Projections – S.E. Porter

This cover is stunning and eerie and creepy and perfectly mirrors the story within.

Thanks to Tor Books for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review

PROJECTIONS – S.E. Porter (Released February 13th, 2024)

Book Description:

Love may last a lifetime, but in this dark historical fantasy, the bitterness of rejection endures for centuries.

As a young woman seeks vengeance on the obsessed sorcerer who murdered her because he could not have her, her murderer sends projections of himself out into the world to seek out and seduce women who will return the love she denied―or suffer mortal consequence. A lush, gothic journey across worlds full of strange characters and even stranger magic.

Sarah Porter’s adult debut explores misogyny and the soul-corrupting power of unrequited love through an enchanted lens of violence and revenge.

My Thoughts: 4.5/5 stars

Now, hear me out. The beginning might seem odd with three POV’s from two characters, but it has its purpose and works so well for the story. We meet Catherine. A young woman with her whole life ahead of her, but her childhood friend, Angus, had other plans. Angus is a sorcerer when his love for her isn’t returned, he murders her and ties her spirit to him forever. 

Our timelines follow Catherine in 19th century rural New York before her murder, then her new timeline as a tortured spirit tethered to the projections of the man who murdered her. Our final POV is that of Angus, rather the magical likeness of him as he sends his projections into the world to find a woman that will return the love Catherine never did. 

This was a culmination of genres blending together to make a mesmerizing, enchanting, and haunting read. Gothic and almost Victorian like prose, historical fiction, ghosts, magic, and best of all revenge. This is an exquisite slow burn story of revenge. Catherine waits for her opportunity, and I was cheering for her every step of the way – whether she was right or wrong.

I loved how the author was able to capture the different time periods. I think that shows a real attention to detail, and you were almost effortlessly transported between timelines and POVs. I think if you can push through the initial awkward two narrators and 3 timelines, then you’ll find yourself lost in this dark fantasy world.