Daughter of a famous and work-absorbed alchemist, Margaret Welty lives alone in her family's home with her trusty dog Trouble. One day, an aspiring politician and alchemist with the desire to change the world, Weston Winters, wanders upon the Welty Manor after many rejections from former apprenticeships. The two are a very unlikely pair but develop a friendship (and maybe romance) and decide to enter a competition to kill the Hala, a creature that the Katharist church names a demon.

This book unexpectedly had me hooked from the beginning. This is not my usual type of read, a steampunk YA/Teen novel, but I fell in love and could not stop. I always had to know what was going to happen next.

I think this novel is extremely strong in the terms of character development. A lot of writers fall short here, The characters are always predictable and do not grow at all throughout the novel. Saft does this right. Both of her leads struggle with themselves and their natural urges and become better people because of it. There is something very human about these characters despite them not being part of our world.

Building on the concept of the world building, I have seen a lot of criticism upon how it is poorly done in this novel, but I disagree. There is a hint of truth in this world. It reflects on our real world and our real history -- and it also shows how our history may have repeated itself in our current world climate. It makes the story relatable to the modern human. I found pieces of our past and present throughout the entire novel, and it felt as though it was effortlessly delivered.

This book is highly recommended on my list. Whether it be for the slowburn romance, the parallels, or the adventure, I think everyone can find something in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saft for letting me have early access to this story.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: racism, death of humans, death of animals, hunting of animals.

Ok to start off, while there IS animal death in A FAR WILDER MAGIC, have no fear readers, the dog does not die. Trouble makes it to the end of the book. This is a slight spoiler for one part of the novel, but in all honesty, I think it's something any animal lover should know going into this. There is hunting of animals and violence though so there is death on and off the page.

This is a standalone YA fantasy centered around a hunt for a magical fox featuring a slow burn romance between two teens who are ostracized from society based on their religious faiths. Even though Margaret and Wes have different religious beliefs, they have grown up experiencing discrimination and hateful comments from society because of their faiths. This is a fairly large theme Saft has woven into A FAR WILDER MAGIC, and it plays a pretty big role in what happens to Margaret and Wes before and during the wild hunt.

I thought the plot was interesting, the romance was solid, and the outcome was satisfying. I enjoyed Margaret and Wes as characters, and even the "bad guy" made sense within this world. The only thing I wish was developed further was alchemy. For something that so much of the plot hinges on, I didn't think the rules and physics of it was explained all that well.

Jesse Vilinsky does a phenomenal job with the audiobook performance. Loved their accent and tone for Wes!

the story is great! I honestly loved how the magic and the normal world convine and it all seem “normal” and “natural” in it.
The dinamic of the characters was week defined and at any time I knew how the characters were feeling.
It was a great story and also d narrator was excellent.
There were enough twists and turns to keep the story exiting and going.
Overall I loved this book, and also the cover was fantastic.

This novel was a new take on YA Fantasy, centering around two characters who enter a magical fox hunt. However, both characters are religious minorities, leaving many inhabitants of the town to react to their entry with bigotry and hatred. This slow burn romance and fantasy makes up for a slow plot at points with interesting characters and themes, adding a needed voice to this genre.

A Far Wilder Magic drew me in with its description. Who doesn't love a book about two underdogs who team up to fight a mythical beast?

You meet Margaret Welty and learn that her mother is "away" on a research trip. Apparently she leaves frequently and stays gone for indeterminate amounts of time. You gradually discover that something horrible happened to Margaret's family and it shattered them to the point that Margaret's mother has never been the same. As a world reknowned alchemist, her reputation and talent is known by many but Margaret just wants love from her mother.

The other main character is Weston Winters. He is the only son in a large family of all sisters. His father has recently passed away leaving him the "man in charge" and he is feeling the weight on his shoulders. He wants to succeed as an alchemist in order to gain entry to university and ultimately become a politician. He sees it as his family's way out of poverty. His older sister doesn't necessarily see things the same way and often criticizes him. Even though Weston has a natural talent, he has difficulty focusing on bookwork and it has led him to being expelled by several other alchemists as their apprentice. With Margaret's mother being his last hope, he has travelled to their town hoping to convince her to train him.

