FeaturedFantasy

Ora and the Old God

By

Loved it! 😍

A fast-paced, fantastical series opener with a brave heroine and complex antagonists.

Ora has always wanted to be a part of the yearly Tabas hunt, despite her mother's paranoia about the woods. She manages to convince her mother to let her go with her older brother, until her brother shoots one of the fae and everything goes sideways. Her brother is turned into a brush pig and Ora is kidnapped and brought to the fae realm, where they bind her with her name. Under the eyes of Tyg, a cruel dren with an agenda of her own, Ora must figure out how to not only return home, but also how to restore her brother.


This story is an easy and fast paced read that I couldn't put down. Ora's determination and strength as a character, as well as her devotion to her brother, were powerful, especially set against a world that saw her as nothing but a servant. The world is complex—perhaps a little too complex at times, as I never felt like everything was properly explained to me—and grabs you. The bit of politics and religion we got to see were really interesting, and I hope they'll be explored more in the future. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters, some of my favorite characters were side characters who felt like they were gone too soon, who I hope will be showing up in future books. Ora and Tyg's contrasting POVs were intriguing, especially with Tyg's ruthlessness.


At times, it seemed like there was a little too much exposition, or the plot twists were a bit too obvious, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I think the ending happened maybe a bit too fast, a little more set up for some of the events would have been appreciated and things felt like they wrapped up at lightning speed, but I still greatly enjoyed reading them.


For younger fans of fae stories, or people who just want something fae but a little lower YA, and fans of fast action and familial devotion.


3.5/5 stars

Reviewed by

I'm a 22 year-old humanities and creative writing student who loves to read. I've self-published one book and am currently querying another manuscript. I spend most of my time writing and drawing, and I devour books at light speed!

About the author

Sarah Day is a native Arkansawyer and professional writer. She grew up in the Ozarks and has been carrying around piles of books for as long as she can remember. In 2014, she graduated from the University of Arkansas with a creative writing degree. view profile

Published on October 25, 2020

70000 words

Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆

Genre: Fantasy

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