If there is one genre that knows how to get bookworms going, it is certainly gothic romance, and One Dark Window is one of the newest additions to the genre with gothic vibes, a fantasy storyline, and a romance subplot. The Shepherd King series by Rachel Gillig and Orbit Books is a very impressive debut in dark fantasy, with a fresh writing style and a combination of rhyme and poetic language, it certainly leaves a lasting impression. This young adult duology, consisting of One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns, definitely took BookTok by storm and has since divided romantasy readers and BookTokers. There was even a read-along organized by Fairyloot for it.
No matter what type of reader you are, when a book is good, you ought to appreciate it for its merits, and One Dark Window certainly has many. Dark, bolt, luscious and full of twists, it is a gothic fantasy tale worthy of attention. A unique magic system with Providence Cards and forbidden magic is a ride you shouldn’t miss, and let us tell you why in this summary!
Be warned, dear bookworm, because this analysis will not be free of spoilers.
The story unfolds in the fantastical Kingdom of Blunder, ruled by the Rowan Kings. Surrounded by the mist created by the Spirit of the Wood, Blunder is a Kingdom built on fear of the infection and the magic of Providence Cards. Okay, let’s break this down.
Blunder was once inhabited by the Spirit of the Wood, who was worshiped and prayed upon to give power and magic. Her will is magic and no one is immune. To gift her magic to those she wills, she has created the infection or fever and those who are affected carry strange and potent magic in them. The most prominent sign of the infection is the dark ink veins of those affected. The presence of magic is signified by the intense smell of salt—a fascinating detail if you ask us.
Once a great King, the Shepherd King, was born with the fever, and with his sword gifted by the Spirit, he was able to shepherd the trees of Blunder to his will, thus creating the families of Blunder. Each family takes each name from one of the following trees; Spindle, Rowan, Hawthorn, Yew, Willow, Thistle, Ivy, Pine, Laburnum, Linden, etc. and has the according color and insignia as a symbol of their status. To make magic more accessible to his people, the Shepherd King bartered with the Spirit and created the Providence Cards. Three taps are enough to access their magic, but use them too long and the negative consequences will follow you until you tap it thrice once more. In the years after the Shepherd King’s peril, Rowan kings have incriminated the infection, and all infected are hunted and executed based on The Old Book of Alders.
Elspeth Spindle was infected when she was ten years old. Her father, the Captain of the King’s Guard, broke the law by sending her away and allowing her to live. Living isolated with the Hawthorns, her aunt’s family, Elspeth recovers. But when her uncle brings home one of the two Nightmare Cards, her life will be changed forever. She absorbs the beast on the Nightmare card, and her mind is no longer her own. For eleven years she has managed to avoid Physicians and Destriers alike, hiding her magic from everyone around her, until she meets Ravyn Yew, the mysterious new Captain of the Destriers and the King’s nephew.
Ravyn somehow knows of her infection, but he does not seem wary of her nor wants to give her up to the King. Ravyn will offer her a chance to not only help those infected but cure herself as well, by uniting the Deck of Providence Cards, which has not been done in the last five hundred years. Elspeth longs to believe him, but she is not sure she can trust him. When Ravyn reveals his brother Emory is infected, Elspeth realizes that Ravyn is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and decides to help him. Ravyn along with his parents, his sister Jespyr, and Prince Elm have secretly been gathering the deck under the guise of being highwaymen, risking high treason in case they are caught.
Elspeth will follow the Yews and will use her dark magic to locate Providence Cards by color. But as she spends more time with Ravyn, her attraction to him will only grow. His cold and stone-like facade will slowly crumble around her and when he reveals he is also infected she will realize they are more alike than she thinks. Long she has stayed quiet and waited for someone to understand her, so Elspeth decides to take this chance and let her romance with Ravyn blossom. But as she uses the dark magic afforded her by the Nightmare more and more, she slowly chips away her own mind little by little.
As the story progresses, there is only one card elusive enough to escape them, the Twin Alders card, which has been lost ever since it was created. When High Prince Hauth suspects Elspeth of being infected, she will find herself in perilous danger and will be forced to relent her control to the Nightmare and finally come face to face with the truth about his identity and the Twin Alders Card. The first book ends on a nerve-wracking cliffhanger, with Elspeth completely lost to the Nightmare and Ravyn arriving too late to save her.