All of this coincides with the reappearance of the mythical beast known as the Hala. As the Hala wreaks havoc in the small community they prepare to have a traditional hunt for it. Weston is from a religion that reveres the Hala while Margaret knows her mother believes the Hala possesses magic useful to complete the most difficult alchemic reactions. She persuades Weston to be her partner in the hunt. Not only do they have to worry about dangers of the beast, they are at risk of being attacked or injured by other hunters as well, There are many in the hunt who don't want to see them participate.

There's more to this story than the mystical hunt and the beast's appearance and dangerous threat. There is the character study of Margaret and Weston. Margaret is a young woman who has basically been abandoned by those who should love her most. She stays at her home and works herself to the bone trying to keep up with it so that when her mother returns, she'll show favor on her. Weston is a young man who is trying to do right by his family while still trying to follow his dreams. Yet, he always feels like he's letting someone down.

These two characters are undeniably attracted to one another but refuse to acknowledge it for the longest time. It's as if they would show weakness by doing so and neither will admit to it first. They do have weak moments where they let the other person in and then second guess themselves. It was such true human nature -- how insecurities play into doubts and how you often take the easier road because you don't want to risk your pride. I thought they were very real characters.

This was a lovely book and I was pulled into it from the beginning.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration helped to give the book an atmospheric quality. I enjoyed it and thought it added to the enjoyment value of the storyline. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

In this story we follow two character Margaret Welty, a sharpshooting young woman who lives alone in a manor since her mom up and left to research alchemy and Weston Winters, who is a student of alchemy who keeps failing all of his apprenticeships. His last hope is going to the Welty manor and becoming Margaret's mother's apprentice but her mother isn't home. He ends up staying with her and one thing leads to the famous Halfmoon Hunt and Margarets need for a partner to prove herself to her mother and Wes' need to support his family with the winning pot of money. So they both agree to work together to kill the legendary hala in the hunt.

Allison Saft writing seems to submerge me so deeply into her world filled with magic that it takes awhile to ground myself after I have to pause the audiobook to get back to the reality. The world she created is so fascinating and all consuming that I couldn't read any other books like I usually do to keep reading interesting. I loved the grumpy and sunshine trope we are given with the icy and serious Margaret and the flirty and energetic Weston. It was so fun to see their opposite dynamics work together as they both fight to save their families by winning the hunt that is famous in her town. I found the slow burn romance between them to be adorable and perfect as the author slowly developed the trust between them before sparking into love. I love the alchemy elements and fantasy creatures the author builds on in this story and I felt like she could write even more about the different magic that was being used.

I loved the loving dynamic that Wes' family displays throughout the story and the way they accept Margaret into their crazy group. I don't usually enjoy religious or political centric books but this one really focuses on the loneliness and fear that comes from not belonging to the group whose power is in control at the moment. The author perfectly describes both character's anxieties and feeling of despair when their faith is brought up. I loved the building tension and the action packed scenes that filled the story from the very beginning when we meet the main characters to the very end. I enjoyed being totally immersed in this world that Allison Saft built and I can't wait to read whatever she creates next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for the digital audiobook copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start out by saying thank you much to Macmillan audio for the chance to listen/review this audiobook.

Jesse Vilinsky is one of my favorite narrators and for good reason: she pulls you into the story and makes it so easy to lose yourself in her voice. None of my critique to come has to do with her narration at all, she is pure perfection.

Unfortunately, this was not the story for me. I admit, I was branching out a little as this isn't my typical genre , but was hopeful still that it would be able to pull me in. Sadly, it never really captivated my attention and ultimately resulted in a DNF.

I'm sure this will be right up a lot of people's alleys, but it was a miss for me.

I read Down Comes the Night back in 2021 and really loved the story, so of course I was so excited to pick up A Far Wilder Magic! Thankfully, although I had a minor problem with it, overall it did not disappoint.

For the positives, I love the author's writing and the world building was fantastic. She truly makes you feel emerged into these worlds she creates and every end of a chapter leaves you wanting more. The plot was also unique and incredibly interesting from beginning to end.

