What an exquisite rush. The Court of Broken Knives demolishes the notion that grimdark is necessarily a lesser sort of prose. Anna Smith Spark’s writing is like an intricate spell designed to capture inside an insidious web violence and mayhem and make you beg for more. Her words swirl off the page, engulfing you in a twisted dance of macabre delights. Rarely has violence and filth been so beautiful, but in her hands you cannot help but want to wallow in the darkest pits and grimmest realities. This is as captivating a series opener as I can remember, leaving you desperate for more. I was right to wait until the trilogy was complete to begin this journey. I don’t think I could have withstood the wait.

In grimdark fashion, The Court of Broken Knives is filled with repulsive characters, insane situations, reprehensible actions, and bloody results. Rather than rest on just that, however, Spark puts care into both her plot and her writing, creating an elevated experience that will have you squealing with delight and disgust. She’s a writer’s writer, with a mind drenched in pure wickedness. I loved every word of it.