K. Ancrum’s extraordinary fifth novel Icarus is an elegant, multifaceted gem about art, power and fear. Ancrum performs a confident high-wire act in balancing the weighty manifestations of these themes alongside those of connection, desire and contradiction. This book is everything to me.

I didn't realize this wasn't a finished audiobook when I requested it, and I couldn't listen to the automated, robotic voice, so I wanted for the finished audiobook to come ou, but then I couldn't concentrate on it, either. So, sadly, I DNFed it pretty early. I just didn't vibe with the narrator. It's a cool premise, though, so maybe I'll get around to the print book sometime.

I will say I am in love with anything K. Ancrum writes but this ARC of the audiobook was subpar. I will say they did preface that it was not the official audiobook for this book but just for review purposes but it really was not great. It really takes away from the masterpiece of the story. The book is a 4 the audiobook ARC a 2.

Icarus is the story of two teen boys who are both isolated from their peers to varying degrees by their parents. There weren't supposed to meet, but they did, formed a friendship, and fell in love. As they plot their escape, the secrets of their parents start to come to light and there was so much more to their isolation than they knew.

The audio narration was WILD. It was a voice galley in the style of Edward Herrmann, and it sounded just like him. Could not get over it.

I really enjoyed this book but the audio was absolutely terrible! They did not pick a good narrator for this at all. He didn't fit the setting or the character. All that being said the actual story was great.
This book was a bit darker than I expected but it was still really good. The characters worked really well for who they were supposed to be. I was concerned about the setting but it worked really well actually. It wasn't my favorite book but still this was a really good book.

I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t land with me. I just could not connect with the characters for some reason. That said, I know it will probably be someone else’s cup of tea, and that’s great
**Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy of this audiobook.**

First things first, I don't think I'll be doing another audiobook ARC. This is unrelated to the book and I totally get why audiobooks are done this way for ARCs, but wow, it's surreal to listen to an simulated Edward Hermann voice narrate this in a very flat tone of voice.

That said, let's get in to the book!

This follows the life of Icarus Gallagher, a high school senior who isn't quite a loner, but doesn't have friends either. And there's a very good reason for it, too: at night, he's an art thief, caught in a grudge between his father, Angus, and Mr Black. One night, while stealing into the Black mansion to steal and replace a priceless painting, he's discovered by Mr Black's son, Helios. From then on, Icarus' life begins to change, but can he and Helios get away and leave everything behind? Or will they fail?

To start, Ancrum's writing is extremely evocative, almost poetic in nature. The sentences and chapters are extremely short, which makes things feel faster than they are. The breaks between chapters also sometimes feel a bit arbitrary, with three or four chapters continuing a single scene. It works most of the time, and the times it doesn't doesn't really detract from anything.

The story is from Icarus' point of view, and it's hard not to feel sorry for him. Everything about Icarus' life is solitary. He doesn't have friends. His life is school and work. His motivation to leave is entirely reasonable and believable.

Helios, on the other hand, is the light to Icarus' desire to fly. He's outgoing, friendly, cheerful despite the circumstances. When he speaks, you get the sense that he's popular, has lots of friends.

They are mirrors of each other in some ways, and it's interesting how it reverses. Helios is solitary, unable to connect outside of the mansion because of his father, whereas Icarus begins to expand himself and let people in.

Both Angus and Mr Black are... awful. Mr Black moreso, but Angus is barely better. You see hints of Angus caring about Icarus, about wanting better for him. Mr Black, on the other hand, is just an asshole. But some things seemed odd, such as the whole basis of Angus' grudge is valid, but the way he exacts his revenge is... strange. And Helios' mom left because Mr Black was an abusive dick, and yet she allowed her son — whom one assumes she had sole custody of given a lack of visitation — to take Helios and lock him away.

Overall, however, this was an extremely good book.

This book was a struggle for me, and I'm not sure if I can parse my dislike of the synthetic narration vs. the actual story itself. I won't harp on the narration as it was really quite bad, and I know that won't be the case with the final book. Beyond that (because of that?) I found it hard to connect to the characters. The chapters were so short it felt very jarring and abrupt, and like we never got into a flow. I was really unclear about Icarus's relationship with his high school friends (his first friends ever), it all just seemed a little awkward. And then with Helios, the relationship they were forming was the only part of the book that sort of made sense to me. The author's note at the end helped a little in talking about how teenagers can be selfless when trying to help or save each other. All in all this was not the book for me, not just because of the narration, but because of the lack of flow, characters lacking depth, etc.

I listen to an audio galley of this with a synthesized voice and I wasn't a fan. It took me out of the story a little.
But this was still very very good, like all K. Ancrum's books tbh. It had vivid characters and a captivating plot. I believed it all, even the most unbelievable things. I wasn't as invested in the romance as I could have been though. I really enjoyed reading about the dynamics and the family drama though.
It wasn't my favorite K. Ancrum book but I still enjoyed it a lot and could not stop reading and I'll probably read it again with my eyes.

This is just a review of the audiobook quality, not a reflection of the story or the author. I will never be picking up another audiobook without a real narrator. The netgally arc provided was un-listanable. So hard to focus on the story and plot with the lack of inflection and true narration. I will be picking this book up on it's own physically or when a real person narrates this book. Super disapointed.

I kept flipping back and forth between being really into the story, and getting frustrated and wanting to just walk away from it. Overall, it was a captivating story. I enjoyed the character quirks. The part I loved the most was the ouching authors note at the end. It was beautiful and brought me to tears.

