Book Review - Starlight Jewel by E.L. Lyons

Book Review - Starlight Jewel by E.L. Lyons

Gifts of the Auldtree Book One

Today’s book review is in my favorite genre… fantasy. Surprise. 

And boy, was this a good story! Here lies the world of Norge and its complexities. The land of Norge is a complex being in itself… the setting felt alive! The whimsical elements mixed in with realistic nature landscapes helped keep the story grounded and engaging for me. 

The Starlight Jewel is such an intricate necessity to this story, an essential character who is also named Axly. Axly is an amazing character. A friend and a foe… one I would personally want to be around given any day.

Other characters whom I loved included Grim and Hyde. These two characters show huge development and although they are not the main character, the author gives the momentum through character arcs that wowed me. A soldier and a boy who built himself up, in a world where false memories and war pave a solid line. Need I say more? 

This story is very prominent in its world-building. The setting is just so hard to get over and leave. I did not want to leave this story for the main purpose of having to leave behind this atmospheric aesthetic of fantasy with a twist that I had grown attached to. From the original lands to the refute between, to the north and midlands… there is so much to unpack. 

Beyond my favorite characters lies the magic. As seen on the front pages of the book just past the map, an image of a hybrid is shown. These hybrids… wow. They are truly the most exquisite and unique creatures I have read on in a while. They are the bridge between the two, they work as the middleman. With humanistic features and a sort of genetic mutation to be developed similarly to the guardian, these hybrids are unique and peculiar in the best way and I am so glad to have such a great visual there for me in the book! The gifts that these hybrids hold seem infinite, you will have to read this novel to understand the complexities… this review will do nowhere near its justice. 

The themes of human traits and emotion devoted to the hybrids and characters who develop a sense of awareness within themselves over time are so crucial in wrapping this story as a whole. The impact of these underlying themes of revival and self-development in a society of rebuttal makes the whimsical environment just that much more magical.

If you have not read this book, please do so! It is, first of all, a beautiful sight to see! But second of all, the story is immersive and is swimming with surprises. It casts such a great visual throughout and is easy to dive into and forget to come up for air. 

Thank you for reading this review, and now go read this book!