A deposed sorceress seeks revenge and redemption after being betrayed by her lover and long-time friend in this fantasy novella from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Ousted and deprived of the source of her power, housed in the diamond heart, sorceress Yalxi undertakes a dangerous road to try to restore her magic and overthrow the very person who betrayed her. Doing so means returning to her rather unpleasant past and turning to unlikely allies who understand just what she sacrificed in order to become an all-powerful sorceress.
Even before I began reading The Return of the Sorceress there was not a doubt in my mind that I would enjoy it, or that it would become yet another Silvia Moreno-Garcia book to surpass all of my wildest expectations. Though this is is the first novella I’ve read by its author, Moreno-Garcia attacks this with as much fervor as she did her previous books. The Return of the Sorceress sings, with magic that cuts deep to the core and brings with it the promise of revenge. Despite the constraint brought on by the page count, this novella manages to bring in such complexity and nuance to the character of Yalxi, a fallen sorceress on a quest for vengeance. Set in a collision of the past and present, there is an emotional depth that lingers behind every part of the story. Considering that is the general problem I have had with novellas in the past, I am so happy that was not lacking in this one. Though there is a slow build-up and a quick resolution to the issue at hand, like many of her past novels, Moreno-Garcia leaves the door open for the possibility of more to come in the future. The enveloping world and blood magic system are certainly enough for me to crave another story in this setting, yet I am not left feeling as if the novella itself isn’t complete. With a deep look into the corruptive nature of power tied up in an epic journey to reclaim the lost parts of oneself, it’s hard to feel like this was lacking in any respect. Infused with Mesoamerican folklore aspects, there is even more to enjoy about this hundred-page novelette than just the setup to the story. Besides just keeping me entertained, this novel only further solidified Silvia Moreno-Garcia as one of my favorite authors of all time. Will certainly be keeping an eye out for whatever else she writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review.
Trigger warnings: blood, murder
Literaryrobin 