The story opens in contemporary New York, in a world where magic has been synthesized into a substance called levic. This astronomically expensive drug is monopolised by the multi-billionaire Lamour corporation and Nora Blake is determined to join the company as a Dream Engineer. But she can’t stand the Lamours, and is determined to make levic more accessible and affordable for the general public. Nora is chosen by lottery to attend a fancy gala and must pretend to date the aloof Remy Lamour, younger brother to the company CEO. Nora initially thinks it will be one night of fake-dating, but she gets swept into a globe-hopping mystery trying to figure out who is sabotaging the Lamour family.
This book will absolutely appeal to fans of Olivie Blake and her urban fantasy books, and I also saw similarities with Nightbirds by Kate J Armstrong, as the treatment of magic is so creative. Levic allows the user to chemically manipulate elements such as water, gold, paint, air, and even control substances inside human bodies, so Nora’s world is filled with stunning magical imagery.
I started this book thinking I already knew what the story would be, but Emma Clancey absolutely blew these expectations out of the water. There are so many twists and turns, and the last 50 pages had my jaw on the floor with some brilliant mystery setup and payoff. The characters are fun and so loveable, with a fabulous back-and-forth relationship between Nora, Remy and the queer heart-throb Dominic.
I thoroughly enjoyed This Dream Will Devour Us and cannot wait to read it again.
Reviewed by Rachel Denham-White
Age Guide 14+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emma Clancey is a fantasy writer and medical student living in Sydney. In 2024, she was awarded the Ray Koppe/Australian Society of Authors Young Writers Fellowship. Emma’s debut novel, This Dream Will Devour Us, is a YA fantasy thriller that blends her passions for magic and medicine.
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