Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Orbit (2022), 419 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. HTML: For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom�??but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking. Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her. Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder�??she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King's own nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder...and guilty of high treason. He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards�??the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Verkruissen
One Dark Window is a beautifully written story about a girl who has grown up with a secret magic that must remain hidden under fear of death. The story is well written, the world building is gorgeous and the magic system quite interesting. It definitely gives Naomi Novik vibes. So if you enjoyed
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Uprooted or Spinning Silver with the lush landscape and magic of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf series you will love this one. It ends with a huge cliffhanger so I am dying for the next book! Show Less
LibraryThing member Anniik
TW/CW: Sex, mind-control, illness, near-death of a child,
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book takes place in a world where legitimate magic is carried in a collection of cards and illegitimate magic is brought on by
I rarely have problems following books like I did this one. It was confusing, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow (literally almost nothing really happens) the characters boring, the tropes over done and the only thing I really did care about (finding all the cards and saving magic) was foiled when it ended on an incredibly abrupt cliffhanger. It can be okay when books have cliffhangers. Sometimes they’re exciting and make me want to get the next book as soon as possible. But sometimes, like in this book, they just leave me massively confused because this book basically had no ending at all. It was just a ‘to be continued.’ I probably won’t be continuing.
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book takes place in a world where legitimate magic is carried in a collection of cards and illegitimate magic is brought on by
Show More
infection. Those who become infected are captured and murdered. The main character, Elsbeth, of course is a survivor of the illness and has magic of her own. Of course, she also has the soul of a man trapped in her head, something that she has to deal with every day. Drawn in my a group of palace rebels who say they can fix magic once and for all if she just helps them a little bit, they attempt to collect all the magic cards in order to gain control of the magic again. Sound confusing? Well, it is.I rarely have problems following books like I did this one. It was confusing, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow (literally almost nothing really happens) the characters boring, the tropes over done and the only thing I really did care about (finding all the cards and saving magic) was foiled when it ended on an incredibly abrupt cliffhanger. It can be okay when books have cliffhangers. Sometimes they’re exciting and make me want to get the next book as soon as possible. But sometimes, like in this book, they just leave me massively confused because this book basically had no ending at all. It was just a ‘to be continued.’ I probably won’t be continuing.
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LibraryThing member Adilinaria
Source: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher & I purchased my own copy I enjoyed it so much!
TL;DR: Melodramatic and slow in the beginning but the ending makes up for that in spades.
Plot: The plot in this was good but took a bit too long at times
Characters: They felt very YA, not in a terrible way.
Setting: Very good, very good - that's what really kept me in.
Magic: Also very good! I loved the idea behind the magic mainly.
Thoughts:
This book was a lot like walking out a misty morning into a train wreck of a day and not wanting to look away - the best way possible. One Dark Window is a dark and moody fantasy that I would put squarely between YA and Adult. The characters and the melodrama of it felt very YA while the tone and worldbuilding felt more adult for me, so be aware of that going in. That melodrama and setting was eventually what kept me going. The town of Blunder is surrounded and beset by a fog or mist that never leaves, and is slowly taking over and cutting it off from the world. It all comes from a deal made by an ancient king to the Spirit of the Woods and she's wants her payment. Elspeth, our main character, gets sucked into a conspiracy to locate and fulfill the prophecy that will end the deal and save the town and the the townsfolk.
The book builds slowly, Elspeth is possessed? Is in possession of? A spirit that lurks in the back of her mind. He speaks with her in riddles and rhymes and knows far more than he tells her. Over the course of the novel we find out more about him, slowly, and Elspeth learns more how to work with him and struggles to find the answers to her questions. The rest of the cast, though interesting is hardly important. There is our obligatory love interest, who felt very standard, and his assorted found family. Some of which I did really enjoy! There was also an interesting character in Elspeth's cousin who at first a thought was going to become Elspeth's female rival, but the further into the story we went I think perhaps the author is going to explore a different kind of relationship and that's one I'm very excited for.
The setting is the win here though. You want something moody, misty, and you want to feel the cold and chill of the place? One Dark Window has it in spades. The creepy forest, the feel of something always behind you, it's all captured wonderfully. It ties will with the magic of the story. It's all due to the Spirit of the Woods and a bargain made years ago by The Shepard King. Now magic is sealed in Cards that can be used by the people of the town. All other magic is shunned since it comes from the mist and it leads to madness. The idea of give and take is very real and involved here.
