This book gripped my hand tight. The best books are the ones that drag you out of depression, allowing you to breathe. Allison Saft’s sparkly prose consumed me. My every thought drifted further away from reality, sinking deep into the autumnal vibes of Welty Manor. I enjoy it when a book ruins me, like A Far Wilder Magic did.

Allison Saft makes me feel every single drop of the world. The atmosphere of the forest, the burnt leaves, misty woods, and the foamy sea. Old alchemic texts, the creaky floor of the Welty manor, and rustic things laying about an alchemist’s study. All of this makes me feel everything about the world, leading me to also feel for the two tortured souls of this novel, Margaret Welty and Weston Winters.

I love a heroine that kills a man with a single dagger-eyed stare.

Margaret Welty, daughter of a famed alchemist, wants something no one can give her. The love of her mother. Neglected by her mother, she takes care of herself. She hopes to enter the contest, but the town is determined to keep their pride for those like them, not some Yu’adir girl. Weston Winters, a Sumic Banvishman from the city, arrives in Wickdon with the sole determination to become the apprentice of one of the most famous alchemists in the nation. By entering the contest together, Margaret and Wes hope to achieve their goals, but as is typical of a fantasy romance, these two torture each other with ruinous romantics.

In A Far Wilder Magic, we enter a fantasy world with the nationalistic politics of early 20th century America. Immigrants and Jewish people are not welcomed in this place where pride is tied with supreme nationalistic identity and colonial sentiment. An immigrant and a Jewish girl (Sumic Banvishman/Yu’adir) enrolling in one of the town’s most honored traditions is not who they had in mind.

The romance between Margaret and Wes will surely ruin most readers, self included. Wes going on about how Margaret’s hair makes him feel depraved made for a fun read. It’s always great to read a puppy dog love interest completely baffled at how a single thing can make them absolutely obsessed with the one girl they don’t want to fall for. I’m in love with Margaret. If ever there were a heroine like a wolf, she would be it. She’s all edges and claws, just like a great heroine should. I love how they annoy each other and no matter how much they try to resist it, they melt together. Their dynamic is perfection. I love their messes, complications, and mistakes just as much as I love their good choices, perfections, and attributes. It made them real and honest in the way that truly fleshed out characters shine.

As a romance and fantasy reader, this book was a joy to read. I can tell the author appreciates and loves the traditional romance novel. There’s even a fun scene featuring a historical romance novel (by inserting a duke for an alchemist), painted covers and all. Saft is fantastic at tension, slowly building that development between two people falling for each other.

It was fun and exciting. The highest praise I can give an author is that their book made me escape from the world. Allison Saft made it so easy to sink in and enjoy the characters. A Far Wilder Magic is about fighting for your self. That you are deserving of healthy love and happiness, no matter the obligations other make you feel.

I highly recommend falling for Weston Winters and Margaret Welty.

Thank you Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for providing an e-arc for review

A very good read. While there is a large focus on the growing romance between the main characters and on the alchemy/magic of this world, it also has big things to say about people's attitudes towards immigrants and people of other religions. I finished this book a while ago, and the piece that keeps sticking with me is the way the author was able to show through lovable main characters the real toll that these hateful attitudes can have on good people as they try to build their lives.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Arc given by Netgalley: A wonderful story filled with great characters and a unique story line. Unlike anything I’ve ever read.

A Far Wilder Magic

A Far Wilder Magic is a dual POV fantasy novel with a unique magic system and well thought out characters. The story is centered around the Halfmoon Hunt, think traditional fox hunt with a magical, sacred fox called the Hala. Our main characters Weston Winters and Margaret Welty join forces, unrelentingly, for the hunt. Before reading the book, I expected the hunt to take up the majority of the book, however, it is actually less then 10% of the content. The story itself sets up how Wes and Margaret got to the hunt and their relationship through that time. I think the following saying applies to this book, “it’s about the journey, not the destination.”
Allison Saft has created such interesting and dynamic characters, as well as brought a new perspective on magic. My one criticism is that there are a lot of made up words I feel it would have been helpful to have an index in the back with pronunciation and also definitions. There were times when I was reading when I came across one of her magic terms and I couldn’t remember the what it meant because it was only described once in the beginning.



