Book Review: Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
There’s one thing that’s guaranteed to make you feel better – in spirit if not in body – when you fall ill and that’s letting your mind disappear into the fictional world of a beloved book series. And for me, there’s no better world to lose yourself in than Adalyn Grace’s Belladonna trilogy. The release of the final book in the author’s romantasy series coincided with me being bedridden for a week and it was exactly the whimsical distraction I needed to get me through the start of September.
With book one – Belladonna – focusing on paranormal protagonist Signa Farrow, and book two – Foxglove – adding a second POV in the form of Signa’s headstrong cousin Blythe Hawthorne, it felt a perfectly natural progression of the story to shift the perspective almost entirely to Blythe for the trilogy’s closing instalment. Wisteria opens with Blythe’s marriage to the insufferable yet undeniably charming Aris Dryden, otherwise known as Fate, who she magically bound herself to in order to protect her cousin. Forced to continue their public charade of being happy and in love newlyweds, Blythe and Fate have fooled the ton into believing they’re living a fairytale existence. But in private, the fake couple are determined to make each other’s lives a misery.
The snarky back-and-forth jibes and spiteful retaliations are all the more enjoyable because readers are in possession of information Blythe and Fate aren’t – at least for the first half of the book. We know exactly who Blythe really is and what she means to Fate, even though the two characters haven’t the faintest idea. But as Blythe slowly discovers a new side of herself and starts to remember the past life that was cruelly stolen from her, a new danger threatens to tear her world apart again. This time she has even more to lose – not just the life she fought to hold on to, but the man she loves and her family too.
It’s said that the Wisteria Vine is a symbol of immortality. Blythe Hawthorne had often admired the flower – as deadly as it was beautiful, and resilient enough to thrive for centuries even if left forgotten.”
Blythe and Signa have both come a long way since Belladonna. They’ve grown emotionally, discovered a mysterious paranormal world beyond their stifling high society existences, and they’ve learnt to trust in themselves and their respective powers. And whilst it’s disappointing to see Signa slipping into the shadows with Death for much of Wisteria – only appearing for brief interludes to aid Blythe on her journey of discovery – Signa’s lack of page time feels instrumental in allowing Blythe to become the heroine she was always supposed to be. As the trilogy’s original supernatural couple, Signa and Death will always hold a special place in readers’ hearts, but the element of reincarnation in Blythe and Fate’s passion-filled relationship adds a touch of irresistible tragedy to their tale.
It also helps that Wisteria has such a different feel to the books that came before. Though some might mourn the darkly gothic feel of Belladonna, Wisteria feels more like an enchanting fairytale – one with both darkness and light, heartbreak and hope. The magic is heightened in this book, fuelled by Fate’s ability to weave realities and conjure worlds on a whim. Death’s shadowy reaper power was always alluring but Fate’s magic is like sunshine – warm and dazzling and magnetic. He might have been introduced to the series as a single-minded strutting peacock, but Wisteria peels back Aris’ many defensive layers, revealing the affectionate, adoring and soulful character underneath the bravado. It’s difficult not to love a character who burns so brightly and feels so intensely.
Wisteria isn’t the conclusion many readers would have expected when they finished reading Belladonna, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fittingly captivating conclusion all the same. Infused with seductive romance and dark twists, it’s an atmospheric (lovers-to-)enemies-to-lovers romantasy that manages to capture the fragility and beauty of being human, despite centring on a quartet of distinctly otherworldly characters. And if you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to them – I know I’m not – you’ll be able to reunite with the characters in Holly – a festive novella that takes place a few months after Wisteria ends. The bad news? It’s not out until autumn next year. Time enough for a re-read.
★★★★
Wisteria was published by Hodderscape on 20 August 2024