Ultimately I ended up loving where this book went. The melodrama and slow pace of the first portion were saved by the atmosphere and the setting. And the ending that pops off had me actually yelling out loud (my husband was highly amused). I immediately ordered my own physical copy because as soon as I can get my hands on the second book I'm rereading the first and diving in. Go in with the right expectations and I think you'll be delighted.
4 Glowing Cards out of 5
TL;DR: Melodramatic and slow in the beginning but the ending makes up for that in spades.
Plot: The plot in this was good but took a bit too long at times
Characters: They felt very YA, not in a terrible way.
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Just a melodramatic way at times.Setting: Very good, very good - that's what really kept me in.
Magic: Also very good! I loved the idea behind the magic mainly.
Thoughts:
This book was a lot like walking out a misty morning into a train wreck of a day and not wanting to look away - the best way possible. One Dark Window is a dark and moody fantasy that I would put squarely between YA and Adult. The characters and the melodrama of it felt very YA while the tone and worldbuilding felt more adult for me, so be aware of that going in. That melodrama and setting was eventually what kept me going. The town of Blunder is surrounded and beset by a fog or mist that never leaves, and is slowly taking over and cutting it off from the world. It all comes from a deal made by an ancient king to the Spirit of the Woods and she's wants her payment. Elspeth, our main character, gets sucked into a conspiracy to locate and fulfill the prophecy that will end the deal and save the town and the the townsfolk.
The book builds slowly, Elspeth is possessed? Is in possession of? A spirit that lurks in the back of her mind. He speaks with her in riddles and rhymes and knows far more than he tells her. Over the course of the novel we find out more about him, slowly, and Elspeth learns more how to work with him and struggles to find the answers to her questions. The rest of the cast, though interesting is hardly important. There is our obligatory love interest, who felt very standard, and his assorted found family. Some of which I did really enjoy! There was also an interesting character in Elspeth's cousin who at first a thought was going to become Elspeth's female rival, but the further into the story we went I think perhaps the author is going to explore a different kind of relationship and that's one I'm very excited for.
The setting is the win here though. You want something moody, misty, and you want to feel the cold and chill of the place? One Dark Window has it in spades. The creepy forest, the feel of something always behind you, it's all captured wonderfully. It ties will with the magic of the story. It's all due to the Spirit of the Woods and a bargain made years ago by The Shepard King. Now magic is sealed in Cards that can be used by the people of the town. All other magic is shunned since it comes from the mist and it leads to madness. The idea of give and take is very real and involved here.
Ultimately I ended up loving where this book went. The melodrama and slow pace of the first portion were saved by the atmosphere and the setting. And the ending that pops off had me actually yelling out loud (my husband was highly amused). I immediately ordered my own physical copy because as soon as I can get my hands on the second book I'm rereading the first and diving in. Go in with the right expectations and I think you'll be delighted.
4 Glowing Cards out of 5
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LibraryThing member Anniik
TW/CW: Sex, mind-control, illness, near-death of a child,
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book takes place in a world where legitimate magic is carried in a collection of cards and illegitimate magic is brought on by
I rarely have problems following books like I did this one. It was confusing, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow (literally almost nothing really happens) the characters boring, the tropes over done and the only thing I really did care about (finding all the cards and saving magic) was foiled when it ended on an incredibly abrupt cliffhanger. It can be okay when books have cliffhangers. Sometimes they’re exciting and make me want to get the next book as soon as possible. But sometimes, like in this book, they just leave me massively confused because this book basically had no ending at all. It was just a ‘to be continued.’ I probably won’t be continuing.
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book takes place in a world where legitimate magic is carried in a collection of cards and illegitimate magic is brought on by
Show More
infection. Those who become infected are captured and murdered. The main character, Elsbeth, of course is a survivor of the illness and has magic of her own. Of course, she also has the soul of a man trapped in her head, something that she has to deal with every day. Drawn in my a group of palace rebels who say they can fix magic once and for all if she just helps them a little bit, they attempt to collect all the magic cards in order to gain control of the magic again. Sound confusing? Well, it is.I rarely have problems following books like I did this one. It was confusing, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow (literally almost nothing really happens) the characters boring, the tropes over done and the only thing I really did care about (finding all the cards and saving magic) was foiled when it ended on an incredibly abrupt cliffhanger. It can be okay when books have cliffhangers. Sometimes they’re exciting and make me want to get the next book as soon as possible. But sometimes, like in this book, they just leave me massively confused because this book basically had no ending at all. It was just a ‘to be continued.’ I probably won’t be continuing.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window was a great novel to end the month and usher in the spooky season. A countryside filled with a menacing mist. Monsters that talk to the main character. Political machinations. Family drama. It is quite the story, and Elspeth is quite the character. Between the
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Nightmare, her partnership with the highwaymen, and her complicated relationship with her father, Elspeth has to deal with more than your average female. She does so with courage, passion, and compassion. The ever-growing presence of the Nightmare adds its complications and fascination to the point where I tore through the novel too fast and finished it too quickly. Now I have to wait until the sequel, and that’s just too long. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
nope, not for me. gothic fairy tale-type setting, with stock characters, a not very interesting magic of cards and very little happening in the plot. it's not well written and there's a whole lot of the lore of the story expressed in very bad doggerel, endlessly repeated. the last few pages flip
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the point of view in a way that might point to something more original in the second book of the series, but i had so little desire to finish this first book that i am totally not tempted to continue. too bad, but these are all problems that are supposed to be worked out before publication. Show Less
LibraryThing member Araskov
Thank you Goodreads and Rachel Gillig for the ARC of One Dark Window.
