Introduction
Published in September 2024 by Catherine Doyle, The Dagger and the Flame is the first book in the The City of Fantome duology. It instantly became a New York Times bestseller and is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy.
A Summary
In the city of Fantome, shade‑magic is a weapon worth killing for, and two rival guilds fight to control every drop of it. The Cloaks rule the shadows. The Daggers rule the graves. When Seraphine’s mother is murdered, eighteen‑year‑old Sera barely escapes with her life and stumbles into the hands of the Cloaks. Grief hardens into purpose. She wants justice, and she wants it at any cost. Her path collides with Ransom, the cold‑blooded heir to the Daggers, during a confrontation that should have ended her. Instead, he hesitates. Because the quiet farm girl he expected to eliminate unleashes a blazing, impossible magic that should not exist. And in that moment, both of them realise the war between their guilds is nothing compared to the storm Sera is about to ignite.
Writing Style
This is a dual POV fantasy novel, and focuses heavily on the slow-burn romance between Ransom and Seraphine.
My Thoughts
I flew through this book, and overall I really enjoyed the reading experience. The plot was incredible, with little seeds spread throughout the story so that the reader can figure out what is going on, but it still managed to shock me. The worldbuilding itself allows for such in depth intricacies, especially with the magic system, and I really did enjoy this aspect. However, I do think there could have been more clarity about what shade actually does in its different forms. We know Daggers get marks on them when they drink shade and commit murder, but it’s never made clear what exactly causes the marks. On top of this, there isn’t really a clear explanation of how many people are Cloaks and Daggers in comparison to the nightguards and regular civilians, which really affects the book’s ability to immerse you to the full extent.
Every character feels real in their own way, even the barely mentioned side characters. They are given personality, motives and dreams which was amazing to read through. It genuinely made the book stand out in comparison to a lot of other fantasy novels I had read.
However, there was one specific plot twist that I had guessed, and it did happen, but the way in which it was revealed felt so backwards that I had to go back and re-read the chapter to make sure I didn’t miss anything (and I didn’t). That twist singlehandedly lowered my rating because it was wild.
Recommendation
I really recommend this to those that love romantasy, especially ones that aren’t overhyped. You find yourself rooting for everyone, and immersing yourself in this fantastical world.
