By C.M. Waggoner
This book is about a gutterwitch named Dellaria Wells. She is a fiery (literally), fierce, and independent heroine whose weakness seems to be her love of an absent, addict mother. The reader begins meeting Delly hard up to make her rent, and unsure where her wayward mother has been holing up for the past two weeks. As she enters a bargain with her wily landlord ending in consequences of pustules “mostly all over her face”, she begins gaming the wealthy of the city trying to earn the late rent plus.
Caught by the constabulary, she returns to the prison, and speaks with the Warden, the most “father-like” figure in her life. While boasting of a job guarding a wealthy woman in her premarital confinement, the lie proves true in a way all novels have of taking the reader further and further down the rabbit hole.
Though guarding the wealthy Lady will earn Delly more money than she has ever dreamed, there are lethal dangers that only she seems able to deter. And thus we are introduced to an array of female wizards, whose talents far outweigh their common sense or street smarts. As Delly takes the role of leader of the group of her societal “betters”, the reader learns that all the education in the world is not enough to take on a street-raised, hardscrabble, firewitch like Delly.
Delly takes the reader through romance, the drug trade, socioeconomic injustice, and the bowels of the theatre world. She also has to save her mother, win the girl, and bring the ultimate culprit to justice, while still managing to pay her relefting rent.
Pros & Cons & Potential Spoilers
Pros
- Everyone in all levels of society embraces a person choosing their life mate regardless of gender
- There are some feel good swear words laced throughout – no idea what they meant, but their intent is clear
- All-female cast dominating as chemists, necromancers, landlords, drug lords, and weapon-wielding fighters and guards
Cons
- Some bits are predictable, though fun
- There is a sad part where a pig dies in the line of duty and is often referenced thereafter
- You will never think of Buttons or Mittens the same after this