The Weaver Loom by Jessi St John | Witches, Magic, Mystery in an Old Time Gothic London, Sounds Like Fun…
Review of advanced copy received from the Author
Synopsis
The Weaver’s Loom follows Edith Ashton, the last surviving Death Witch in an alternative Victorian London where witches live uneasily alongside humans.
Edith keeps her real identity hidden while working as an investigator for the First Council. Her magic allows her to see the final moments of a victim’s life, which makes her useful in murder investigations, but it also means she is constantly hiding the full truth of what she is.
When a witch’s death reveals that others have gone missing, Edith is pulled into a case that connects directly to her own past. The trail leads towards the Sparrows, a secret order responsible for hunting down Death Witches, including Edith’s own family.
As more witches disappear, Edith is forced to face the magic she has spent years burying and decide how long she can keep surviving by staying hidden.
Main and Key Side Character Info
Edith Ashton
Edith is the main character and the last known Death Witch.
She works as an investigator while hiding her true power.
Coren Blackstone
Chief Inspector of the First Council
He is an elf, assigned to help Edith investigate the recent murders and kidnappings in the area.
Ben
Key member of Edith’s inner circle.
Helps bring a warm feel to an otherwise dark world.
The Sparrows
The Sparrows are a secret order tied to the brutal past of the Death Witches.
Review
The fact that this is a duet novel by the author, absolutely stuns me!
The world building is rich and immersive. It’s a world populated by witches, shifters, elves, fairies, all of whom are navigating centuries of tension and simmering history. The writing is atmospheric and detailed without ever becoming overbearing or overly descriptive. Despite finding certain elements confusing at times, every chapter has a clear intention and purpose. There was no filler in this story at all!
The magic system is honestly one of my favourite things about this book. It is everywhere! From mundane objects to ones that are more grand. And unlike other magical worlds, everyone in this one knows about it. Magic isn’t a secret.
I loved the olde worlde Victorian London setting. It definitely gave me Sherlock Holmes vibes but with witches and fairies. It was the perfect backdrop to this unique world.
Edith, our main protagonist is very likeable. She has a vulnerable side which isn’t annoying as sometimes they can be in these stories. She’s strong and capable and by far the strongest character in the story. I loved her relationship with Ben, Coren and Old Bess. These relationships took the edge of an overall harsh and dark world. I would love to have seen more of these characters and have them be more fleshed out and developed more. Their interactions with Edith were some of my favourite parts of the story.
Now, there is romance in this book… well, kind of. You can tell it is definitely being set up as a slow burn, but in this first book you only get a sprinkling. A sniff, if you will. It is absolutely not the main draw of the story and the romantic thread stays very much in the background. I do think it will come through more in the second book, but I was definitely ready for a bit more on that front.
The pacing is a little slow, but I do think that was needed. There is a lot of world building, history and character setup here, and with a world this detailed, there is only so much pace you can realistically fit in. A lot of this book feels like it is laying the foundations for the rest of the series, which to be fair, feels like the smarter choice.
Overall, this really was a fun read! It is not overly long, which is impressive considering how much detail St. John manages to fit in. The story kept me turning the pages, the world was so interesting and THAT ENDING!! Let’s just hope St. John has book two mostly written already, because I need it now!
Who I’d Recommend This Book To
I’d recommend this if you like:
Gothic fantasy
Paranormal fantasy set in a magical Victorian London.
Found family elements
Slow burn romance
Mystery and Murder
Multiple PoV
Verdict
What an impressive debut! This had rich world building, witches, shifters, elves, fairies, and an olde worlde Victorian London setting that gave me Sherlock Holmes vibes, but with magic.
The writing is atmospheric and detailed without feeling too heavy, and I loved that magic is woven into everyday life rather than hidden away.
Edith was a brilliant main character. She is strong, capable and vulnerable without becoming irritating, and I loved her relationships with Ben, Coren and Old Bess. I would have liked a little more from the side characters and the romance, which is very much a tiny slow burn sprinkle in this first book.
The pacing is a little slow, but with this much world building and series setup, it makes sense that it was done this way.
Overall, this was such a fun read with a really interesting world, a strong mystery and THAT ENDING. I need book two immediately!!!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
This book will be available on the 1st June via Amazon and will also be available on Kindle Unlimited.
