Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray – Book Review

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Mystery

Spice: Mild

Summary:

Vesper Evans is a young spitfire journalist who is covering the reveal of a new invention at the Basalton Museum of Art. Vesper feels a bit out of place at such a fancy event; she grew up very poor, and still just manages to make ends meet. The lavish high society function comes to a halt when Vesper finds the inventor murdered in the garden maze after his presentation. The main suspect of the police is the wealthy heir of a very successful industrial company, Maximilian Kite. The attractive, confident, magical Max offers to pay the inquisitive Vesper whom he met the night of the function to find the true culprit and clear his name.

Although Vesper doesn’t want anything to do with Max or the world of high society, the large sum of money he’s offering could help her newspaper, her only family, stay in business. So, she reluctantly agrees to the deal. With a hunch that the murderer was someone else from high society attending the function that night, Max makes a plan to introduce Vesper to high society as his girlfriend as cover for their investigation. As they follow the clues, they’ll explore every part of Basalton, both rich and poor, both learning how the other half lives as they try to clear Max’s name.

Reaction:

Hawk & Sparrow is a Mystery Romance book with fantasy elements that explores themes of inequality. I found it a relatively straightforward read, but still with surprises throughout. I enjoyed following the investigation and appreciated the parallels to our own world, but it didn’t hit me the same way my favorite books do.

This book set itself up classically as a magical murder mystery. The stakes were set high, and I was entertained, but it didn’t totally grip me to the point I was impatient to keep reading. It was predictable at times, especially in the set up at the beginning, but also delivered some major surprises later in the book. It really gave off Veronica Mars vibes from an investigation perspective in the best way. The ending was very surprising, but I wish there had been a little more closure to the mystery.

At first, the setting seemed like a garden-variety Gilded Age city with the only unique aspect being that some denizens could use magic. But as the book continued, I really appreciated how relatable the author was able to make this world to our own, opening the narrative to themes of inequality and greed in a natural way. There’s even a bit of commentary on AI, represented by a machine that automates magic incantations, which I thought was brilliant. The magic system itself doesn’t get into too much detail of how it works; it’s really there to symbolize power that some are able to utilize and others can’t due to a lack of knowledge and opportunity rather than inherent ability.

I liked Vesper’s character from the very start of the novel. She’s sharp, spunky, and determined; the kind of woman who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. I also found her character realistic and well-rounded because as she is exposed to high society for the first time, she’s able to adjust her beliefs and develop a more nuanced understanding of the struggles of a group of people she doesn’t consider herself to belong to. I wasn’t as sold on Max’s character. As the MMC, I found him distant and a bit surface level because he didn’t seem to be verbose about his beliefs and past experiences beyond what directly impacted him. I wish we had known more about his background earlier in the novel, and that it had been more integrated into the story.

The romance was cute, but predictable. It’s definitely a sub-plot rather than a priority, which I think was perfect for this narrative. But I wish it had been more naturally integrated with the other themes in the book.

Overall, I thought this was a relatively quick, straightforward read with a mystery plot, a bit of romance, and fantasy elements. I loved the way this world had so many parallels to our own, opening it up for smart social commentary, and the plot allowed Vesper to fully explore those issues in her society. I enjoyed reading it, and recommend it for those that want a fantasy mystery with a simple magic system, a cute star-crossed romance, and a surprising conclusion.

Thanks to Balzer + Bray and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I enjoyed:

·       Vesper’s spunky, smart way of investigating. From the first chapter where she deduces so much about the security guys at the Museum, I knew I would enjoy reading a book from her POV.

·       The social commentary on women’s rights, especially as it relates to their opportunities and the lengths they must go to to earn their own status and respect.

What I didn't enjoy:

·       I wish Max’s character had been more fleshed out with meaningful character growth. Like I could make some assumptions that some beliefs he had about the low and middle classes was changed because of the events in the book, but I don’t think that’s ever really spelled out in a meaningful way.