Nocturne review

4/5 stars
Recommended if you like: fantasy, Hades and Persephone, ballet, magic, curses, fairytales

Big thanks to Netgalley, Del Ray, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book has aspects of several different fairytales/myths rolled up into one beautiful package. There’s Hades and Persephone, Death and the Maiden, and Beauty and the Beast. The book was a bit predictable, though I feel like that’s my adage for a lot of books. There was a good mix of things I was able to guess and things that surprised me. The ending did surprise me, and I thought the way Wees wrote it was very interesting.

The book does have a lot of descriptions and purple prose, but I liked it. I enjoyed the descriptions and found they helped emphasize certain strange and magical instances throughout the book. It also serves to indicate when something Isn’t Right, because there will be gaps in the description (such as the trip to/from Master La Rosa’s house).

Grace is someone who’s faced a lot of loss in her life. The ballet and her best friend, Emilia, are her only solaces. Grace is an interesting character because she simultaneously has so much fight in her but also a desire to just give in to the magic surrounding her at Master La Rosa’s house. I will say this: whatever she decides, she throws herself wholeheartedly into it. There were some moments when she did something that made me go really, but overall she was good at sorting through her thoughts and coming to a conclusion that would meet her needs and wants.

Emilia is only a side character but she’s such a good friend. She’s excited over Grace’s accomplishments and supports her through her journey in this book. No matter how crazy things seem, she’s more than willing to reach out a hand to help her friend. She seems like a solid person to have on your side, and I’m glad that she was continually there for Grace.

Master La Rosa is somewhat of a mysterious figure even after Grace begins living with him. His role is pretty obvious from that point on, but I don’t really feel like we get to know him even as Grace feels like she does. There’s also the situation with how he acted in the private box vs. how he acts in virtually every other scene after that. I think it would’ve been better had he been developed into a more well-rounded character. As it stands, I sort of get the appeal, but don’t really feel that connection. I liked the magic in the book. The other world, where Noctem is located, is interesting. I liked the take on death and spirits, and the ‘monsters’ had an interesting connection.

This is a little nitpicky of me, but some of the ballet stuff was a little off. For one thing, Firebird was first performed in the US in 1916, not in the 1930s. Second, Grace at one point mentions she dances 12 (I think, maybe 10) performances of Firebird and used 7 pointe shoes…except full solo/prima performances usually wear out pointe shoes, and that’s today. In Grace’s time, pointe shoes were less sturdy, so she really should’ve gone through at least a dozen pairs, if not more during the show’s running. There were some other things that I noticed, but the timeline and pointe shoe thing particularly stood out.

I think the ending is satisfying as well. It isn’t a traditional HEA, but I think it fits. It also really reinforces that Grace’s decision is her own and not her being wrapped up in love or lust or whatever.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and think Grace’s story is interesting. I liked the ending both because it’s satisfying and because I think it matches well with a lot of ballet endings, which kind of fits the theme.