I received an advance review copy for free for NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Far Wilder Magic is a beautiful story full of magic, stunning scenery and two fierce main characters who are determined to rise above the world's expectations of them. I loved the way Margaret and Wes's stories intertwined and the way their bond grew through the book. I also loved the way the magic of alchemy was described and developed into the story. The story had a very satisfying arc of character development which made for a really enjoyable read throughout. I also loved the way so many characters were cast into the morally grey spaces of being complicit in harm without ever being the direct antagonists in the story, adding a really thoughtful edge to the interactions with those characters.
I also absolutely loved having some coded Jewish rep with Margaret, considering how rare Jewish rep is in more fantastical settings. (We need more of it!!) My one personal qualm is that I would have loved a bit more joy around that for Margaret since it primarily just served as an identity that made her a target for harassment in the town. (And obviously that's very much a real issue that deserves to be highlighted, but I also loved the few morsels of when Margaret looked back on her identity with a point of pride and would have loved more of that, or how those traditions are still part of her life and not just associated with her dad.)
Overall, it was a really enjoyable book with a thoughtful story and two characters who I became very attached to as the book continued and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

This lovely romance will set your heart aflame with the twist and turns Margaret and Wes face together. The story building was wonderful and not a single note was out of place.

Can we just take a moment to say how gorgeous this book cover is? Absolutely stunning! I thought it was such a fun twist having the main female character be a sharpshooter, and have her male sidekick focus on alchemy. The traditional gender roles are totally flipped in this story and I am here for it! I also thought that the hala was such a fresh and intriguing take of the usual creatures we see in the fantasy genre i.e. unicorns, dragons, vampires, werewolves.

god i love allison saft. i don’t think she can miss. slower than i initially thought it would be, a far wilder magic is nonetheless engaging and exciting and truly thoughtful. as much about family as it is about romance, it benefits so strongly from moving back and forth between perspectives. excellent

I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. A Far Wilder Magic is an atmospheric, mystical, slow-burn romance with okay characters and an interesting magic system that doesn't get enough explanation. I guess I’m the one in the wrong for expecting this to be a darker, more violent read based on the premise of the Halfmoon Hunt rather than a long, plodding love story.

I have to admit to really liking the feel of this book. It has a dark air, although it’s more in a depressing way than in a creepy way. Margaret and Wes have both suffered significant losses and are struggling with their lots in life. Maggie is trying to keep her house from falling down around her and doing whatever she can to try and win back her absent mother’s affections. Wes wants to be an alchemist to eventually get into politics and change immigration policy, but he keeps failing out of his apprenticeships. The two find a prickly companionship with one another, one that begins to thaw into something romantic once they begin training together as partners for the Hunt.

I'm not completely sure that I like the romance between these two. It's sweet, but I don't think that either character is really in the right place to fall in love, and I'm not really convinced of their feelings for each other. It seems like things between then move slowly and then jump ahead all at once, and the pacing just feels off. In fact, the book's pacing in general feels all over the place. This is definitely a character-driven book, and while I don't dislike this type of plot, I need to like the characters to enjoy the story. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, and the fact that the majority of the book focuses on Maggie coming out of her shell and Wes finding real confidence isn't interesting to me. I was promised a vicious, magical Hunt, and that doesn't come into play until the end. Even once the plot reaches the Hunt, it's short and anticlimactic, and I was disappointed.

I guess the best way to describe how I felt about this book was bored. The foreboding, unwelcoming feel of the town and its people felt real enough, but I wasn't all that fond of either Margaret or Wes, and the focus on character development rather than plot development really slowed the story down. I had to force myself to keep coming back to finish, and that's never a good sign. A Far Wilder Magic will surely be a winner for some folks, but, unfortunately, I wasn't one of them.

