I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was a really entertaining and enjoyable read. It’s hard to review this without spoilers, and as I went in knowing very little, I’m loathe to spoil that for others. Not my usual fare, I like my fantasy to have at least a smidge of humour, but I was fascinated by the magic system. And then watching Sciona’s entire world collapse around her was mesmerising, imagine working so desperately hard to achieve the unattainable only to discover the dark secrets behind the glamour.
I’ll leave it at that, but I’ll definitely be recommending.

This book was amazing, From the first chapter I knew I was onto something phenomonal. It draws your right in with action and mystery and is very intense. And it just kept getting better.
Sciona is the first female mage ever admitted into the elite society of highmages. A histrically all-male society. This alone does not come without its troubles and the way M. L. Wang handles sexism and the patriarchy in this is gorgeously written. Infuriating, but mirrors our own society perhaps closer than people would wish.
Along the way she starts working with Tommy, someone who is of a 'lower class' of people, and is barely deemed a human being, They must work together to solve their problem and along the way unravel the secrets of the society.
We have dark academia, politics, misogyny, secret societies, lies, morals, ethics and magic throughout and it's all woven together beautifully.

This book is dark for sure, and was also incredibly thought-provoking and I am still thinking about it days later. I think that ending will stay with me a while. It is so well thought out and really challenges your perception of people and societies and the greater good.
Can't recommend highly enough.

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this! I don't have much to say because there are very few flaws. I loved the magic system, the worldbuilding and the flawed but compelling main character. The questions raised by the story are interesting and are left open ended - there is no quick solution to the problems depicted, and the book doesn't try to pretend that there are. The ending is ballsy and impactful.

The only criticism I have is that while I flew through the first half, the pace slows after a while and the writing becomes slightly repetitive. But overall I loved this and definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A book that leaves you questioning the world, morality, and your own thoughts. This fast paced novel tackles issues of sexism and racism through the fantastical lens of the pursuit of magic and truth. Whole I couldn’t put it down or turn away, I would t necessarily recommend this book to everyone and certainly not those easily triggered. Ultimately this books is a mix of intriguing, thought-provoking story and deeply uncomfortable emotions.

Thank you to DelRey and NetGalley for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5⭐️

I apologise in advance for the incoherent mess of prose this review is likely to be. I will try to compose my thoughts as best I can, but to try to gather my thoughts about this book into a simple, composed review would be do to this book a disservice. Nothing I will ever say about this book will do it justice, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't give it a go.

This book is a masterpiece. There is no doubt about it, and I will vehemently disagree with anyone who says otherwise. Dark academia books and I have a fraught relationship, and there is only one book of that sub-genre I have ever truly loved. That is Babel by R.F. Kuang, one of my favourite books of all time. Blood Over Bright Haven made me feel so deeply and consumed me in the same way Babel did, and that is a feeling very few books have ever achieved.

Sometimes books change you, sometimes they grasp straight through your ribs to your beating heart and refuse to let go, consume you so thoroughly that you know you will never be released from its thrall. Blood Over Bright Haven did this to me. This was my first M.L. Wang book, and I cannot wait to read more. From the very first chapter (and what an opening chapter it is! I was enthralled and on the edge of my seat!) I was ensorcelled and could hardly bring myself to part from the pages. It's been a while since I was so wholly hooked by a book.

I did not devour Blood Over Bright Haven, it devoured me.

There are so many things I love about this book, and to narrow down which ones to talk about in this review is torture, but, again, I will try. The characterisation in this book was flawless, wholly because the characters themselves are not. Sciona is not always a likeable protagonist. She is incredibly flawed, her morals are often deeply grey, and her initial prejudices often make the reader rage at her, and yet you root for her as she undergoes some of the best development and growth I have ever read. Thomil had my heart from that very first incredible chapter and he never once lost it. M.L. Wang's prose and character-work is so incredible because of how deeply she makes you feel for her characters, and because of how deeply human and humanly flawed her characters are. I doubt I will ever forget Sciona or Thomil or their development or their bond. Romance is such a tiny feature of this book, but that doesn't mean relationships aren't a significant part of this wonder of a book. M.L. Wang explores relationships between co-workers, mentors, figures of power, governing bodies, families, and cultures, all in such diverse and nuanced ways.

Beyond her character work, M.L. Wang is a master of worldbuilding and entirely unique and inventive magic systems, the like of which I've never seen before. I doubt I could explain it even if I tried, but it was truly incredible. Perhaps one of the most incredible aspects of this book, however, was its political commentary. I've spoken many times before about how important well-done political/social commentaries in books are to me, and Blood Over Bright Haven nails the balance of characters, relationships, plot, magic, and commentary. The commentary on religious control, authoritarian government bodies and 'virtuous' lies, our 'good' intentions and their consequences, sexism and privilege, capitalism, colonialism and racism, and the stealing of culture and erase of history, is so incredibly done. With great nuance and depth, M.L. Wang has created a book that is so thought-provoking and devastating that it will have you questioning everything, both within the space of the book and the outside world. It's been a long time since a book has made me *feel* so truly like this book did.

