TL;DR: Song of the Forever Rains is a great start to the Mousai trilogy! While this felt like a slower-paced fantasy (to me), the vivid world-building, lush atmosphere and imagery, interesting magic, wicked banter and wonderful family relationships made me not want to stop reading. Larkyra and Darius experienced steady growth throughout the story and were characters who were easy to empathise with. They had a darkly sweet romance and I loved the strength they gave each other. This is a surprisingly underrated gem and I’m excited to continue this series!

If you love an atmospheric read, then I’m sure you’ll love Mellow’s writing. I didn’t expect this book to be so dark at times but I admit that it fits with the story quite well. In this world that’s long been abandoned by the lost gods, there are the few who have been gifted with magic and the many who are just regular people who fear and distrust magic wielders. I liked the simplicity of the magic system and I found the magic of the Mousai to be unique; at least, I don’t recall having read anything where magic is wielded through music, song, and dance. Simply reading about the sisters using their magic was hypnotizing! 😍 At times, it almost felt as if each location were a character with how vividly they appeared in my head. I loved the image of Lachlan and despite being certain I would perish in under 5 minutes if I stepped into the Thief Kingdom, it was a delightfully dark location that captivated my attention!

I will say that this has a very slow-burn feel to it in every respect from the slowly unfurled world-building, the unhurried pace of Larkyra’s exploration of the Lachlan castle and lands alongside the mystery of the Duke, and especially with the slow-burning romance that forms between our MCs. If you prefer a tale that moves at a fast clip this might not be for you but I will say that it’s worth the read if you can bear with it and the pace does pick up a bit more towards the last 30ish%.

What I loved most about this story were the characters. Larkyra and Darius were MCs who were easy to root for and empathise with. They both have experienced the loss of a parental figure and have been plagued by misplaced guilt all their lives. While in many ways they are total opposites, they are each other’s unexpected safe spaces and it was heartwarming to see them learn to be open with their secrets and fears after years of keeping their sorrow in their hearts. Larykra is loud, dry-humoured, witty, and has an insatiable curiosity and penchant for mischief (much like all the Bassette sisters). She started as a bit of an immature character but she experiences growth without losing the playfulness of her character, which I appreciated. The relationship she has with her sisters, Arabessa and Niya, is fantastic and without a doubt, one of my favourite parts of this story! Actually, the whole Bassette family including their father and Zimri were my favourites. 😍 Reading their interactions was like watching little tornados pass by every few seconds—there was so much bright, wild and playful energy as well as an abundance of love in every word they spoke and gesture they made. It was apparent even as they bickered and did their best to rile each other up. I adored it!

In total contrast in almost every way was Darius with his quietly gentle mannerisms and soft heart that craves solitude and peace. My heart broke for him and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his stepfather (whom I loathed and who I think deserved worse than he got)! I was ready to throw down for this man. He’s just a good egg who deserved all the good things and it made me so glad to see him find his happiness after all the trauma he had lived through. It was satisfying to see him grow stronger and less fearful thanks to the comfort and safety that he found in Larykyra, and eventually with her whole family. They fit together like two puzzle pieces even if I felt that their romance, while not instalove, felt like it moved a little too fast for the ending that they had. It was very emotional though and I admit to shedding a few happy tears at the end 🙂

Overall, I’m not surprised to see that this book has such a high rating even if I feel that it is a surprisingly underrated read. If you think you’d enjoy a lite-dark fantasy with gloriously murderous and morally grey characters who love their witty and sharp banter, great world-building and a sweet and slightly angsty heartwarming romance, then I would recommend checking this out and having patience as you give this a try!

Have you read Song of the Forever Rains or is it on your TBR or does it sound like something you’d enjoy reading?

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