A brilliant piece of magical fantasy with great characters and a really original plot. I very much enjoyed that this was a fairly believable take on the genre and was instantly hooked. Its action packed, has plenty of great teachings and features a fantastic original magic system. One to watch out for this winter!

5 stars isn't enough.

M L Wang already had my undying devotion with The Sword of Kaigen but she's cemented herself as one of my favourite authors of all time with Blood Over Bright Haven.

This is marketed as "dark academia brimming with mystery and tragedy" but it failed to mention that this book - just like The Sword of Kaigen - has M L Wang's signature trope: emotional annihilation. I don't know how she does it but Wang weaves such a compelling fantasy world with amazing characters but delivers it with such heart-breaking emotion that it will leave you in a mess. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I read it just over a year ago and my reread of the traditional published version just brought back all those feelings.

This is fantasy at it's best and I'm eagerly awaiting whatever gut-punch M L Wang decides to bestow upon us next.

Absolutely brilliant book, no notes. Gripped me from the first page, beautiful writing, great social commentary.

Bringing the "Dark" to "Dark Academia"

Bright Haven is a shielded safe haven in a cold and dangerous world. The outside world is ravaged by the Blight, a horrific, seemingly random destruction of anything living. The outside population called the Kwen barely survive and most try to reach Bright Haven even though it means almost certain death at the crossing. Once they reach this safe haven, they're treated as not even second class citizens but as sub-human workers - thought of as mentally and morally inferior to the true residents of Bright Haven.

The Mages run the city, holding political and religious roles. Sciona is first woman to reach the level of Highmage in this incredibly patriarchal and misogynistic society that views women as too emotionally unstable, excitable, weak brained etc etc. This rubs the other mages the wrong way, and she is given a Kwen assistant, Thomil, rather than a student mage. The exposure they both receive to each others work and culture leads them to uncover the real history and dark heart of Bright Haven.

Sciona is both a likeable and an extremely unlikeable main character. She's worked hard against prejudice and is willing to follow her own intuition, not willing to stick to doctrine. But for a long time she still believes, despite the evidence in front of her, in the inferiority and savagery of Kwen like Thomil, thinking him an exception. She makes terrible decisions but she comes to realise that what she has been doing is wrong. Thomil provides the heart of the story, a man who has lost almost anything and witnessed terrible things but still retains his humanity and a shred of hope for the future.

Is this book subtle with it's themes? No. But it is incredibly gripping story, the characters careering towards the brutal conclusion, like a car crash you can't tear your eyes from. It's very well-written, with a great magic system and world-building. I can't wait to read more from the author.

HOT DAMN! Massive thank you to @DelRey for the eARC.

@mlwangbooksnews just became a new autobuy author.
This is dark academia at its most vital, at its nerdiest, and its bloodiest. The blood in the title is not metaphorical guys. This was stunning. I tore through it - interrupted only by a bout of Boarding Houseitis, in which the poor houseparent is hit by every international variant of everything all at once and is forced to drowsily watch Rivals and work out how to feed itself when it has no food with a fever of 37°c - this is a sublime story that compares excellently with Babel, but anyone who says it is derivative can go boil their head. Sciona Freynan is driven and focused and the first Female Highmage in Tiran. Mocked by her male colleagues she is given the Kwen Janitor Thomil for her lab assistant. The Kwen are treated as sub-human a source of cheap labour and the insult is clear but Sciona takes him any way and teaches him magic realising that whilst the insult stings her to be the insult must be 1000 times worse. This is the start of the incredible intellectual and personal journey they both go on discovering the brutal, horrific secret at the heart of the very foundations of Tiran even as they compete to expand the city a secret that has ravished Thomil's homeland and branded his people the enemy. Like Babel, Blood Over Bright Haven holds no punches and the ending left me shattered even as I kept hoping and hoping and hoping. The world building is good although I wanted a little more sense of the city.
This is an incredible achievement and a story that twists the reader's heart as it explores exploitation, system racism upheld by religion, religion used as an excuse and whitewash, misogyny and the chains we forge for ourselves.

