A Far Wilder Magic: review

Huge thanks to Edelweiss and Wednesday Books for the arc!

Allison Saft is the author of eerie and critically acclaimed romantic fantasies, Down Comes the Night and A Far Wilder Magic. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time hiking the redwoods and practicing aerial silks.

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: March 8th 2022 by Wednesday Books

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist--yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it's like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long.

In A Far Wilder Magic, Allison Saft has written an achingly tender love story set against a deadly hunt in an atmospheric, rich fantasy world that will sweep you away.

GOODREADS/ AMAZON/B&N/BD/INDIGO/INDIEBOUND

This book was the treatiest (not a word) of treats and I am so happy to have gotten my hands on a review copy! So rarely do I get a book that gives me the same fondness I felt while reading The Scorpio Races (this is going to be strange, but hear me out) because the way I fell in love with Maggie Steifvater's book is the same way I fell in love with this one. We have two different people, one a loner and the other barely scraping by with a family that needs him. Both know the only way to solve their problems is to enter a dangerous contest and in between all that, find each other.

I love it.

I love slow-burn romances and deadly games and high stakes. If you love all that too, keep reading!

Margaret is no stranger to the hermit life. She lives in a big manor and spends her days practicing her sharpshooting and hanging out with her dog, Trouble. Her brother died and her mother disappeared looking for a way to bring him back. She feels entering the Halfmoon Hunt and killing the legendary hala will earn her the thing she needs to bring her mother home. The only problem is, the context requires two people and one must be an alchemist.

Small note: I absolutely love girls like Margaret in literature. Although she may present herself as unflinching and cold, she cares deeply about those she has in her life. Love, love, LOVE.

Enter the charming, naive Weston Winter. He's also no stranger to being an outcast and bets all his coin to come to Welty Manor in order to train under Margaret's mother. He believes this is his last chance for an apprenticeship and his future as a politician depends on it. But what he finds at the manor is not Evelyn Welty, but her scowling daughter (a girl after my own heart) living her best hermit life. Together, they hatch a plan to enter the contest together. They both realize how much of a risk they're both taking and that the road to success is not an easy one, but their bond grows into full-blown love (kids these days), but can it withstand the hala and those who wish to see them fail?

Another side note: Weston is a fantastic male character. He's a charmer with good looks and a personality to match. He and Margaret don't immediately hit it off, but his progression into seeing her for more than her outer appearance was so romantic. He's dealt with the same bigotry in his life, and I think their connection grew from that moment where he saw how alike they truly were.

The first thing I should have told you is that this is not an action-packed book. I would say it's more of a slow-burn with lots and lots of introspection from both povs. Like the aforementioned book, the story focuses mainly on the characters rather than the hunt itself. But I don't mind books like this. They take me on a journey of self-discovery and I forget I'm even in a fantasy world.

A FAR WILDER MAGIC is a magical exploration of love and hope masterfully written by an author I will follow until the end of the earth. A stunning sophomore novel that I cannot wait to hold in my hands.