This was a very unique story and I loved it!
This is the first that I've read by this author, and I can guarantee that it will not be the last!
Margaret Welty is a very talented archer and Margaret saw one of the last mystical creatures in the world and she wants to enter the hunt! But, to enter she needs a partner soo she talks Wes to enter with her. I loved how the POV switched between the two. The two characters are soo different but the duo provides an enticing story and it was hooking!
While the two grow closer together they do have a slow-building relationship, and the competition is pretty fierce they would have to survive the whole ordeal. When they started considering dark magic but like they would have to survive the hunt!
Margaret does have some flashbacks showing her ties to where she is from and how much she wants to leave. The relationship between Wes and Margaret is slow-building, and that's the best part of the relationship! This is definitely a gothic type of story the tone and everything are set amazingly! I loved that this story reminded me of a Grimms fairy tale that I would have read as a child! The story is full of romance, suspense, myth, and wonder! I loved the suspense that was the build-up, it was enough to keep me on my toes but not so much that made the book on the thriller side! I absolutely adored this! I would like to thank Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one!

HIGHLIGHTS
~alchemy > electricity
~a woman who can shoot is a woman to treasure
~the quest for a magic bullet
~Feels that will make you ache
~Trouble is anything but

It’s funny, I came very close to DNF-ing this book. As a general rule of thumb, if I don’t care about how a book’s going to end by the 20-25% mark, I put it down – there are so many books to read, I just don’t have time to waste on ones I’m not invested in.

And it’s true that at 25%, I really didn’t care very much about where the story was going – even though it’s around that point that the real action starts, aka the hunt for the hala. I liked the characters, but I wasn’t interested in them. And I wasn’t super enthusiastic to read about what is functionally a fox hunt, because I’m that person who thinks hunting that isn’t for food is despicable.

But.

I wasn’t sure about DNF-ing A Far Wilder Magic. I hesitated. I told myself, ‘I’ll just read one more page, to make sure.’ Which turned into ‘Just one more chapter.’ And then ‘…just another chapter, for real this time.’

Reader, I did not DNF this book.

And the primary reason for that is that the prose is so beautiful. I did eventually become very invested in the story and the characters, but the prose held me hypnotised long enough for that to happen. It’s not purple, but it is very descriptive, and Saft comes up with beautiful similes and metaphors, with images that perfectly evoke the very specific vibe she’s going for in a given sentence. It’s gorgeous and hypnotic and more than occasionally breathtaking.

Every now and again, a white-capped wave rears up, snarling, and breaks on the rocks–just enough bite to prove it’s not a tamed creature.

In the world Saft has created, alchemy is very real and very respectable – even if it is as much magic as science. In fact, it’s so respectable that only alchemists can become politicians. I’ll admit I never understood that detail, but humans arrange a lot of things in ways that don’t make sense in the real world, too, so I was willing to accept it and move on. Besides, what’s more important is that it means that Wes, one of our main characters, must become an accredited alchemist if he wants to become the kind of politician who does real good with real change – something that’s incredibly important, and urgent, given the way his family and their fellow Banvish immigrants, followers of the Sumic faith, are treated in the country of New Albion. But due to what reads like learning difficulties – I think in our world Wes might be diagnosed with something like ADHD? – he’s never managed to complete an apprentiship. His last chance is to convince Master Welty to take him on.

Margaret Welty, on the other hand, is no alchemist, despite being the daughter of a very famous one. The only thing she’s interested in is a quiet life, and somehow earning the approval or even just the attention of her famous, but emotionally neglectful, mother. Margaret is an impressive sharpshooter, skilled hunter, and has taught herself to need no one but her dog Trouble and her horse Shimmer. The last thing she wants is Wes turning up on her doorstep – especially while her mother’s away.

And yet.

They’re the same height, nearly nose to nose. Wes decides this means she is tall rather than the alternative.

