I am obligated to read all necromancy books. So I had to pick up Deathly Fates. This fast paced action will sweep you away and they mystery is so fun to delve into throughout the book. Keep reading this book review of Deathly Fates for my full thoughts.
Summary
As a corpse-driving priestess, a holy servant paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses due to his declining health, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.
But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince’s head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying’s commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won’t stay alive for long―not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.
In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince’s death―secrets that could endanger both Siying’s father and their entire kingdom.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Deathly Fates begins with a bargain and journey. If you love a good ghostly story, Deathly Fates delivers ghosts, but also this sort of predictably classic fantasy adventure structure. I loved their interchanges between Siying and her unlikely allies. It’s easy to get swept up in the action and the mystery. I found the pages flipping by. But I think the more compelling theme is the exploration of grief and letting go. We have these characters and ghosts who are struggling with this process. What happens if we never acknowledge the loss? And so Deathly Fates is about even acknowledging loss and figuring out how to make sense of it.
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There were a few elements which felt a bit predictable, but I enjoyed the core of family and loss. The politics were also a theme I didn’t realize would be so prevalent but I enjoyed the ways it discusses the ways war echoes throughout the country. Deathly Fates was more surprising than I thought it would be. While it felt a bit rushed in places, I enjoyed how much more intense this was than I expected? There was a strong undertow especially at the beginning, but this was such a solid fantasy debut! Find Deathly Fates on Goodreads, Storygraph, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.