Rate: 4.5/5
Medium: Audiobook
Overview (No Spoilers):
I was first introduced to Atwater’s writing when Ten Thousand Stitches was my semifinalist pick in the SPFBO (Self Published Fantasy Blog Off). Shortly after the contest Atwater announced the wonderful news that Orbit had picked up her three Regency Faerie Tales, includes Ten Thousand Stitches. Since then, the rest of this trilogy has been on my to be read list and I was looking forward to finding out what fantastical adventure Atwater would have in store for readers in Half a Soul.
Half a Soul starts out with a headstrong young Dora running away from her lessons when she stumbles into someone most unexpected. Thankfully, Dora is saved from having to pay a debt incurred from before she was even born by the quick thinking of her cousin, Vanessa. Despite being rescued, half of the debt had already been collected upon, leaving Dora irrevocably changed and missing a key part of her soul.
Fast forward several years as Dora and Vanessa are entering into society, Dora’s strange lack of emotions make her stand out as an oddity. Vanessa continues to be her most staunch supporter, even at the suffering of her own opportunities. When word of the miracles rendered by the new Court Magician reaching the countryside, Vanessa comes up with a plan to cure Dora by bringing them both into the unforgiving London society.
Once in London, this story the pacing ramps up proportionally with the many different revolving story lines from Vanessa’s prospects and looking for a cure for Dora to the plague threatening the children of the workhouses. Atwater brings this story to life, often drawing a smile from the reader with the uncomfortable but hilarious societal situations Dora often finds herself. The reader will easily get caught up in the plight of poor Dora as she expands her world and learns about the horrors facing London’s lower class, that make her curse seem mild in comparison. With her new friends, Elias and Albert, can Dora help find a cure for the sleeping sickness plaguing the children of the workhouses, while simultaneously thwarting the shallow machinations of scheming mamas?
Atwater fills Half a Soul with vibrant and complex characters whose backstories are carefully unveiled, layer by layer. Despite Dora’s lack of emotions, which I can’t imagine would have been easy to craft, she quickly becomes one of my favorite characters, especially as she finds her own friends in London who appreciate and like her despite her unique nature. As her friendships strengthen, you can see her confidence grow to the point of spotting emotions roiling just under the hardened surface.
Overall, Half a Soul is a delightfully whimsical faerie tale that you won’t want to end, especially as Elias and Dora uncover more about the mysterious curse that blunts her emotions.
Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):
- What happened to the mirror that went missing from Dora’s room?
- What happened to George Rick’s after Dora came back and Hallowvale was killed?
- What happened to Abigale after she woke up?
- What Faerie title was Elias’?
- How wonderful for Miss Jennings and Albert. I loved seeing her character evolve from someone we thought would be an enemy to one of richer depth.
- What was the story of Dora’s mother?
- Lady Carroway was a wonderful bright spot in this story, especially with how she treated Dora, Albert, and Elias. The other mammas were quite dreadful.
- Vanessa’s marrying of Edward was an ending that was period appropriate but felt off from the happy endings one expects from romance novels. Vanessa was such a good friend to Dora I wanted her to marry for love and not for position. Though she will have a fantastic mother in law and Albert claims his brother is nice.
- How appropriate Lord Hallowvale was done in by the same scissors.
- What did Dora and Elias do in faerie once they left London? What did Elias think of Dora once she was reunited with Theodora?
The Critiquing Chemist 