Innamorata is an atmospheric Gothic fantasy about soul-consuming love, vengeance and necromancy. The book follows two of the last living members of the House of Teeth: Lady Agnes and her cousin, Marozia.
Once, there was an island where the dead walked the earth, and where seven noble houses were ruled by the secrets of necromancy. It was soon conquered, leading to burned libraries and murdered lords. Defiant against the new order, the House of Teeth remains the last ruling house.
Agnes, who has not spoken a word in seven years, is the true carrier of the House’s legacy. Sheis tasked with recapturing the secrets of death magic, with vengeance driving her to arrange her cousin’s betrothal to Liuprand, heir to the conqueror’s throne, to gain access to the forbidden library in his grand castle.
Revenge burns within Agnes, yet so does a treasonous passion for the prince – but she has one final order: she must not fall in love. The story is character-driven rather than plot-driven. I feel that if it had been written in the first person, it would have deepened my attachment to the characters. The writing can also feel overdone with philosophical phrasing, but I loved the gory and Gothic descriptions of the world of Drepane.
Innamorata will appeal to readers who love visceral descriptions. I recommend it for audiences who enjoy Ava Reid’s A Study of Drowning or Keri Lake’s novels, including Nocticadia and Anathema.
Reviewed by Christina Theodoratos
Read our review of A Study in Drowning here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ava Reid was born in Manhattan and raised right across the Hudson River in Hoboken, but currently lives in Palo Alto, where the weather is too sunny and the people are too friendly. She has a degree in political science from Barnard College, focusing on religion and ethnonationalism.
Ava Reid is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning, Lady Macbeth, Juniper and Thorn, and other novels. Her books have been published in over fourteen territories.
0 Comments