*Actual rating of 4.5 stars

“All is One and One is All is the fundamental tenet of alchemy. It’s always been an ethical code for him. To help one person is to better the entire world.” -- Allison Saft

A Far Wilder Magic is a cozy, atmospheric book with a delicious slow burn romance in which opposites attract. Set in what I think is a 1920s inspired world that is very close to our own world, magic (alchemy) is real and so are mythical creatures called demiurges. For centuries, demiurges were hunted as a means to gain glory and there is only one left in the entire world--the hala, a white fox that creates chaos when it appears. Margaret Welty (Maggie) and Wes Winters join the hunt for the hala together.

This book keeps being described in reviews (and even in its official summary) as “atmospheric” and there is definitely a good reason why. Saft creates such rich scenes by using color, scent, and other tactile descriptions that really put you within the book. She masterfully manipulates the words on the page to bring the setting and individual moments to life. A few choice words and you either feel on edge with suspense in fog-coated woods, or immediately cozy in the golden glow of a fire.

Another thing this author does really, really well is her characters and their relationships with each other. Maggie is a tough heroine who is interested only in surviving. She’s described at one point as “the kind of girl who would sooner kill a man than admire one.” Meanwhile, Wes thrives on attention, can talk his way out of any situation, and is a charmer through and through. He and Maggie are total opposites, which only makes the chemistry between them so much stronger.

My favorite relationship in the book--other than Maggie and Wes’s relationship, of course--is that between Wes and his mother and sisters. He has two older sisters and two younger sisters and despite not having a lot of time on the page, they all four have very distinct personalities. Wes interacts differently with each of them, and you can even see how his relationships with them have shaped him. They banter with each other, support each other, and argue with each other in a way that tells me the author must have at least one sibling. I adored how Wes’s sisters each played a part in the story, and in his overall development. It’s not a spoiler, but to me one of the most touching scenes in the book takes place between Wes and his oldest sister, Mad.

Saft does an excellent job at showing the characters’ motivations and the reasons why they act the way they do in a particular situation. Sometimes in books with multiple points of view there is a struggle to discern two characters, but that doesn’t happen at all in this book. Maggie and Wes are two very distinct characters and there is never any confusion over whose point of view the chapter is in.

Another excellent part of this book is the representation. It explores racism and xenophobia pretty deeply, along with other issues that are relevant in the real world today. It also has LGBTQ+ rep in the minor characters--including a funny moment where it’s revealed that Wes’s sister Christine is currently dating a girl he originally wanted to date.

There are a couple of reasons this book didn’t get the full five stars from me. The main one is that the romance isn’t the only slow-burn part of the book. The summary makes it seem like the hunt for the hala is the main event, but it really only takes place over a couple of chapters at the very end of the book. It’s there and then gone in minutes, pretty much. The plot is definitely centered on the characters much more so than the plot itself. This is not a bad thing at all, but my expectations were for a more magical and action-packed plot than what really happened in the book. I love character-driven books, and this book has such amazing characters (and development for them) that it’s really easy to overlook the slowness of the actual plot. This book also has long chapters, which makes it a bit harder to get through a slow plot. The world was also a little confusing, as there are religions and races of people that aren’t entirely explained; we are just given context clues here and there. It took some time to decipher them, and I’m still not entirely clear on parts of the world.

These things by no means take away from how, well, good this story is. The characters are well fleshed out, believable, and have solid development and growth as the story progresses. The plot is interesting and unique. The descriptions are incredibly sensory and put you right into the story. The romance is delicious and dynamic and just so satisfying.

I haven’t read Allison Saft’s other book, but I definitely will be purchasing it in the near future, along with whatever her next book will be.



*I received a free electronic copy of this book from Netgalley
*Review also posted on Goodreads & The Book Keepers Blog

Although I found the descriptions beautiful at times and the worldbuilding regarding the hala and demiurges uniquely compelling, ultimately I struggled to connect with the main characters and care about them. They felt almost too familiar, like embodied tropes we've seen a dozen times before in this particular type of story without enough to distinguish them. I also found it difficult getting over the hump of the slow beginning, which is a shame because there's some really good stuff in the middle to late portions of the book. In the end, this book wasn't for me, but I can see other YA fantasy fans enjoying it.

