The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville | LGBTQ+ Dark Fantasy | Review
Book Details
The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish, Larissa Mandeville on 03/04/2021
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Dark Fantasy, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Urban Fantasy
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 378
Lake's brother Devlin was murdered right in front of him. Simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Why, then, does Lake think Devlin knew he was going to die before they ever set foot in the gas station that night? As he obsesses over his brother's death, Lake begins to uncover a hidden world full of forbidden magic and growing danger. Now he's stuck, caught between the world that his brother was meant for and his own. Lake is beginning to realize that no one and nowhere is safe.
Nova Rathers may not be especially powerful in the Mage world but she makes up for it with a magical bag of snacks and a body constructed by the Gods to slay. Desperate to be more than her lineage, she finds herself teamed up with a group of misfits and, in her mind, the weakest creature of all - a gida...a powerless human. Together, they start to unravel the lies that built their world and continue to hold it hostage. Nova's last year at Breyburn Academe was never going to be easy but she had no idea that it could ever get this bad.
Lake, Nova, and their newfound friends are about to find the truth behind what has been hunting them. But knowing is only half the battle. Even if they survive, will the rest of the world remain standing?
Source: Received from the author or publisher for review.
Content/Trigger warnings: A little cursing, some blood and violence
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Purchase Links for The Sigil
Waterstones The Book Depository
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My thoughts on The Sigil
The story started a little slow for me. There was a lot of information to absorb at the start. This setup is normal anytime you are building a new world full of characters and magic. To rush the world-building would do a disservice to the reader and the plot. By the time I was about 30% into the story, I was fully involved in the characters’ lives.
The story is told from a dual point of view. Lake, an lgbtq+ young man of color, deals with typical emotions and problems of this age group. College rejections and comparing himself to his shining star brother, Dev, are his biggest obstacles. Nova, a young woman of color, is also facing her own problems. I found her sassy dialogue very entertaining.
I was very impressed that the book, though labeled lgbtq+ urban fantasy, did not focus on that aspect alone. The magical world and the way Lake must deal with loss and having his world turned upside down are the story’s main focus. It’s refreshing to see that the hero is just that…the hero, not a gay hero.
As for the storyline, I found it familiar as far as the magical school trope but fascinatingly unique in how the author built the tale around this magic world. The weapons, monsters, and magic-wielding were well-written. The characters were well-developed and easy to root for…or against.
The battle scenes were bloody and violent but not excessively so, given the genre. I admit to being squeamish, and I had no problem reading the book. I found the plot compelling and the book hard to put down.
Without indulging in spoilers, the ending was epic and twisted. I understand there will be a sequel to this story, and I can’t wait to read it.
I received a copy of the book from the author or publisher. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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About Larissa Mandeville
Larissa resides in northern California with her husband and two daughters. When she isn’t working as a professional writer, she enjoys cooking and volunteering with local non-profits, helping girls of all ages find their voice.
She has felt honored to be a small part of telling a story that so sorely needed to be told.
Bringing The Sigil to life with Shakeil had been an adventure that had colored every aspect of her life since their very first meeting.”
About Shakeil Kanish
Shakeil Kanish loves to write, which, considering you're holding this book, makes perfect sense.
The Sigil is his debut novel and he's super excited about being an openly gay author and getting the chance to write about an openly gay protagonist. He feels it's something sorely missing from the writing world, and he wants underrepresented kids everywhere to be able to root for a new type of hero.
He loves playing video games enjoys snacking down on apple pie, as any sane person should. You can become his best friend by asking him to duet any song from the Greatest Showman. No, seriously, please do it.
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Purchase The Sigil online from a local bookstore!
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US – Kindle 
The SigilShop on AmazonUS – Paperback The SigilShop on Amazon UK – Paperback
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This sounds very interesting! I hope there will be an audio version 🙂
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