Book Review: ASUNDER

Alex Faccibene

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The cover of Asunder has a young woman with pale skin and straight, chin-length brown hair. There are orange and gold streaks around her head. She has one hand on her shoulder, and two ghostly hands on either side.

Thank you to Tordotcom for sending me a copy of Asunder in exchange for an honest review.

Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, feared but needed by her community. Bound to a powerful eldritch entity, she uses her ability to communicate with the dead to investigate mysterious deaths in her troubled city. When a job goes wrong, however, she finds her shadow bound to a dying stranger, a diplomat named Ferain.

If either is to survive, they must enter into a dangerous alliance. As they navigate a perilous journey through a fading empire, they’re pursued by arcane horrors and haunted by their pasts. Karys knows her dark debts will soon demand payment.

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Kerstin Hall’s new book release is full of gods on earth, magical scholars and more. Asunder is both a fantastic adventure, creepily atmospheric and a gorgeous read. Another reviewer described it as “a Fabergé egg with razors inside,” and I truly don’t think it’s possible to come up with a better analogy.

The world building is unlike anything I’ve read before. Asunder is firmly a fantasy novel, but it’s full of technologically advanced magic. The combination of science with arcane artifacts, cosmic horror and death magic adds up to a deliciously eerie atmosphere. The result is a reading experience that is at the same time dreamlike and nightmarish.

As a protagonist, Karys is such a fascinating character to follow. She bargained her soul away in desperation when she was an abandoned teen, just for the chance to survive a little longer. Her decision gave her power – she can communicate with the recently deceased, using her gifts to investigate suspicious deaths. It also makes her a target of opposing religious groups, in spite of the fact that her decision was based on survival rather than faith.

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Then there’s the god Karys sold her soul to, Sabaster. This is where the bulk of the body horror comes in. She has no idea what he has planned for her, or even how long her contract will last, adding a second ticking clock to the plot. All she knows is that she has to free Ferain before Sabaster comes calling, or he’ll go down with her.

Every bit of marketing describes Asunder as a standalone. If that’s the case, however, the current ending is fairly depressing. The author herself has mentioned plans for a sequel that I really hope come true. For that to be the case, everyone needs to read and talk about this gorgeous book – you’ll definitely be clamoring for more once you’ve finished it.

Asunder is out now and available from your local independent bookstore or Bookshop.org.

TW: abandonment, animal cruelty, blood, body horror, child abuse, classism, colonization/occupation, death, dementia, drug use, emotional abuse, gore, grief, injury/injury detail, misogyny, murder, pregnancy, racism, religious persecution, self-harm, suicide, violence, war

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Alex Faccibene