Review of ‘Beyond the Shadowed Earth’ (Beneath the Haunting Sea #2)

Synopsis

It has always been Eda's dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she's convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.

Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he's trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.

Set in the same universe as Joanna's debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, Beyond the Shadowed Earth combines her incredible world building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead.

Review

Beyond the Shadowed Earth takes readers on an epic journey to unravel the deals of Gods and machinations of dark spirits.

Reminiscent of Tolkien

Beyond the Shadowed Earth was such a great novel. Eda is a girl, a power-hungry girl, who has made a deal with a God. Nevertheless, that is the thing with deals; the trick is in the details. Eda thought she was careful, but her deal cost her dearly. Now, that is a great premise, drawing some allusions to religious doctrine of making deals with the devil, or some other dark deity. Furthermore, for this novel, it works out well to highlight all the flaws in Eda.

Eda is, admittedly, an incredibly unlikable character. Now, this could be off-putting for some readers, but on the whole, it is not terrible. Eda is selfish, self-centered, and power-hungry, and her deal, the messages she keeps receiving highlights in her inability to see and to listen. That is her most significant flaw, her inability to listen to the world around her. However, while she goes on her journey, she does grow, and Eda finally begins to realize just how selfish of a person she has been. Her journey is empowering, it is eye-opening, and the detail, the description that goes into developing her narrative allows the reader to understand her and connect to her, even while not liking her.

As for the mythology of the world, it is clear why this author dedicated this novel in part to Tolkien. The detail that went into developing the Gods, their stake in the world, and the circles surrounding the God, they are so thoughtfully and wonderfully constructed. The language is thoughtfully used and placed, and the development of the world, the development of the mythology, is genuinely breathtaking.

Final Thoughts

This novel has many allusions to Dante’s Inferno and Tolkien’s work. It highlights the struggle humans face with dealing with peace, grief, guilt, anger, resentment, and a whole slew of other emotions that make up the complex human psyche. It highlights character growth and delves into the mythology to allow the world-building to flourish within the story. (★★★★☆)

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.