Another highlight for me was the romance. I loved how well developed it was! They went from dislike to friendship to love in a very organic well and I just loved them together so much. It was such a well done slow burn!

I also loved the characters separately! Margaret and Wes were well written, their characters were easy to root for and relate to as well!

For the negative, honestly i feel like its more a personal thing, but as someone who has a trigger with animal cruelty and death and i am just really really tired of starting a book and being surprised by gruesome descriptions of animals dead. Its a good thing I was in a good state of mind this time around, because otherwise I would've been wrecked. I'm just tired of authors and publishers feeling like a book with a detailed animal cruelty on page doesn't need a trigger warning. This isn't the first book I've read that lacked these trigger warning and it certainly won't be the last, but its disappointing to me. And there were around 4 times where this happened in the book, and so thats why the rating isn't a little bit higher. I just felt like it was too much and too detailed. It really bothered me.

Lastly, I listened the audiobook and the narration was great! The narrator really managed to bring these characters to life and It made me enjoy the book even more.

Overall, even with the lack of trigger warnings that really bothered me, it was still an enjoyable read that I would recommend. i think i liked Down Comes the Night slightly more, but this one was great and the plot and romance were fantastic!

Perhaps somewhat unfairly, I’m always going to compare any story with alchemy at its center to Fullmetal Alchemist. Because despite this being a manga series, to me it is the prime example of how to take this blend of science and magic and push it to its very limits of imagination and horror. What A Far Wilder Magic does, as a standalone fantasy novel, is acknowledge the constraints of alchemy and the fundamental way it destroys as much as it creates when the boundaries of human life are challenged. But the alchemy promised here in the synopsis is much less central to the plot than the main characters Margaret and Wes learning to trust each other is.

I would call this book a romance as much as it is a fantasy novel, because it really does focus as much on the main couple falling in love as it does the competition to hunt for the hala. And for the most part I felt the chemistry here, even if I found Wes was the much less memorable half of the pair. Margaret at least was distinctive in her very brusque, detached way of interacting in the world whereas Wes was the generic smarmy male lead with a secret heart of gold that seems to be rehashed as a love interest in so many novels.

I do think this book had some interesting things to say about religious discrimination, with Margaret being of a heritage of people that seemed to be an analogue for the treatment of the Jewish in the Western world. Wes’s own family were practitioners of a religion that was criticized for its use of idolatry in a way that I immediately connected to Catholicism. I do think there was a certain lack of subtlety here in how this was handled, and seemed an odd choice of worldbuilding when these two religions were almost exactly replicated in this world with different names. But they may just have been a function of how I read the text.

Ultimately, I think I went into A Far Wilder Magic wanting it to push the boundaries of alchemy and explore just how deeply this “magic” can twist even the best intentions. We got this in small part with Margaret’s mother (who I spent most of the novel actually convinced was dead) but the focus of the novel here is much more on Wes and Margaret’s relationship and how that develops into a romance as they pursue their own ambitions. In terms of standalone fantasy novel, this was a technically sound addition to the genre that only lacked memorability when compared to other stories that have tread similar ground.

Thank you to the publisher MacMillan Audio for providing an audiobook ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

Imaginative and romantic A Far Wilder Magic is an clever story about finding love and yourself. The story is full of unique characters in a fantastic world that oddly echos our own world

A Far Wilder Magic is a standalone fantasy romance that I enjoyed, but didn't love. There's a lot focused on preparing for the fox hunt, but a side battle takes away from the main action. I also didn't expect how the love would progress. Once they're finally together it feels awkward. I would recommend this book to YA+

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC of this!

This was such an atmospheric read and I adored the characters. The setting of the hunt added plenty of drama, but their families, minority status, and budding romance helped tip it over the edge. I was constantly on the edge of my seat! The audio was well done, easy to listen to and follow.

I can see why one of the comp titles for this book is the Scorpio Races. This has a similar sense of place and magic, and a slowburn love story (though it's a bit more physical). It slowly pulled me in until I was thoroughly hooked.

