Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thrilling dark romantasy stars monster-possessed woman.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In ONE DARK WINDOW, Elspeth is attacked by highwaymen on her way home. All they want is information about the magical Providence Cards and whether one can be found in her uncle's house. Elspeth knows he has the coveted Nightmare Card, but tells them nothing. And to save herself, she unleashes the power of the Nightmare on the robbers, overpowering them before running away. This is Elspeth's biggest secret, bigger than catching the dreaded illness that bestowed her with dangerous magic. The royal family would kill her like they do all the infected if her illness were known. No, this secret is how that magic manifested. Just by touching her uncle's card, the monster in the frame entered her mind and, in times of peril, possesses her body as well.
Is It Any Good?
A girl with a beast in her head may be the most hypnotic part of this deliciously dark romantasy, but there's so much more sinister stuff to sink your teeth and claws into. An angry spirit waits in the misty woods to steal your sanity. Palace physicians are on call to kill children infected with an illness that bestows dangerous magic. And the rhyming Old Book of Alders—every family of means has a battered copy—offers a steady warning about how practicing the sanctioned magic of Providence Cards comes at a cost. "Be wary. Be clever. Be good." is the motto of the kingdom of Blunder. Every chapter begins with the book's rhyming warnings, and many encounters Elspeth has with the Nightmare in her head include a sing-song verse or two just to keep readers on edge.
Those are the enticing dark fantasy elements—now for the romance. Ravyn has his own secrets, the biggest one being his treasonous project to steal cards and save the kingdom. When Ravyn discovers Elspeth's gift to spot hidden Providence Cards, she's enlisted in their just cause and the two have more time to moon over each other and try not to want each other because their lives and secrets are just too complicated. On the topic of secrets, it's shocking how loose-lipped Ravyn and his fellow rebels are. They seem to court danger, speaking of their plans in public places like a Market Day celebration and sporting injuries incurred in masked robberies. Not so wary or clever, and definitely not good. More effort setting these scenes and boosting the cleverness of the cast would have made this really good story great.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the arrested family on Market Day in One Dark Window. How does the crowd react? What does the Nightmare mean when he rhymes, "All will be forgotten, save one truth, unshaken … What did we do when the children were taken?" How does this spur Elspeth to action?
Is the Nightmare always a frightening beast? Does the monster ever show empathy for Elspeth? How do the two of them together help others?
What is next for Elspeth? What about her cousin Ione? Who has the last Providence Card?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Orbit
- Publication date : September 27, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
- Number of pages : 432
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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