An unmistakable 5 stars.

Journey into the magical realm of 'Blood Over Bright Haven' penned by M.L. Wang.

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone Del Rey for my ARC copy of Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

I have been absolutely awed by this book from the start. I have loved following Sciona as she became the first female high archmage. Her new colleagues are all men and treat her differently because she is a woman.

Worldbuilding

I've genuinely loved exploring the intricate world-building and social class dynamics in this book, particularly the contrasts between the Kwen and the Traian. The concept of the wall and the siphoning of magic as their energy source captivated me, sparking a mix of fascination and frustration that made me feel deeply connected to the story.

Character Relationships

I enjoyed the relationship Scion has with ARchmage Bighmham
Scion and Thomil have to be my favorite dynamic in this book i love how they banter with each other and how they are not afraid of each other.


This book intriguingly explores darker themes through its unique blend of coding and magic, addressing issues like dark academia, racism, and sexism with depth and sensitivity. The ending of this book truly was impactful and gave me a world of emotions. It's definitely a captivating read!

#FantasyRead #MLWang #BloodOverBrightHaven #BookReview #DarkAcademia #MagicRealism #FeminismInFantasy #BookLovers #RandomHouseUK #DelRey

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Blood Over Bright Havens is a dark academia novel that explores themes of race and gender alongside a unique and exciting magic system.

This was such a well written book! The characters were all well defined with interesting developments, the world building was intriguing without being info-dumpy and the storyline tackled some moral issues. I loved the magic system in this story, it was unlike anything I've ever read and really well explained.

I'd definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys dark academia themed novels: this is how it's done!

I’ve not read anything by M.L. Wang before but, I was intrigued by the precis that described a book that takes on misogyny, racism, sexism and colonialism amidst a world of complex magic and politics. I wasn’t wrong in my choice, this book takes no prisoners as Wang creates a layered onion-like world that survives and functions through successful delivery of a most unique, terrifying, defined magic system, a colonial political landscapte that prioritises the few above the many and a terrifying study of the terrible choices that epitomise the terrible failures of humanity.
I’ve heard this book described as dark academia but, for me this book goes beyond that. This book compelled me to read slowly, to absorb, digest and feel the story, it made me take the time to embrace the characters and to not pull away when the message became too stark and horrifying.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t like the female protagonist, Sciona isn’t likeable. She’s determined, obsessed, flawed and that doesn’t make up the core characteristics of a character anyone could empathise with, yet, her arc in this book was such that my feelings grew alongside her journey. Wang’s writing is of such calibre that I found myself rooting for this unlikeable, obsessed, determined character who was selfishly oblivious of the thoughts and feelings of those around her, so determined to achieve her goals.
Whilst I found Thomil to be more empathise-able than Sciona, it was also his journey that placed me firmly in his and Sciona’s camp, and I was consumed by the development of the relationship between him and Sciona, and the relationship he had with his feral niece, she is the one character I totally bonded with from the start. Where Wang’s writing truly stands out is in the relationships explored, between Sciona and her family, between Sciona, Thomil and Cara, between the High Mages and their servants, co-workers and Sciona as the sole female in this Mage world. Wang takes on the nuances of each of these distinct relationships, overlaying the familial love, support, rejection, misogyny, racism and levels of control with a perfect touch, bringing into the light that additional dimension that truly brings these relationships to life.
Wang also excels in the world-building in Blood Over Bright Haven, this is a domed-protected world amidst which flow the currents of religion, political dominance, magic and control, dominated by an authoritarian government body that dictates the religions teachings that limit and control the populace. A city that survives, functions and excels upon a foundation of religious dogma to control access to the truth, whilst preaching that truth is all as it builds itself upon those destroyed by it’s sexism, privilege, capitalism, colonialism and racism, theft of culture and erasure of history. Wang weaves together all of these themes with such depth, nuance and control that not a seam is visible as the author makes you question all that you know from within and without.
It took me such a long time to read this book, partly from being unwell but, mostly from wanting to read and reread Wang’s prose and truly absorb this story. This is not a light-weight fantasy, this is truly a thought-provoking work that I felt in my gut and despite all created such a sense of hope that I took away as I closed the last page on the story.

