Amber Herbert reviewed Psychopomp and Circumstance by DaVaun Sanders
Slow and Lacking the Fantastic
2 stars
The premise of this novella sounded great but ultimately fell flat. I got through six chapters before putting it down, just shy of halfway through. The pacing was slow even for a fantasy gothic. Phee's emotions and thoughts were conveyed so often that the book might have been more engaging if written in first person. As is, it's repetitive and lacking real depth, only taking up precious space in a novella-length story. I'm all for slow burns, but they require atmosphere, an emotional bond to the character, or intriguing glimpses of the fantastic.
The premise of this novella sounded great but ultimately fell flat. I got through six chapters before putting it down, just shy of halfway through. The pacing was slow even for a fantasy gothic. Phee's emotions and thoughts were conveyed so often that the book might have been more engaging if written in first person. As is, it's repetitive and lacking real depth, only taking up precious space in a novella-length story. I'm all for slow burns, but they require atmosphere, an emotional bond to the character, or intriguing glimpses of the fantastic.