The Dagger and The Flame by Catherine Doyle Review

Title: The Dagger and The Flame

Author: Catherine Doyle

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 512

Release Date: 26 September 2023

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Hello fellow booklovers! It’s been awhile but I’m back with my review for The Dagger and The Flame by Catherine Doyle.  A deliciously thrilling, enemies to lovers fantasy filled with dark magic, monsters and revenge seeking, rival assassins. Set against the backdrop of a Paris inspired city—where the stakes are high, the romance deadly and the twists unpredictably gasp-worthy.

Synopsis

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love…

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?

Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before… Among rumours of monsters stalking the streets and the rival guilds grappling for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are drawn together by something more than just magic and must face a deadly choice - forgiveness or vengeance? Kiss or kill? Dagger or Flame?  

Review

As one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 I was absolutely over the moon to get my hands on a proof. And let me tell you, it surpassed all of my (admittedly high) expectations.

The setting was gorgeously vivid, and the rich detail of the city (Fantome) reminded me quite a bit of the gaslight fuelled streets of Belle Époque Paris. The world-building was phenomenal too, and the lore surrounding the deadly magic (and the rival Cloak and Dagger gangs who utilise it) was soo detailed and intricate. I literally ate up every morsel Catherine Doyle threw our way!

And yet, it was the complexity of our protagonists Sera and Ransom (and the depth of emotion we see from each on their respective journeys) that really kept my attention. Sera’s simmering fury and fierce determination worked well as a foil for Ransom’s brooding, Byronic disposition. Which gave us some deliciously intense and sizzlingly slow-burn scenes I couldn’t get enough of.

I loved that we also got some murder attempts from Sera and Ransom as well, which doesn’t happen nearly enough where this particular trope is concerned —enemies to lovers fans are going to be in their element.

Our supporting cast of characters were really likeable too, especially Cloak members: Val, Bibi and Theo, who welcomed Sera as one of their own and supported her through some pretty difficult moments. Their banter was also a great source of comic relief between some of the darker, more emotionally charged moments—and gave great insight into the gangs’ overall dynamics. Ransom’s small group of friends, though loyal to him for the most part just didn’t inspire the same warmth in me.

And the plot twists?!! They were shockingly good, and soo perfectly timed that I genuinely never saw most of them coming (I did, however suspect one of them and felt smugly satisfied when it turned out to be true.) If you’re the kind of person who loves to be taken by surprise then this will certainly keep you guessing until the very last page.

Overall, a superb series starter that has me eager for the sequel already.

And, a huge thank you to Nina Douglas and Simon & Schuster for the proof.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

About The Author 

Catherine Doyle is the award-winning and internationally bestselling author of the Twin Crowns series, The Storm Keepers trilogy, The Miracle on Ebenezer Street, and The Lost Girl King. Catherine grew up in the West of Ireland, and her books have been published in over twenty-five languages. She holds a BA in psychology and an MA in publishing.

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