This was my most anticipated book of the year and it did not disappoint!

M L Wang's writing is stunning and she tackles difficult themes such as sexism, race, religion and morality in a very nuanced, thought provoking way.

The magic system in the book is unique and fascinating and the world is very immersive. I was hooked on the characters and their journey immediately.

This book leaves you with so much to think about. There are many conversations to be had about the themes of the book, but perhaps the biggest one for me is the argument of intentions vs consequences. The way this was discussed between the main characters absolutely blew my mind and I'm certain I will be arguing with myself about it for a long time to come!

Once again, M L Wang has delivered a masterpiece. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm coming back to give a fuller review because I can't stop thinking about this books and I can't put a review fully into words!

This book was brutal, it made me angry and I cried hot angry tears but I felt that M.L.Wang did justice to every character's journey - it explores racism, colonialism, sexism and the complacency of academia to acknowledge that not everyone will thrive or survive and still ignore and not make changes!

I'll say it again this was brutal and I'm not getting over this book, maybe ever! This may be my favourite read of the year!

From the opening chapter of this book, I knew I was in for something extremely special. This book completely nails intersectionality in a fantasy world. Nuanced characters, fantastic writing, truly shocking reveals, and a story to light a fire in you. I had heard that Wang had a habit of crushing the reader, and while she certainly did, everything that happened also felt incredibly earned. This book is much needed in a time where people seem to struggle addressing current and past real world crises with empathy.

I am never going to emotionally recover from this

ML Wang is devastating. Mapped with the careful precision of a master spellcrafter, the book leads you through a set of slowly emerging realisations with an inevitable conclusion. Sharp, clever and terrifying, this is a brutal interrogation into the complacency not only of academia, but the cultural acceptance that where some prosper, others must falter. That the dark twist is guessable a step before the protagonist only makes the tension spiral to new heights as the reader and the characters face the undeniable truths.

If you’re waiting for something to scratch that dark academia itch after Babel - this is it. It is similarly stark in highlighting the points it makes, and weaves the intersection of privileges into a world cleverly fantastical but thoroughly recognisable.

Always the sign of a good book if the ending not only leaves you reeling and angry, but also satisfied that the author has done right by every character.

I jumped into this book on a flight, and quickly breezed through the world building to go and promptly sink my teeth into the people populating this world. Each character fits into their roles perfectly, with the right amount of blurring around the edges which is what makes them feel real: the naïve academic striving to leave her mark on the world, the angry immigrant who tries his best to survive, and everyone else seemingly fitting in seamlessly into a world that chafes at the two main characters.

From the get go I supposed there would be a shattering of the belief systems and I was not disappointed. Around the 30% mark I had a good guess as to what the big bad was (yay me, I love when authors leave enough clues for me to figure things out on my own) and it just kept getting better from there!

Possibly one of the best books I've read this year

Blood Over Bright Haven is a compelling stand-alone fantasy with a unique magic system that blends coding and magic, tackling themes like dark academia, racism, and sexism. While I didn’t fully connect with the characters, the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic and overall plot made this an enjoyable read

Blood Over Bright Haven is brilliantly engaging fantasy, full of action and mystery. It is a genuinely satisfying standalone, with a fascinating setting, and an interesting magic system that is a mix of magic and science. It managed to immerse me in the world, deliver satisfying character arcs, surprise me with revelations and top it all of with a dramatic ending, all in the one book.

It is set in a city that abuses and looks down upon those from outside their bubble, effectively anyone that is different to them, seeing them as lesser. It very much explores this with topics of racism, colonialism, sexism and the intersection of those things being covered through the fantasy setting.

Recommended to all fantasy fans.

Blood Over Bright Haven was an absolute page-turner. It had me hooked from the opening. The ending was incredibly satisfying, tying everything together in a way I didn’t expect but actually wanted from about pg 60. I didn't think MLW would be brave enough to do it. But she did. AMAZING.

