittedly struggled with the pacing of the beginning of her debut but found that the pace quickly picked up and I was sucked completely into the story. With A Far Wilder Magic, I struggled with the pacing of the book the entire way through.

The first half of the book spends so much time fleshing out the town of Wickdon, having Wes and Margaret struggle with their separate pasts and with existing near each other, and establishing a pattern of hate toward Margaret for her faith that there is little room for plot and relationship development. I felt like I was halfway through the book and the only things I knew about the characters were that they were both desperate for familial approval and would rather bury their pasts. By the time that the hunt for the Hala finally began, I struggled to care what the outcome of the hunt would be because I found myself bored from the first half of the book, and I didn't feel any kind of connection to the characters to truly care about their fates. I wanted to care whether or not Margaret ever thawed toward Wes, whether either of them found peace, but I did not have enough of a handle on who these characters were beyond their traumas to be captivating by either of them. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so I'm disappointed to be deeply ambivalent toward it as a whole but the pacing just did not work for me and left the characters feeling hollow.

This beautifully written new YA title is everything I'd want in a book. At times adventure-packed, with references to history and myths that are at once brand-new and yet familiar, a slow-burning romance between two people trying to find their way in a difficult world, and I was hooked from the beginning. Saft skillfully blends a world filled with alchemical magic with the struggles that anyone in today's world can relate to, and immediately immerses the reader in a world filled with both beauty and sorrow.

The two main characters, Margaret (Maggie) and Weston (Wes), are seemingly polar opposites. She is tight-laced, controlled and physically in command of herself (she's an expert shot), while internally, she mourns the loss of her family and in particular, her mother, whose approval she desperately wants but never seems to get. He is an aspiring alchemist, who spends time pouring over ancient books and texts, although he just cannot seem to get ahead or succeed in his chosen profession. His charming looks and cavalier attitude conceal someone who is filled with self-doubts about his skills and worries constantly about his family, who are depending on him to succeed. The Halfmoon Hunt, which brings the two of them together, is the perfect catalyst for this pairing of two unlikely heros.

Saft's writing vividly brings the landscape and the creepy old house where Maggie waits for her mother to return into life. I really liked how so many things about the town and the time period and the culture seemed very similar to things we know in real life so as to be relatable, but at the same time embued with just enough detail about their "otherworldliness" to bring the fantasy and magic aspects to life. I really appreciated that she brought out Wes's struggles with reading and attention difficulties. Without calling them out as specifically as ADHD and/or dyslexia, I certainly know people who will strongly relate to these descriptions. It made him even more human, despite being the "magical" one of the pair with his alchemical skills.

A note that there is some violence in the book, particularly in regards to animals. (The plot revolves around a hunt for a fox, and there is another animal death, as well as some minor violence between humans in the plot.) There are also some child neglect triggers, so be aware before you start to read if these are issues for you at all.

Overall, I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book, rating it 4-1/4 out of 5 stars for plot, character development, world-building and a creative magical system.

This YA fantasy romance about a mystical fox hunt sounded unique and interesting but I honestly struggled to connect with the characters or the story. The beginning dragged and the world building took longer than I anticipated. Perhaps just a case of wrong book wrong time but I had to DNF at about 30% Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

I was granted eARC access to A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the approval! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

A Far Wilder Magic is an interesting unlikely lovers sort of fantasy adventure between two teenagers in a world similar to UK several centuries ago, but one where alchemy is real magic and demonic creatures haunt small towns on a periodic basis. Weston is determined to be taken on as an alchemy apprentice when he turns up at Margaret's doorstep hoping to petition her mother for that student position. Margaret tries to make him leave lest he realize what she's hiding from everyone: her mother hasn't been home in a very long time and she doesn't know when, or even if, she's coming back. Weston proves extremely stubborn, though, and Margaret happens to need an alchemist partner to enter the Halfmoon Hunt...

