This seems to be a miss for a lot of readers, but I still found it interesting, so 3.5 stars rounded up. Some fairly important questions are never answered (or in some cases never even asked... *side eye*) near the very end of the book the heroine realizes that this entire time she's been pressuring Pestilence to just toss off his mission, you know, which he's purportedly been commanded by God... and she never once even asked what the consequences of that would be... *and then still doesn't really!?* but I'm assuming the author wanted to keep some stuff back for the other Horsemen to reveal. Hopefully that's the reason anyway... There are some other gaps in logic and aspects I didn't like as much, but what I found most interesting was the relationship between the two main characters. It has some major ups and downs, but I was always curious how things would play out. And the book certainly explores a complex, difficult, scenario. It's mid apocalypse, so expect death, desperation, cruelty, etc, but also little pockets of caring, humor, growth, etc. sprinkled throughout.

*very minor spoiler* Also, side note, not a single person prior to publishing questioned if it were actually feasible for a human to keep up, on foot, with a *galloping horse*?? lol. 20-30 mph? Usain Bolt at the Olympics reached 23 mph for just shy of 10 seconds (in ideal conditions, flat track, etc.), but somehow we're expected to believe that this woman, already incredibly exhausted, having sustained serious wounds, running on a snow covered road, etc., (lol) keeps up "for a while"?? Not to mention, I would expect the supernatural steed of one of the Four Horsemen to be a bit on the faster side of average honestly. ( )

CAWPILE: 8.14
STARS: 4.5
SPICE: 2 ( )

“Pestilence” by Laura Thalassa

Pestilence, the first of the four horsemen descends upon humanity, bringing a devastating plague to all within his radius. These four horsemen are called to Earth with a divine mission: to rectify the wrongs and restore the balance of justice that humans have disrupted.

Sara Burns is determined to save her town and family by killing Pestilence, but she soon discovers that Pestilence cannot be killed. Instead, he takes Sara as his prisoner with the intent to “make her suffer”. However, as Pestilence becomes intimately involved with a human, he starts to develop a deeper understanding of humanity itself. Will Sara's presence be enough to make Pestilence question his divine mission and potentially spare humanity?

I loved this book so much. It was so grotesque and not in the way that many fantasy romances these days are where you fall in love with the male interest and ignore all their faults. Throughout the story, I found myself wrestling with my feelings towards Pestilence, refusing to excuse his terrible deeds but really wanting to. Even the romance was not enough to make me want to see through his actions, which made the book so much more real than other fantasy romances. I was completely torn with what I wished Sara would do during the entire book and even when there was love, it was so muddled in trauma and horror.

"Pestilence" by Laura Thalassa is a truly unique series. It is a 5 out of 5 stars read for me, it challenged the conventional norms of fantasy romance. In a world where the characters' faults are not sugar-coated, it ended up being unforgettable. ( )

banale ( )

A Unique Take on the Apocalypse – 4 Stars

Laura Thalassa’s Pestilence is a novel and inventive addition to the post-apocalyptic romance genre. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but it provides an intriguing look at love developing in the midst of a cataclysmic event.



Pestilence ♦ Laura Thalassa

Opinion

You are captivated by Thalassa’s writing from the first page forward. Her evocative depictions of a world engulfed in death and disease make it simple to imagine the bleak surroundings. It is clear from the well-thought-out world-building that the author spent a great deal of time creating this gloomy, lonely setting.

The characters are deep and well-developed, particularly Sara, the main character. It’s fascinating to watch Sara’s transformation from a strong-willed survivor to someone who questions the very entity causing suffering in the world. Sara and Pestilence, who represents one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, have an unexpected but somehow seductive romantic tension.

Pestilence excels because it explores morality, atonement, and the idea that love may triumph even in the most dire situations. It’s thought-provoking and will cause you to reevaluate your personal definitions of right and wrong.

But there are issues with the book. The plot moves along at a somewhat erratic pace, with some sections dragging while others pick up speed. In addition, individuals looking for a lighthearted romance may find the plot to be too gloomy and sad.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pestilence is a gripping and inventive story that blends romance and the end of the world, providing a novel perspective on the genre. Although Laura Thalassa’s writing and character development are excellent, not every reader will enjoy the story’s fast-paced and dark subjects. This novel is well worth reading if you’re up for an unusual love story in a gloomy setting.


I received an advance review copy for free from SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This review was first published at The Art of Reading. ( )