.png)
*This book has been kindly given to me pre-publication via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
The Crowns of Croswald, by D.E. Night, is a riveting fantasy novel following the life of Ivy Lovely, a lowly scullery maid, being bullied by her superiors, whose magic cannot be contained, even in enchanted boundary she is in. Her mundane life is quickly transformed into wonder when she receives her invitation for the Halls of Ivy. From mystical creatures to unusual professors, Ivy learns to fight for her place in the school and deal with her past, which she knows so little about. Will Ivy be able to figure out her past and save The Town?
The book made me feel oddly at home, especially for an imagery town, but that’s undoubtedly down to the writing of the author. Her ability to present a place to the reader that’s so familiar and tangible was extremely pleasant, and I crave her future books. The relatability of Ivy is the main driving force of the novel, and the scattered hints of her past and her important to the whole town creates an air of mystery, leading the reader to want to know more.
The only weakness I found with this book was the similarity at the beginning to the Harry Potter books. This idea of a lowly teenager with no family and no strong bonds discovers their true fate and powers was very Harry Potter like, however, Night managed to direct her story away from this trope and present a much more original idea. It is only that first 40% really that might off-put the reader into thinking they’re just reading another Harry Pottery inspired book.
Despite that, the book is filled with amazing descriptions and detailed imagery that ignites this fire in the reader like no other. As someone who doesn’t read fantasy too often, I was impressed by the author’s talent to make me feel this way about a fantasy book. Not only do her words paint images in your mind but they evoke feelings too – you are there in the classroom with Ivy, casting potions and facing their consequences; you are there dealing with all the trauma she is dealing with. When a book hits a reader like that, you know you have managed to find a good book, or series, in this case (I’m waiting on book two, Ms. Night!)
To add to this, the characters are usually likeable and friendly and thoroughly developed, which is a huge plus in my books. The more developed the character is the more likely I’m going to relate or like them, even if objectively they aren’t ‘good’ characters. This is due to her writing, where her words convey to the reader a lot about the author, and its easy to read between the lines and feel what the characters are feeling. The main protagonists, Ivy, Rebecca, and Fyn have such a genuine friendship and aura that it makes the book all the more enjoyable.
Additionally, I love the storyline that even though was centred around Ivy, also focused on other outside people like the Dark Queen and Derwin. This allowed for a past and present dynamic to take place and was executed perfectly. The historical aspect and past actions of a story often play an important part of book, but sometimes timelines can get muddled up or the reader may not be interested. However, Night managed to create a whole world and timeline that involved history, depth, and complexity, with a rivalry between the Dark Queen and Derwin whilst still having Ivy at the focus. Her talents must be applauded to achieve all this whilst also writing a fantastic fantasy novel for all ages.
Overall, if you’re interested in escaping your own world and entering a magical one, filled with happiness and problems of its own, then this book is for you! For the reader who remembers the feeling of reading Harry Potter for the first time, I recommend this book to you as it clear the author grew up loving that fantasy series. I would also suggest reading it with a child perhaps aged 10 or over as an introduction into their reading journey. If you want to buy this book you can buy it here.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5