A deliciously lush and atmospherically gothic, dark fairytale of a read that follows Hazel, the thirteenth child in a struggling (and rather neglectful) family, who becomes the goddaughter of Death.  

Inspired by the Grimm fairytales “Godfather Death” and “The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was”, Craig manages capture the essence of the originals thanks to her decadently gothic (and utterly addictive) prose. As well injecting her own unique spin, in the sweeping Cottagecore-esque fantasy setting that I was absolutely obsessed with.

But it was the compelling cast of characters (the good, bad and morally ambiguous) that really made this a such an intriguing read. 

Hazel, our protagonist (and the mortal Goddaughter of Death) was soo endearing and I loved seeing her grow from the neglected and unwanted child into a capable and caring person, who uses her healing abilities for good. Her mortal perspective, and the conflicting emotions that arise from the expectations her immortal godfather (and the other gods) have of her was fascinating.

And yet, despite not really understanding Hazel’s longing for human interaction, Merrick (the god of death) did genuinely care for Hazel, (more so than most of her human family.) And the vulnerability he shows as their father-daughter bond grows was actually quite sweet to watch unfold. 

We do see some growing pains as the pair occasionally disagree (a right of passage when raising a teen). But I liked Craig’s use of juxtaposing  mortality and immortality—emphasising human life and its governance by immortals, who, thanks to their disconnect, will never truly understand what it means to be human.

I adored the romantic tension between Hazel and Leo too, which though brief, was full of soo much emotion. The Intensity of their feelings for one another was soo well done, that I was in a literal chokehold rooting for them to find happiness together. 

This was actually the first book by Erin A. Craig I’ve ever read, but I know it definitely won’t be the last! 

Overall, this was a satisfyingly nuanced and emotionally complex feast for the senses, with a powerful underlying message about life and the human condition— that gothic, fairytale loving fantasy fans are almost certain to enjoy. Though I do recommend checking the TWs.

Also, thanks to Blackcrow PR and Rock the Boat books for the gorgeous finished copy.