I still haven't fully processed my thoughts on this masterpiece - and I've been sat trying to complete this review for hours 😅 - but I can firmly say this book is phenomenal. It's emotionally devastating and heavy and thought-provoking, but also filled with so much hope. This is absolutely going to be one of my favourite books of this year, and I cannot recommend it enough.

This book is absolutely a 5-star material. ML Wang seems to have a knack for every decade or so writing a book that blows minds and garners a cult following (hello Sword of Kaigen!) and this is no exception. It really doesn't waste time at picking up pace and throwing emotionally charged developments at you: the opener alone had me gripping the chair while reading, and then once the perspective changed I thought the book would slow down greatly but it was a deceptive impression. An absolute ride, rewarding emotionally, instant recommendation to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Blood Over Bright Haven in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing! I 100% recommend adding this to your list.

Blood Over Bright Haven is a beautifully written book with a fantastic and distinctive magic system, complex characters, and an excellently written political landscape. The themes include Sexism, Misogyny, Racism, and Colonialism which are thoroughly explored despite their complexity and are not overly simplified.

I loved that the author uses all of the elements from dark academia that we love and combines it with such a complex (but highly readable and well explained) and well developed magical system is an essential read for anyone who loves either dark academia or fantasy/dystopia (if you enjoyed Babel i would definitely recommend picking this up).

A deviating and heart wrenching read - one of the best so far this year!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Blood Over Bright Haven takes place in the industrial utopia of Tiran, and it follows the story of two main characters. The first one is Sciona. An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic for more than twenty years. Her goal is to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. But when she finally claws her way up to the ranks to become a highmage, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will do everything they can to make sure she knows she is unwelcome, and one of the ways they do this is to provide her with a Kwen janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant. This janitor, however, is the second main character: Thomil. Sciona and Thomil will have to work together to advance Sciona's status and unravel the mysteries of magic.

This is the premise of the book. It is a dark academia fantasy novel brimming with mystery, tragedy, morality, and echoes of the past. This standalone novel packed many emotional themes to explore, and the characterisations and development were incredibly well-written.

4.8 stars
To say that Blood over Bright Haven is a good book; now that is a vast understatement. Going into this book, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect as I'd read the blurb a few months before and only had a vague recollection of what it was about. The prologue and the first few chapters widely differed which was at first confusing and made me feel as though the pacing was slow. Not so!
My initial thoughts were so far off the mark, it made me the imbecile. The pacing is perfect; in hindsight. I started this in September wasn't feeling it, started again today and finished it within a few hours. Unputdownable. What world-building! The class system, racism and elitism in this book, all without sacrificing storytelling and plot. The characters depth and backgrounds! *Chef's kiss!*
The ending though! The parallels between ending and start, the realistic not everyone lives and hope and despair of the world changing.
Absolutely brilliant, I will be seeing if Waterstones has the exclusive version for sale still.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this.

Wow. This book. The first chapter alone gave me shivers with how gut wrenching it was. It's a great way to reel people in because it gets you right in the feels asap!

With a time-jump, the book then pivots into the main storyline, and wow. It's hard to describe much without giving anything away because the whole thing is so interesting. It's well-written, incredibly well-thought out, and completely toys with your emotions. At one point I had no idea how anything was going to be resolved, I felt as hopeless as Sciona. Sciona and Thomil are both complicated characters who you learn with, grow with. They disappoint you at certain points, but uplift you when they right their wrongs. Character development at an all time high.

I also like how it's not particularly difficult to grasp the magic concepts discussed in the book, but it's done in a way that makes you feel clever. It's a world that you can understand, with (unfortunately) mirrors to our own, and you feel the same emotions as the Sciona as it lets you down.

Lastly, I don't even know how to talk about the ending. Chefs kiss. 5 stars. Perfect way to end it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone/Del Ray for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

"The path to God wasn't laid for women like her. It was laid on their backs."

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'd heard so many good things before actually getting stuck into this story, and I'm glad they all turned out to be true! Sciona and Thomil were both intriguing and complex characters - and far from perfect, which just added to their charm.

There's some really intelligent worldbuilding, and plot twists I just did not see coming. Wang creates a landscape perfect for exploring questions of imperialism and exploitation, which remains simultaneously personal and philosophical.

The only aspect of this book I struggled with was the magic itself. Occasionally Sciona's explanations of magic felt dense, and made it harder to immerse myself in the story. But the wider world was compelling, and the relationship between the protagonists only added to my engagement with their surroundings.

I'm desperate to find out what happens next, and need to discuss this with someone else who has read it! If you enjoy a good mystery or conspiracy fantasy, this is one to watch out for.

Books with similar vibes - The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence, Torn by Rowenna Miller, A Story Spun in Scarlet by Renee Dugan, and Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törsz.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC of Blood Over Bright Haven! I enjoyed the characters and their development during the book, the various culture clashes and learning to understand each other was a great focus. I found some of the academia side complex but that was definitely on a more personal level. I would recommend for anyone who loves unique magic systems and a sprinkle of dark academia!

