I love a book with a dark, moody setting. Give me a forest, a secluded town, and a mythical-dipped lore whereby people must guard the population by dealing with what lurks in the shadows. Susan Dennard’s The Luminaries gives all that and more and it’s a wonderful introduction to the world of dark naturalism – one of my favourite aesthetics.

Here we get magical realism, folklore-inspired creatures, a dark history hanging over the family and a pressure upon our protagonist to set things right. The atmosphere created is perfect – the isolation and outcasting of the family is prevalent in their treatment and the details picked up by Winnie, our teenage protagonist. The slightly macabre work she does, corpse collection after the hunts each night conducted by others in the town, carries its own dampness, further illustrating the landscape and the daily lives of these select few Luminaries, families of guardians and researchers drawn to the ancient spirits that find homes across the world. We also have the reasons for all the corpses – the creatures circling the town beyond the perimeter, deep within the forest, who lurk every night.

The setting is brilliantly illustrated and detailed, pair it with the tone and impression given by rainy weather and most of the action happening at night and we get another layer to the immersive setting. Everything just works and it’s impressive to see such a novel with an intense atmosphere that doesn’t deter from the main plot – the relationships and investigation into the reason for Winnie’s family being ostracised for as long as they were. There are, however, a few details I wish were sharper and more intense as they would solidify how engaging this story is. Winnie’s viewpoint as a teenager, even one with a little more experience being separated or different to the majority, needs a little something to stand out against the plot. Her emotions are subdued and I would like to see in the next book some more investment in the stakes.

There’s a lot more to dive into with this world and the lives of the people within it. The end of The Luminaries was fast-paced and punchy, how I wanted the earlier bits to be, and the revelations we get are excellent foundations for the second book, The Hunting Moon, that comes out in early November 2023. Also, can we just appreciate the cover for a moment. The stark contrast between the black and the detail and the title. The natural elements involved which further reinforce that dark naturalism aesthetic. It’s not too busy but striking and, much like Leigh Bardugo’s quote on the cover says, it draws you in.

This is a highly recommend for all; whether you’re a dark fantasy reader, a dark fairytale fanatic, a magical realism connoisseur, or in search for a low fantasy to dig your teeth into, this is not a book to miss. Feast your eyes on this magical world and make sure to keep the Hunting Moon on your radar.