The writing is gorgeous and I highlighted several quotes. I also was able to listen to an advance copy of the audiobook and the performance was really excellent. The narrator was able to give each character a unique and recognizable (and believable) voice, and really brought the text to life.

Margaret, the main character, is cold and prickly and closed-off, trapped alone in her silent manor and barely alive. Wes burns with ambition, is impulsive, and has a large, loud family. It seems like they would never get along -- and at first they don't -- but their gradual coming together is believable and romantic.

This book addresses religious prejudice well, making Margaret and Wes outsiders because of their family's religion. They are bullied and tormented but they bear it and overcome it with empathy and grace.

The pace is glacial at first, and while it never gets anything like fast, it does gradually increase. I recommend giving it longer than normal to hook you because once it draws you in it really is a magical read.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing an e-arc and audio arc of this book.

3.5 stars
I had only heard really good things about this one, but it kind of fell flat for me. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't wowed.
I liked both Margaret and Wes, I liked their grumpy/sunshine romance. I liked that it was a reverse grumpy/sunshine. I appreciated that it wasn't instalove. There was a lack of friendship, friendship, and problems which I felt was very realistic. It all lead to a wonderful chemistry.
I really feel like not a lot happened in this book. At the beginning I thought it was going to be about hunting the hala, but that didn't happen until like 95% of the way through the book. It was mostly about what happened in between when Margaret first sees the hala up until the start of the hunt. The actual rules of the hunt were interesting, you had to enter the contest in a team of 2: a shooter and an alchemist. So we get a lot of kind of hunt practice.
I really enjoyed the narrator of the book, but I hated the accent she gave Wes and his family. It was annoying to the point where I didn't want Wes to have any dialogue. It was like way over the top Brooklyn (I think).
The overall vibe of the book was nice, but I wouldn't recommend if you are in it for the hunt part.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

Maggie wants nothing more than to live a safe and simple life with her alchemist mother--who is never home. Wes dreams of becoming an alchemist politician to make the world a better place, and to do that, he needs to become Maggie's mother's apprentice. But since her mother isn't home, Maggie and Wes concoct a plan to catch a magical creature during the Halfmoon Hunt to impress Evelyn.

This book is a little bit The Scorpio Races, a little bit Shadow & Bone. I really liked the plot and found the world building and magic systems very interesting. I was not a big fan of the characters or relationship. I had issues with some of the things that happened in the romance between Maggie and Wes. Nothing so bad it would ruin the book but definitely knocked it down a peg in my mind. Characters are really important to me in a story, so even though I loved this plot, the lack-luster character building hurt this for my rating.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Fantastic audiobook. I loved the narrator and the different voices/accents she created for the different characters. Her Wes was giving me JFK-vibes and I was living for it! My full review for the story can be found below:

*4.5-stars rounded up**

When Weston Winters shows up on her doorstop, Margaret Welty is home alone and has been for quite some time. Margaret's mother, a famous alchemist, is traveling for work and Margaret, essentially abandoned, has no idea when she will return.

Wes is an aspiring alchemist seeking apprenticeship with Margaret's mom, hence his sudden and previously unannounced arrival. Although Margaret is annoyed by his mere presence, he is able to break down some of her walls and she agrees to let him stay until her mother returns.

Margaret may have ulterior motives. The Halfmoon Hunt approaches and she is desperate to participate. The winner of the hunt, the one who is able to slay the legendary Hala, the last living mythical creature, will win fame and a large sum of money. The catch is only teams of two are allowed to sign up. Margaret is the best shot in town, but she needs an alchemist for a partner. Perhaps Wes can serve a purpose after all.

As you can imagine, with two young people living and working together under the same roof, sparks begin to fly. It's not immediate and certainly not discussed, but as Margaret and Wes learn more about each other, they discover they may be more alike than they initially thought.

I was swept away with this story. Saft is a master at creating lush and fully-consuming atmospheres. I loved the world she created here; it felt very greater-Boston area, maybe mid-to-late 1920s, but with magic.

