Book: Dhampira by Amy Pennza
Reviewed by Halliday in the Books
Rating: 4/5
Corinthe has lived her whole life keeping her head down. Her mother hasn’t told her much about her origins, only that her father is one of the vampires who live in the realm of Nocta. She warns endlessly that if Corinthe’s father knew of her, he would want her under his control. Humans are mostly safe from these monsters while on their side of the border. A feyline protects the boundary, left by the elves as a gift of protection. However, when Corinthe accidentally reveals her dual nature to a stranger, she finds that humans may be more than happy to make a delivery of her.
Upon meeting her father, Corinthe comes to understand her mother’s fear very quickly. If she wants to ensure her own safety, she’ll have to prove herself useful to him. For that, she’ll need to manifest some kind of power. Though she’s never shown a hint of any, he’s convinced that she has it. He commands two of his most trusted men to train her, to drag that power out of her by any means necessary. To her surprise, they’re willing to offer her a lot more aid than her father has instructed.
“Why Choose” is not a trope that I reach for often, but do appreciate on occasion. This is an instance where it’s exceptionally well-done. There are two relationships that follow the reluctant-allies-to-lovers path, and a preexisting third. Each one flows well, following a natural progression and establishing its own unique dynamic. To varying degrees, all of these relationships must be kept secret. Attempting to maintain this secrecy frequently bolsters the plot. Watching the characters shed their masks of indifference during private shared moments was especially endearing. The three-way romance was incredibly sweet, and easily my favorite aspect of this story.
Aside from that, I also really enjoyed the magic system and how it behaves in the world. Dhampira portrays a lot of creatures that readers will know well, notably vampires, werewolves, and witches. However, Pennza gives them a fresh spin. I prefer my vampires frightening and monstrous, and these certainly fit the bill. They’re able to drain more than blood from their victims, stealing memories and magical abilities as well. Witches accumulate words of magic that they cannot speak unless they wield them. There’s a full world inhabited by all kinds of magical beings filling every imaginable niche. It was a lot of fun to see.
Beyond that, I struggled with other elements. Most notably, I wanted the protagonist to have more agency. Even when not manipulated into it, she is going along with the plans of others more often than not. When she does have her own ideas, they are often half-formed then delegated in their incomplete state. For much of the book, characters around the protagonist express to her that once she unlocks her magical abilities, she will be extremely powerful. When that does finally happen, the reveal is underwhelming. The power doesn’t end up having any notable effect on the outcome. That would have made more sense if there was a clear setup for a sequel in which this power might build and find its use, but that wasn’t there either.
Additionally, I found myself confused by a formatting choice. Telepathic conversations, internal monologue, and dialogue within flashbacks do not have any indicative formatting. Without any punctuation or italicization, it often bled into the narration around it. I had to re-read a number of sections in order to parse them correctly.
I will be interested to see what Pennza does next. There’s definite talent here with a captivating world filled with magic and fascinating characters. I’ll be especially intrigued if her future books lean more heavily into romance. I felt that piece was her strongest area and the plot became secondary. The unbalance combined with a too-passive protagonist meant this book fell short of a stellar read, though I still enjoyed it.