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Book Review – A Curse of Ash and Embers by Jo Spurrier

By Fergus on 14/11/2018

A Curse of Ash and EmbersA Curse of Ash and Embers follows Elodie, who is sent away from her stepfather, mother and siblings to work at Black Oak Cottage. But as Elodie journeys there, she will discover that she is working for a mistress named Aleida, who is left to care for the house after the passing of Gyssha Blackbone, an infamous witch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, despite it being rather slow to start off with. However, I found myself flying through the novel once Elodie arrives at Black Oak Cottage. I really liked the writing style and found the magic system to be thoroughly interesting. As a feminist, I enjoyed Elodie’s strong character and was glad to see that, even though there are a few hints of romance, it is not the main focal point of the novel. I found myself caring a lot about Elodie as she described her stepfather’s attitude throughout the first few chapters. I also enjoyed the incorporation of ghosts in the first scene between Elodie and Aleida.

Rating: 7.5/10

Writing: 9/10
Plot: 6.5/10
Characters: 7/10
Recommended For: Teen or Adult Looking to Delve Into a new fantasy world.

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