Additionally, I was impressed with the different layers woven into this story. For example, there was quite a bit of commentary on discrimination against ethnic minorities and immigrants. It never felt forced, which I appreciated. It felt like a completely natural aspect of this story.

Both Margaret and Wes had experienced outward discrimination and hostilities towards them based upon who they were and where they came from. Eventually, they were able to talk about and bond over these shared experiences. I was moved by both of their stories and how they learned to stand strong in the face of those aggressions; how they both sought to make changes for the better for all.

That is just a minor part though, for me, the highlight of this book is the Halfmoon Hunt. I loved learning about it, the lore, history, dangers and watching Margaret and Wes prep for the big day. Of course it doesn't go entirely smoothly. Drama abounds as the event nears and I had no idea where it was going or what was going to happen. I was completely head over heels for this team by that point though, I was ready to cut down the competition myself!

While Margaret and Wes have their ups and downs over the course of the story, one thing that never waned was their growing feelings for one another. This is a YA Fantasy Romance after all and I thought the romance was splendid; so natural and satisfying to watch evolve. From the early neurotic days of pining and questioning, all the way through to the end, I was invested. There were no eye-roll moments for me, no wishing for it to be over, it was organic and fun.

I really enjoyed Saft's 2020-release, Down Comes the Night. It was an impressive Romantic Fantasy debut. In A Far Wilder Magic, I feel like Saft's writing has really blossomed. This is a complex story and it was executed so well.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to for Allison Saft's next book. I look forward to following her career for a long time to come!!

Set Fullmetal Alchemist in the world of a YA novel, toss in a fox hunt and a slow burn romance, and you have A Far Wilder Magic.
Ultimately, this book is the love story of two young people learning how to be vulnerable and honest with one another. Both Weston and Margaret have faced more than their share of prejudice and pain, which influences how they view and interact with the world. A very familiar thread of systemic discrimination is woven into the story, and characters have open conversations about choices, consequences, and forgiveness in that context. The mystical hunt acts as a backdrop that does affect the story, but even more serves as a tool to provide the main characters with a mutual goal. The magic system is interesting though not deeply explored, and travels familiar alchemic paths. Familial bonds and relationships (both good and bad), LGBTQ+ characters, trauma and dyslexia all spend time in the spotlight.
Honestly, the whole book is so good. It's a small thing, but I appreciated that characters are unwilling to accept a basic "I'm sorry" - they push to ask why, and refuse to accept an apology solely to absolve someone else's guilt. Ugh I love seeing people stand up for themselves! I personally would have preferred a little less pining and a little more world building, but I also think the choice suited the story. Both characters are isolated from the rest of the hunt festivities, primarily alone with each other and with their thoughts in a remote house in a rural country. While I was disappointed by how often Margaret draws away and gives up on her future, I appreciate the truth in someone so deeply hurt not being able to easily defy years of lived experience. Everything about this story feels gritty and believable, idealistic and bleakly realistic by turns.
Between interesting accents and stellar acting (particularly for Weston's character), the audiobook version narrated by Jesse Vilinsky is absolutely the way you should enjoy this book.

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% . The narrator did do a good job, I was enjoying that aspect of the book. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

Book overall: love love love!! It’s usually hard for me to get into a young adult fantasy standalones. Especially when it comes to understanding/relating to the characters. But this is such a beautiful job of introducing both of the main characters and balancing their importance back-and-forth. I really really got to know each of them and feel for them throughout this whole entire book which is so rare and standalones these days.

Audiobook notes: I know some people hate when narrators go between accents in an audiobook instead of just sticking to one. For me personally I loved this narrator and loved how they gave each character a different voice for their POV. I do think overall it would’ve been a tad better if you had two different narrators for each of them but again I’ve had such a great time with this audiobook so that’s my only complaint.

Another YA fantasy that I had fun with!
I'd say that this is an alternate history of Earth rather than a whole new fantastical world, but Saft addressed issues that we have in ours to this day, xenophobia in particular. Our two mains are of different religious and ethnic origin than the majority and this does play a big part in the central conflict of the plot.
The magic system is really interesting and much more science-based than I was expecting (which is a-okay by me).