I really struggled with this review, because there were lots of things I adored about this book but there was something I couldn’t quite identify that didn’t work for me. Eventually I worked out that it was the pacing that didn’t work for me. Usually I love a novella, but I just really, really wanted this to be longer because it was so good that I wanted to luxuriate in the setting and the worldbuilding and didn’t really get the chance. The travel through the underworld is so interesting. It’s split into ‘regions’ of a sort that each have different threats and problems to solve. Unfortunately each of those areas was over in a few pages so it never felt truly threatening to me, and feeling the danger of journeying through the underworld. Because of the rapid pace I do feel like I missed out on some aspects of the story and as a result it felt a little shallow in places. There was at least one very important plot point that I didn’t even notice happening until it was pointed out because everything happened so quickly.

I do absolutely recommend this read, it was a beautiful retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice – a myth that I adore – and the beautiful sapphic relationship warmed my heart. I loved that it was an established relationship and that we got to see little snippets of their life together before they crossed the bone way. It made their love feel real and fleshed out their reasons for doing something so dangerous.