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Review: Fly with the Arrow (Bluebeard’s Secret #1) by Sarah K.L. Wilson

June 29, 2023 by Ashley Brennan Leave a Comment

Rating: 7.0/10

Synopsis

A STOLEN BRIDE. A TERRIFYING BRIDEGROOM. THE GAME THAT WILL DETERMINE THEIR FATES.

No one told her the most important law of the court – the Law of Greeting. If they had, maybe she wouldn’t have greeted Bluebeard when he arrived to claim a mortal wife. And if she hadn’t greeted him, she wouldn’t have become his sixteenth wife or been swept away to the lands of the Wittenhame.

But if none of that had happened, then she wouldn’t have been an integral part of the game that takes place every two hundred years – a game that determines the fates of nations .

For not all is as it seems, not in her homeland of Pensmoore, not in the Wittenhame, and certainly not in her new marriage.

Review

Hi everyone! I’m back from my review drought… I think? I know boss hopes that I am- hahah I have recently joined this really great Facebook group called Indie Fantasy Addicts — and they host a summer reading challenge where you earn points for your team (go Friendly Fae! #trustus) by reading indie books duing the challenge. To earn points, we must share a review on the Facebook page, so here I am cross posting my first review in months. Let’s do this! Hope I’m back.

How dare this book end that way!?

Fly with the Arrow is a clever retelling with a fantasy twist. Wilson’s world building reminds me of Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series where cruelty, trickery and riddles are on tap, wild fae creatures are a plenty, and plotting and scheming are their favorite pastimes. Please be aware this book can be described as violent for some so check tw before entering.

This is based on “Bluebeard” – the French folktale. When I think back on my reading, I think this may be my first retelling of Bluebeard. Major bonus points there for a retelling that is a little more under the radar. I immediately went down the rabbit hole – aka google – to look into the folktale. Wilson adds a clever fantasy twist to this retelling that is both engaging and mysterious. I’m really not sure how this series will end and I’m excited for the ride.

“We are stories. There’s nothing more to us.”

Izolda is a nineteen year old young woman who finds herself in a prospective marriage that her father has arranged. Within moments, her fiance is killed before her eyes and she marries the murderer to save the lives of her family and others. Izolda is whisked away by the Wittenbrand to a mysterious land of wild folk, and shadows and mist.

The consequence of curiosity drives the plot forward. Staying somewhat faithful to the folktale, the key that Bluebeard (Arrow) gives to Izolda almost seems like a test that he has to complete. Could it be due to just a test of obedience? I feel that it’s a little more complex than that. He is clearly misunderstood and there is a lot more depth to his backstory.

“You’re as wild-looking as this land and as lovely as the night and yet you feel as real as a stone in a world of shimmering shadow. You are cold iron to my Wittenbrand magic, hard bronze to my wafting vapor, heavy lead to my tumbling feathers. Anchor me, you obelisk. Keep me tethered to what is real.”

The writing was overall very consistent and reads easily. I had fifteen chapters finished the first night that I sat down to begin reading. I think the pacing was a wee bit too fast for me because I would’ve liked to spend a little longer rounding out the characters further during key moments. I look forward to learning more about the magic system as there were some reveals near the end that I’m curious to learn more of the hows and whys. I prefer reading stories with more dynamic secondary characters and although they are more static, the plot is a strength and keeping me actively engaged.

I am not the best with judging spice level of romances because I tend to like it super spicy and I worry that what I consider milder may be too steamy for folks. If I had to assign a rating, I would personally consider it clean using the rating scale provided by IFA. There were (iirc) two instances of a kiss on the mouth and some kisses to the hand.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Reviews, Romantic Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Sarah K.L. Wilson

About Ashley Brennan

Ashley enjoys multi-pov, character driven stories. Bonus for animal compananions and found family. She loves sci-fi, fantasy, and some horror and enjoys a multitude of subgenres including grimdark, space opera, first contact, gothic, epic, and time travel. Romance is always welcome. Ashley is a huge fan of series, especially the quartet. She always has three books in progress – a physical, ebook, and audiobook. Outside of work, Ashley is a homebody who loves spending time with her husband, two children, and dog. She is an avid runner who can be found listening to audiobooks during her long runs.

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