[Review] The Jelousy of Jalice

4/5 stars

Jealousy of Jalice is a twisted, epic fantasy medley of Horizon Zero Dawn and Alien. In a dystopian, tribal future, an assassin must kidnap her old friend in order to save the world from a tribal despot. The creatures are foul, the world is tainted both physically and spiritually, and missing memories lead to painful twists.

Spoiler-free Review: Jealousy of Jalice is a wonderful debut from an author with a nefarious mind and an epic story to tell. The world is intricate and beautifully crafted, the monsters are dark and fascinating, and the pacing is great (I blew through the back half). The characters are unique and well-thought-out, though none are particularly likeable and Annilasia doesn't always act like a deadly assassin. I hope that future installments show more character growth and opportunities for redemption. Overall, I'm definitely looking forward to the next book, and seeing how the events of the ending effect the world and how the characters will move forward.

Spoilery comments
Part of me was hoping that Annilasia (with her new-found dokojin buddy) was going to be the villain for book 2, but then Hydrin/Dardajah didn't actually die. I also, for some reason, really wanted Vowt to be Jalice's brother with a broken mind, and Mygo knew all along (good reason for him to go out of his way to help Jalice the whole time). That's all. 😆

‍