This book is full of complex, real characters in a beautiful world with tragic circumstances that demand to be felt and experienced to the fullest. I both couldn't help but devour this book as fast as possible and yet wished I could make myself slow down and savour it. The human element in this plot is spot-on and tells a very genuine teenage story in the sort of setting that usually treats everyone over the age of 12 as a mature adult. It's so refreshing and welcome!

With that said, magic is in the title and the magic in this story felt very secondary. I understand and accept that love is the "far wilder magic," but despite a big part of the plot leaning on Weston's ability to perform the actual magic it really didn't spend nearly as much time as I wanted on exploring, explaining, and perfecting said magic. I wanted more on that front. I'd be really interested to read a sequel, if a compelling plot conflict could be dreamed up for them some time in the next couple of years after the point where this story ends, and really explore Weston as a student under proper instruction.

A Far Wilder Magic, by Allison Saft is a wonderful mix of the real and the magical. There are automobiles and radios, alongside mythical creatures and magic. There's a complex fictional society, but it is one rife with all too real discrimination and repression. And it is filled with two strong main characters, Wes and Margaret, who will steal your heart. With wonderful world-building, real-life themes, characters, and a wonderful romance, this novel was a treat. I highly recommend this YA fantasy. But, with some elements of abuse, and a romance that gets mildly spicy, I would recommend this to high school students and older.

What I Liked:

World-Building:

The world-building in this novel is a wonderful mix of the modern (there are cars, and radios), alongside the old-fashioned (the clothing, the lack of certain technologies). This gave the novel a timelessness that helped me to focus on the story.

Besides the setting, there are some scary stuff going on with the Hala (the mythical fox who wreaks havoc on the countryside). It comes once in a generation, triggering The Hunt. In the lead-up to The Hunt, the Hala starts by killing livestock, then gradually moves on to destroying crops, and even murdering people. The only way to kill the Hala is during the full moon of The Hunt, and must be done by a team of a marksman, and an alchemist.

Along with mythical creatures, magic plays important roles in the story. Wes wants to become an alchemist. He can perform small feats of alchemy (starting a fire), but more complicated magic seems to be beyond him. While he struggles to learn as quickly as he can, other teams are using enchantments to get a leg up on the competition.

Themes:

I love how fantasy novels are able to incorporate real-life issues into a story. This world (sadly) mirrors real life in that both Wes and Margaret face discrimination due to their family's religions. Wes's job prospects are limited due to prejudice, making him even more desperate to become an alchemist. Margaret is made to feel small in her little village for her father's religion. She has learned to ignore the taunts, the sneers, and even the threats. She thinks that if she shies away from attention, people will leave her alone. But there are people who are looking out for them, who do see Wes and Margaret as people worthy of kindness. And that gave me hope.

Characters:

Margaret is a lonely reclusive eighteen year-old, alone in a small village. While her mother Evelyn, a famous alchemist, is away, she must survive on her own. While she has people who are kind to her, the vast majority of people in the village are openly hostile to her due to her father's religion. Even though she is lethal with a firearm, she doesn't get along with people. And she never seems to do things correctly as far as her mother is concerned. She clings to the idea that if she just tries hard enough, her mother will love her.

Wes is the same age as Margaret, but he does come from a house full of love. He is desperate to become an alchemist and then have a successful career. One that would provide for his mother and many siblings. In order to do that he has to convince Margaret's mother, Evelyn to take him on as her apprentice.

We hear a lot about Evelyn long before we meet her. And none of it is good. Since the death of Margaret's brother, Evelyn has become obsessed with her work, and has become cruel towards her daughter. Her actions towards Margaret are emotional abuse. And it has left Margaret with plenty of scars.

Romance:

The true heart of the book is the relationship between Wes and Margaret. Initially, Wes finds Margaret to be plain, and not worthy of a second look. Margaret sees him as annoying and spoiled, always relying on his charm to get what he wants. But as they team up for The Hunt, they both get to see each other for who they really are. And then, the attraction sparks its own kind of magic!

