Having heard of M.L. Wang for weeks, the moment I saw a listing on NetGalley I just had to sign up! At first I was thrilled to be chosen, but now after my read I feel BLESSED!

I enjoyed my read of Blood Over Bright Haven. I’m typically a fantasy-romance reader, so this was out of my comfort zone. I can proudly say, I don’t regret stepping out of that comfort zone!! This book had me hooked and it pulled at my heart strings from the very first chapter.

Wang uncovered the magic system and the origins of said magic beautifully. It was explained well, and trust me it was interesting!
There are many surprises that made me want to take up biting my nails again- but I didn’t! The books isn’t overly violent or unbelievably descriptive in scenes containing somewhat violent scenes. Although I’d recommend anyone to beware that things can get kinda intense.

Our main character faces some difficult obstacles, both physically and mentally. Again, I’d like you to remind readers..my heartstrings were strung!! Prepare yourself for seeing your favorite characters go through it.

Wang also covered so many different themes that if wasn’t expecting. She touched on racism (which you notice very early on), gender unfairness, and beliefs. She does an amazing job of tying those serious matters into an action packed dark academia novel that is sure to win anyone over.

Overall I think this book carries a significant message, while also being entertaining and inspiring.

I’d like to add, I will be reading more of Wangs work, I’m in love with her writing and storytelling!

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang is a fast paced and deeply interesting fantasy read. The book opens with a bang as the last of the Caldonnae tribe are about to make the crossing to Tiran to avoid Blight and extinction. It is a heart pounding and wrenching crossing. The city of Tiran is protected by magic. The power from the magic is drawn from the Otherrealm. Sciona has studied all of her life to become one of the highmages that wields this magic and protects her city. Sciona becomes the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. And, just in time. The Magistry is working on a project to expand the boundary to protect the city. As Sciona starts her role as a highmage, she isn't given an assistant, she is given the janitor, a Kwen. In Tiran there are the Tiranese and the Kwen. The Kwen come from outside the city and are treated as other. They do all the dirty labor the city needs and are not treated as full citizens. Kwen children work instead of attending school. They are thought to be godless and simple minded. They are needed. Sciona and her new assistant, Thomil, work to solve the problem of expanding the barrier. Thomil learns quickly and together they make a shocking discover regarding the Otherrealm and where the power truly comes from that powers the magic. Sciona transforms during this book from a dutiful student and highmage to one who abandons all that she has been taught as right and good and determines for herself what her path forward should be. 4.5 stars. Our greatest asset is a questioning mind. Loved it!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for my advance reader copy.

5 🌟
Blood Over Bright Haven was such a powerful read. This part steampunk, part fantasy, was emotionally moving from page one. The emotions and pace did not let up for the entire book. The system was part magic, steampunk equipment, and coding. It was fascinating to listen to our MC, Sciona, compute the lines of algorithmic code she wanted in her head and place her functions and loops. She is one of those people who live in their heads. She's only vaguely aware of the world around her; she is cognizant of the inequities in her society, particularly about women, but she is tone-deaf to everything that does not pertain to herself. She acknowledges early on that she is self-centered and a bit selfish, but she's so focused on her goals that she loses sight of everything else. This is her mindset when life puts her in a working relationship with Thomil, a janitor in her building. Thomil is of the Kwen, the city's marginalized population who are kept separate and looked down upon by everyone. Wang spends the rest of the story with mystery, intrigue, revelations, and wonder as we watch the enlightenment of Sciona and her growing desire to do what is right for everyone, not just one rarefied group. This book leaves you speechless and undeniably deep in your feelings. I highly recommend it.

“Magic is the one area where I can shut myself in a room with my books and my thoughts and come out more powerful than I went in. It doesn’t matter how big, or strong, or pretty you are in magic. If I can just think hard enough, I’m the most powerful person in the world.”

This book takes place in the city of Tiran, an industrial utopia full of magic and mayhem.

Sciona has dedicated her life to the art of magic, studying the craft obsessively for twenty years. There is only one goal that keeps her going, that keeps her studies and mind steadfast: she must become the first woman to be admitted to the High Magistry.

Already, I am taken in by this fascinating setting. Not only is this full of magic schools and amazing magic system, it also has an intelligent and dedicated female lead. Sciona rises through the ranks, getting ever closer to becoming a high mage.

