A Far Wilder Magic Review

 Hello, all!

What's the last book you were drawn to based off the cover? Mine was A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft. Can we all agree on how pretty it is? Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!

Pub Date: 3-8-22
YA - Fantasy

Ever since her mother went away on a research trip, Margaret Welty has been alone in their crumbling manor home. Margaret's mother is a well-known alchemist with an affinity for studying mythical creatures known as demiurges. When Margaret glimpses the legendary hala, one of the last known creatures living, she knows catching it is her only chance of finally bringing her mother home. Margaret may be the best sharpshooter in town, but to sign up for the Halfmoon Hunt, she needs to find an alchemist willing to be her partner.

Weston Winters has big dreams of becoming an alchemist to help provide for his family. While he has natural talent, Wes has been kicked out of every apprenticeship he's managed to land. His last chance lies with Master Welty taking him in. Unfortunately for Wes, when he arrives at Welty Manor, he's met with only Margaret and her hound dog. Margaret lets Wes stay under one condition: he has to participate in the hunt with her. The pair couldn't be more different, but the more time they spend together, the more grudging respect starts to grow. But with the mounting tension of the hunt growing and danger lurking around every turn, will the pair be able to survive long enough to win?

While I did love the atmospheric writing and magical realism, the whole thing didn't do it for me. The pacing was slow, and some parts dragged on way longer than necessary. I wished the lore and world were explained more because I never fully understood why the hala needed to be killed. The description is also a tad misleading because it made it seem like the hunt would be more prevalent, but it ended up being more of a footnote. Aside from that, nothing else stood out to me. The characters were fine, but I didn't feel any certain way towards them. I did enjoy the magic system, but that was about it. I think this had a lot of potential, but the execution wasn't my favorite.

Rating: 2/5