Book Review #25: The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice by E.S. Barrison

Hello Dear Reader!

Welcome to another book review. This one is another indie book written by E.S. Barrison, who is an amazing person and very active on her Instagram @esbarrison_writing, so be sure to check her out after this review, especially if you think this book is for you!

This review is on The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice, a dystopian novel with magic and fantasy aspects, which I think is a great combination. The characters in this book were amazing, and the worldbuilding was fantastic! It’s easily my favorite part of the book, which is actually kind of rare since, as a reader and writer, I mainly focus on characters and character relationships.

But, before I get into that, here is the synopsis (from Amazon):

Storytelling was outlawed. Magic had all but vanished.

That all changed when the woman in black came to town.

Branded with the black stamp at a young age, Brent thought he would end up a vagrant like his father. His craft was telling stories, but the Order had long forbidden any weaving of tales. When Brent sees the woman in black, she leads him into a menagerie of tunnels beneath the earth where his life falls into the nauseating, but beautiful, mist of the dead.

He finds friendship in Rho, a young woman who hides her face with a tree branch while roots and vines bow to her every whim. Together, they embark on a journey to explore the world, escape the watchful eyes of the Order, and discover the woman in black's secrets.

For thousands of years, the mist and the tunnels were under the sole guardianship of the Council of Mist Keepers. But as new monsters enter the mist, and magic is forced out of the shadows, the Council searches for young blood to join their ranks and Brent's next in line.

End synopsis! Now, let’s get into the review!

Main characters Rho and Brent are both very unique and distinct characters, each with their strengths and weaknesses. They also compliment each other very well. Rho is more level-headed and a logical thinker while Brent is erratic and clumsy in a rather charming way. Brent also has a big imagination, and he loves telling stories, which is unfortunately illegal when a person turns twenty-one. Though he’s a little bit scatterbrained, Brent is still pretty observant, especially when he needs to be. He also has a strong sense of justice, which is a shared characteristic with Rho, especially closer to the end of the book.

The main cast of characters in the book are also very unique. I actually dislike quite a few of these characters because of how they handled things that went against their beliefs. There are characters in the book that are perfect examples of people in high places that love abusing their power to manipulate people to do things that are to their benefit. In fact, the society in which these characters live, their birthplace and home anyway, basically promote this kind of power manipulation, and it’s pretty disturbing. I’m also going to take this chance to say that this book definitely touches upon really mature topics that may make people feel uncomfortable. Anyway, a lot of these minor characters were really realistic in terms of personality. I felt like I could meet some of the characters in real life, which I love.

The world of The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is one of the most developed fictional worlds I’ve ever read. I absolutely loved the setting of the book, from the main setting of Newbird’s Arm to the tunnels running below the towns and cities on the surface. The magic and fantasy elements integrated into this world are also amazing. They all felt natural, and made the world feel whole in a way. The dystopian characteristics in this book were also well-written in my opinion. For example, in the book, there is something called the Effluvium, and pretty much everyone in this world believes in it. Now, the leaders of Newbird’s Arm are the perfect example of people who twist beliefs and what is said in scripture to benefit themselves while hurting those below them on the social ladder. It was like reading what it’s like to be in a cult, and there were times when I felt pretty disturbed.

There were a ton of things I really loved in The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice, but there was one main thing that poked my brain while I was reading it. That thing was that it seemed to drag a little bit after a certain point. The more I read, the less invested I became. Scenes that I felt were supposed to hit me hard didn’t hit me as hard as I thought it should’ve. Nonetheless, the writing was beautiful, and I absolutely loved the story.

So, The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice rating:

8/10 and hoping for a sequel, because the ending is one of the biggest cliffhangers I’ve ever read. I seriously recommend this book, especially if you like dystopian settings with magic and fantasy elements integrated into the setting. It was a really fun read, and I’m looking forward to more!

That is all for this book review, dear reader! I hope you enjoyed reading it, and I really do hope you give The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice a try. Also, check out indie author @esbarrison_writing on her Instagram because she’s really active and always posting amazing things.

Thanks for reading!