The Helm of Midnight by Marina J. LostetterMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this! I was immediately drawn to the cover of this book and its sequel, look for my review of that soon. I can't believe more people aren't talking about this series. This was a great genre mash up of fantasy, mystery, and a touch of horror. I do feel that this was a tad on the long side, and following three different POVs was a bit hard to keep track of at first especially with the audio version. There are alot of characters, names, and places to keep track of as the story unfolds and while I eventually was able to settle in and keep track, I feel some readers may prefer to follow along or opt completely for the print version to better keep track of everything.
The premise of this was really unique. This follows Krona, a regulator in a world where magic is available and accepted. Regulators can most easily be compared to police officers. Krona's team was tasked to protect some enchanted objects at a party, but they were stolen. One of the items was an enchanted mask of a serial killer named Charbon. Masks can be enchanted upon the death of a person to retain their memories and when worn their memories and knowledge is passed on to the wearer as long as they are wearing the mask. The thief is imitating Charbon's murders and Krona's and her team led by her older sister must investigate all of the angles. Krona uncovers secrets and information that takes her to places she never expected and to things that are better left alone.
This is told from the perspectives of Krona. Melanie, and Charbon himself. The story is told in the present and past as it leads up to the current day events. I thought the 3 POVs really worked well here as we really got to understand how the magic and religion worked and eventually how all three of the characters were tied together and what their motivations are. I thought the author did a great job tying the three POVs together at the end. The worldbuilding was done well, beware there are some gruesome parts. Despite the book being on the long side, I was engaged the entire time and thought the pacing was good. There were ample action scenes to keep you on your toes and wanting to know what happens next. The books ends with a minor cliffhanger, but overall the main story ends and I got a sense of closure from the book with a tease of what is to come in the next book.
Because this is told from three different perspectives, it was nice to have three different narrators to voice each of the characters. Because their storylines are told at different times and are independent, I find it nice to have a separate voice for each part of the story to keep the storylines and timelines straight. Each of the narrators did a good job with the characters and I hope some or all of them are back to narrate the next book in the series.
If you liked this book, I think you would also like Drunk on All Your Strange New Words. It has a unique storyline and mystery but with more of a sci-fi twist.
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