Anathema by Keri Lake is a dark romantasy that is the first in The Eating Woods trilogy. The story contains a timely warning of the injustices of oppressive religious societies in the beginning, and later takes a turn and interweaves with classic romantasy tropes. The result is a rich, deeply layered story that requires patience to read but is well worth the investment by the time you turn the final page.
In her village, Maevyth has always been a pariah. Abandoned on the edge of the woods as an infant, the whispers of witchcraft have followed her ever since because those woods are no ordinary copse of trees. Those who break the rules are banished to the dangers that lie within, and no one that goes into those woods ever returns.
When everything in her life goes awry, Maevyth finds herself forced through the wood’s archway and crosses through a boundary that no mortal has ever survived before. On the other side waits a land of magic, and a cursed assassin, Zevander Rydainn. Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his curse, the only way to keep it from consuming him as it has his older brother. But things don’t turn out to be so simple when it comes to Maevyth and his curse.
Zevander is a brutal assassin, but he is also just so babygirl. He’s damaged and plagued by his demons and ever so tragic. I love him. Maevyth, on the other hand, is deceptively strong despite her vulnerable exterior. She’s smart and handles impossible circumstances with a remarkable fortitude.
Anathema features an extensive and slightly overwhelming glossary in the beginning, that leads into a story with equally extensive and slightly overwhelming world-building. The first half of this book was a bit difficult to get through. Things move slowly, and there is a great deal of explanatory detail. But don’t fret, if you have the patience, it is utterly worth it. While some of it felt unnecessary at the time, all the world-building and backstory do end up being essential to the story, and it makes for a deeply satisfying read.
For a romantasy, there are significant horror elements to this story. The monsters are terrifying, the violence is gruesome, and a great deal of gore makes its way onto the page. This is an element I absolutely adored, but if that is not your speed, this book might freak you out a little.
Much of this story is very on the nose as a warning for the current political climate in the States. Maevyth lives in a monotheistic religious society that is very oppressive to women and anyone else deemed different. Unwanted pregnancy has to be dealt with by using herbs from a witch in the woods, homosexuality is considered a sin against their god, and speaking out against any of it leads to shunning or much worse. It is exactly what is so important about our “silly little fantasies” with their “silly little love stories”. They shine a light on these important subjects while reminding us that if you fight for it, love will win.
Anathema is the pinnacle of a slow burn. These two main characters don’t even cross paths until a quarter of the way through the book, and it takes another few hundred pages before things really pick up, spice-wise. However, the tension is ever-present and agonizing, and when these enemies finally give in, it’s explosive. The second book in the trilogy promises more of this excellent romance.
When I closed this book, I was so glad I stuck with it. It was spectacular, and it ended on quite the cliffhanger, leaving me starving for the second book. Eldritch, the next and final book in the duology, is rumored to be out in April of 2025, but no preorders have been officially announced yet.
Writing: 4
Spice: 3
Kindle: free with Kindle Unlimited
Paperback: $19.80
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