This was a cleverly written book that gave me another look at what it might be like to be paired with Venom, or for those of you who have ever played League of Legends, what it must be like to be Kindred with the ever loyal Wolf
Elspeth has survived the fever and escaped undetected by the Destriers and Physicians of the royal court who would want to cage her. The threat of new magic that comes from the fever leaves the King feeling threatened, resulting in him sentencing the infected to imprisonment in his horrid dungeons, or sentenced to death.
Elspeth's family took a great risk when they chose to hide her illness from the world. They believed she had survived the fever with no new magic to speak of, but when Elspeth's curiosity gets the best of her one day, she discovers a dark creature lurking in the inner workings of her mind. Nightmare, they call him, with his coy, cunning, and powerful presence.
Elspeth must get by without the world knowing of the creature inside her head, who likes to whisper into her mind. She finds herself in an impossible predicament, having to work alongside the Captain of the Destriers, Ravyn, the very person who should be turning her in to the King for her fever. Ravyn's brother suffers from a magic that is draining his life from him, and the only way to save him is to unite the Providence Cards of the original Shepherd King and chase away the mist.
Dark, tense, and thrilling- the challenges faced on this journey had me tripping over myself in an attempt to devour more. A great read!
This was a cleverly written book that gave me another look at what it might be like to be paired with Venom, or for those of you who have ever played League of Legends, what it must be like to be Kindred with the ever loyal Wolf
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by her side.Elspeth has survived the fever and escaped undetected by the Destriers and Physicians of the royal court who would want to cage her. The threat of new magic that comes from the fever leaves the King feeling threatened, resulting in him sentencing the infected to imprisonment in his horrid dungeons, or sentenced to death.
Elspeth's family took a great risk when they chose to hide her illness from the world. They believed she had survived the fever with no new magic to speak of, but when Elspeth's curiosity gets the best of her one day, she discovers a dark creature lurking in the inner workings of her mind. Nightmare, they call him, with his coy, cunning, and powerful presence.
Elspeth must get by without the world knowing of the creature inside her head, who likes to whisper into her mind. She finds herself in an impossible predicament, having to work alongside the Captain of the Destriers, Ravyn, the very person who should be turning her in to the King for her fever. Ravyn's brother suffers from a magic that is draining his life from him, and the only way to save him is to unite the Providence Cards of the original Shepherd King and chase away the mist.
Dark, tense, and thrilling- the challenges faced on this journey had me tripping over myself in an attempt to devour more. A great read!
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LibraryThing member humouress
{first of Shepherd King duology; fantasy, quest}(2022)
Wild magic used to exist, granted by the Spirit of the Woods. Legend says the Shepherd King tricked the Spirit into giving him magic, with which he created twelve types of Providence Cards which controlled magic so people no longer needed to
And one Twin Alders.Eleven years ago at the age of nine Elspeth Spindle, eldest child of the Destriers' Captain, was infected and survived - but only her family know her secret. She has been able to hide her magic because no magical traits appeared. However, unbeknownst to anyone else, she did touch a Nightmare Card and absorbed an entity from it; it still slithers in the back of her mind, whispering to her, quoting from the Old Book of Alders.For the Black Horse Card, for power and speed,
The Spirit wanted blood from my warhorse, my steed.
For the Golden Egg Card, abundance and wealth,
I bartered two years of my life's precious health.
The Prophet came next, the Card of foresight.
She wanted my fear, so I gave her my fright.
When I asked her for courage, the White Eagle Card,
I bartered my skin, which left my hands scarred.
