This weird little twisty novella immediately jumped up to the top of my to read list when I saw someone advertise it on twitter and took my breath away.

It follows a man named Vasethe who journeys to seek help from a woman named Eres who is not what she seems. Cause you see, she is the border keeper the guardian between his world and the 999 realms of Mkalis, where demons and gods wage endless war. With her aid, he crosses over for a purpose which at first is unclear but is soon revealed. Throughout their journey Eres and Vasethe discover things about both each other and the worlds around them which threaten everything they are and they will do anything to fight back and overcome it.

I loved everything about this story from it's lyrical prose to it's theme's of love, war, justice, healing, redemption and peace. I also love how it fiddles with the concept of life and death and brings a truly unique spin to the concept of afterlife. I love how it incorporates elements of different mythologies and how it's seemingly minor details from crab like people, to a homicidal demon ended up being major elements that drew the story together. I love that both characters are trying to overcome their own personal pasts and issues separately yet they grow the most when they tackle them together. That, plus other events taking place within the world, give the story a complexity and rawness that I have seldom seen, and brings it to the next level.

The world building in this is incredible, it's hard to believe it's only 200 pages. Hall does a lot with a small space! I love everything about this story from top to bottom! My only complaint? I wish it were longer! I could read a full length novel, or several in this strange world of realms and demons and war and magic. Pre order today! You won't want to miss this! Kerstin Hall is definately one to watch! 5 out of 5 stars for me! Thank you to @negalley and the publisher for my ARC for review!