Review: A Strange Hymn by Laura Thalassa
“You are the stars in my dark sky, cherub.”
The Basics
Title: A Strange Hymn (The Bargainer #2)
Author: Laura Thalassa
Published: 2017
Publisher: Burning Ember Press — Lavabrook Publishing Group
Pages: 367
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy romance, Paranormal romance
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.
Book Synopsis
Having escaped from Karnon, Callie is reunited with Des, her mate and the King of Night. When Des receives an invitation from Mara Verdana, the Queen of Flora, to attend her kingdom’s annual Solstice celebration, he has no choice but to accept, for a refusal would risk alienation from the rest of the realm. With Callie by his side, he journeys to the Kingdom of Flora, but when soldiers start to go missing from the gathering, the other rulers begin to suspect that Des is behind not only these disappearances but those of the female fae warriors. After all, the children of the women in glass caskets all display traits of the Night Kingdom, and friends of the missing soldiers say that they last saw their comrades with the same individual – the King of Night. Is Callie’s mate the Thief of Souls?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A sequel that is superior on all counts to Rhapsodic.
It is a rare occasion indeed when I prefer a sequel to the original, but that is precisely how I feel with regard to A Strange Hymn. Whereas Rhapsodic is a romance with some fantasy sprinkled in, A Strange Hymn is a fantasy with a healthy dash of romance. It broadens the story, shifting it from being singularly focused on Des and Callie’s relationship to encompassing world building and plot development. Simply put, A Strange Hymn feels more substantial and fleshed out than its predecessor.
One of my biggest criticisms of Rhapsodic was its lack of world building, as only a few chapters take place in the Otherworld. Fortunately, the same cannot be said of A Strange Hymn. In fact, the entire story is set in the Otherworld. We are able to move beyond the walls of Des’ castle to explore all corners of the Kingdom of Night, as well as the royal residence of the Kingdom of Flora. We meet old friends of Des and are introduced to his fellow fae rulers. This exploration of the Otherworld and its people is my favorite part of this book. I loved learning about the other kingdoms and their relationships with one another. I especially enjoyed all of the faerie politics and political scheming; they added a sense of intrigue to the story.
Another laudable aspect of this book is its attention to the plot. Whereas the Thief of Souls subplot took a bit of a backseat in the previous book in favor of Des and Callie’s budding romance, it is featured prominently in this book and is peppered with plenty of twists and turns for added mystery. Of course, Des and Callie’s relationship is still an important part of this story, so don’t worry, you get to see plenty of them. (Also, if steamy scenes are your jam, there is no shortage of them in this book).
In fact, in this book, we are able to see the growth and strengthening of their relationship. As the two come to more fully know and trust one another, they begin to open up to and rely upon each other. It was sweet to see this emotional connection of theirs grow.
On an individual level, Callie also develops over the course of this book. She becomes more self-possessed and confident in her abilities. She truly comes into her own and gains a voice.
As with the previous book, A Strange Hymn is written in the present tense with a first-person narrative, which lends the book an immersive quality. You feel as though you are the one experiencing events. This also adds a touch of suspense to the story, for we are seeing events unfold in real time and are consequently as in the dark as the book’s characters with regard to what will happen next.
The not so good
As was the case with Rhapsodic, the writing in A Strange Hymn lacks a certain polish. Descriptions often rely on slang or uncreative adjectives (e.g., “sweet pair of blades” and “coolest places”, p. 110). Furthermore, there are typos throughout the book, including one oopsie on page 172 where Mara and the Green Man are referred to as the King and Queen of Fauna (they are the King and Queen of Flora).
My other criticism of this book relates to Des, namely that he comes off a bit too possessive of Callie. His behavior is attributed to their mating bond, but I don’t buy that. Male fae in other books *cough* Rhysand *cough* have been bonded without ever becoming controlling.
Overall
Is A Strange Hymn the best book ever written? No. Have I read better fantasies? Yes. It, however, excels at what it is: an easy-to-read, entertaining book.
Have you read any of the books in The Bargainer series? If so, let me know what you think of the series in the comments section below!
