Feast: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano

I just finished Feast: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano, which I received as an Advanced Reader's Copy.

My Rating: ★★★

Feast is an unique and interesting urban fantasy. I've never read a similar story. The Darklings were completely new to me. It's nice to see a fresh spin in the genre. However, there didn't seem to be any set magic rules here. Yes, it's fantasy, but I like a firm framework and guidelines in which magic works. The Darklings did all kinds of magical feats, but we never get an idea of their limits. Feast has great potential, however it could have been better.

Pros -

Unique concept. I had no idea what to expect when introduced to the Darklings and they're great. They're non-humans, and they act like it. I dislike novels where the fae, vampires, shifters, etc, act just like us, but with extra abilities. Not the case here. At no point did I wonder whether a character was human or not.

Fast, easy read. This is a fun and quick escape.

Cons -

Undefined magic rules. There needs to be some kind of framework for what magic can and cannot do. The Darklings just throw veils and songs around, and things happen. I never got a real feel for them, or their limits.

Too many characters. I lost track of the number of characters Destefano introduced. And they are all told in the first person. Thankfully, every chapter tells us which person we're listening to, but it gets confusing.

Most of the chapters are very short. As in a page or two long. I'm not sure any chapter was longer than six or seven pages. It made reading it very choppy at times, especially with the constant POV changes.


Feast is an enjoyable read, but it could have been more. I'm up in the air about whether I'll read any more if this becomes a series. I recommend this for any urban fantasy reader looking for something new.