Her colleagues begin to see Sciona as a threat, and soon there is a target placed on the young mage's back. Enter Thomil, once a nomadic hunter that used to hunt beyond the city of Tiran, bravely living without the magical barrier that keeps the city safe from the outside world.

Ancient secrets slowly reveal themselves to the unlikely duo, emerging into the light. Magic will never be the same. I had a great time reading this dark academia, full of a dangerous school, scheming colleagues, and wonderful companionship between the two main characters.

There is mystery and tragedy and a haunting past. I cannot relate to the main character more, I am not good with people. I am good with reading and learning. I am good at problem solving. And if I could choose magic over mundanity, oh, I would throw everything I had at the practice of pure magic.

The themes covered in this book are plentiful. Beliefs turn out to be wrong, intentions are revealed. Mysteries unfold in this standalone dark academia. In the spellograph mentioned in the quote, it is a map of the Otherrealm. This is revealed to be the place where magic is drawn from. Siphoning comes into place, drawing energy from coordinates within this spellograph.

Unleased magic is freed. The true power of Tiran is revealed. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

Wow, this book blew my mind. The author has crafted a complex and nuanced world, complete with morally gray, realistic characters each grappling with their own place within oppressive systems. Wang’s descriptive yet succinct prose artfully crafts a world that is complex, yet doesn’t require 100-200 pages of world-building that bogs down the plot. M.L. Wang is carving a place for herself among the great contemporary fantasy authors, and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

"Void beheld void. Monster beheld monster."

I literally don't know what to say. This was just... perfect. M.L. Wang crafted art here- this is what literature is, in every true sense of the word. Not only was the writing phenomenal, the characters felt real, they felt like people I would meet on the street.

The biblical parallels? They were AMAZING. (view spoiler)In fact, the whole religious aspect of this book hit hard for me. I'm a Christian, and seeing all these parallels, seeing all these characters act the way they did, it stabbed me deep (but like in a good, this is something meaningful way). The deeper you look, the more entrenched this story becomes in meaningful, deep allegories of religion as a whole, and specifically the Christian faith (what with all the references). Here are some of my favorite references:

"The forces of darkness are nothing to the Light of God."

"Isn't it odd then, for some of the 'all' to be withheld?"

"By remembering that God gave His chosen mages access to the Otherrealm for a reason. He meant for us to use it."

However, this isn't just a story about religion. It's a story about racism, classism, society, justifiable evil, ignorance, good intentions vs. good outcomes, clashing beliefs, and so. Much. More. It's astonishing what Wang could pack in this book, but it never felt like too much. It always felt well placed and just perfect in the story.

I don't have much other things to say other than to read this. It will change your thinking.

bottom line: give me more M.L. Wang please
———————————————
got the arc! I’ve heard incredible things about this so I’m excited to see what it does!

update: …it published a year ago. why do I have an advanced copy in my possession??

to answer my question above, it's because this book is now being tradpublished!! m.l. wang and this book deserve it!

- thank you to the publisher for the arc -

I loved this story. It was easily a 5 star for me. The magic system was a bit complicated at first, but the pay off to stick through is worth it. The themes of racism, xenophobia, and sexism were well done in such a short story. The characters were well developed and it made you either love or hate them. I went through the emotions with Scionia when she discovered the real truth of the blight and magic. The lesson of this book reminded me of Babel by R.F. Kuang as it described the institutionalized dehumanization of other cultures that are applicable to this world.

I devoured this book and was blown away; now knowing I will have to put The Sword of Kaigen at the top of my TBR. This author is truly a delight and someone special to keep an eye on. I feel their career will attain very high highs in the fantasy sphere.

I loved the magic and science, everything was so well thought out to a painstaking degree. I cannot imagine how much willpower it took to connect everything so tightly and fantastically. I can't wait to see where the author goes next!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and M.L. Wang for providing me with this ARC.

I highly recommend Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang for Fantasy lovers. For all my fellow Romantasy readers, this one might not be for you. This book is very firmly in the Fantasy genre. The work is full of rich world building that has the readers immersed in this ultra class-based society. Without any spoilers, Blood Over Bright Haven addresses themes of racism, sexism, classism, philosophy, hate, political corruption, and theology. There are many more nuances within the text that I haven't listed.