I really appreciated that the author shows how hard it is for Margaret to trust Wes, due to her mother's emotional abuse. It takes a long time for her to see that Wes could like her. And Wes has to also start to see how his fake charm leads to fake connections. When he stops this habit, he starts to see what a true connection with another person is, and also how rewarding it can be.

I really enjoyed A Far Wilder Magic! I loved the dynamic between Margaret and Wes, and the writing was so atmospheric. After reading this book, I definitely want to go back and read the author's other book, Down Comes the Night. I'm excited to see what Saft writes next!

my favorite thing about reading fantasy is when the words on the page are so transformative you lose yourself in the setting and before you know it, you’ve flown through the entire book — that moment when you blink and you’ve already consumed every last sentence. reading a far wilder magic felt exactly like this; rich, compelling, and magical from beginning to end. this luscious story follows wes and margaret, two people from different paths of life who ultimately join forces to embark on a hunt and kill a monster. along the way, a swoonworthy and passionate relationship unravels, and i enjoyed every single second of it.

i think it’s safe to say, this read is nothing short of wonderful and i can’t recommend it enough. as a romance lover, i always love when a book has dual POVs, and this book had that! both of the main characters were interesting, endearing, and what blossomed between them was utterly consuming. they work together beautifully, and i enjoyed the high stakes felt throughout the entire story. i have not read allison saft’s other works, but i now look forward to reading all of them. i think i have found a new favorite author. if you are a lover of fantasy, romance, and adventure, this book is for you! 4/5 stars.

thank you so much to netgalley and st. martin's press for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Desperate to bring her mother home, Margaret devises a plan to enter the Halfmoon Hunt after the legendary hala is spotted in their town. There's only one problem—she needs an alchemist to team up with. When Weston shows up hoping to apprentice with Master Welty, Margaret seizes her chance and lets him stay in exchange for his joining the hunt. Despite tensions, they end up drawn to each other as they struggle to survive the hunt and emerge victorious.

I just couldn't put this one down. The story was beautifully written, descriptions painting vivid images in my imagination. The characters, too, were easy to picture and relate with. My emotions were definitely put through their paces. The plot, setting, and world-building all made for an engaging read. I can honestly say I've never read a book like this before, but I certainly hope to again!

My only complaint was some barely-disguised allusions to real-world tensions that felt clunky to me and lacked enough background to have any real significance to the story.

I was left wanting more of their story in a good way, which is a great way to end a read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Rating ~3.5

This turned out to be far more understated than I was expecting. It wasn’t highly action-packed, brimming with magic spells or non-stop adrenaline in any way, but still managed to keep me tied to the page. It's subtle, yet addicting.

Featuring an enduring sharpshooter heroine and a charming handsome wannabe alchemist, this book was a quiet examination. Of family, of love, and of prejudice. It explores the meaning of belonging and the sometimes crippling effects of loneliness.

The book is definitely more character-driven. With a lot of the conflict being internal, though that's not to say there isn't external conflict as well. Both our characters are unfortunately subject to a fair amount of bigotry as a result of their individual heritages and religious beliefs. And while this, unfortunately, mirrors the reality we all live in far too well, the book does manage to end on a hopeful note.

4/5

I waited too long to read A FAR WILDER MAGIC. In fact, I almost didn’t finish this eARC before the book’s release date! 🙈 I guess I was scared that Saft’s sophomore novel wouldn’t live up the magnificence that is DOWN COMES THE NIGHT. And while Saft’s debut is, in my opinion, superior, A FAR WILDER MAGIC is still on track toward becoming one of my favorite reads of 2022.

