A review by katharine_opal
The Order of the Circle by Levi Cory

dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This story was short but pretty good! It's a fast-paced and gory tale of revenge against those who wronged her and her husband. I really appreciated that it was a reversal of the standard "Dead Wife" trope, and instead is a grieving wife avenging her dead husband. This story focuses solely on Dorothy and her plans for revenge. Unfortunately, this means there is very little world-building, which is a pity because I'm honestly fascinated with the small bits I saw of this world. Dorothy was such a realistic character. She's not suddenly a badass ala John Wick in her quest for revenge. She has setbacks, and she mentally struggles to the point of tears with the things she has to do in order to exact her plan. She feels very much like a person who was once an average woman, but now has nothing left to lose, and won't let herself stray from the path of revenge, no matter how bloody it gets. This story does get pretty gory at points, but even the story points out how disgusting it is at times. I enjoyed the art as well! The page flow was excellent, and I was always certain what was happening in a scene. The only downside is that this story is so short, that certain elements get glossed over or just ignored. I really would have loved if this story was slightly longer so certain world-building blocks could have been expanded on slightly. Also, this story ends on a cliffhanger. So is there meant to be a second volume?

 Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings