Hi friends! Welcome to my review of The Luminaries. This was a really fun book and I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. Let’s hop in!
{You might also like – The Bergman Brothers Series Review}
Quick Synopsis
A haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.
Perfect for readers who want:
- Supernatural but more organized and for teens
- Creepy small-town vibes
- Friends to lovers
About The Luminaries
Title: The Luminaries
Author: Susan Dennard
Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Paranormal urban fantasy
Content Warnings: Bullying, mild gore and mentions of body parts
Pages: 304
Age Range: 15+
Publisher: Tor Teen
Date Published: 1 November 2022
Goodreads Description: Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns. You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.
Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie’s town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.
Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family’s good name. Or die trying.
But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.
Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.
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The Luminaries Review
Characters
Winnie Wednesday really grew on me during this book. I found her a little insufferable in the beginning, but I guess angsty teenagers are supposed to be like that. I enjoyed her growth and her character arc throughout the book, but I wish she had a little more Hunter training before embarking on her second and third trials.
As for the other characters, I really wish we get more of them in the next books. Particularly the twins and Fatima. There’s also a bit of a romance brewing between Jay and Winnie, which is cute and I could see myself shipping them.
Atmosphere
The worldbuilding is really expansive. It’s one of those worlds you could just get lost in, even without the story. There’s so much to learn and explore. It’s a little info-dumpy in the beginning, but Dennard quickly finds her stride. I could see this series and this world becoming a new favourite.
Writing
One of my biggest complaints about this otherwise amazing book is that the writing feels very repetitive. I don’t know if it’s just the audiobook, but it feels like we’re not getting to the important parts of the plot fast enough. It picks up in the middle though, but there are still some phrases or descriptions that are repeated a lot. This book has to set up a lot of worldbuilding though, so I’m not too mad about it.
Plot
The plot is a little slow in the beginning and weighed down by some worldbuilding, but the middle of the book picks up quite fast. I became really invested after the second trial, and was hanging on Dennard’s every word during the last 80% of the book.
Intrigue
There’s honestly a lot going on. The main conflict you could say is between Winnie and her desire to be a hunter, and between Winnie and the Luminaries. I won’t venture into spoiler territory, but I will say that a lot of conflicts have been set up in this book, and I am eager to see how they play out.
Logic
I loved the detailed descriptions of the nightmares (there seems to be a theme for me with nightmare books this year, check out my review of City of Nightmares) and I would love to get my hands on the actual Compendium.
Enjoyment
As with all books, I picked this up on a whim. I saw the audiobook on Netgalley and decided to get it. I had a lot of fun reading this, and it’s definitely a series I’m now looking forward to.
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I’m glad you overall enjoyed this book. It’s on my TBR list, and I’m looking forward to reading it. Natalie @ Literary Rambles
I’ve heard this is such a good series. I’m glad you enjoyed it too