This is a story of unlikely love, revenge and coming of age all at once. Through the eyes of multiple protagonists, this story explores the mystery of a troll murderer that’s harvesting hearts from their victims. Onna, a country girl with strong sensibilities and an aptitude for magic, along with a troll leader, Tsira, and a disgraced nobleman search to find the murderer before they strike again. It starts off slowly, and the magic system is centered around math and parameters which doesn’t make it very exciting, but the character journeys are the real pull. Tsira being next in line to lead her clan, chooses to take some time and decide what she should do. Her conflict of wanting to do right by her people and also stay true to herself makes her an endearing character. Her directness and rash personality contrast perfectly with the more even temper of Jeckran. He was a soldier left for dead, that Tsira nurses back to health (for somewhat selfish reasons). His history of light nobility gives him an air of competence though his language detracts from that status. However, his wordplay and general passion make him the most likable character. Onna, really just feels like she’s destined for more. She loves her family, but has the urge for adventure. Her magical capabilities give her an edge on the competition, though female wizards aren’t very common where she’s from. She has to take matters into her own hands and decide her destiny which just so happens to lead to the troll murders.

Everything in this story just fits together so nicely. After the term-heavy lore becomes more understandable, the world becomes that much more engrossing. You get to peek into the layers of the society and meet some eclectic, interesting characters, but it doesn’t ever feel pointless or too overwhelming. I was surprised that I could recognize so many character names from short introductions and moments without getting confused. Though some weren’t utilized much, their inclusion was purposeful and that’s a feat in its own right.

I’m not a huge fan of fantasies such as this, though I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I lend much of my enjoyment to the characterization however, the overall mystery was definitely interesting. The world building was a bit dense, yet served the main plot of the story well. It tackles some interesting concepts in its society, challenging the world it’s established and I think that’s a truly profound way to write. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on Wagoner, and you should too if you like storytelling that crafts a flawed society and confronts its problems in the same breath.