Quick Synopsis

When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into the dangerous heart of their nation’s war, Grey and Kier will need to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their secret.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Grey Flynn has dedicated her life to her mage, Kier. She will be his blade on the battlefield, his healer and protector. The deep well of raw power inside her is Kier’s to wield. They are bound together by blood and magic, but there is one truth Grey dare not reveal . . . not even to Kier.

When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into a dangerous mission, Grey will need to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect her secret.

For Grey is no ordinary magical well, and if she dies, all magic dies with her.

Book Review

The Second Death of Locke is a medevial fantasy novel about a lady knight, Grey, and her best friend/magic partner, Kier. (In the novel’s world, magic requires a well and a wielder.) Magic is disappearing as the island of Locke, the birthplace and center of all magic, sank into the ocean with its heir’s location unknown. Torn from the war’s frontlines, Grey and Kier are sent on a journey to protect and transport the suspected heir to safety and ensure their kingdom holds the power to influence all magic.

I somewhat enjoyed this epic fantasy and was grateful that the portion detailing war did not dominate the narrative. I have been reading more fantasy than typical to fully escape from the world (and thus, find war stories to not provide as much escapism.)

While I found Bovalino’s writing pleasant and easy to follow, I left the novel feeling like something had been missed. The world-building is well done, although it felt a bit front-heavy. That is, the first chapter is kind of an information dump. I was delighted by the unique magic system but also wanted more of it detailed. I also thought the pacing was uneven, with the first half slow and meandering. Meanwhile, the second half is focused on political tensions and quickly paced.

If I am to quickly describe what I wanted more of in The Second Death of Locke, it was depth. The narrative is lacking substance and description. In all, not a lot actually took place over the novel’s 500 pages. The story’s romance portion felt incomplete and weak. Grey and Kier’s feelings were treated as given based on their long friendship and lacked any build up and tension. And their issues are quickly resolved through honest communication. 🙄 It was a lot of trumped up drama for no reason. I think if the book had multiple narrators and perspectives, there would have been more depth, description, emotion, and tension.

Most of all, I needed more character development. Although Grey has an elaborate backstory, she has little to no personality. I wanted her to be a badass feminist knight, and instead, she is an unremarkable person who does not even have enough courage to admit her feelings to her lifelong best friend. Similarly, each supporting character has one defining trait and little else going on. I do not mind a story light on action if the characters are rich, but a novel cannot lack both a deep plot and shallow characters and still be successful.

Overall, The Second Death of Locke is a decent but uneventful novel. I think those who like friends-to-lovers stories and yearning will enjoy this book most.