Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
One For My Enemy by Olivie Blake, the bestselling author of The Atlas Six and Alone With You in the Ether, is a modern-day retelling of Romeo and Juliet featuring two infamous witch families in New York…
“In New York City where we lay our scene, two rival witch families fight to maintain control of their respective criminal ventures.On one side of the conflict are the Antonova sisters, each one beautiful, cunning, and ruthless, and their mother, the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants known only as Baba Yaga.On the other side, the influential Fedorov brothers serve their father, the crime boss known as Koschei the Deathless, whose community extortion ventures dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan.”
I can’t emphasise enough how much I adore this book. It’s beautifully written and full of twists and turns that had me questioning everyone’s loyalties and motives at some point or another. Blake is the queen of writing characters that are slightly broken, deeply flawed, and yet incredibly endearing and charismatic.
There are nods to Russian folklore throughout and the obvious influence of Romeo and Juliet, despite this, it still managed to feel very contemporary and intriguing. It’s rich in the poetic prose Blake is renowned for, but I felt that her writing style was slightly more accessible than her previous books which I appreciated.The ending was a little convoluted, however, it was still very poignant and beautiful. One For My Enemy was a clever, fast-paced and addictive read that I’m still reeling from.
One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake will be released on April 6, 2023 and is available to pre-order HERE.