So I begged for the Maiden, for beauty I prayed.
She asked for my hair, shorn off with a blade.
.....
Wary I'd grown, so I needed the Well.
She asked for a chamber - a place she might dwell.
To reclaim my good self, I forged the Iron Gate.
The cost was my armour, my golden breastplate.
For the Scythe I wanted power, and her price was quite steep.
I gave her my rest - she claimed all my sleep.
The Mirror was next, to be invisible - unseen.
She wanted old bones, so I gave her my Queen's.
But it felt incomplete, my collection yet whole.
And so, for the Nightmare ...
I bartered my soulThe Kings of Blunder have historically been cruel and use the Cards to keep control of the country. When Elspeth is invited to the King's castle for the Equinox celebrations she discovers that there is a conspiracy to collect all twelve Cards - which, by the law of the land, is treasonous - in order to release Blunder from the spell of the mist and the threat of infection that hangs over its children. For the chance of being rid of the Nightmare in her head Elspeth agrees to help them since, with his help, she can sense the Cards when they're close by.
And it just so happens that Ravyn (pronounced Raven), the current Captain of the Destriers who succeeded her father, is young and handsome, which doesn't hurt. He is desperate to save his younger brother, who has been infected and is degenerating quickly but he has to hide what he is doing from his uncle, the king.
The magic system (based on the cards) is interesting and I thought the story was plotted well though there was probably an excess of rhyming couplets. I would say it falls into the Young Adult category - but there is a bedroom scene, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone too young. The story behind the cards is hidden in history and unfolds slowly. The book doesn't quite have a cliffhanger ending but it does stop at an interesting point; I've already borrowed the sequel.
(December 2023)
4 stars
Wild magic used to exist, granted by the Spirit of the Woods. Legend says the Shepherd King tricked the Spirit into giving him magic, with which he created twelve types of Providence Cards which controlled magic so people no longer needed to
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make offerings to her. In revenge the Spirit surrounded his country of Blunder with a magical mist which cut it off from its surrounding countries. Children caught in the mist run the risk of 'infection' which gives them unknown, uncontrollable magic which is never the same and which usually results in degeneration, of mind, body, spirit or all three. Only the magics granted by the Cards are now legal so these children are rounded up by the king's Destriers and Physicians and ... disappeared. The Shepherd King had made seventy-eight Providence Cards in descending order. There were twelve Black Horses, held exclusively by the King's elite guards - the Destriers. Eleven Golden Eggs. Ten Prophets. Nine White Eagles. Eight Maidens. Seven Chalices. Six Wells. Five Iron Gates. Four Scythes. Three Mirrors. Two Nightmares.And one Twin Alders.Eleven years ago at the age of nine Elspeth Spindle, eldest child of the Destriers' Captain, was infected and survived - but only her family know her secret. She has been able to hide her magic because no magical traits appeared. However, unbeknownst to anyone else, she did touch a Nightmare Card and absorbed an entity from it; it still slithers in the back of her mind, whispering to her, quoting from the Old Book of Alders.For the Black Horse Card, for power and speed,
The Spirit wanted blood from my warhorse, my steed.
For the Golden Egg Card, abundance and wealth,
I bartered two years of my life's precious health.
The Prophet came next, the Card of foresight.
She wanted my fear, so I gave her my fright.
When I asked her for courage, the White Eagle Card,
I bartered my skin, which left my hands scarred.
So I begged for the Maiden, for beauty I prayed.
She asked for my hair, shorn off with a blade.
.....
Wary I'd grown, so I needed the Well.
She asked for a chamber - a place she might dwell.
To reclaim my good self, I forged the Iron Gate.
The cost was my armour, my golden breastplate.
For the Scythe I wanted power, and her price was quite steep.
I gave her my rest - she claimed all my sleep.
The Mirror was next, to be invisible - unseen.
She wanted old bones, so I gave her my Queen's.
But it felt incomplete, my collection yet whole.
And so, for the Nightmare ...
I bartered my soulThe Kings of Blunder have historically been cruel and use the Cards to keep control of the country. When Elspeth is invited to the King's castle for the Equinox celebrations she discovers that there is a conspiracy to collect all twelve Cards - which, by the law of the land, is treasonous - in order to release Blunder from the spell of the mist and the threat of infection that hangs over its children. For the chance of being rid of the Nightmare in her head Elspeth agrees to help them since, with his help, she can sense the Cards when they're close by.
And it just so happens that Ravyn (pronounced Raven), the current Captain of the Destriers who succeeded her father, is young and handsome, which doesn't hurt. He is desperate to save his younger brother, who has been infected and is degenerating quickly but he has to hide what he is doing from his uncle, the king.