In a very brief summarization, the story starts off with Thomil and his family trying to escape their homeland, the Kwen, to reach safety in Bright Haven, a magically enclosed city that protects its citizens from a deathly phenomenon they call Blight. We meet Sciona, a born citizen of Bright Haven, who has much to prove as the first female High Mage. The book jumps back and forth between the two main character’s POV’s, but is primarily told through Sciona’s POV. Thomil is assigned as Sciona’s lab assistant as a joke, but remains on as she finds value in his different way of thinking. Together, they uncover the corruption that the city is built upon that has been ignored by citizens for centuries under the guise of religion.

I thought that the use of logic and science, though it is completely fictional science, is very well and laboriously thought out. I do admit that at some points in the book I started to become a little disinterested in Sciona’s thought process. Her motivations were very clearly explained through these elaborate logical meditations, but I think that a couple of the scenes could have been inferrered with less verbose language. (I say this as an extremely long winded person myself.) Because of Sciona’s well flushed out rationale, her character development is exemplary. The reader sees not just the physical changes to her appearance with her becoming more and more disheveled as she reveals several truths, but also in her way of thinking. Since the reader is privy to her thoughts, we can see her mindset and emotions changing. Personally, in the beginning I didn’t think she was a very likable character, but she grew on me throughout the book. As her character grew to become more of a whole person rather than a scientist with a one-tracked mind, I began to like her more. In the beginning, she is much like a horse with blinders on and becomes a whole different kind of person once they’re taken off.

On the other hand, I enjoyed Thomil’s character from the very beginning. His character seemed to be more fully formed from the start. His moral compass is unwavering and his loyalty to his ancestral ways gave him agency. While he showed respect and difference towards those in higher social classes, he never abandoned his roots. As a result, however, he had less character growth than Sciona.

There is so much emotion-rending hate in this book that I cringed at some points and had to close my Kindle. Wang does a great job of showing racism not only through outward physical hate, but also through smaller, yet significant, acts. For example, Sciona’s colleagues nickname Thomil, “Tommy”, without his permission as he is a lower class citizen. While this doesn’t seem to be the most vexing of offenses compared to other things that happened to Thomil, the underlying knowledge that Sciona’s colleagues don’t even try to pronounce his name shows their utter lack of respect or human decency towards people of Thomil’s ethnic descent. The people of Bright Haven treat the people of the Kwen as animals with no regard to their lives or humanity. I felt offended on the behalf of both Sciona and Thomil during many parts of the book. I attribute this to Wang’s amazing style of writing.

This is not a light reading type of book. There are many wonderful aspects about this work that made me contemplate my own society and how I treat people in my everyday life. I found myself putting my Kindle in my lap and staring off into space as I processed the social injustices in this piece. I’m thankful that I do not live in a world such as Bright Haven. I very highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thought provoking and emotional read.

To be posted on Goodreads and Story Graph on Oct 29, 2024. Link to be shared later.

Where to even begin with this book. Simply put, it’s one of the best reads of 2024. Hands down. I should probably get into the whys. Now, with this book, there is so much to go over that this will be a lengthy review. But the short of it is that ML Wang expertly dives into the socio-political dynamics of two people and how they both clash and help each other. This book took me by the shoulders, set me up for a feminist success story, and then dunked me headfirst into the disgusting icy waters of Tiran in an intersectional plight of two people trying to get out from under their respective oppressions.

Our heroine, Sciona, is the first female Highmage in Tiran. She has broken down the barriers that kept women from achieving success, but after she got there, she realized that she was not in warm company. She wasn’t given a proper assistant, instead the janitor being jokingly assigned to her, while most everyone else had multiple highly trained assistants. Ever the challenger, Sciona took what was handed to her and made the most of it, teaching her Kwen assistant, Thomil, the ins and outs of being a mage to help her achieve her goals.

In doing this, she learned that the Kwen were not, in fact, less than the “True Tiranish” people. They were humans like the rest of them. And that despite all of Sciona’s attempts to assimilate and tear down the male dominated field, there were people, the Kwen, that were treated poorly and did not share her same experiences from the same people. And this is the most I’m going to say about the plot directly. I do not want to give any spoilers.

But to quell a few concerns from that set up. Yes, I did believe this was a feminist story at first, and yes as this all developed, I thought it was just going to be another White Savior story. Of course, the set up of love interest between Sciona and Thomil did make me go eugh at first (my poor heart couldn’t take the power dynamics there and how that would be taking advantage of Thomil) this was also stripped down and criticized. Wang set out to examine so many different dynamics that are characteristic of this kind of intersectional interaction and she did it with a deft hand and much nuance that can’t be overlooked. This will be a book that I will be watching spoiler ridden deep dives discussing the topics in the book.

