The Traitor & The Wretch is an illustrated novel for adults, written by Jasmine Walls and illustrated by Rowan MacColl (with cover art by Amy Phillips). Usually, illustrated novels are reserved for younger audiences. But as it was pitched to me, “Why should middle-grade readers have all the fun?” And I fully agree!
I got an advance reader’s copy from Jasmine shortly before the KickStarter launched. Yes, this book ran on KickStarter, and it met its goal! So the book will be available for the general public very soon. (Also, apologies for getting this review out a little late).
But what IS The Traitor & The Wretch?
The short version: it’s an illustrated novel about a former cultist and a hero’s minion turned traitor, who are trying to escape a kingdom that wants both of them dead. And during the journey they grow feelings for each other.
The long version:
This is a slow-burn of a gay romance. The wretch, Knell, and the traitor, Percy, don’t get along that well at the beginning. It’s not until the halfway point that Percy has a rude awakening as to his own feelings. He’s a stubborn man, so it takes him a while to fully admit to anything.
The story actually begins during the climax of a prophecy. The prophecy proclaims that an Eldritch god of horrors beyond reckoning will emerge, only to be struck down by a hero who will save the kingdom. Knell, a cultist, gets blown back by an explosion that slays the Great One, and he ends up in a ditch. When he comes to, he finds Percy, a former ally to the prophesied hero with his hand cut off and bleeding. To his surprise, Knell uses his powers to save Percy’s life. (I say “to his surprise” because Knell’s powers up to this point were used to make flesh golems and other monstrosities. He never knew of any other cultist who could heal.)
Well, the magic worked, and Percy is saved. Shortly after he wakes up, he tries to escape, because he doesn’t want anything to do with a “flesh mage.” Unfortunately, the aftermath of the prophesied battle has a lot of soldiers crawling around, looking for him. And Knell certainly doesn’t want to stick around. So the two find a cave and venture into the tunnels, through the mountain, and towards escape.
Just So You Know…
Right off the bat, I have to give content warnings. There are: creepy bugs and monsters; caves; descriptions of darkness, disassociation, and panic attacks; and some instances of eating raw meat (Knell is guilty of this, as Percy is vegetarian). There are also passages where Knell recalls memories of torture, though the actual tortures are not elaborated on in depth. I knew this going in, but wanted to give new readers a heads up, just in case.
The narrative goes back and forth between the perspectives of Percy and Knell, both of whom have distinctive mannerisms and voices. The illustrations don’t happen very often, but when they do, they add to the atmosphere of the narrative. I do appreciate the writing’s tongue-in-cheek humor in two specific instances. First, the fact that a flesh golem is never illustrated, instead using descriptions that emphasize how horrific the sight is. Second, passages like, “Percy had one hand and a man who might be carried off by a strong enough breeze. The less said about their trip down the cliff face, the better,” and then the story moves on.
It’s also an utterly absorbing book! I would pick it up, start reading, and then look up and realize I should be getting ready for bed more times than I want to admit.
Now, because I had an ARC, I did notice the odd typo or misspelling on occasion. I trust the team at Bone Dust Press to have caught them before the book went to print. Still, even these didn’t detract from the reading experience for me because they were so infrequent.
So, I know I have the ARC…but I’m going to get my hands on an honest-to-goodness physical copy of this book ASAP. It’s THAT good. Y’all need to read it!
You can pre-order a copy of the book through the official site of Bone Dust Press. Unfortunately right now it’s USA only, as they’re figuring out international orders. Still, pre-orders are available until October 10.
That’s all for now. Now go get this book!
Thank you for reading.
You. Are. Awesome.