Under the Earth, Over the Sky

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I also quite liked how the author played with time and how slowly it moves for Fae. Instead of telling us, however, the author SHOWS us using the life of one particular human who changed everything for Iohmar. (Shoutout to my boy J! Rest in peace, king) Learning about him, his insecurities and issues hit very close and i just had to fall in love with him. This book distinctly reminded me of some of the books of my childhood— of the magical forests and endless seas of Narnia and dragon bones living under mountains. It reminded me of one of my favorite books- a house overlooking a glittering sea that housed a makeshift family of oddities where traumatized men adopt neglected children and claim them as their own. It reminded me fairytales with curious fae and the even curiouser living nature that housed them. I appreciate the strangeness of the Fae and Iohmar that really sells the idea that we’re visiting a strange place and people.

But if you are looking to be swept away in magical descriptions with unique fae creatures and cradled in flowery language, then this is exactly what you need. There were so many world building issues that didn't make sense. I can't even begin to sum them up because it was too much and this is not an essay (entirely). But I was happy to ignore it until about halfway through the book when the plot started focusing on it. Then I couldn’t ignore. By far the most interesting scenes were between Iohmar and the humans where the otherworldliness of Iohmar comes out deliciously in contrast to both how humans perceive time, and their inherent wariness of the fae. I really wish we could have spent more time with this contradiction. Authors, if you are a member of the Goodreads Author Program, you can edit information about your own books. Find out how in this guide. Please be aware that the delivery time frame may vary according to the area of delivery - the approximate delivery time is usually between 1-2 business days.His relationships with his dad-not-dad, Galen, was quite wholesome which reflected in his relationship with his son. Ultimately the found family of it all is what convinced me to read this story and I was not disappointed. Iohmar was a loving and devoted father. This story is very much a fairy tale in its telling; it gave off similar vibes as the writings of the Brothers Grimm, but with more attachment to the characters and less bloody violence. Character dynamics were perfect. I found that I quite liked the point of view of a “man” (disrespectful to call him that to be honest because he is the King of the fae), especially one as strong, yet vulnerable as Iohmar. He frustrated me at times with his inability to be outwardly vulnerable to his closest loved ones, but his growth in that area was clear to see by the end of the book. Plus, we love a “man” who can apologize and own up to his shortcomings. Going into this I was scared I may have set my expectations too high simply bc of the long wait but oh boy I was not disappointed in the slightest at all.

McCosh has a way with setting a scene that is refreshing in fae-based storytelling, allowing us to understand and relate to Iohmae that isn't either an entitled or angsty feeling. He soon finds himself in a situation he never saw coming and make drastic sacrifices all in the sake of fatherly love.The author’s poetic descriptions were lovely, and that’s coming from someone who can’t really deal with world building and flowery writing. It was so easy to read and soothed my fast paced mind. I’ll admit, this was a little slow for me, but I think it is what I needed on those nights where my mind and body were in constant movement. It is definitely a “grab a blanket, cup of tea, and tissues” type of book. Also, this might be weird, but this was my first book that had a third person present tense type style. It threw me for a loop. Because of a the pacing I really have to give this 4.5 stars, but rounded up to a five.

Most of the other character interactions were similarly comforting and cozy. I especially loved the dynamic between Iohmar and his wife Rúnda; they were so quietly devoted to each other, and their gentle love fueled the already heartwarming feel of this novel. The interactions between Iohmar and the humans he encounters along the way were similarly poignant. Not only did they serve to drive home the rift between Lor’s human and adopted fae identities, Iohmar’s subtle changes in how he dealt with humans was so tender and indicative of his shifting character. Strangely, even though there weren’t as many characters, subtle interactions like these were what made the world feel lived-in—it didn’t take a lot for this world to feel populated, which helped immensely with my feeling of immersion. As someone who doesn’t often read such descriptive prose, the flowery language took a little getting used to. But once I got used to it, the story flowed, and the writing style made the ethereal world come to life. Of course, the dynamic between Iohmar and his adopted son was where Under the Earth, Over the Sky shone the brightest. Watching Iohmar’s cold heart slowly melt as he began to care for Lor was truly a joy, and Emily McCosh portrayed all of the ups and downs of their father-son relationship so poignantly. He was such a compelling character beyond his dynamic with Lor as well; McCosh also did an excellent job of making his life and relationships genuinely complicated, making him feel truly fleshed-out and making some of the stakes seem more real. Every part of his raising Lor tugged at my heartstrings, from the moment he realizes that he has to care for this baby, to grappling with the fact that his appearance frightens his own son. Not to praise the plague that is the Disney live-action remakes, this novel reminded me of the only good one—the dynamic between Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent and baby Aurora was similarly sweet. The fact that it’s a father-son relationship also feels so important—having a male character showing such vulnerability and care is something that we need more of, certainly.The characters from Lor, his adopted son to the tiny branches of the forest that are always reaching for him (at times smothering him with their needs) become a beloved story of duty, love, guilt, grievance, fear and how difficult it is manage so many things that effect all of us so significantly. I am so excited that I finally got to read this bc I have been waiting for what feels like forever since I saw a single video of this on TikTok and was instantly hooked. As I said before, the wording of this book is just absolutely stellar. Everything is described so beautifully and if you close your eyes, you can picture yourself in the magical forest, you can almost smell the earth in the underground scenes, or feel the heat of the sand in the desert. I’ve never read Tolkien (yes, I know, I'm the worst), but from what I’ve heard, this story and his writings share lengthy nature descriptions. So if you are in the mood for that, then this would be a great read for you. The living forest aspect of it also reminded me somewhat of Narnia. As far as the characters go, I really liked the main character, Iohmar, and the other fae ruler, Queen Rúnda. They had interesting magical abilities, such as being able to summon the winds to ride or teleport using rays of sunlight. In fact, every one of the magical folk had interesting abilities, though they weren’t always shown as much as I would have liked.

Review: This story has such a unique way of weaving around your heart. I was so touched by the intimacy on display throughout the book, and the constant internal conflict that Iohmar feels, as a king, a lover and a father. I’m struggling to describe how deeply you can feel these connections as a reader, but it is incredibly well done. UteOts immediately sets the tone and atmosphere with stellar prose and description, perfectly pacing the reader's way. Aaron is perfectly content to chase bounties in his run-down little space ship, avoid human interaction at all cost, and lay low from the cyborg planet that created him. But when he and Bat—his half-robotic badger companion (who talks just a little too much)—chase their largest bounty ever, they run head-first into not only some dangerous criminals, but other cyborgs much stronger than them, and worst of all, a handful of humans who aren’t going anywhere.I did not see the ending regarding the Rippling coming, but I felt like it was a good fit. I do wish we had gotten more of that, but I understand it was paired with another big reveal. There is a mystery element to this book that I wasn’t expecting, but quite liked. There are spooky shadows that keep appearing to Iohmar, seeming to want something from him, but not communicating what that is. And then there the ripplings, shimmering creatures that were long ago enemies and are now popping up again, much to Iohmar’s horror. This is in no means a review telling people not to read this book. I think many will enjoy it. It definitely has a lot to offer and a great deal of this review comes down to my bad attitude. The prose is intoxicating. As I read, it felt like floating into the magic of the woods. The movement and magic in Latwill are vivid and surreal. I appreciated the unique and delicate descriptions, and the original twists on the classic fae legends and lore.