A pensive and evocative read that weaves together a lot of threads: a romance, a hunt for a magical fox, two complex family dynamics, a look at religious prejudice through the lens of a coded 1920s West Coast America, a search for the ultimate power of a philosopher's stone, domestic abuse and neglect, the impact of dyslexia on a scholar's education and acceptance in the academic sphere, a city vs. country culture clash, and a figuratively haunted house. Though there's lots of beautiful imagery, and some great banter, the prose is heavily weighted toward interior monologue and will best suit readers who enjoy that viewpoint. I found it interesting that Saft seemed to favour her heroine at the beginning, but told more of the story through her hero's viewpoint as the story progressed.

Thank you NetGalley for sending this arc for an honest review!

After reading contemporary romance and smut for so long I almost forgot fantasy EXSISTed. And what a great way to get back into it thro this epic fantasy romance that was absolutely breathtakingly astonishing. Poetry. Literally poetry is what it was. Seeing the romance unfold between the two felt like seeing a combination of beauty and the beast and Romeo and Juliette. You just don’t know the direction it was going. The plot had my heart aching reading this truly reminded me why fantasy romance is indeed superior.

For starters, this was one of my most anticipated books of 2022 and it became one of my favorites of 2021.

A Far Wilder Magic introduces us to a world similar to our own in a number of ways, but with a twist: these people can do alchemy, something all too magical. With a somewhat complicated dynamic between the different religions, the appearance of the last "demiurge" (for some demons, for others something sacred) means that it will soon start a hunt that is already a tradition. Whoever kills the hala will go down in history, and will receive a handsome reward.

For our protagonists, Margaret and Wes, it means more: a future, a mother's love.

The characters. If there's one thing I love, it's watching the protagonists grow. AFWM has one of the most exciting evolutions in the literature I've read, with ups and downs, advances and setbacks. The protagonists make mistakes, they are stubborn, but they also recognize what they did wrong and reflect on the words and actions of others.

The world. Its construction was what hooked me in the first place, but most of all, everything about the Hala, the political issues, the anti-Semitic portrayal (very well tackled) and a town with countryside on one side, forest and the beach on the other; the best of two worlds.

Romance. It's slow burn, too cute. Besides the attraction, there's the interest in protecting the other, the understanding that the other is an individual on his or her own who cannot be controlled. toxic? Nothing, except that Wes loves to flirt with others, but it ends as soon as he makes the decision to commit to his feelings.


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Para empezar, este era uno de mis libros más esperados de 2022 y se convirtió en uno de mis favoritos de 2021.

A Far Wilder Magic nos presenta un mundo similar al nuestro en diversas formas, pero con un toque especial: estas personas pueden hacer alquimia, algo demasiado mágico. Con una dinámica un tanto complicada entre las distintas religiones, la aparición del último “demiurge” (para unos demonios, para otros algo sagrado) significa que pronto iniciará una cacería que ya es tradición. Quien mate al hala pasará a la historia, y recibirá una cuantiosa recompensa.

Para nuestros protagonistas, Margaret y Wes, significa más: un futuro, el amor de una madre.

Los personajes. Si hay algo que me encanta, es ver el crecimiento de los protagonistas. AFWM tiene uno de las evoluciones que más me emocionan de la literatura que he leído, con subidas y bajadas, avances y retrocesos. Los protagonistas cometen errores, son tercos, pero también reconocen que hicieron mal y reflexionan en las palabras y el actuar de los demás.

El mundo. Su construcción fue lo que me enganchó en primer lugar, pero sobre todo, todo lo relacionado con el Hala, las cuestiones políticas, la representación antisemita (muy bien abordado) y un pueblo con campo por un lado, bosque y la playa por otro; lo mejor de dos mundos.