The build-up to the final moments was intense, and it left me on the edge of my seat. What really stood out to me, though, was the superb dialogue between the leads. Their interactions felt so real with just the right amount of tension, wit, and emotion. . The chemistry between the characters was undeniable, and it made their journey all the more captivating. If you're a fan of strong character dynamics and unexpected twists, this book is a must-read! Also lots of Feminist commentary and philosophical ideas discussed. Highly recommended. I've pre-ordered the Hardback. Thanks!

Sword of Kaigen is one of my favourite books and so I think my expectations for Blood Over Bright Haven might have been a bit too high. I did like it but I think it suffered from the comparison.

Blood Over Bright Haven follows Sciona, the first woman ever to reach her rank of mage. Most of her colleagues are not happy about that and she's given a janitor to be her lab assistant instead of someone qualified for the job. Thomil is a refugee in the city, having fled there to protect him and his family from the deadly Blight which plagues everywhere outside of its protected dome.

I really liked the magic system, at the beginning it was very much "magic is science" and mostly reminded me of coding (but that might be my own bias since that's my job). As you go through the book you learn more about the darker side and history of the magic. This gives it a lot more depth and makes you think about the cost of convenience, both in the book and the real life parallels.

Sciona faces near constant sexism and her situation seems very women in tech/science coded. In turn Thomil has to deal with racism from all sides, including from Sciona, who is very naive around the stereotypes she's grown up believing. While it grows into a more explicit commentary and exploration of race and oppression which I was more invested in, the set up is intentionally unpleasant to be immersed in.

Overall, while I struggled a bit at the beginning (not counting the first chapter which was a brilliant opening), I started to fly through it. I love M L Wang's writing style. It ended up being a bit bleak for me, it's not completely without hope but it's very dark. Especially with the real world parallels to the many issues brought up in the book, it's a lot to take in and you need to be in the right frame of mind. Read for a dark academia that takes that premise and then focuses on the systemic oppression that is inherent in a lot of institutions and power structures. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blood Over Bright Haven is out October 29th. Thanks to the Del Rey for the eARC through Netgalley and the physical one I picked up at Worldcon!

My first time reading an M L Wang book and will definitely not be my last - what a stunning book!

I’m going to start by saying if you find it hard to read a book where you don’t like the main character, this one might not be for you. She’s not a particularly pleasant character although I think this was needed in order for the story to become what it did.

The writing in this book is so clever; M L Wang has a real knack for provoking very strong emotions from her readers, certainly that was what I experienced while reading this book.

The plot in this book is brilliant. At times the scenes are disturbing and hard to read but all contribute to a great storyline.

This book broke my heart and I am so thankful to the author for doing it

At first I found it a little hard to connect with the story and the characters but as I loved the writing and the premise of the book so much..I wanted to give it another go and I’m so happy I did, this was most definitely a right book at the wrong time for me personally and I ended up really enjoying it.

The way the author can pull in so much emotion from the reader within just a few lines is amazing, she writes characters that feel seen and relatable and has a wonderful way in which she brings relationships to life. Added in with the way the plot and story is developed everything is absolutely top tier and truly amazing.

It is a very powerful book and filled with some very hard and difficult topics but the empowering way it is written is excellent and sends you on a complete and utter rollercoaster of emotions and the ending alone is satisfying and left me speechless, I’m so happy that I gave this book another go..it’s definitely worth a read!

I literally just finished reading this book as I write this review with mascara running and tests in my eyes.

This is my fantasy book of the year. And my favourite fantasy of all time. No question.

The revelations while I was reading this were UNMATCHED to any fantasy book I have read before. The emotion ML Wang tore from my soul is unlike anything I've ever experienced. And with out spoiling it, just know this book left me in a dark pit of despair with a single candle flame of hope.

Add this to your TBR for a life changing experience you will NEVER forget.

Coming October 29th
Thank you del rey for the arc.