Author: Jennifer Marie Thorne
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Released: October 4, 2022
Received: NetGalley

What would you do if you were promised a perfect and safe life – on the condition that you and everyone you love had to face grave danger once every seven years? I imagine most of us would be more worried about the catch, thanks to our obsession with the cost of bargains. Enter the tale of Lute, written by Jennifer Marie Thorne.

Lute is a perfect, beautiful, and secluded island. Despite the war waging around on every side, the island remains perfectly untouched. Perfectly safe. In truth, everything about Lute seems idyllic, as if time and trouble never touch it.

A fact that is far from the truth. A bargain has been struck. The town receives great fortune and luck, but a price must be paid. The price must be paid every seven years; for the first time, Nina Treadway is about to experience that firsthand.

I originally picked up Lute because it was described (to me) as a combination of Wicker Man and Final Destination. I would like to throw a final comparison into The Lottery. Those three together should give you a perfectly accurate feeling of what to expect.

Lute is a dark and compelling read. Given the description, you could argue that it is easy to predict how this story will go. Yet I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Thankfully, I was able to get through this novella in one go. I can’t imagine having to walk away partway through!

Nina’s perspective of events is perfect. She’s new to the island but not so new as to have zero idea of what will go down. It’s more accurate to describe her as a skeptic. In that sense, Nina represents most of us. Because really, if you moved to a lovely island and got told a dark and horrible story about sacrifice, you would think somebody was pulling your leg, right?

I was blown away by Lute, and I almost wish I could go back in time to read it for the first time. It was such an experience. You guys are in for a treat.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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