Saft has pulled various bits of worldbuilding from our world’s history, but with extreme precision: New Albion can easily be read as a stand-in for late-1800s/early-1900s America; the Banvish are very obviously inspired by the Irish immigrants from that time period; the Sumic faith is incredibly similar to Catholicism in its practices; Yu’adir are clearly Jews. Although all three of the religions we see in this book are concerned with a single Creator and differing views on the creatures known as demiurges, the prejudices and stereotypes thrown at Sumics are identical to those that were thrown at Catholics, as the ones about the Yu’adir are interchangeable for the awfulness still said about Jews and Judaism. For example, idiots claim that the Banvish will never be loyal to New Albion because their loyalty belongs to their far-off Pope; this is exactly the crap that was spewed about the Irish immigrants who made it to the States. Similarly, many new Albians believe the Yu’adir secretly run and manipulate the world’s finances via some elaborate conspiracy – where have we heard that before?

“Western Winters, huh? You’re sure you didn’t find him in a children’s book?”

On a more positive note, Saft’s world is a queernorm one – although neither Margaret nor Wes express any queer feelings themselves, queer characters are casually included, and it’s clear no one bats an eye. Men and women also seem to be societal equals, which was a surprise and a delight – it feels like I’ve read very few gender-equal stories recently.

This is all important – the religious conflicts are the main reasons people turn on Margaret and Wes when the two of them join the hunt – but I never felt overwhelmed by it. Saft doesn’t believe in info-dumps or lecturing her readers. It feels like you absorb the worldbuilding almost by osmosis, just by holding the book; that’s how deftly the information is imparted, how well it’s woven into the story.

Now that is the first thing he’s said that makes sense. All dogs deserve veneration, maybe even canonization.

And it’s a hugely, massively character-driven story. The hunt for the hala is not really what this story is about – although even Margaret and Wes think it is! But really, A Far Wilder Magic is a love story – and yet I wouldn’t call it a capital-R Romance either. Romance can be deep and intricate too, but it’s fundamentally escapist – it’s not a real Romance if it doesn’t have a happy ending – and A Far Wilder Magic doesn’t feel quite like escapism. It’s polished to perfection – but it feels raw. It’s gentle, even tender – then feral and painful. It’s about so many kinds of hurt and unfairness and prejudice – religious and racial, and to a lesser extent classist and…whatever it’s called when you look down on those who struggle with academics.

Her hair tumbles from beneath her cloche hat in curls, as rich and round as chestnuts, and pearls drip from her ears like raindrops from the lip of a petal.

I really don’t know how to describe this book. Wes and Margaret both undergo huge character development between the start of the book and its end, which I adored, and thought was done extremely well. They both have their own baggage. They both have sharp edges – even if Wes’ glitter – and yet, they find a way to fit together. Without ever intending it.

she watched him fall in love with her at the end of a gun.

And I really can’t talk about it much without spoilers, but I loved how Margaret, who is tough and prickly and needs no one…how the narrative allowed her to be soft, in the end. That she didn’t have to want to change the world. The quiet message that less dramatic, quieter dreams and desires are just as valuable as big loud world-changing ones. That it’s okay to not want to be a leader, a pioneer, a trailblazer. I don’t think we get that in SFF very often. SFF is so concerned with big, dramatic stories that we lose the quieter ones, sometimes, and Saft has…brought that back. That thread of something quiet and warm.

I hope we can hold onto it.

A Far Wilder Magic is a book about hurts, and it’s a book about healing. It’s about letting no one else define who you are. It’s about family, and what that’s supposed to look like and be like. And A Far Wilder Magic is all of this, threaded through with surprising humour, written in poetry, and soft even when it’s sharp.

It’s an absolute knock-out, and you really need to read it.

So make sure it’s on your 2022 list!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for making this available so I could grab it!

I adored this story so much. From the first sentence, I fell in love with Margaret and how strong she was and how you just see her open up to Wes and they just slowly fall in love. This is definitely a story you fall into, with its cozy fall atmosphere and amazing characters. I couldn’t get enough.

