#ifanna

[nicstylus]

I totally forgot I had these in my drafts. I was going to add another one between Mer and Fane and have it be like.. how the three of them interact with Mer/ her brand but I never ended up finishing the one with Fane. Oops

Anyway here’s Ifanna and Renfrew

[reading-and-other-tortures]

The Drowned Woods book review

The Drowned Woods - Emily Lloyd-Jones

Rating: 3/5 stars

Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict - and eighteen-year-old Mererid, or Mer, is well acquainted with both. As the last living water diviner, she can manipulate water with magic, and it’s a skill many would kill to possess. 

For years, Mer has been running from the prince who bound her into his service and forced her to kill hundreds with her magic. Now all Mer desires is a safe, quiet life far from power and politics. But that peace is disrupted when Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her abilities to bring down the very prince who abused them both.

With a motley crew of allies–including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy–Mer must decide whether to run for the rest of her life or stand and fight for the true freedom she’s long desired.

Part heist novel, part dark fairy tale, this immersive and ethereal fantasy from acclaimed author Emily Lloyd-Jones will enchant readers until the very last page.

Despite the slow start (things don’t really begin moving until about Chapter 10), The Drowned Woods was still a nice casual read over a weekend. I believe it’s a stand-alone novel, and because of that, it left a lot to be desired in terms of world-building and the characters. In this sense, it could be compared to another heist novel, Six of Crows, which features a myriad cast of characters and an extensive world that feels full and fleshed-out even without its companion novel Crooked Kingdom. The Drowned Woods only features three POV characters (Mer, Fane, and Ifanna), but they don’t feel entirely whole or complete. This could obviously coincide with the constraints of a stand-alone novel, however, so I can’t fault Jones too hard for this. The flashbacks and information given are just enough to understand the characters, but not much deeper than surface-level (again, this could be due to constraints, though). 

The twist was nice but not anything shocking or unexpected. Again, this could be attributed to story constraints and how little time we spent with the characters, especially Mer and Renfrew’s relationship, which was told a lot more than shown. I did love Mer’s choice at the end, though, and her relationship with Fane. I wish we had gotten a bit more Mer and Ifanna, especially since Ifanna came into the game later than everyone else, but their history was enjoyable as well, and I loved Ifanna as a character. The lady of thieves (and, of course, Trefor the corgi) owns my heart. 

Overall, The Drowned Woods was an enjoyable casual read with many promising premises and characters that could have flourished with just a bit more room, but are still interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. Those who enjoy a good fairy tale will certainly find themselves captivated by the mythology Jones weaves through an ancient and fantastical Wales.