Wow, what an experience. This is a must read book for all adult fantasy readers. Explosive fantasy to enjoy, although unsettling too. I actually left the book for a couple of days half way through as the story reflected to me our real world and human’s animalistic regard of others, both historically and still today. I then came back to finish. This is superb fantasy fiction story telling. The characters are diverse and believable. Some to love, some to cheer, and many to revile. All with depths that slowly come to light. The setting that M.L. Wang gives us is a world of magic, a world of ‘women’s place’, a world of wonder, a world of subjugation, a world of hidden and not so hidden hate, and a world where there is still a flicker of the hope of better things to come. Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Thank you to Del Rey, NetGalley and author M.L. Wang for this eARC

First things first, I have to be honest. This isn’t gonna be much of a review. It’s much more going to be a love letter.

This might just be my favourite book of the year! It for sure is my favourite book of the year so far, which at close to 200 books is saying something…
I adored Blood Over Bright Haven! It was such an amazing read! From the world building, the characters and their development, the story and the magic system to the writing and style, all of it was pure perfection!
I now understand all the hype I have been hearing for years about M.L. Wang!
Cannot recommend this book enough and am now off to read The Sword of Kaigen because Hello?! I’ve been missing out!

I am completely heartbroken in the best possible way. M.L. Wang isn't afraid to write honest, gut wrenching stories and I know that whenever I read something of hers it will be complex, profound and original.

Perfectly paced, I flew through this. The magic system is incredibly unique, the idea of magic being likened to a mathematical equation entirely sets with world apart from other fantasy novels. Blood Over Bright Haven is the perfect Autumn/Winter book, with immaculate dark academia vibes.

My one criticism is the sheer volume of complex issues this book tries to tackle means that some of that complexity is lost. But I appreciate that the focus is on intersectionality as Sciona begins to expand her worldviews.

Female characters who are unapologetically ambitious are some of my favourites so I loved Sciona. Following her as her relationship with Thomil grows and she unravels her biases was fascinating and I don't think I've ever read any fantasy books that have unpacked this topic so well. Thomil's chapters were a really welcome addition to the story (usually I can't stand an uneven dual POV). His perspective really added to the story's world building and if we hadn't had chapters from the POV of one of the Kwen, I think the whole message of the story would have fallen apart. I also can't express how much I loved Thomil and Sciona's relationship - they had the most bittersweet ending but any other conclusion to their story would've felt trite.

I can't wait for this to be out in the world so I can buy 50 copies of it and scream about it to everyone I know. Thank you to DelRey for the arc copy.

Wow, what a ride from start to finish. This book has everything: a unique magic system, highlighting the evils of colonialism and racism, complex characters, powerful women, revolution. I loved everything about it and need to read everything ML Wang has ever written now. Please run and preorder this book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC!

4.5!
I didn’t actually expect to love this quite as much as I did! It was fantastic.

Although it’s a dark academia fantasy, what I actually found most compelling was the social commentary. The world Wang creates allows for such insightful exploration of the damage caused by colonialism, racism and blindly following dogma. Whilst none of those actual terms are used, the concepts are very central to the story. I found it so powerful and harrowing.

The magic system was quite different to anything I’ve come across before. I really enjoyed that it was partly inspired by computer coding. The way spells were created was fascinating. I thought some of it was going over my head, as it’s quite ‘scientific’, but actually the way it’s written meant it slowly just clicked into place.

Loved the characters. Sciona was such a great main character - flawed and complex, not even always likeable, but her ambition and passion were captivating. Thomil was wonderful, it was great to see how he slowly challenged Sciona and helped her open her eyes to the levels of injustice in the city.

There were maybe a couple of things I’d have liked more closure on at the end. However, I was gripped throughout and taken on such an emotional rollercoaster. Brilliant. Will be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy!

Blood Over Bright Haven" by M. L. Wang is a wild ride from start to finish, blending fantasy, magic, and political intrigue in a way that keeps you hooked. The story centers on Katashi, a fallen samurai trying to redeem himself, and Mirai, a young woman with a secret that could change everything. Their journeys collide in unexpected ways, making for a plot that's full of surprises.

One thing that really stands out is the world-building. Bright Haven feels like a living, breathing place where magic is both feared and desired. Wang does a great job of creating a world that's complex but still easy to get into. The magic system is interesting and well thought out without being overly complicated.

The characters are where this book really shines. Katashi and Mirai are flawed, real, and easy to root for, even when they make questionable decisions. Their personal struggles add a lot of depth to the story, making it more than just your average fantasy adventure.

The pacing is fast and keeps you on your toes. There are plenty of twists, and just when you think you’ve figured things out, Wang throws another curveball. The writing is smooth and engaging, with just the right balance between action scenes and character development.

Overall, "Blood Over Bright Haven" is a fantastic read for anyone who loves fantasy with a bit of edge. It’s got strong characters, an intriguing world, and a plot that never lets up. Definitely worth picking up if you're in the mood for something that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Wow, this was good !
It was really immersive and the characters were just so relatable and real. This is a book that really needs to be read. Great winter reading.