I adored Down Comes the Night when I got an ARC of it back last fall. It was stupendous and everything – so I was so pleased when I was sent an eARC of Saft’s next novel, A Far Wilder Magic. I was humming with excitement! A Far Wilder Magic combines magic and a quest together in a way that works. Much like Saft’s debut novel there is much to love about this new one. I was delighted by it. I can see the inspiration Saft got from Fullmetal Alchemist in terms of characters, especially if you like the ship Roy/Riza. Plotwise it isn’t at all similar.

First, Saft’s writing is stupendous. It is stellar. I cannot exclaim enough about how much I love it. It is sumptuous. Ugh I can’t even explain just how much I love it. But her writing does so much, it crafts feelings and atmospheres. I live for this type of writing and Saft just excels at it. You will just want to drown yourself in this writing and bathe and live in it forever. Yes, I am ridiculous.

“Alchemy is neither progress nor salvation. It’s the stench of sulfur she can’t scrub out of her hair. It’s packed suitcases and locked doors. It’s blood and ink on the floorboards.”

I loved Margaret in this book, I found her to be a strong character. I loved her perspective and her strength. I also loved Wes! Wes was a great character as well. He was sweet and delightful. I loved getting to see these two characters fall in love (despite not liking the Roy/Riza FMA ship they seem to be based off of) because it was done SO WELL. Saft always does an amazing job with romances, and this was no exception. It was truly well done. I wanted to cuddle Margaret and Wes.

I think the pacing in this book is also good, you get time to become invested in the characters and what happens to them, but it also isn’t boring which can happen sometimes. Thankfully it doesn’t happen here! This is a slow-paced plot, and it isn’t really about the hunt, but more about relationships, so there isn’t a huge amount of action/adventure.

It’s a personal issue – but my ONE big issue – with the book is that because I am so familiar with FMA I kept comparing all the characters/relationships to it, and so sometimes I fell out of the book. And that’s a me thing – not a book thing! This is all on me. If you’ve never heard or seen FMA, this isn’t going to be a problem for you. I will also say a line, “all is one, one is all” is ripped directly from FMA which is “one is all, all is one”. That really bugged me because that was specific to the series. I love the homage to this series but sometimes I felt like I was reading a very well written AU fanfic. (I love fanfic, so this isn’t necessarily bad, I just wasn’t really expecting it.)

Overall, this is a lovely book!

Allison Saft has does it again. Her debut, Down Comes the Night, was one of my favorite reads of 2021 and A Far Wilder Magic was just as powerful and beautifully written as her first novel. It follows the story of a tough, no nonsense girl called Margaret, a young, overeager alchemist called Wes and a mythical hunt to slay a bloodthirsty fox. It’s gothic and autumnal, full of the creepy forest vibes and unsettling language of a true gothic fantasy. I love Saft’s writing style and her way of phrasing things that seem commonplace to make them extraordinary. Like Down Comes the Night, A Far Wilder Magic was full of emotive romance, enthralling worldbuilding and lush descriptions. I’d highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved A Far Wilder Magic. Maggie was a strong female protagonist and I loved how she grew as a person to believe in herself and let herself trust others.

Maggie has always been an outsider. In her little town, she lives on the outskirts by herself and her dog, Trouble. Her mom has been away for several months and Maggie isn't sure when she will return. The townspeople don't approve of her background and either want nothing to do with her or go out of their way to be spiteful to her. When Maggie sees the legendary hala, she knows the hunt is right around the corner. The hala has the potential to change things for her. She thinks her mom might actually notice her instead of leaving all the time.

Wes feels like he is a disappoint to his family. He has big dreams of becoming an alchemist, but he keeps getting kicked out of all his apprenticeships. He hasn't done anything to help his family financially. His last shot rests with Maggie's mom, who hasn't taken on an apprentice in a long time. When he arrives at Maggie's doorstep unannounced, she wants nothing to do with him, especially when her mom isn't even there. Eventually, she realizes that Wes may prove to be useful to her. In order to enter the hunt, she needs an alchemist. Wes is an alchemist, albeit an untrained one. She convinces him that if he enters the hunt with her, that he can give the reward money to his family and that the recognition will be enough for her mother to consider taking him on as an apprentice.

