Release date: November 6 2025
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 384
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis
Anarchist poet Katya Efremova has spent ten months imprisoned in a covert government laboratory. When an escape attempt goes terribly wrong, she’s transferred to a new prison colony being established on Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. She learns her arrest wasn’t due to her involvement in a magic-fueled resistance against the Bolsheviks—it was because of her murdered mother’s research into the legendary folk hero, Stenka Razin. Katya finds a clue her mother left for her the day she died, which may contain a cipher: Listen to the whisper of stars.
Given his title of nobility, imprisoned aristocrat Dima Danilov knows he’ll never leave Solovetsky Island alive. Dima finds a 250-year-old manuscript written by his ancestor which gives a first-person account of Stenka Razin’s rebellion against the tsar. Desperate for his life to mean something before it’s over, Dima decides to write an epic poem based on Razin’s life, hoping to encourage Russians to revolt against Bolshevik tyranny.
Natasha is a rogue witch who has been experimented on in the government laboratory for two years. When she’s offered her freedom in exchange for spying on Katya, she jumps at the chance, though she has her own reasons for wanting to solve the conspiracy surrounding Katya’s mother’s death.
As their goals intertwine, the three imprisoned Russians work together to uncover the secret behind Stenka Razin’s rebellion, a secret woven into the history of Solovetsky Island.
Review
The Whisper of Stars is a beautifully written fantasy tale that follows three prisoners who are sent to live on Solovetsky Island. Katya is attempting to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death and the secret message she left her about Stenka Razin’s rebellion. Dima is an aristocrat hoping to do something meaningful to help the Russians’ revolt against the tyranny they face, and Natasha is a spy sent to get close to Katya, but she has her own reasons for wanting to get close to Katya. Can the three work together to solve the mysteries surrounding Razin’s rebellion and the history of Solovetsky Island?
I really found myself swept up in this gorgeously written story, and I was so captivated that I ended up reading this book in just a few sittings. Williams’ prose is beautiful, and I thought the remote, frozen landscape particularly came to life in the story. This is a slower-paced story, but it’s full to the brim with mystery and political intrigue. It kept me gripped throughout, and I really enjoyed the complexity of the narrative. I thought the historical aspect of the story felt very detailed, and it was clear that lots of research has gone into bringing this story to life.
Williams has crafted some really fascinating characters in this story, and I really liked all three of our main protagonists. If I had to pick, I’d say my favourite was Katya, but I enjoyed reading all three POVs. I really enjoyed the way alliances shifted and mysteries were unravelled. I was never quite sure who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. Williams does a magnificent job of building tension, and I was particularly glued to the book for the last hundred pages. Overall, The Whisper of Stars is a thought provoking read, so if you’re looking for a historical fantasy book that’s full of puzzles, mystery, and magic – look no further than The Whisper of Stars.
What Stalks the Deep is the third instalment in T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Soldier series. In this one, we’re back following Alex Easton and Angus as they travel to Boston. Alex has received a mysterious telegram from his old friend Dr. Denton, asking for his help. When they get to Boston, they learn that Denton’s cousin Oscar has gone missing in a coal mine. Before he went missing, Oscar sent some very strange letters, raving about strange lights and missing belongings in the coal mine. Can they discover what happened to Oscar before it’s too late?
Red City is my first book from Marie Lu and it was such a rollercoaster ride. This urban fantasy tale follows two people caught in the middle of two rival syndicates who fight for control of alchemy. Where once they might have fallen in love, now they are on opposite sides of a rivalry that is only going to get worse.
T. L. Huchu is back with the final instalment of the Edinburgh Nights series – and it’s a wild ride.
Virelai’s Hoard is a fun and entertaining swashbuckling fantasy tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story follows con artist Riley and her rat companion as she tricks her way on board the infamous pirate ship, the Moonshadow. Captained by the mysterious Calla Nymeris, the crew is on their way to find a treasure that should not exist. Their quest is fraught with danger, and not everyone is going to make it back alive.
The Second Death of Locke is a beautiful and addictive fantasy book that I could not put down. The story follows Grey Flynn – Grey is a Hand who acts as a well for her mage, Kier. Without her, Kier can’t do magic, and the two are inseparable. When Kier and Grey are sent on a mission to escort the lost heir of Locke to safety, the team knows this mission is going to be fraught with danger, because not only must they keep this mysterious heir alive, they also have to protect their deepest secret – that Grey is actually the lost heir of Locke.
To Clutch a Razor is the second instalment in Veronica Roth’s Curse Bearer series. Following on from the events of book one, the story follows Dymitir as he travels back to his family home in search of a book of curses that he can use to barter with Baba Jaga and get his sword back. To get the book Dymitir must not reveal his true nature to his monster killing family. Meanwhile Niko has been sent on a mission to kill the razor, one of the most legendary Knights there is. Will the two succeed in their tasks, and at what cost?
Cinder House is a new fantasy novella from Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light. The story follows a young woman named Ella, who is murdered by her stepmother and now haunts the house she once lived in. Unable to leave, she is trapped as a servant to her stepmother and two stepsisters. Ella’s days feel endless, until she manages to strike a bargain with a fairy – three days to be real again, to attend the ball at the palace, but when she gets there, all is not what it seems.
T. Kingfisher is back with another unputdownable novel. Hemlock and Silver follows Healer Anja, an academic with a fascination for poisons. When she is summoned by the King to help his daughter Snow (who is dying), Anja travels to the palace in an attempt to save her, but nothing seems to work. Accompanied by a guard and a sarcastic cat, Anja embarks on an adventure to a dangerous mirror world in an effort to save Snow and the very kingdom itself.
Michael S. Jackson is back with the next installment in the Ringlander series and if you’re looking for an engaging, coming of age fantasy adventure, this is a series you absolutely need to add to your TBR.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 