A desperate thief. An impossible heist. Survive…or shatter.
Six Of Crows meets Darker Shades Of Magic in this incredible new fantasy from your friendly neighbourhood writer.
Wild ride doesn’t even begin to cover this book. Kate Dylan is a genius.
Dylan has made a seamless genre transition segueing into fantasy as though she were born to write it. Her Sci-Fi books are phenomenal but Until We Shatter is on a whole other level.
Dylan is an autobuy author for me, and I have been anticipating this read since she first began hinting about it on social media, so I was beyond excited when I was approved for this ARC.
The premise was highly intriguing – half magic girl gets drawn in to mysterious magic heist? Yes please. If there’s anything I can’t resist in a book, it’s a heist.
If you’re after a gentle fantasy, this is not it. The first chapter was intense because Dylan has written a deeply intricate and complex magic system that takes some work getting your head around to start with. And, once you’re over the initial transition into a new world and magic system, you do not get a chance to breathe until the book is over. Twists, turns, tricks and treachery abound in this adventure.
The world in this was fantastic. I loved the political divide that is reminiscent of Dylan’s other books and was fascinated by the Gray and how it impacted Shades, Hues and Typics. There’s something both settling and discomforting about a fantasy world that mirrors ours in so many ways; especially when it drills the negatives of our society so fiercely.
In terms of characters, there are plenty for you to love and a good number for you to hate. Our main character, Cemmy, and her three friends are pretty much walking states of sarcasm and snide remarks and I love it. Add a pretty liar and a sweet red head to the mix and you have a perfect cast.
Novi was by far my favourite character. A mussed mohawk with silver vines tattooed in her scalp and a badass personality to match? It inspired the age old queer question; would I want to be her or be with her?
There was some great representation in this; we love a queer norm world but I was most impressed with the Deaf representation and the way the characters responded to Lyria’s arrival. I love how much time and page space was dedicated to the characters navigating her deafness and their lack of ability to communicate: “Lyria’s deafness isn’t the problem here, our inability to sign is.” We love disability rep done well!
The world building is amazing, the magic system is complex and fascinating but there is something about the character dynamics that is just so Kate Dylan and it really makes this book. She has a way of creating a band of misfits that anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong can feel seen in and wants to be a part of.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Kate Dylan for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Only If I Can Bring A Book 