El romance. Es slow burn, demasiado lindo. Además de la atracción, está el interés de proteger al otro, el entendimiento de que el otro es un individuo por sí solo que no puede ser controlado. ¿Tóxico? Nada, salvo que Wes le encanta coquetear con otras, pero termina en cuanto toma la decisión de comprometerse con sus sentimientos.

I was completely drawn in from the cover, and was won over by the plot. Margaret and Wes were such solid characters. It was well written and the story flowed so perfectly. Each character added more depth to the story. Nothing felt out of place, and it was beautifully written.

From the first chapter, I knew I was going to love this book. The world felt lived-in, the characters real and human. The side characters added to the story and were fully fleshed out people alongside the main cast. I loved the importance of family, but also of moving on and not allowing blood to have a strong hold on you. Both Wes and Margaret were crafted with such vitality and they leapt off the page with each page. The writing style was easy and beautiful, interlaced with commentary on identity and belonging and how the world is cruel, but not everyone is. I loved the kinship and the blossoming relationship between Wes and Margaret and every interaction left me wanting more. I was cheering for them since the beginning and they, more than anymone, deserve the ending that they fought for. I had no doubt that it would end the way that it did, but never was it predictable. I think more than anything, I hoped for that ended for them and I wanted it so badly, I made it real in my head before they got their themselves. This book is such a beautiful portrait of character and pacing and I loved every minute. I had a few small gripes about length (I think there were a few small sections that could have been scaled back/a few plot points that stuck around too long), however they didn't damage the experience. Still one that i"m looking forward to recommending and displaying when it comes out.

Thank you again to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance to read and review early.

This book had a refreshing take on mixing up genres and the synopsis completely had me sold! The characters of Margaret and Wes were so well done that they truly felt like real people. I adored their relationship. It was so beautifully written and the descriptive language in the book was so well done.
Overall a fantastic read. I will definitely be reading anything that Allison Saft writes in the future.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I knew within the first few pages that I could never fully love this book.

Nowhere in the description does it describe the hala, this mythical beast the characters set out to slay. Readers have to actually pick up the book and read its first chapter to learn that the hala is a fox.

Foxes are my favorite animal.

This is a book all about killing a fox.

Nevertheless, I trudged through this ARC. I couldn’t love it, but I could at least give it an analytical review and push my feelings aside.

All in all, my hurt didn’t really matter that much, because I still found this book to be amazing.

We follow Margaret and Wes in this competition to kill the hala. Margaret is a teen abandoned for months on end while her mother explores the world, while Wes has only ever known the love of his large family.

This book focuses a lot on the decision to do the things your family wants you to do versus the things you want to do in your life. Both main characters struggle with this in different ways as they try to figure out what they should do with their lives.

We also focus on real-world racism in a way that fits this fantasy. Both main characters are looked down on for being different from the majority of the population. A lot of the real-world tie-in is hinted by language use–Margaret occasionally uses Hebrew phrases, while Wes throws a few Irish phrases in–but the hints were very obvious what exactly we were working with under the surface.

Strangely, I couldn’t quite get a feel for the time period of this book. It felt very 1920s at times, but I wouldn’t like to pinpoint this book exactly in that decade. Of course, I realize this is a fantasy book and therefore isn’t similar to the world as we know it, but the setting definitely had a bit of a historical feel, and I would definitely gesture vaguely to the 1920s as reference.

I think any reader can agree that the ending to this book is very bittersweet. The actions the characters take to resolve the plot will leave any reader upset, but it’s also very obvious that it’s for the best. While there are details that may make a reader assume that things will get better soon after the end of this book, the way the actual book ends feels pretty depressing.

That being said, I liked this book a lot more than I originally thought with such a hurtful (and unexpected) beginning, and while I personally can’t rate it a perfect five stars, I can definitely see a lot of other readers absolutely loving this book.