The characters are dynamic and wonderful. You learn to love and hate almost all of them from Sciona and her mentor, to Thomil and his niece. Sciona is forced to face the ways that she perpetuates the dark system on the Kwen while paradoxically tearing it down for women. Her mentor is her father figure and is stripped down to how his ego uses others. And Thomil is faced with having to put trust into someone that, until this point, has proven herself to be nothing but another egomaniac in hopes that it can actually free him from the damnation the Tiranish people sentenced the Kwen people to.

Now, the only two gripes I have is that the first few chapters of the book do have some clunky writing and that some villain characters were one dimensional. Sometimes I’m given whiplash by how quickly things happen to the characters. Several times I thought the character was in one place, but the next moment they were in another. Or that there was some important detail that was shoehorned in. But all of this was at the beginning of the book. Once it hit its stride, I was taken in and those writing mishaps were nowhere to be found. Or if they were, they weren’t noticeable by me anymore. As for the villain characters, we are introduced to Cleon Renthorn very early in the book who is characterized as a classic schoolyard bully that develops into a very comically evil character. In some of the interactions that are meant to be there to develop Sciona’s character, his prescriptive actions come off as stilted and childish. However, he is given an extremely satisfying and equally comical end and considering that he’s not the antagonist of the book, I’m willing to overlook this.

Now, with that in consideration, I didn’t give this a full 5 stars. I gave it 4.75 stars because this is literally one of my favorite books of 2024. I will be thinking about this book for a while and I will be harping on people to read it. This is my first M.L. Wang novel and I look forward to reading more from her. Her ability to examine oppression and identities and not forego nuance makes her one of my favorite authors already and one to watch.

4.5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this unique world system!! Sciona and her assistant Thomil are stirring up trouble for the ruling classes. The stakes are nothing short of the fate of their entire world. I had no idea where this story was going at any given point and that was completely refreshing! Too many books veer towards the formulaic so I appreciated the uniqueness of this story. The book was originally on KU and I was so excited to see it get picked up by a major publisher! I’m anticipating listening to the audio on release day (fingers crossed for the narration) as well.
*Thanks to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Five stars. Absolutely brilliant and masterful. There’s so much to unpack at the surface level and a wealth even more still once you truly analyze the thematic material. And we love to support a fellow Wisconsinite!

Sciona is not the typical female character. She’s egotistical and flawed and unapologetically so. She believes in herself, her brilliant mind, and her being special to the point of detriment not only to herself but the relationships of quite literally everyone in her orbit. She’s so absorbed in and focused on her work that nothing and no one else matters. BUT. When she’s forced to care about the assistant that’s been forced upon her to save face and save her ambition, this was the turning point for Sciona. Enter Thomil.

Thomil has seen nothing but pain, destruction, and injustice, BUT he still chooses to carry on for his niece in the face of it all. He chooses to keep the traditions of his people *for* his niece, but also for himself. He’s strongly held his convictions but isn’t naive to his selfishness in keeping his ways and raising his niece as he did. Because of this, this indisputable sense of self and unshakable understanding of the world he lives in, Thomil constantly challenges Sciona and drives her pursuit of her own greatness and glory to impossibly bright and terrible discoveries.

Through their working relationship and discoveries, Sciona and Thomil soften and grow in unexpected ways toward each other and the world around them.

There are so many poignant themes in this story that are masterfully woven together. The commentary on religion being the beacon of truth for the “civilized” can be seen and get in our own history. The acceptance that God is Truth in Tiran and is the foundation of their magic (science) and religious beliefs. How the patriarchal and colonialist machine working in tandem to keep everyone but the Tiranishmen down and ”in their place”. How intent and outcomes of one’s actions aren’t always congruous, arguing how the weight of one’s soul is measured at the end of it all. Is the intent to do good enough if the outcomes cause harm? Or is the outcome of good more significant even if that good didn’t come from good?

The magic system kind of reminds me of SQL querying in technology databases. The way energy is sourced and mapped in the spells and how databases are referenced in SQL felt similar in a way and made it digestible and easy to talk about the premise with others.

My only note of criticism is that there is on-page suicidal ideation, which may be triggering for some readers.