I really tried to get into this YA heist book - I was interested by the fact that the main character has Ehlers Danlos but I found the synthetic narration really boring and slow and the story itself felt very slow-moving. Was a dnf for me this time but I may give it another chance when the final audio version comes out. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved this book and the twist on a classic character. Icarus was a fascinating character that started out as a thief working for his father and keeping everyone at a distance and ended up falling in love and having friends who support him. It is suspenseful and the character development was fantastic.

2 out of 5 stars

I will give this book another try. Probably by reading it, but I found the audio book kinda of unbearable. I think it may be AI? It just wasn't an enjoyable listening experience, the voices seemed off, I tried speeding it up and slowing it down and nothing worked. But, I think the book has a lot of promise, the story line is great and the I know the story likley is to, it's just the audio book was not great!

While reading K. Ancrum’s Icarus, I found myself in a version of our world where myth and magic meet reality. Icarus isn’t a fantasy book, but reads beautifully and creates such a lifelike image of being a young queer person and falling in love. I absolutely loved Icarus, and will likely read it again in the future. I’ll be watching for future works by Ancrum, because Icarus made me fall in love with the world just a little bit more.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

K. Ancrum's "Icarus" is a riveting and emotionally charged novel that masterfully blends elements of mystery, thriller, and LGBTQIAP+ themes. This young adult novel delves into the complex world of Icarus Gallagher, a skilled art thief entrenched in a life of deception and revenge. Ancrum's narrative is not only a tale of high-stakes crime but also a poignant exploration of love, trust, and the painful intricacies of family dynamics.

The character of Icarus is brilliantly crafted, embodying both vulnerability and resilience. His life, driven by the mission to avenge his mother's death, is a labyrinth of secrets and strict rules designed to protect him. However, the unexpected encounter with Helios Black, the son of his archenemy, introduces a fascinating twist to the story. The evolving relationship between Icarus and Helios is beautifully portrayed, transcending the initial animosity and distrust to something much deeper and more meaningful.

Ancrum excels in creating a tense and atmospheric setting that mirrors the internal turmoil of the characters. The narrative is skillfully woven, with each character's backstory adding depth and complexity to the plot. The theme of revenge and its consequences is explored thoughtfully, posing moral questions that resonate with the reader.

The novel's pacing is well-managed, balancing the thrill of the heist with the emotional development of the characters. Ancrum's prose is sharp and engaging, drawing readers into the world of Icarus and Helios and keeping them hooked until the very end. The inclusion of LGBTQIAP+ elements is handled with sensitivity and adds a significant layer to the narrative, particularly in the exploration of identity and acceptance.

"Icarus" is a compelling and thought-provoking read, perfect for fans of young adult fiction that seek more than just a surface-level story. Ancrum has created a world where every action has weight, and every emotion is palpable. It is a story of redemption, love, and the choices that define us, making it a significant addition to the genre and a must-read for those who appreciate a blend of thrill, emotion, and depth in their young adult literature.

Unfortunately, this is not the official audiobook, but a "text-to-speech" reading of the text via some sort of software. This program used the voice of Edward Herrman, and it was so distracting that I could not focus on the text at all. I won't ask for this type of "audiobook" again.

**this review contains some cross-posting from my initial review of the ebook, with additional commentary on the audio itself!!**

ICARUS changed my life, and that isn't something I say lightly. I read the full novel in about 3 hours, cried, read chapters again, cried more, then cried off and on for the next two days, and by the end of it, I felt so profoundly seen. ICARUS examines the complexities of both neglect and care, absence and nearness, and danger and safety. It's binary-defying. It challenges the concept of family. It tackles the multitude of ways parental abuse can manifest. It's about friendship and romance, and how those aren't necessarily opposites. It's about being noticed for the first time in your life, and the danger and thrill of letting people in. It's hurt. It's love.

Many books take the approach of story first, details after, but not Kayla Ancrum, who builds a story /from/ the details—a technique so masterful I felt every featherlight touch, every breath, every brush of fabric, and every beat of this book's powerful heart. Written in short, accessible chapters, I think this book will reach exactly who needs to read it, the way I needed it.

As an audiobook, K. Ancrum's style translates perfectly to being read out-loud. Her accessible, approachable structure couples well with her gorgeous line-level prose. The narrator did a great job capturing the voice of Icarus, and I'm excited to purchase and listen to the final, polished audiobook when it's released.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of the audiobook for Icarus. I am really split on this. I think I love the story, but the weird AI audiobook narration was so weird. Most of the time it sounded normal, but every once in awhile a word would be said wrong, and other times the pacing and tone of sentences was way off. I am hopeful that the official audiobook will be better, but this was a bad audiobook. I think this AI narration is good as a tool for the visually impaired to be able to enjoy ARCs before the official audiobook is available. But, again, the story was hurt by the narration. I will have to come back to this once I have either heard the final audiobook, or get my hands on the book. I am giving it 4 stars still because I think that's how I feel about the actual story.

I think this might be a book that just doesn't lend itself to audio form, which is entirely personally subjective. But I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen nd every time I thought I had finally gotten past the introduction to the plot there was just more and I didn't realize I was halfway into the stakes of it until I checked my progress. I think this book would be good but the generated voice sounded near unintelligible sped up and the opening was just so much that I had to dnf it at 53%