Psychologically riveting and endlessly original.
Lark is a Reaper, a guide of sorts, whose duty is to help escort dead or dying mortals to the place where their souls might find rest, or whatever it is that lies beyond the crossing. A being from the Otherworld, Lark is able to use her vast power to coerce, persuade and compel mortals. Between assignments, her life is one of luxuries and refinement, but none of these fineries can actually give Lark that for which she most yearns, mortality and all the earthly sensations that come with it. Constantly at odds with her commission to maintain balance between the worlds and her desire to carve out her own fate, Lark has to fight against her own inclinations. Thanar, her maker, is quick to remind Lark of the gravity of her job. “Without the balance there is chaos. Unnecessary death.” Still, her own selfish longing calls to her. An opportunity to escape destiny comes around, demanding a terrible price. Unaware of the profundity of the consequences, Lark throws off the chains of balance and opens up all the realms to a relentless and profoundly dark chaos.
A book to lose yourself in completely, Songs of the Wicked by C. A. Farran is a deeply evocative fantasy novel that will demand all of your attention and adeptly command your senses. Farran paints achingly beautiful scenes with her expressive, revelatory prose as Lark traverses the realms in search of satisfaction, a measure of justice, and her own truth. Wrought with intense emotion, this mythologically rooted novel is a wonderfully well-formed take on life and the afterlife, and who or what is pulling the strings behind the scenes. The cast is dynamic, proving either lovably imperfect or deceptively diabolical, but always delivering a deeper persona than the first impression. More than a simple retelling of a children’s classic, this original fantasy is psychologically riveting and endlessly original. Absolutely stunning, Songs of the Wicked is a novel sure to leave you gasping for breath as you look back on each ravishing page.
