This is the first book in a new fantasy series of novellas from the author of (among others) the City of Spires series and “Baker thief” ! 

I love such quick reads because I’ve started way too many series with 500+ pages and books like “Awakenings” are a breath of fresh air to read in between other more massive works. What I appreciate is that this series seems to be heading to several instalments so I’ll be able to follow those characters for a long time, just like another novella series I love and read a new one recently, the wayward children by Seanan McGuire.

Here we follow Horace, a young person (using e/em pronouns) who really wants to belong, tries eir best but keeps failing at every apprenticeship e begins. At the beginning of this tale, Horace is tasked with being the guard on duty on the market that day and with guarding the glyph maintaining the dome protecting the city from swarms of Fragments. E’s very keen on doing what’s asked of em but eir tendency to have a wandering mind, eir curiosity on the new arrivals at the market or eir friendliness to go and talk to everyone will put em in the middle of difficult situations… E’s clearly adhd coded and seeing a character with this disorder navigating life and adventures in a fantasy world is really nice and refreshing, that’s what I like about those self published stories that are sometimes (but not as much as before) missing from trad pub ones. 

I don’t want to talk too much about the plot as it’s so short and I could easily say too much, but I loved the little group that forms during this novella and that we’re sure to follow for several books ! I loved most of all the sentient wagon bigger on the inside ! I also loved how implied it is that Horace is not the Hero of the story but that eir presence and support might help the hero in their quest ! The trope of following a character that’s not the central piece of a big story is one I really like (I first saw this in “the rest of us just live there” by Patrick Ness back in 2015 and loved it)

Overall this new little fantasy series is promising adventures, budding friendship, queernormative world, cosy meals by the fire and fighting monsters ! 

I got an advance reader copy for this book, I don’t do much arc reading and reviewing anymore these days especially in English but I love this author’s world and writing and wanted to try and help promoting this new series !