This story is set in Wickdon, a quaint remote town nestled by the sea, as well as in Dunway, a large city about three hours away. Margaret is from Wickdon; Wes is from Dunway. And the two about as polar opposite as where they originate from. Margaret is reserved while Wes is charismatic. Margaret is tidy while Wes is messy. But both are considered outsiders. Margaret because she is half Yu’adir (from her father’s side). And Wes because he is a Sumic Banvishman. They both face prejudice and discrimination from many Katharist New Albians . . . just because of their ancestry / religion. While I wish Saft had expanded on the history of this world, I was glad she didn’t necessarily try to explain *why* Yu’adir and Sumic and Banvish people are hated. Because, sometimes, as we well know from our own world, people are regularly condemned for no good / apparent reason.

That being said, Margaret and Wes are just. so. REAL. Saft knows how to create believable characters whose stories you want to follow. For example, we learn quickly that Wes is charming; but then we learn that his charisma is both innate and a result of practice. His own self-awareness makes him both annoying and likable (depending on context), since readers can divine his intentions when the story is in his POV rather than Margaret's.

The slow-burn romance is just as genuine as the characters. Many YA books romanticize romance, but A FAR WILDER MAGIC perfectly encapsulates the ups and downs--how love can grow, evolve from dislike to like to love. I think I ship Wes with Margaret more than I ship Margaret with Wes. Maybe I only feel this way becuase of how their characters contrast. Margaret’s emotions are more muted. And she has some healing and processing to do by the end of the book. I don’t know. I just know that Wes is so supportive and understanding and adorable, and I like him despite his faults.

Next, I wanted to say that I LOVE Saft’s writing style. Her use of metaphors and similes and atmospheric descriptions immediately wrap you up in the characters’ world and pull you into the story. The overall pace of A FAR WILDER MAGIC *is* slow, but it only makes you want to savor each line even more. It also helps build up to the Halfmoon Hunt. (Based on the synopsis, I originally thought the hunt was going to be the main plot of the book rather than the climax.)

The conclusion left one or two questions on the table, and not knowing the answers is going to bother me. But the story recognizes that some of the mysteries remain unsolved in the end and suggest that the they should remain unknown. Which, OK. It will still eat at me, but how can I, the reader, expect an answer when the characters are also left wondering (which, I believe, is an important part of the characters’ potential for growth even after the story ends—how they grapple with the truth of the world, how they view death, how they can separate mercy from forgiveness from rejection, and from doubt).

**Content Warnings: gore / blood, antisemitism, xenophobia, PTSD, emotional abuse / toxic parental relationship, mention of parental death, animal injury and death, ableist language (“idiot," “stupid" “blind,” “hysterically," “insane,” “deluded,”)

***I will post my review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and will update my Netgalley feedback with these links, after the title releases in March.***

'A Far Wilder Magic' by Allison Saft was not exactly what I expected it to be but it was an enjoyable enough read. We begin in the town of Wickdon, where the Halfmoon Hunt is about to begin. Contestants may enter the hunt in pairs to kill the legendary Hala, a sacred creature said to grant invaluable knowledge upon it's death. The entwining of magic, religion and science was the most compelling part of this novel and I enjoyed that immensely but the characters didn't quite work for me. I wasn't really invested in them or their romance, it didn't really seem to fit.

Margaret's relationship with her mother and the weight she felt she had to carry, even as a child, really spoke to me. The desire for her family to actually be a family again and the desperation she and her mother feel to achieve that (in their own extreme ways) was one of my favorite parts of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Margaret is left isolated in a manor alone for years while waiting for her mother to return home. One evening she sees the infamous Hala in the woods and decides to hunt the mythical being. Because killing the Hala is told to unlock magical powers beyond our imagination. But she isn’t the type people see being able to join the hunt, so she teams up with Weston an alchemist in training.

The story has alchemy and magical creatures. There’s also political and religious theme that runs through the story. But non the less it’s beautifully written and a plot that’s well character driven. And a chemistry between the two main characters that makes the story well rounded. They don’t necessarily see eye to eye but come together and make it much more magical.