As a reimagining of Antigone, I knew Arch-Conspirator wouldn’t be a feel-good read. This beautifully written novella scratched the surface of compelling deeper issues but didn’t go quite far enough for me. Normally, I am a huge fan of the novella format, but the political issues of bodily autonomy, eugenics, and others needed more room to breathe and expand. This novella is still a short, poignant read, but I would have loved a format that allowed for more depth. The thought-provoking, ambiguous ending and gorgeous prose did leave me thinking about this story for days, so there’s definitely still value in reading it.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.