My thoughts

Narrative and plot

The Devouring Gray is an intriguing and mysterious tale of fantasy. The narrative is simple and effective giving each character their own voice. A town with a history. A handful of families fighting for the political upper hand. When power and magic combines , the ultimate struggle for it outweighs your common goals. As clichéd as it sounds, this eerie town of Four Paths will open the doors for yet another series of fantasy world which you cannot wait to get more.

Characters and Conflict

The members of the founding families are the central characters of the book. The plot particularly focuses more on Violet Saunders and her perspective on the strange hometown of her mother. Being an outsider, she is the anchor to the reader. And we learn about the ancient town with her.

But there are other relevant characters as well, who have their conflicts and conquests. Issac stands out and you know your YA Dark fantasy hero by now, when you see one. Each character is a different facet of someone who is born into a family of power. People who are entrusted with responsibilities that none of them understand. Connecting that aspect to life in general is where you relate to these characters. This is not a fantasy that involves a lot of action sequences at every nook and corner.

And yet, there is a web of lies, conspiracy and secrets among the founder families and the town folk. This is a fast paced story. Every chapter presents you with a different conflict and keeps you on the edge almost all the time. Be it, unexpected turn of events like a murder, a monster unleashed or star crossed lovers, or unlikely allies. This is a roller coaster ride.

Conclusion

A mysterious town full of secrets and cryptic powers that the common folk were wary of. Last time I read something like that, perhaps a decade ago, it gave way to a whole new genre of YA Fantasy. I ended up loving it. If those kinds of mysteries with an emotional tug of war is what you’re looking for, then The Devouring Gray is a must read.

About the Author

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