Step into the heart of Paris with this lush and thrilling dark academia fantasy that follows a young alchemist running from a dark past – perfect for fans of Babel, Ninth House and Blood Over Bright Haven.
With thanks to Keighley_Reads for the below review.
When I first read the blurb for Mothsblood, I thought it sounded intriguing, so I offered to read and review it – and I’m so glad I did!
Completely different from anything I’ve read before, this book is real dark academia. I read it over the course of one night and the following day, and I was so completely hooked that I couldn’t put it down!
A fantastic debut, with immense world-building, Mothsblood is eerie, dark and incredibly atmospheric. The author’s portrayal of Paris is haunting, and I loved the unsettling atmosphere that runs throughout the story.
Alchemy lies at the heart of this book. Our FMC, Lark, enters Universite Meurdrac, Paris, as a first year student, only to find herself caught up trying to uncover the Universite and Professors secrets, while competing against her fellow first years for a coveted apprenticeship. There’s plenty to keep you guessing, and some twists and turns I genuinely didn’t see coming!
Lark certainly won’t be a character for everyone, and she has her flaws, and a past she is trying to escape, as most characters do. There were moments when I wondered where the author was taking her character development, but by the end, it all made sense. I appreciated seeing how her character evolved throughout the story.
One of the real highlights for me was the friendships Lark develops. Initially unwanted, these relationships gradually grow and change as the story unfolds. They provide a lovely contrast to the darker elements of the book, and I really enjoyed watching these connections develop.
The ending left me with the feeling that there could be a second book, and I would absolutely pick it up! I’d love to see what happens to some of these characters following the events at the end of this instalment.
Trigger warnings: There are several potentially upsetting themes in this book, including coercion, grooming of a minor, a teacher–student relationship, abuse of power, alcohol and drug abuse, and some graphic scenes towards the end (no spoilers!). These weren’t highlighted in the ARC I received, although they may be included in the final published edition.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend Mothsblood if you enjoy dark academia, atmospheric settings, murder mysteries and plenty of unexpected twists. The story was gripping, the atmosphere was wonderfully haunting, and there was so much that kept me guessing right until the end.
About the Book
When Larkspur Lee arrived in Paris, it was with nothing more than the ambition in her veins and the magic under her skin.
As a student of Meurdrac, one of the few remaining alchemical universities, she burns to prove herself; she must fight twice as hard – and be twice as cunning – if she wants to be considered worthy of immortality.
But after the shocking death of the university’s headmistress, the immortal Petronelle Flamel, she instead finds herself at the heart of an impossible crime – one where the only evidence whispers of Lark’s past. Matters are further complicated when the mentor she crossed an ocean to escape re-enters her life, enticing her to his side once again while secretly wielding an agenda of his own.
As the mysterious investigator assigned to the case, Violaine, becomes convinced that more sinister works are responsible for the murder, Lark must wrestle with both the university’s dark secrets and her own as the life she’s meticulously built for herself begins to unravel.
And as everything around her delves into chaos, Lark has no choice but to decide if the power she desires is truly worth the price
About The Author
Lynn D. Jung is a speculative fiction writer and educator born and raised in southern California. She has since lived in France, Thailand, and Costa Rica, and is currently based in Wisconsin. Lynn loves writing about complex worlds and the messy characters that inhabit them, and she spends her free time identifying native flora, knitting socks, exploring new cities, and making YouTube videos about writing.
Purchase the Book
This book can be purchased in our store either on its own or in a cosy Book Box.
No responses yet