A Mastery of Monsters (A Mastery of Monsters, #1)

A MASTERY OF MONSTERS is a riveting dark academia fantasy. August has spent her life trying to live up to her parents' expectations. After her mother disappears, she begins to shut herself away and not allow herself to care about anyone else for fear of losing them. When her brother also goes missing, she is determined to find out what happened to him - and it seems like the strange boy she has met, Virgil, might be the ticket.

Virgil is part of a society that controls real monsters by matching them up with masters, under whose control they will be allowed to exist. The competition to become a master is fierce and deadly. In exchange for partnering with Virgil and entering the masters competition, Virgil promises to help August find out what happened to her brother. As they enter the contest, they will uncover dark political machinations and secrets that lead to shocking discoveries, not just for August, but for the monster-related community at large.

What I loved: August and Virgil both felt incredibly compelling and three-dimensional. They each grow throughout the book and have quite the character arc that will continue to change as the series continues. The story is told entirely from August's perspective, but they spend a lot of time together, and many secrets and histories are revealed. Their relationship was a strong one, and I loved the way it developed over time. Other, secondary characters were also compelling, particularly Margot and Isaac, a pair who are also competing to join the ranks (though a year further along), Corey, who had competed and lost terribly, and Riley, who has her own history driving her choices and future. I would love to continue to dive deeper into all these characters' lives as the series continues.

In terms of the plot, there are a lot of mysteries that really keep it moving. August is learning about the society, but they also have a lot of politics and secrets that are beginning to come out throughout the story. She also has some reveals and twists from her own life and family that begin to untangle in the book - and become even more complex and shocking by the end. There is also someone luring monsters out and a student who is missing (likely dead) that adds another layer of mystery to be solved.

Beyond the mysteries, the competition was really fantastic to read about, particularly later in the story when things heat up. For readers who enjoy competition fantasy reads, this will definitely be a win! The deadly nature of the competition keeps readers on their toes, as how they will end is anyone's guess. They were brutal, shocking, and took many unexpected paths.

Themes around politics, prejudice, equality and what that really means, the ways people use others, betrayal/trust, secrets and their potency, found and blood family, and cults/secret societies were all really thought-provoking throughout. In particular, prejudice plays a heavy theme in the book, not only due to the color of skin, but the ancestry of an individual, their socioeconomic status, the groups to which they belong, and, in some cases, clothing size. August is not shy with her disapproval of these, and the discussions around them were really well presented.

While the main plot lines of the book are wrapped up well, there are some strong hooks at the end (and that epilogue!!!) that will leave readers eagerly waiting for the next installment.

Final verdict: A MASTERY OF MONSTERS is a thrilling and consuming dark academia fantasy read that will work well for fans of LEGENDBORN, WINGS OF EBONY, and/or HOUSE OF MARIONNE.