I can’t wait to have my hands on a physical copy at publication to read again.

This book grabbed my attention immediately! It was nothing that I expected. Every time I thought I knew how it would t ur n out, I was wrong. I absolutely loved the magic and science in the story line. I also loved how the main character in my mind switched a couple times. I would absolutely recommend this book to friends!

How many people died to mine the cobalt in the device you're reading this on? How much blood went into the making of our everyday necessities? How many people suffered for what we recognize as necessities and daily luxuries?

Saying this is dark academia does not quite do this book justice. Fury and anger and hurt and pain and blood, and a reminder of what all we sit in comfort with is built on. A reminder that we cannot hide from our guilt and complicity, that acting must be done. Having good intentions isn't always enough, as Thomil must so often explain to Sciona.

Blood Over Bright Haven is a fantasy novel that brings to life the utopia of Tiran. Sciona, a mage trying her hardest to become the first woman to be a high mage, finally achieves her goal. Tomil, a hunter, from the outside of Tiran’s magical barrier, lost his family to the blight, finds himself working alongside Sciona to find a way to protect the barrier. While working together, the two find more than what they are looking for and uncover centuries of secrets and lies.

Rating: 5/5 stars ⭐️

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m so honored that I was chosen to read this book early!

I didn’t want to put this down! I was so enthralled from the beginning. It took me about two days to finish because of interruptions!
I was so impressed by the magic system. I think it was well planned out and unique. I loved that it was a big part of the story and was explained/ explored throughout the whole novel.
The characters were great. I loved both Sciona and Tomil. I thought Carra was great as well as Alba.
There are many important topics discussed in this novel such as, sexism, racism, and mental health. These topics are written about in such a way that it can’t be ignored or brushed over and I really enjoyed that.
I can’t wait until this book is released!
Thank you again for the ARC

I don’t even know where to start with this book. There are very few books that made me feel as much as this book did I had goosebumps while reading the last about 50 pages. It is full of hope, sadness, tiny bit of romance, and goes in depth about how awful humans can be to each other. This book is beautifully written about a girl being the first to have a “high mage” title and she then discovers dark secrets about the government and how much she has to sacrifice to try and make it right.

An absolutely incredible read for fans of *Babel*, *Arcane* (Netflix), unique magic systems, and dark academia. The story follows two characters, Sciona and Thomil, as they cross paths in a city protected by a barrier spell that is fueled by dark secrets and justified by religious dogma. Sciona becomes the first-ever female highmage in the city’s history, challenging their religion’s view that women are unsuited for working in the upper echelon of magical innovation. The story is challenging, bringing up issues like colonization, oppression, and the intertwining of church and state. Reading it made me appreciate the power of fantasy writing to challenge deeply rooted beliefs taught to us from a young age. While other reviewers focus on the idea of “What is the cost of magic?” I would take it a step further to say the book asks: what is the cost of comfort?

The writing is exceptional, opening slowly with strong worldbuilding, explained clearly and cleverly to the reader. The book even includes an annex with terminology. The story takes a turn about a quarter of the way in, and the action and twists start to take shape. This book was a page-turner for me, between the worldbuilding, the moral dilemmas, and the author’s intoxicating writing style. The focuses of the story are the character flaws, personal ambitions, the desire for legacy, and systems of power — but there is a hint of will-they-won’t-they for readers who enjoy a sprinkle of romance in their books. Similar to one of the dilemmas presented in *Arcane*, the story presents the dichotomy of people using magic as a gift to enrich their community and those who manipulate and bend it to their will to fulfill selfish ends.

Easily the best book I have read this year — I will be clawing for a hardcover edition as soon as it’s available and following M.L. Wang’s writing journey closely! And of course, thank you to Del Rey Books and Random House Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

CW for readers: suicide, light body horror, religion

This is the most incredible political industrial colonialism fantasy. I have read since Babel and it may have topped it for me because frankly I found the magic system maybe even a little bit more interesting. It’s five stars. No notes. I will be thinking about this for a long time. I inhaled all 500 pages of it in a single day!!

Blood Over Bright Haven is funny, creative, and tragic in all the best ways. From the first page I was sucked into the magical and unique world of Titan - itching to understand more and more as I continued further into the story. This story has left me wrecked, yet there truly is no better ending possible for a tale with themes such as this one.

