Review: Darkdawn

Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Almost exactly three years to the day when I reviewed Nevernight.

Almost exactly two years to the day when I reviewed Godsgrave.

And now, in November 2019, I finally reach the end of Jay Kristoff's best series of all, his wild and terrifying Venetian-Renaissance-inspired dark fantasy of increasingly demonic terrors, the old gods of Itreya fighting again through their newest champions, and of course Mia Corvere. Mia, that devilish little murdery one we all know and love because she's not only #stabstabstab Stabby Stabby Kill Girl like no other slayer since Buffy, but also a bicon like no other iconic bi since Clarke Griffin.


And this time, I think Kristoff took the extra year off from Itreya to craft some of the most WTF moments ever put to paper. Not only the elaborate murders and/or ludicrous deaths detailed in his famous footnotes, but the increasingly meta-humorous nature of said footnotes. By this point, Mercurio of Liis is publishing the biography of Mia Corvere (and other assorted compatriots, lovers, enemies, etc.) in three volumes, and it's basically the text we've been getting from Kristoff since 2016. Which leads to a lot of Kristoff poking fun at his own tendencies for overblown prose and ridiculous footnotes, more of what makes this man the most rockstar wizard writer in the bloody business.

I will get into no details here. All I will say is this: Mister Kristoff, this was seriously worth the extra wait time.

Till I see whatever Jay Kristoff comes out with next - well, of course it's Aurora Burning at least, and I think the third LIFEL1K3 novel - I hereby bid his best series yet ave atque vale.

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