Book: The Weaver’s Loom by Jessi St. John
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4.5/5
This is such a strong start to what promises to be a rich gaslamp fantasy series. Jessi St. John delivers a fascinating world where witches, fairies, elves, and shifters can lose their immortality, with each race possessing a completely unique background. To top it all off, the story kicks off with a gripping, dark mystery.
Witches are being abducted, a murder occurs, and our main character, Edith, is the detective assigned to the case. She’s excellent at her job, but she is also the last death witch of her kind—a type that has been outlawed. If her employers ever discovered her secret, she would be eradicated. This high-stakes risk hooked me early on, and I found myself truly drawn to Edith as a protagonist.
One element I was incredibly happy and surprised to see was the third-person, multi-POV format. I love experiencing a world through different characters' eyes, and St. John beautifully builds out the lore through their unique perspectives. The enticing glimpses into their pasts make me hope we’ll get to dive even deeper into their histories in the next installment.
There is also a wonderful, slow-burn romance woven throughout the story. Edith has two prospective love interests, Blackstone and Roswick, but because St. John keeps things subtle, I’m still not sure which way this love triangle will lean or how it will play out (pleaaaase no why choose 😫). I love that these romantic elements never overshadow the main mystery, giving us just enough brewing tension to keep us completely hooked.
This debut packs so much into its pages, introducing an incredibly rich and interesting world. As a massive fan of dark fantasy, I was thrilled to come across this gem. I am so excited to read the next book as soon as it’s released!
Thank you to the IRIS Influencer Society and Jessi St. John for the eARC! All opinions are my own.