Sciona is everything I love in a female lead - fiery, strong-willed, determined, and brilliant. In an effort to not spoil the story for others, all I will say regarding her character arc is that seeing her rise as a phoenix from the ashes of her world view was inspiring. The idea that our emotions are energy and what we do with that energy matters is something that really impacted me as I read the story. Sciona’s story is one that shows it doesn't matter what stereotypes are out there in the world, you don't have to conform to either side - you can just be you, whomever that is at your core.

Thomil, in contrast, is someone who has lost all hope - there is no passion left in him at all, until he meets Sciona. His cynicism and pessimism versus Sciona’s never ending hope was a necessary contrast to the story as it progressed. It was wonderful to see his view on “hope” change by the end of the story.

Blood Over Bright Haven discusses the themes of exploitation, prejudice, selfishness, and egocentrism, all while also asking the very important question - to what end?

To what end do you continue to turn a blind eye? To deceive? To delude yourself into thinking your actions do not have consequences? To accept that nothing will ever change? Sciona shows us that the end is really never an “end.” Boundaries can be pushed, further than anyone may think or imagine, and the potential energy is always greater.

I feel for the general population of Tiran, just as I feel for the Kwen, and have been left thinking of all these gray areas covered in the last 50% of the story. M.L Wang is a truly great storyteller and I am looking forward to seeing more of their work in the future.

*review will be posted on Goodreads and Instagram (linked below) on October 29th, 2024, as requested in the ARC by the publisher*

M.L. Wang has once again proven her mastery in the fantasy genre with "Blood Over Bright Haven." Following her critically acclaimed "The Sword of Kaigen," Wang delivers a standalone dark academia fantasy that is as thought-provoking as it is immersive.

The story centers on Sciona Freynan, a determined and ambitious young woman striving to become the first female Highmage in the patriarchal city of Tiran. Her journey is fraught with obstacles, not the least of which is her assignment of Thomil, a Kwen janitor, as her lab assistant instead of a qualified mage. Together, they unravel the mysteries of their world's intricate magic system and confront the deep-seated prejudices that pervade their society.

Wang’s world-building is exceptional. The city of Tiran is depicted as an industrial utopia with a dark underbelly, and the magic system is unique and meticulously crafted. The concept of spellographs and the mathematical, almost alchemical process of siphoning energy from the Otherrealm is fascinating, though initially complex. Wang's ability to blend magic with elements of science and technology adds a layer of realism to the fantastical setting.

Sciona is a compelling protagonist. Her flaws—arrogance, stubbornness, and a certain unlikability—make her journey towards self-awareness and growth deeply satisfying. Thomil, with his kind-hearted yet melancholic nature, provides a perfect foil to Sciona's driven persona. Their relationship evolves from one of mutual suspicion to a partnership built on respect and shared goals. The debates between Sciona and Thomil on morality, goodness, and the nature of evil are intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its thematic depth. Wang tackles issues such as misogyny, racism, religious fanaticism, and the moral complexities of human nature with nuance and sensitivity. The portrayal of Sciona's struggle against a male-dominated academic institution is particularly powerful, reflecting real-world issues of gender inequality. The exploration of blind faith and the delusions people maintain to justify their actions adds another layer of complexity to the narrative.

The pacing of the book is well-balanced. While the first third of the novel involves detailed world-building and exposition, the story picks up momentum as Sciona and Thomil delve deeper into the secrets of Tiran's magic. The last third of the book is particularly gripping, with high-stakes conflicts and surprising twists that keep the reader engaged until the very end.

However, the book is not without its minor flaws. The initial exposition can feel a bit dense, and the social commentary, while important, occasionally feels heavy-handed. Additionally, the development of Sciona and Thomil’s relationship, though ultimately satisfying, could have benefited from more gradual progression.

Despite these minor issues, "Blood Over Bright Haven" is a remarkable achievement. It is a dark, thought-provoking tale that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Wang’s ability to create complex characters, a richly detailed world, and a unique magic system is truly impressive. Fans of dark academia and fantasy that challenges societal norms will find much to love in this book.

In conclusion, "Blood Over Bright Haven" is a testament to M.L. Wang’s talent as a storyteller. It’s a gripping, emotionally resonant, and intellectually stimulating read that I highly recommend. If you enjoyed "The Sword of Kaigen," this book is a must-read. Wang continues to prove that she is a formidable voice in contemporary fantasy literature.