Book: The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4/5
This was an absolute trip, and honestly like nothing I was expecting going in.
Nghi Vo takes the glittering, suffocating excess of the Gilded Age and twists it into something genuinely dark, gothic, and delightfully sinister. The world-building and the magic system are brilliantly conceived, packed with an underlying social commentary that hits on how much women are forced to trade of themselves just to survive and scrape together a semblance of power. The concept is so dense, rich, and bursting with moving parts that my main critique is that I honestly wish it had been longer. There are so many fascinating corners of this world that felt begging for more page-time to truly breathe and expand.
I still had a fantastic time with it. It leans fully into dark fantasy territory with some sharp romance subplots that keep the tension razor-sharp. Judith is a wonderfully compelling, morally gray protagonist who anchors the chaos with style. If you love your historical fantasy drenched in atmosphere, danger, and biting commentary, this one is well worth the dance.
Thank you you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.