Rating: 5/5
*This ebook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
When I saw this book on Netgalley and I saw that it was compared to both Mistborn and Hannibal, I requested it on the spot. And you know what? This book didn't disappoint on any front. It was everything that I had hoped it would be and more.
Summary from Amazon:
"In a daring and deadly heist, thieves have made away with an artifact of terrible power―the death mask of Louis Charbon. Made by a master craftsman, it is imbued with the spirit of a monster from history, a serial murderer who terrorized the city.
Now Charbon is loose once more, killing from beyond the grave. But these murders are different from before, not simply random but the work of a deliberate mind probing for answers to a sinister question.
It is up to Krona Hirvath and her fellow Regulators to enter the mind of madness to stop this insatiable killer while facing the terrible truths left in his wake."
The entire premise of this book was everything that I never knew that I needed. It simultaneously wove together the story of a ruthless murderer, cult happenings, a brand new fantasy environment, and the strength of family. Just to had all the trappings of a dark thriller while simultaneously introducing the reader to an entirely new fantasy environment. The world-building was very well done, and it was accomplished rather gradually so as not to bog down the reader. The writing was lovely, but it wasn't overly complex. It was very graspable without sacrificing any of the description or intricacy necessary to build the story. The magic system in this book was wonderfully creative and very well described. I never felt like I was lost as it was explained and handled perfectly. The very base of the magic system being so strictly regulated and only accessible under certain circumstances was very compelling. Also, it opened up the entire cult plot line regarding the secret "new magic" that not only brought into question the strict regulation of magic, but also the very basis of the religion.
Let me also point out that there seemed to be a lot of great diversity in the book. The protagonist is a very strong woman of color. There was also the inclusion of a variety of gender identities. Actually, the gender identities even related back to their religion which had the different figureheads of the religion encompassing different gender identities. As a whole, the characters within the story felt wonderfully complex especially Krona. Krona was an amazing protagonist. She was hard working, determined, strong, but also still vulnerable. She was never obnoxious, never overpowered. Krona felt like a real, strong person who was out there trying to do whatever she could for the greater good. She did this all while struggling with her traumatic past. Charbon was also wonderfully complex. The decision to include his point of view was very clever. Not only was his backstory important to understand the cult, but it also made his character wonderfully complicated. Thibaut as well, we get him most often as comic relief but it was great that we got to see a more ragged, desperate side of him part way through the book.
As this is a five-star rating, there isn't much that I have to say negatively regarding the book. My primary issue was just that the book felt too long. By this I mean that Melanie's POV felt like just too much. I mean don't get me wrong, it didn't feel out of place per se. It just felt like the same thing that including her POV accomplished, could have been accomplished without a direct focus on her. I just tried to explain this book to my friend and I couldn't really explain to her why her POV was totally necessary to the plot. It just felt like a bunch tacked on for the sake of the ending. Perhaps a little more investigation on Krona's part would have been a more appropriate substitute.
It was a really good book though. Even though I think the book works pretty well as a standalone, I am already excited to read the next one whenever it comes out! It was just such a fun, creative take on a fantasy novel and I loved it. One of my top 10 books for 2020 for sure! The Helm of Midnight is available as of today! If you like a dark fantasy book that also crosses over into thriller territory, then try this one out for sure! Thank you so much Tor for allowing me to experience this book early!