Felix Ashe is convinced he’ll die on his 18th birthday – just like his three brothers before him. Sounds dramatic? It is. The mysterious deaths seem to point to an ancient curse. When a chance to break it appears, Felix sets off on a dangerous journey – from the dark corners of Jazz Age New York to the misty moors of Yorkshire. There, he encounters a secret society that could either save him… or destroy him. What I really enjoyed: the dark, almost macabre atmosphere. Mysterious, gothic, a little morbid – totally my vibe. I also found the magic concept surrounding “Death Magic” and the Imperium Mortis super intriguing and a cool twist to the story. What didn’t quite work for me: Even though it’s set in the 1920s, you hardly feel the era – apart from some clothing descriptions, it could’ve easily been set in modern times. Plus, some of the characters felt a bit flat and cliché. Felix’s fear felt unconvincing at times, and his blind trust in strangers was… well, hard to relate to. The ending felt a bit rushed, and the plot twist wasn’t all that surprising – but despite the clichés, the story kept me hooked.

I really enjoyed this book! Felix is a great character, struggling but brave and it was very easy to empathize with him and root for him. The concept of Death Magic and how it connects to Imperium Mortis is great. Mostly, I was baffled how well the 1920s go together with the dark academia/sometimes almost steam-punky vibe. All in all it was a good read and I didn't want to stop :)