maelstromandmoonshadow

Please note that this is a republished edition of an archived post.

I’ve recently had my heart broken. It’s my own fault, really, for not doing more research. I bought Elian J. Morgan’s Princeweaver on the recommendation of a bookstagrammer (@eloise_bradbooks, shoot them a follow) because it was advertised as a fantasy novel (LOVE) with Welsh folklore (DOUBLE LOVE) and an Achillean arranged marriage (NOTHING TO NOT LOVE HERE!!). It is all of these things, and more, and it is absolutely brilliant.

Princeweaver follows the story of Meilyr, born with forbidden magic in the occupied land of Cyngalon. (Morgan begins the novel with a helpful pronunciation guide, and notes on the continuing aftermath of English conquests on Wales, which the book draws upon). Through a number of wild circumstances, and in order to save his brother’s life, Meilyr ends up engaged to Prince Osian, who presides over Cyngalon. But when nobles in Prince Osian’s court start dying—gruesome murders using the very magic Meilyr possesses—Meilyr and Osian are caught in the crossfire and must figure out what’s going on before everything crumbles around them. Oh, and also, they’re yearning for each other the whole time. Delicious.

The heartbreaking part of all this is that Princeweaver is the first in a trilogy of novels, with the sequel not set to release until next year, and the third in 2028. As anyone familiar with fantasy series probably knows, this means that the first novel ends with an incredible tense cliffhanger, and one that, for various reasons, wreaks absolute havoc on emotions. Princeweaver is no different. It has one of the most shocking endings I’ve read for a while (the downside of sticking to standalones), and though The Big Reveal named someone I’d mildly suspected a few times over the course of the novel, it was still a massive shock and so perfectly written when it arrived. Certainly, by the time we got to the reveal, the actual villain was at the bottom of my suspect pool. The other twists and turns were so much fun to figure out along the way, and even when I was able to figure them out before they were revealed, the reveal was still good. Truly, a testament to Morgan’s abilities as a writer.

I didn’t realise until I went to purchase the book that it was the first of three, which ordinarily would stop me—I like to read series when all of the books are already out. But I was promised a book for lovers of BBC’s Merlin, and that was such an enticing offer that I threw caution to the wind. Am I glad I did? Yes, Morgan is undoubtedly a weaver themself, with their ability to write such a beautiful, tragic, magical world that I read the book in two sittings. I am absolutely yearning for the rest of the trilogy immediately, almost as much as Osian and Meilyr yearn for each other. I already feel the way I did during Sherlock’s season two-season three hiatus, and it is excruciating. I need to know what happens next. I need more of these beautiful, kind, smart, truly good characters—and also the truly bad, complicated, frustrating ones, and every character in-between. Morgan has such a way with characterisation, possibly their greatest strength with this book—which isn’t to say that the worldbuilding and folklore isn’t also fantastic. But the way they write such complex characters, the way you can pity a character on one page then hate them the next, the way you feel the love they share for each other—it is something worth emphasising. It is definitely what sold me on the book.

Though I certainly wanted more of Osian’s point of view in the first half of the book, and though it took me a little while to remember the various locations (probably more indicative of the amount of time that has elapsed since I last read a fantasy book, tbh), by the end of book one Morgan had really solidified just how good of a writer they are. I feel that some books tend to fall off in the last chapters—the last two chapters of Princeweaver were among the best. The action, the surprises, the emotions, it was all brilliantly paced and presented in the best way possible. Without spoiling the novel, I think you’ll know exactly what I mean when you reach the end–those last chapters are beyond brilliant, and the level of devastation I felt was absolutely because of the way Morgan wrote those chapters. The plot itself is harrowing, but it was truly the prose that brought it home.

If you love folklore, if you particularly love languages and history; if you’re interested in the politics of kingdoms and the complications of inheriting your ancestors’ ruling powers as well as the consequences of their awful actions as monarchs, Princeweaver is a perfect book for you. It is a perfect book regardless. The world of magic is so interesting and the folklore it includes is genuinely beautiful. I can’t wait to learn more about it, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next two additions. I just know I’ll be ranting about the impact that Princeweaver had on me for years to come. It might even be the top book that I recommend this year—it’s definitely made its way into my top 5 fantasy recommendations. Give it a read, the only regret you’ll have is that you have to wait for the next one. 

You can visit Morgan’s website here (I recommend giving the content warnings for the book a quick glance)
You can find them on Instagram here
Add Princeweaver ​on GoodReads here