Review: What We Devour by Linsey Miller

What We Devour by Linsey Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley and Sourcebooks. All opinions are my own.  This book will be published on July 6, 2021.  

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy! It features morally gray characters, and I would say our main character Lorena is almost an anti-hero. She has to make questionable sacrifices for the greater good, often portraying herself as a monster and questioning if she made the right choice. I really enjoyed the magic system and plot. The magic system is bit complicated and detailed, but I didn't find it too confusing once it was explained. It also has a unique and diverse cast of characters.

Be forewarned that this book is fairly violent, but while there is mentions of cutting, murder, death, sacrifice, etc. it isn't overly gory in my opinion. It is dark, but the descriptions of violence aren't over top or detailed. I would say if you were a fan of Wicked Saints, this is not quite as brutal or descriptive as that but it is close, but the violence is in the same realm and it has the same feel of that type of dark fantasy. If you didn't like Wicked Saints or the other books in that trilogy, this may not be your cup of tea, but it might be worth a try if you are into that type of dark fantasy that isn't quite as grim.

The magic system in this is based on banished gods, the Noble and the Vile, whose power inhabits some of the folk of this fantasy world. Through sacrifice those with the power of the noble can create and those with that of the vile can destroy. Lorena is unique and has both noble and vile power. The magic system is unique as it takes the form of an entity that is attached to the person, who then makes a sacrifice, almost always violent and bloody to perform the act. Lorena has been hiding her abilities since she was a child to stay under the radar of the crown, but when her fiancé's father is to be arrested for treason she makes a deal with the crown prince to save him. The prince is trying to save the world and needs her help, but she learns that shutting the door that holds back the banished Vile won't be enough to save the people.

I believe this is a standalone, but the ending is such that there is room for another book. I feel this closed nicely leaving the reader to ponder what comes next for Lorena and the world she saved. I also wouldn't be surprised if we get another book about the aftermath that is sure to ensue as Lorena has to deal with the consequences of her actions and as those she save have to rebuild in the afterwards.

I thought the world building and character development were done very well in this book. They were both complex but didn't mind waiting for it to unfold as it continues to progress throughout the book. This book is going to take a bit of work to get through, and the complexity of the world is confusing at first but it is worth it. I enjoyed the unique take on magic and loved the cast of characters despite them all trying to be highly unlikeable. This is not going to be a book for every reader, but I sure enjoyed it!

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