02/08/2021
Saft interweaves intrigue, romance, and magic to fashion a slow-burning and atmospheric fantasy debut. After combat medic Wren Southerland defies orders surrounding the use of her healing magic, her aunt, Queen Isabel of Danu, removes her from duty, causing a rift between Wren and her commanding officer, whom she loves despite circumstances forbidding their relationship. But Wren is soon contacted by a disgraced noble, who, in exchange for her healing his dying servant, offers a way to help her broker peace between Danu and neighboring Vesria. Much to her surprise, Wren’s new patient is Hal Cavendish, a sworn enemy from Vesria. Trapped in Lowry’s manor as the weather grows worse, Wren and Hal find unexpected common ground in their mutual desire for peace and growing attraction to one another. When they realize their host has a sinister ulterior motive, they must work together to save both their homelands. If Saft’s novel follows predictable plot points, it still finds ways to surprise and enchant, including a brief look at magic-infused medical techniques and an elaborately gothic feel, en route to an open ending that leaves plenty of room for further exploration. Ages 13–up. Agents: Claire Friedman and Jessica Mileo, InkWell Management. (Mar.)
★ 01/01/2021
Gr 9 Up—Wren Southerland's healing abilities make her one of the best surgeons in the country of Danu, but being able to feel another's pain gives her a compassionate nature at odds with her place in the military. With soldiers going missing along the border and Wren's compassion bungling a mission (again), she ends up suspended. A letter from Colwick Hall contains a chance to prove herself and earn back her post. Arriving at the snowy, crumbling castle, Wren finds her patient is not a servant, but her country's worst enemy, Hal Cavendish. A romantic high fantasy at turns lush and ominous, the detailed setting is at turns comforting and eerie as Wren struggles for acceptance and love, while the personal and political plots happening within the walls of Colwick will keep readers on pins and needles. Saft's narrative voice makes reading effortless with the perfect blend of pacing and poetry. Wren has auburn hair and a white relative; her skin color is not explicitly mentioned the way diversity in the supporting cast is. Wren is bisexual, with f/f and m/f romantic plotlines on the page. Fans of Leigh Bardugo's "Grisha Trilogy" and Marie Rutkoski's "Winner's Trilogy" have been waiting for this Darkling-esque romance. VERDICT Those who pick up Saft's debut will be richly rewarded on all counts—intricately woven characters, beautiful prose, and darkness around every corner make this fantasy a first purchase.—Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL
2020-12-22
A healer who wields powerful magic hopes to solve a terrible mystery and save her country.
Magic is a recessive trait passed down through families, and Wren Southerland’s magic can knit together sinew and bone and return life to the mortally wounded, a vital talent as a lieutenant in the Queen’s Guard. After an impulsive action lands Wren in hot water, she answers a summons to Lord Alistair Lowry’s vast estate in the snowy mountains of Cernos. If Wren heals Henry, his favorite servant, of a mystery illness that has ravaged his staff, Lowry will attempt to broker an alliance between neutral Cernos and hostile Vesria and Danu, restoring Wren’s standing with her aunt, Danu’s Queen Isabel, and Una, Wren’s commanding officer and the woman she loves. But something is definitely off about Lowry; Wren keeps hearing strange noises; and she and her (dangerous) new patient share a searing attraction. Wren’s magic relies largely on her deep scientific knowledge of human anatomy, and she discovers that, despite what she’s been told, her empathy and compassion are not weaknesses. In an alternate world seemingly set in the late 1800s, electric lights are new and people travel by horse and carriage. The Gothic atmosphere includes echoing, candlelit halls; a secret passage; and explosive secrets. Things get off to a slow start, but patient readers who love slow-burn romances will find much to enjoy. Wren is White; Una and Henry are brown-skinned.
A promising debut. (Fantasy. 14-18)
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"Debut author Saft has crafted an intricate world that's figured out down to the details of each character. A choice addition to any collection where Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo rule. " - Booklist
"The Gothic atmosphere includes echoing, candlelit halls; a secret passage; and explosive secrets....readers who love slow-burn romances will find much to enjoy. A promising debut." - Kirkus
"Saft interweaves intrigue, romance, and magic to fashion a slow-burning and atmospheric fantasy debut." - Publishers Weekly
"Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s “Grisha Trilogy” and Marie Rutkoski’s “Winner’s Trilogy” have been waiting for this Darkling-esque romance...Those who pick up Saft’s debut will be richly rewarded on all counts—intricately woven characters, beautiful prose, and darkness around every corner make this fantasy a first purchase." - School Library Journal (Starred Review)
"This gorgeous book definitely has that 'must...keep...reading' power (I read it in one sitting!)." - Buzzfeed, "40 YA Fantasy Books We're Highly Anticipating In 2021"
"Down Comes the Night is lush, eerie, and feels like something fresh within this genre. A tale of politics and war wrapped around an enemies-turned-maybe-something-more romance and all set inside a crumbling mansion full of deadly secrets all combine to create something truly unique" - Culturess
"The building tension and blossoming romance add to the thrill and soon you’re flying through the pages of this book dying to find out what answer behind the murders happening at the Colwick estate.... would definitely recommend this story if you’re looking for something atmospheric and ultimately romantic." - The Nerd Daily
"From the setting (an isolated and crumbling hall) to the characters (two sworn enemies who need each other survive) and the tension both inside the hall and out, this was an enormous debut. Eerie, thrilling, and intense, this book has ensured I will read everything Allison Saft writes." - The Young Folks, "Best 5 Debuts of 2021"
"Complex, carefully rendered, and utterly addictive, Down Comes the Night is a YA fantasy classic in the making. Saft seamlessly blends an utterly original magic system, multifaceted main characters, and forbidden romance into a gothic narrative that will stay with you long after the last page." - Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray
"Down Comes the Night is a twisty dark ride through a gothic world that‘ll keep you up all night. Saft has crafted a deeply romantic tale with fresh magic and mystery on every page, and filled with an arresting cast. An engrossing, haunting, and beautiful addition to the YA shelf." - Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight
"I adored Allison Saft's complex world and engaging heroine. Wren navigates a war-torn country as a healer, wielding her compassion and wit as deftly as her magic. Atmospheric, romantic, and just a touch eerie—this is the kind of story I love to get lost in." - Emily Lloyd-Jones, author of The Bone Houses
Narrator Saskia Maarleveld displays impressive vocal versatility in this gentle fantasy. Wren’s gift for healing magic is unparalleled, but it’s not enough to save her from the Queen’s wrath when Wren’s reckless actions go too far. Dismissed from the guard, Wren travels to the estate of a lord who is seeking her assistance, only to find Hal Cavendish, her kingdom’s sworn enemy, disguised as the lord’s servant and stricken with a mysterious illness. Maarleveld captures each character and immerses listeners in the gothic setting of the sinister manor. Her intensifying pace and warm tone perfectly express the slow-burn romance that blooms between Wren and Hal as they work together to save their kingdoms. A.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Narrator Saskia Maarleveld displays impressive vocal versatility in this gentle fantasy. Wren’s gift for healing magic is unparalleled, but it’s not enough to save her from the Queen’s wrath when Wren’s reckless actions go too far. Dismissed from the guard, Wren travels to the estate of a lord who is seeking her assistance, only to find Hal Cavendish, her kingdom’s sworn enemy, disguised as the lord’s servant and stricken with a mysterious illness. Maarleveld captures each character and immerses listeners in the gothic setting of the sinister manor. Her intensifying pace and warm tone perfectly express the slow-burn romance that blooms between Wren and Hal as they work together to save their kingdoms. A.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
