The Courting of Bristol Keats, by Mary E. Pearson - Jasmin
The Courting of Bristol Keats is the first instalment in Mary Pearson's adult romantasy duology. After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an Aunt she’s never heard of, who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures who have taken him to a whole other realm—the one he is from.
Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae king, Tyghan to save the world of Elphame. Joined with other recruits by the Kingdom her life starts to unravel before her eyes.
This book has amazing characters caught in dramatic and secret-laced situations, with politics of the world pulling them in every direction. Something about this book that I found difficult to grasp was the rules of the magical world. There was no hierarchy of magic and no explanation about how some families of magical beings move into the mortal world permanently - it is mentioned in passing but it’s never revisited or fleshed out. As well as this, some plot points were brushed over to keep the story moving far too quickly, like one chapter the characters say what they are going to do, and then next it's over.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun and inviting concept. I will definitely be reading the second to see how this story ends!
Jasmin
(Published on 14/11/24)
