Ever since the fire that almost claimed her life, Farrin Ashbourne has guarded her heart and her power over others. The fire that inevitably consumed the Ashbourne estate was set alight by none other than the Bask family, the great enemies of the Ashbourne’s. Long after her mother’s flight and the departure of her younger sister, Farrin has placed herself unflinchingly in the role as head of the family, and even with the curse dividing the Basks and the Ashbournes now broken, she finds no end to her restlessness. Now the Kingdom is on the brink of war with unseen forces and the barrier of the Middlemist is weakening. United, the Ashbourne and Bask families may be the only hope of fighting back. Unfortunately, this means Farrin will come face to face with Ryder Bask, the eldest son and handsome thorn in her side. With new magic blooming and many now missing, their list of allies grows thin. Worse, whispers of a city hidden in moonlight unable to be reached by prying eyes. As they join forces, Farrin finds an ally and friend in Ryder Bask, who carries a burden of his own. Finding the truth may mean finally taking off her well-worn armor and forging something different– for their adversaries bleed the old gods, and the new.
Claire Legrand has long been a legend in the fantasy genre and A Song of Ash and Moonlight is her stretching her skill in a wonderful blend of romance, action, and expansive fantasy. In this brilliant sequel, Claire Legrand elevates her foundations to create a beautiful slow burn enemies to lovers romance between steadfast sister Farrin Ashbourne, and the eldest son of the Bask family, Ryder. Ever since I read A Crown of Ivy and Glass last year and Claire gave us the most delicious crumbs between these two I have been aching to read their story. (The scene where her music causes him to approach her on stage while speaking an old forgotten language sustained me for a whole year if you could believe it). Farrin was easily one of my favorite characters coming out of the first book, and I’m such a fan of the guarded older sister archetype that this couldn’t be anything but the best book ever.
Claire Legrand returns to her Middlemist Trilogy and a world on the brink of change as the Ashbourne siblings set aside old grudges and work to rebuild a relationship with their family’s sworn enemies, the Basks. A Song of Ash and Moonlight weaves a cunning mythos and romantic arc in a sequel that showcases its characters at their height and brings old gods and new smashing together in cataclysmic ways. The stakes are the highest they can be with old barriers breaking down, and new horrors descending on the Ashbourne family and the world entire. Calculating and precise, Farrin Ashbourne is the essential perspective for this secondary chapter. Fighting old wounds and attempting to stave off the dangers while closely guarding her heart, she’s a heroine one can struggle with and heal through. Farrin stands at the front of everything Legrand has built in the series thus far and has earned her status as chief of the Ashbourne sisters. As always, I love the balance of plot and romance Claire has captured in her writing. It’s enough to have you chasing the next interaction with Farrin and Ryder while aching to break through that outer shell to unveil the truth. There are so many clever moments woven in that allow Farrin to confront her traumas and work to build something new for herself. Ryder Bask intersects this journey at exactly the right time, fighting wounds of his own and the perfect outlet for somebody like Farrin. There are fight scenes, quiet conversations, and a deep understanding they find with one another against the chaos. Amidst their developing romantic relationship, the continued focus on consent and sexual compatibility was excellent. It’s not something I see often intertwined in romantic fantasy and I loved how much of that was a core focus. This sequel is undoubtedly taking the crown for best in the series. Legrand expertly layers her character development, plot, and twists, and the final confrontation is one of the finest I have read from a fantasy novel in some time. A Song of Ash and Moonlight is exactly what I wanted from a sequel, revealing hidden ancestry and an unexpected connection to the gods while flawlessly merging high-stakes fantasy and devastating romance. The Middlemist Trilogy is an incomparable fantasy series and this sequel only has me more excited for its conclusion next year.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing the review copy.
Trigger warnings: fire, blood, violence, death
Literaryrobin 