This may be my new comfort read. The author perfectly captured that cozy, comforting feeling while simultaneously getting the reader to think about some heavy topics. It gave me the same feelings I had while reading/watching Tuck Everlasting or Bridge to Terabithia. However, I would not say this is meant for young readers. There are a few scenes with some mild spice. Like it doesn’t exactly fade to black, but it doesn’t not fade to black.

And the main characters! Oh my god, I loved Margaret and Wes. First off, they felt like two sides of the same coin. They both have these similar experiences with discrimination and bigotry, but one is the coin’s heads, putting on on a good face in hopes of gettnig into politics and making changes. While the other is the tails, preferring to make themself invisible in an attempt to avoid unwanted comments. But I also loved how Margaret was the series hunter and Wes was the golden-retriever alchemist.

In general, I adored this story. I loved that this is a fantasy story with the elements of a mythical creature being hunted and those who are alchemists, although the author makes it feel more like they are doing chemistry than magic (which I enjoyed). And I loved that this was like an alternative version of Gilded-age/Gatsby-esq America. Like with turn of the century America, this fantasy world of New Albion had the polarizing worlds of the country still stuck in the last century while the cities were vastly modernizing.

But the biggest conflict in this story is what we saw in 1900s America with the discrimination against Jewish communities and especially new immigrants, believing that they would ruin America with their religions and customs. This author does a wonderful job illustrating how toxic those beliefs (that sadly still exist) with one antagonist who is very Draco Malfoy-like, while not shoving it in your face.

Overall, the story was beautifully done and I am absolutely amazed with how Allison Shaft showed us the ugly-side of discrimination and bigotry while giving this heart-warming tale that will definitely become one of my new comfort reads.

“He grins at her. ‘It’s you and me against the world, Margaret.’ ”

A legendary, mystical creature is hunted each year in the historic Halfmoon Hunt. This tradition combines hunting skills and alchemy. Outcasts Margaret and Wes enter the competition together - each with their own desire to prove themselves. The intricate world of Wickdon is a constant tension of a complex class system, religious differences, and long-held beliefs on science + magic. Woven throughout is a slow-burn love story that is so sweet and tender. Much of the story will have your heart pounding and rooting for these two unlikely heroes.

Read if you like
- Strong heroine
- Dual POVs
- Spooky woods
- Slow-burn YA love
- Alchemy
- Magic
- Character growth
- Underdogs

“Like this, she looks more wolf than girl - like some magic far wilder than alchemy runs through her.”

Honestly, I was unable to finish the entire book. I love a good YA Fantasy Romance read, but the writing style here was just not for me. I did however appreciate the unique premise and the romance aspect. I think I went into this expecting more magic/fantasy, so I could have had too high of expectations from this book. Still giving it 4/5 because of the unique storyline, not to mention the gorgeous cover.

Well written book but not what I expected in the setting. I thought this would be a fantasy set in a Victorian or earlier time period. It at times feels that way but it isn't. I also had a hard time connecting with the characters.

YOU MUST READ THIS!

First of all, the premise is original and intriguing, and the author releases just enough information at just the right intervals to keep my hooked the entire way through. This is especially impressive when the intricate dynamic between the two main characters is taken into account--and we get both of their POVs, so their distinct voices add greatly to the reader's insight.

Then you add magic. And a hunt. And high stakes. And an enemies-to-something-else arc (no spoilers!). And internal character development beyond what is usually seen in the genre.

READ IT.

Thank you to Netgally for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a work of art. Allison writes the most beautiful prose. It's like a flannel blanket on an icy night--a comfort and everything you want as you watch the snowflakes swirl.
The emotion in this story was so intense, but also soft and gentle. It was both breathtaking and soothing. Margaret's life is a tale of heartache and loss and Weston, sweet Weston, is as complicated as he is charming. I loved the way myth and alchemy and religion were interwoven seamlessly in a sleepy sea-side town with a mysterious forest. The world of A Far Wilder Magic is a place I could get lost in, happily.

I feel like there's zero chance that I can do this book justice, but here goes nothing...

