I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan Series: Standalone
Published by Hodder and Stoughton on 2024 October 17
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 259
Format: E-Arc
Source: Netgalley
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An action-packed, epic heist fantasy from the author of Mindwalker, perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Darker Shade of Magic.
A desperate thief. An impossible heist. Survive . . . or shatter.
No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat.
The Church would see her killed for having any magic.
The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough.So when her mother falls ill, Cemmy has no choice but to turn thief. And when she's offered a job that could solve all their problems, it's impossible to resist.
The catch? Cemmy will have to work with Chase - beautiful, dangerous, and full of secrets - to steal a powerful relic the Church has hidden within a deadly realm of shadows.
If she succeeds, Cemmy will finally be safe. But if she's caught, she risks igniting a spark that could destroy the city - and everyone inside . . .
I wish people would stop putting out blurbs saying that X book is akin to this X book meets Y book because it just builds expectations that usually turn into disappointments. As a reader, I seldom pick up books just because they are touted as this A book meets B book. I love reading and rating a book for its own merits and not because they are some sort of riding on the coat tails of famous books. In the case of Until We Shatter though, I made an exception because when a book is being touted as Six of Crows meets Black Prism, I know that I would not be able to resist as former is an all time favorite of mine. In reality, however, Until We Shatter is just a different book. It’s not bad but it’s not as tantalizing as Six of Crows.
Now that we have put it out there, let’s have a proper review of Until We Shatter. It has its own merits and errr~ demerits. For one, Kate Dylan’s prose is wonderful and definitely perfect for the story that she’s trying to tell. The idea of the world and hue-based magical system were both a plus and a pitfall. Yes, you’ve read that right. While the author made an interesting premise and an innovative magical system, the delivery was somewhat subpar. I tried my best to understand how the world of Isitar works (even did some backreading) but I just had a hard time visualizing it out. And I just couldn’t get into the whole magical system, it’s so confusing and it requires the reader to immediately memorize the power of each color right from the start. Otherwise, you will get lost when you are already in the middle of the story.
Additionally, all the characters including Cemmy were all unrelatable. I could not bring myself to get invested in them. I did not feel the bromance between Cemmy and her friends, more so the romantic relationship between her and Cassiel. I wasn’t also convinced with their individual struggles and collective plight as half-Shades existing in the world of Isitar. Even the antagonist’s personality and ploys did not get a rise out of me. I love me a good villain so yes, it made me sad that I did not get to take out my cheering board for Until We Shatter’s main antagonist. 🙁 And while the plot was entertaining, it needs a lot of beefing up to compensate for the other lackluster aspects of the story.
All in all, approach Until We Shatter without expectations that it would be another Six of Crows. Read it for what it is to get the most fun out of it. Do not compare it with Six of Crows because you will be up for a major disappointment. So yes, as a reader who likes to treat every book as if each one has their own identity, I’d say that Until We Shatter was neither bad nor remarkable.