Published By: Hodderscape
Pages: 336
Released On: 05/11/2024
Fleeing a troubled past, immigrant fortune teller Tao roams the dusty countryside with only her mule for company, telling small fortunes, for small prices. Big fortunes come with big consequences . . . which she knows from bitter experience.
It’s a lonely life, until she encounters an ex-mercenary and a (semi) reformed thief, who recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and – of course – a slightly magical cat.
Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as her friends break down her walls, the shadows of her past close in. Now, Tao must decide whether to risk everything to save the family she never thought she could have . . .
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This was definitely another one of those “judging the book by its cover” book, because it is a beautiful cover and really invites you in.
On Amazon, it said it is for fans of Legends and Lattes, but I didn’t like that book and actually didn’t finish it, so it was interesting to see how this one faired. Turns out it had it’s upsides and its flaws.
I believe it is Julie’s debut novel, and I can definitely see links to the Legends and Lattes type books.
I know we’re not meant to quote lines from an ARC in reviews in case it doesn’t end up in the final copy, and so I won’t, but I will say that the opening sentence is one of the best I’ve read. It’s witty, funny, unusual and really drags you in wanting to know more. But I would say the opening is probably the strongest part.
Julie has created such a magical fantasy world that you get fully enveloped in, which was lovely.
It is very sickly sweet. I enjoyed it and it was nice to read, nothing overly strenuous, but it was a nice sort of palette cleanser between hard-hitting stories. It’s cosy and relaxing but I did miss having something a bit more meaty to get my teeth into.
I can see the majority of reviews have already given it 5 stars, and I can see why, even though I am slightly less than enamoured with it. It was good, it was sweet and funny and easy-going, but lacking something a bit…more, for me.
It does have some interesting themes running through it – family, immigration, a sense of belonging etc. which was good, but at times I felt it was slightly shoved in, like we couldn’t just have a nice carefree run read, there had to be a moral behind it, and it didn’t feel overly natural at times.
I did like the band of unruly characters, of a family made out of circumstance rather than blood. It’s a group of misfits that don’t really fit anywhere, but somehow they fit together.
I found the pacing a little strange. It took a while to get going, in some chapters there wasn’t much going on, but then other bits sped through so fast I couldn’t really get to grips with it.
Overall, there wasn’t a huge amount of depth for me in the plot or characters. It’s a perfectly pleasant book to enjoy over a cold autumnal evening. It’s you’re really into this genre, if you enjoyed Legends and Lattes, then this will definitely be for you. But if you want something a bit more substantial, then you might find it a bit flat.
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