First of all, I'd like to take a moment to appreciate Allison Saft's descriptive genius. Each new setting and emotion is a delight. Several times, I stopped reading entirely just to let the words wash over me. *happy sigh*

Next up is the atmosphere. No one does hauntingly isolated like Saft. Even in the city, there's a loneliness that can't be shaken. It's stunning!

And those characters! If anyone knows where I can find my own version of Weston, please tell. Both Margaret and Weston are perfectly imperfect and yet so very strong in their own ways. If they don't melt your heart, then I'm not sure you ever had one. They are tormented by everyday villains who made me incredibly angry, so beware the enemy you know.

Finally, there's the magic. It's dark, cyclical magic that is tangled up with religious beliefs and alchemy. A fox is featured and manages to be both terrifying and wondrous. I was caught up in It's beauty, but also the questions that it posed.

I 100% will be buying a finished copy for a second (and probably third) read-through. This book is the magic!

A young woman, living alone in the countryside, finds her fate intertwined with a man from the city when she spots a dreaded omen of religious significance in her town. The Hala, an immortal creature leaving death and decay in its wake, invokes a feverish hunt to finally kill it and rid the country of its presence. As Margaret decides to take part, she has no choice but to ask Wes to be her alchemist, as decreed by the guidelines of the Half Moon Hunt and as the pair grow closer they discover they have more to gain than they ever imagined.

This was a really lovely story with a rustic, dark and ambivalent tone that really amplified the plot. I really enjoyed it and I'd highly recommend it!

I was really excited about this book and overall pleasantly surprised.

I loved Margaret in this book! I love books when the MC doesn’t have the best life situation, but still manages to be brave and strong in a different way. This is something that sucks me into a book.

I, of course, loved the romance. I love any romance and I was IN LOVE with the MC’s in this book.

This book was truly unique and different and I haven’t read many books like it. I’m overall very pleased with this book and the characters.

This was so so perfect. I loved every second of this. It was just so whimsical and perfectly written I loved it so much. First of all, this is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and to be able to read it was an honour.

This was absolutely magical and Margaret and Wes were stunning characters that I couldn’t get enough of I had so much fun in every aspect of this story and loved it, in fact devoured it. I will surely be on the watch out for anymore books written by this author in the future and just cannot wait! 5 out of 5 stars!

First and foremost I'd like to say that this book has reduced me to a puddle of emotional goo and I may never recover.

A Far Wilder Magic is an absolute treat, and it really delivers on all fronts; the worldbuilding is charming and lush, the prose is stunning, Margaret and Wes stole my heart and I absolutely melted watching them steal each other's.

After loving Down Comes the Night I was going to be excited for whatever Allison did next no matter what, but I was so hyped for the Scorpio Races comp and AFWM absolutely delivered. Wickdon captures that illusive magic of a small town loosed from the shackles of time, and you eagerly anticipate and dread the fox hunt with equal measure. At the risk of being corny, I feel like the reader's heart was the fox we were hunting all along, and AFWM absolutely caught it. It treats your heart gently though, and I'm very grateful for that.

Like DCTN, it balances science and magic in a really appealing way, where the two build upon each other rather than being antithetical. It pairs the grounded 1920s setting with Wickdon's whimsey brilliantly, creating a fantasy novel unlike any other. The book is bittersweet in the best way, compassionate and genuine and timely, and I shed real human tears at the ending.

Altogether, I think A Far Wilder Magic is everything a YA book should be. I so enjoyed watching Maggie and Wes come into their own as characters and people and I will be thinking about them non-stop for the foreseeable future. It takes no time at all for the magical setting to whisk you away, and the story warms you up inside like a campfire on a cold night.

A Far Wilder Magic has so much heart and I truly believe that it will make a difference in the hands of young readers. It handles difficult decisions, self-care, and self-love so gracefully and insightfully--I wish I'd had a book like it when I was a teen. I feel so privileged to have gotten the chance to read it and I can't wait to see what Allison does next.

All of which to say, get your preorders in now! It's so worth it.