Magic always comes with a cost.

 

**CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS**

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is a perfectly dark and spooky gothic novel. This is a YA Fantasy debut by Gillig and is the first in a duology. 

The story is set in the kingdom of Blunder, an ancient kingdom that for all written history has been ruled by the Rowan family. Before the Rowan family however, came the Shepherd King (of which not much is known). He ruled the land in harmony with the Spirit of the Woods, who would bestow gifts of magic upon request. When the Shepherd King himself went to Spirit and asked for the power, she gave it, and with it he created the 12 providence cards. Each card containing a different magical power. Unfortunately, this led to people using the cards instead of the Spirit and she got horribly jealous. So much so that she cast a mist over Blunder and every year since, it has taken over more and more of the kingdom. This mist will take you and lure you into the woods to never return, unless you should have a charm with you. When the King went to the Spirit to beg her to lift the mist, she tricked him into giving up the Twin Alders card, the only card there was one of but in return she told him how to lift the mist - she must be presented with an entire set of cards. He managed to return to Blunder and write a book about each of their cards, what their magic is, what the cost of using them is, and how to reunite and end to mist. Then he disappeared.

It has been 500 years and Elspeth Spindle is hiding at her Aunt & Uncle's home in the woods. She was sent there by her father, the captain of the Destriers, 11 years ago when she came down with the infection. The infection that the entire Kingdom fears and that the King has ordered a group of physicians and army of destriers to track down any and all children that are infected. (The whole way through this book, I always pictured the physicians as plague doctors. They weren't described as having masks, but with the dark atmosphere, it's how I saw them). Elspeth has narrowly managed to avoid detection so far. Most children who suffer the infection/fever end up having some kind of magic. The King uses the physicians to determine the magic and if he deems it useful, they may live. If not, he kills them. 

As far as Elspeth's family knows, she doesn't have magic. She has never breathed a word of what is actually going on her mind though. Everything was completely normal once she healed from the fever, she didn't have any magic she could see. But one evening, her Uncle returned home with a bloody sword. Intrigued, she followed him and watched as he put one of the Providence cards on the desk in the library. Of course, after he left, she snuck in the get a closer look. It was The Nightmare! A hideous monster was painted on the bright red velvet card. As she reached out to touch it, everything went black. When she awoke, there was a clicking deep in the back of her mind. Somehow the monster was in her head!

11 years she has hid this monster, not telling a soul. But now, she has been summoned to Equinox, a huge celebration at the castle. Her father, the former captain of the Destriers now, will be there along with her evil stepmother and twin stepsisters. Thankfully she has the company of her beloved cousin Ione to pass the time. But her Uncle, who has been stealing and hiding other cards has different plans for Ione. 

As soon as they reach the castle and festivities begin, everything changes. Ione and her Uncle are immediately off to an audience with the King and Elspeth runs into Ravyn Yew, new Captain of the Destriers, who immediately knows that there is something different about Elspeth. After admitting to him and his group of friends that she can see the colors of the Providence cards, they convince her to join them in a hunt to gather all 12 and lift the mist. Working against the King! 

The adventure that sets off from here is non-stop. I really couldn't put this book down. Especially the ending - holy cannoli, I can not wait for Book 2!

I highly, highly recommend this book!! And if you read it, please let me know what you thought!

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig - ***** FIVE STARS