The magic system (based on the cards) is interesting and I thought the story was plotted well though there was probably an excess of rhyming couplets. I would say it falls into the Young Adult category - but there is a bedroom scene, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone too young. The story behind the cards is hidden in history and unfolds slowly. The book doesn't quite have a cliffhanger ending but it does stop at an interesting point; I've already borrowed the sequel.
(December 2023)
4 stars
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in The Shepherd King series. I borrowed this on audiobook from the library.
Thoughts: This was an interesting read. It is a fairly typical fantasy romance complete with a forbidden love. However, there are a couple of story elements that set it apart from
Although the above premise intrigues me, I also found it contrived feeling. It's hard to believe that over all these years no one has tried to break the curse. Also ,we never really understand how Elspeth absorbed the Nightmare and what would happen if she were to touch and absorb other cards. The whole "magic system" feels a bit weak.
I also struggled with Elspeth as a character. She makes a lot of poor decisions throughout and never seems to learn from her mistakes. I liked the Captain of the Destriers, Ravyn, better but even he comes across as very selfish at times. I did enjoy the relationship the two developed. The Nightmare in Elspeth's head is an intriguing addition to the story and I enjoyed watching Elspeth trying to balance her own actions with the Nightmare in her head.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was a good listen. My only complaint is that sometimes the Nightmare's parts were whispered really softly, this made the narration hard to hear while driving...I kept having to turn the sound way up to hear the Nightmare. Aside from that I enjoyed the narration.
The story was engaging and easy to read. I did have to set aside my disbelieve around the concept behind this kingdom and the Providence cards, and Elspeth wasn't my favorite character. However, aside from those issues this story had a lot of intriguing elements.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. I like the idea of a cursed kingdom shrouded in mist and I enjoyed watching Elpeth balance her own life with the Nightmare in her head. The relationship between Elspeth and Ravyn is sweet and a bit dark all at once. I plan on reading the second book in this series, "Two Twisted Crowns", as soon as I can get it from the library.
Thoughts: This was an interesting read. It is a fairly typical fantasy romance complete with a forbidden love. However, there are a couple of story elements that set it apart from
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other fantasy romances. The first is the idea of the providence cards. Thse are magic cards with special powers that people covet for their magical powers. The second is the idea of a kingdom isolated and cursed by a surrounding mist. If the Providence cards can be brought together and a complete deck made, then the curse could be lifted...however, people's own greed prevents this.Although the above premise intrigues me, I also found it contrived feeling. It's hard to believe that over all these years no one has tried to break the curse. Also ,we never really understand how Elspeth absorbed the Nightmare and what would happen if she were to touch and absorb other cards. The whole "magic system" feels a bit weak.
I also struggled with Elspeth as a character. She makes a lot of poor decisions throughout and never seems to learn from her mistakes. I liked the Captain of the Destriers, Ravyn, better but even he comes across as very selfish at times. I did enjoy the relationship the two developed. The Nightmare in Elspeth's head is an intriguing addition to the story and I enjoyed watching Elspeth trying to balance her own actions with the Nightmare in her head.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was a good listen. My only complaint is that sometimes the Nightmare's parts were whispered really softly, this made the narration hard to hear while driving...I kept having to turn the sound way up to hear the Nightmare. Aside from that I enjoyed the narration.
The story was engaging and easy to read. I did have to set aside my disbelieve around the concept behind this kingdom and the Providence cards, and Elspeth wasn't my favorite character. However, aside from those issues this story had a lot of intriguing elements.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. I like the idea of a cursed kingdom shrouded in mist and I enjoyed watching Elpeth balance her own life with the Nightmare in her head. The relationship between Elspeth and Ravyn is sweet and a bit dark all at once. I plan on reading the second book in this series, "Two Twisted Crowns", as soon as I can get it from the library.
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LibraryThing member nadia.masood
The dark, atmospheric story kept me hooked! The prose is captivating and lush, and I especially enjoyed the poetic epigraphs! The magic system is fascinating, the world-building is good, and there's a bit of romance and a healthy dose of action. I liked Elspeth's relationship (and banter!) with the
The only con is that the story ends on a cliffhanger, and I wasn't emotionally ready, haha. Can't wait for the next book!
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500-year-old monster, called Nightmare, residing in her mind.The only con is that the story ends on a cliffhanger, and I wasn't emotionally ready, haha. Can't wait for the next book!
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Local notes
An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle's head - she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic.