When the Guardian of the West Passage died in her bed, the women of Grey Tower fed her to the crows and went back to their chores. No successor was named as Guardian, no one took up the fallen blade; the West Passage went unguarded.

Now, snow blankets Grey in the height of summer, foretelling the coming of the Beast. The too-young Mother of Grey House and the Guardian's unnamed squire set out to save their people.

Their narrow shoulders bear a heavy burden. Before them lies the West Passage, home to horrors and delights that defy imagining. None can say if they'll reach their destinations, but one thing is for sure: the world is about to change.

The West Passage by Jared Pechacek is intricate and unique, a story about journeys and change, whether the world or the person is ready for it or not. Kew and Pell are wondrous characters, as they explore a world that is dark, mythical and strange. With powerful, magical beings that have created complex structures and diverse creatures that live in labyrinthine passages, the story is hypnotic in its telling.

I found it unique in starting with a death but also the rituals and myths that surround the characters are intricate and powerful. I love that nothing is quite what it seems, not even Kew and Pell. And I love how the world around them changes by their actions and reactions to the people that they encounter on their journeys.

If you love hypnotic, intricate and unique fantasies or a world that resembles the movie Labyrinth, I totally suggest this book. It is strange, dark and mythical but it is compelling and powerful as well with characters that are engaging and interesting. This is rich storytelling at its best.

Rating: 5 out of 5 creatures ~~ Andrea Rittschof