I liked the development of the relationship between Wes and Maggie. Maggie has a hard exterior and comes across unapproachable and at times abrasive. Wes comes across overly confident and charming while hiding all of his insecurities underneath it all. Maggie has a way of seeing Wes for who he really is and all of his posturing. Wes sees how Maggie is truly hurting and how alone she has been all this time. As the two of them work together to win the hunt, they are also slowly healing themselves and recognizing who they are and what they want.

This book was beautiful. I loved the storyline, but I loved all the themes that were woven throughout. It explored what love really looks like, what it means to chase your dreams, and to fight for what you believe in. It explored what it means to be different and alone, and how it is okay to lean on people and that there are good people in the world.

I picked up the book because of the summary, but I felt like it was so much more than that. I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend it to any one who has spent time chasing the love of everyone else before realizing that what matters most is the love they have of themselves.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley.

<i>A Far Wilder Magic</i> is a fantasy YA book with a central romance and dark themes. That's not uncommon in the genre, but this book feels fresh, innovative, and realistic.

Against a secondary-world setting that is reminiscent of early 20th century Earth, Margaret lives in isolation with her dog. Her alchemist mother has abandoned her, gone traveling in her obsessive pursuits, and Margaret gets little help in town, where she's sneered at by bigots. When Wes shows up, determined to be her mother's new apprentice, Margaret is ready to leave him locked outside. But she doesn't. Instead, they strike an uneasy alliance to hunt a holy creature that has made a rare appearance in the nearby woods. If they can nab it, it could secure both their futures--if they survive.

The book alternates between Margaret and Wes, and this is done with incredible effectiveness. There is no insta-love here. The two are greatly annoyed by each other in realistic ways--neither is a jerk or terrible--and while in their point of view, the reader really gets why they act the way they do. The relationship builds over time.

There are some trigger warnings to mention. Both Margaret and Wes are from minorities, and the harassment that Margaret in particular endures is heartbreaking. Margaret's mother is toxic in her parenting, and the book doesn't shy away from the effects that kind of manipulation can have on a person. Without delving into spoilers, I'll say that the book addresses these heady issues but overall is positive and empowering.

Oh my goodness, this book was BEAUTIFUl! Saft not only weaves an incredible story, but she does it so beautifully with sweeping and epic prose, that it blows your mind. Or it blew mine anyway! This book is all about the healing power of love and was right up my alley. It's whimsical and tender and absolutely stunning! I enjoyed it so much! Definitely recommend!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Overall, I did like the story and the character development, but I would have really liked more world building. I didn’t understand the setting (there were towns and trains and cars and they used the Dollar but $75 was an enormous prize?) and the premise of the Hunt itself left me with a lot of questions. Maybe I just wanted more about the Hunt and less about the romance, but that’s just me I guess.

I loved this one. Not only did it suck me in from the first few pages, I loved the concept of alchemy and the hunt that was so rare--and almost fairytale like--to take part in. Definitely check this one out if you're into magic and a sweet love, all sub plotted around an emotional journey that will pull you in.

I loved Allison Saft debut novel and knew I had to read whatever she came out with next! A Far Wilder Magic was so much more that I hoped it would be, action, magical creatures, alchemy.. and the slow burn romance was top shelf..

I was sucked into the story from the beginning and didn't want to put it dow. I loved the characters of Margaret and Wes, they are both so complicated and REAL feeling.. I felt like I was in the story with them watching their romance unfold. Both of them are entering the Hunt for the Hala for their own reasons, but when they finally start working together and trusting each other magical things happen..

I loved everything about this book, and I can't wait to see what other things Allisons Saft will write, and Ill definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book to add to my library..