Thank god, the next book is already out, and you don’t have to wait to read the conclusion of this dark fantasy romance.
Here are the Providence Cards with their uses and the consequences.
12 Black Horses: Grants physical power to the user, but if used too long turns them weak
11 Golden Eggs: Grants immense wealth which can turn to all-consuming greed
10 Prophets: The user glimpses the future, but they are unable to change it
9 White Eagles: Grants immense courage, but it can turn to paralyzing fear
8 Maidens: Immense beauty, for a cold and unfeeling heart
7 Chalices: The Chalice turns any liquid to truth serum, upon lying it turns to poison
6 Wells: Shows the user’s enemies, but in overuse they risk being betrayed by a friend
5 Iron Gates: Grants blissful serenity, but eats away years of the user’s life
4 Scythes: The user can control others, but suffers extreme physical pain
3 Mirrors: Invisibility, but if overused the veil of the ghost world is lifted
2 Nightmares: One can speak into another’s mind, or else their worst fears await
1 Twin Alders Card: The user can communicate with the Spirit of the Wood, they can be lost in time
Magic, ominous and dark, rules the characters. Some have magical abilities as a result of their infection, while others will do anything to acquire them. The intricate world-building and unique magic systems are one of them most well-crafted and exciting parts of this fantasy book.
From Elspeth to Ravyn sacrifice is a common motivator. They are both willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of Blunder and their families, even if they are not ready to slip through the veil and say goodbye to each other. Ravyn is also willing to put his life on the line for Emory’s safety. Elm is also a character bent on sacrificing himself aplenty in the second book.
Fear is power in Blunder, and the Rowan Kings have taken great advantage of the fear of the mist to keep the people in check. Fearing capture or the infection is what drives people in Blunder, and has led to charms being used to prevent the infection. To create a charm, one must bury an animal in the ground and then take a part of it, as the animals of Blunder are not affected by the infection.
For both the main character and her love interest, family is a sacred bond. Elspeth adores her aunt and cousins, and she even has a spark of love left for her father despite the fact that he has a new family and is not a constant presence in her life. Ravyn on the other hand, is adored by his family and will fight fiercely to protect them, to the point of giving himself up.
Loyalty is something that is constantly tested in this dark fairy tale. From the times of the Shepherd King to Elspeth’s time, magic and Providence Cards will tempt even the most loyal of people. At the end of the day, it’s Ravyn’s loyalty to Elspeth and his family that will light the way to the end.
It all starts with a betrayal. Is it the Shepherd King’s, is it the first Rowan King’s or is Elspeth’s family’s? Betrayal is a never-ending cycle in One Dark Window. Elspeth is betrayed by her uncle, her cousin Ione and Ravyn are betrayed by Hauth and the whole Kingdom of Blunder is betrayed by a king who uses the mist as a means to control them instead of protecting them.
You can read many detailed book reviews on Goodreads or WordPress.com about One Dark Window, but we suggest you give it a shot and draw your own conclusions. So we suggest you log into Amazon and dive into this dark fairy tale. The couples of this series will definitely satisfy your urge for romance and if you are anything like us, you will devour both books and enjoy the thrilling ride with a smile on your face.
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Dear bookworms, if you haven’t read the series do not proceed!
One Dark Window is not considered a spicy book. It does not contain many scenes of physical contact, but the descriptive and emotive language does a great job of conveying the spicy atmosphere. It would be placed in the mild-spice category.
No, One Dark Window does not have a love triangle. Elspeth’s only love interest is Ravyn Yew. However, in Two Twisted Crowns, there is a love triangle in the loosest meaning of the term between Hauth, Renelm and Ione.
One Dark Window is the story of Elspeth Spindle and the Nightmare haunting her mind as they help Ravyn Yew and his family collect the Deck of Providence Cards to life the mist and cure the infection. As their efforts progress, their bonds deepen and the stakes increase immensely. Blunder will see a new era and a New King on the throne.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
