Book Review: Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

  • Source: I received an advance copy of this book on NetGalley

  • My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (see my review on Goodreads)

After reading a bunch of fast-paced YA books before this one, Daughter of Redwinter was a reminder to slow down and savor the journey. The world-building was rich and interesting, infused throughout the layers of Raine's life and experiences. There was so much mystery from the beginning, with cultists, worshiping colors (?!), dangerous monsters, surprisingly scary magic, unexpected upheaval, and more. I really don't want to spoil too much of the surprise, but I really enjoyed seeing this world and its people from Raine's point of view. She is an outsider, over and over again, observing cultures and people. Witnessing their dedication, their betrayals, their rituals, their lies, and most of the time feeling very much on the outside of all of it. Yet at the same time we get a deep look at her inner life and how this affects her interactions with this entire world, and it was enthralling. The magic system was fascinating, with elements that reminded me of the necromancy in Sabriel, but with a really cool mental twist. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

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