A funeral. A heist. A desperate mission.

When Dymitr is called back to the old country for the empty night, a funeral rite intended to keep evil at bay, it’s the perfect opportunity for him to get his hands on his family’s most guarded relic—a book of curses that could satisfy the debt he owes legendary witch Baba Jaga. But first he’ll have to survive a night with his dangerous, monster-hunting kin.

As the sun sets, the line between enemies and allies becomes razor-thin, and Dymitr’s new loyalties are pushed to their breaking point.

Family gatherings can be brutal. Dymitr’s might just be fatal.

Review

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?

This might be a short novella at just over 200 pages, but my god did it pack a punch. I completely devoured this story, and I still think about it weeks after finishing it. The plot was gripping, the characters complex and flawed and the writing beautiful and lyrical. I thought the Slavic folklore was absolutely fascinating, and Roth created such a brilliant sense of atmosphere in this story. This instalment felt much darker than When Among Crows and I am so excited to see where Roth is going to take the story in the final chapter.

To Clutch a Razor is a perfectly executed novella. If anything, I loved this one even more than book one, so if you’ve been considering picking this one up, I would highly recommend it. This would make absolutely perfect reading for a dark autumn evening, and I am very much looking forward to reading more from Veronica Roth.