Review: Strung by Roske

The mysteriously-named Roske has summoned a magical land with their gifted pen in Strung, an ambitious and masterfully crafted story of forbidden love and the shattering of traditions.

According to Lysbeth Haywood’s ancestor, Alder, the magical and elusive Faye simply wish to be left alone, but the curiosity of humans is persistent and voracious, as is Lysbeth’s fascination with these supposedly mythical creatures. When an unwanted potential suitor, the Earl of Dorsit, brings an impossible treasure to her doorstep as an engagement gift, her heart is torn between curiosity and the fear of becoming another man’s wife.

The gift she receives from the overconfident earl is not a hunting trophy, but a stunning Faye man named Evyn. While Lysbeth is entranced by his quiet presence, the rest of her House is suspicious, or downright hostile, as their obvious connection begins to push the bounds of Decorum.

After committing an accidental offense, Evyn is imprisoned, where cruel jailers spend months breaking his spirit, but he is eventually returned to Lindenholt, reunited with Lysbeth at her home, shortly after the news that her potential fiancee has been lost at sea. Despite being sequestered to work under the scriveners, with rare interactions with Lysbeth and her Flock of friends, Erruwyn (Evyn) still causes a stir everywhere he goes.

The secretive, slow-burning, and pastoral courtship between Erruwyn and Lys is provocative to watch, as Roske knows precisely how to weave palpable tension in these pages. Beyond a coy streak of romance, the plot thickens when they form a unique Faye bond, a relationship that transcends what mere humans know as intimacy. Finding beauty together and creating magic through music, this unlikely pair of star-crossed dreamers find a rare type of attunement, vibrating together to create a power neither of them fully understands.

The writing style is as elegant and meticulously penned as any Victorian drama, while the wild fantasy elements of the plot create a fascinating juxtaposition of tone and subject, which Roske navigates smoothly. Like reading Shakespeare, the author’s stylized speech patterns and narrative flow are immersive, quickly blurring the line between pomp, fact, and fiction. The linguistic choices are interesting throughout, as the original language Roske has crafted adds flavor and mood to the prose, reminding readers that this is a fantasy world. However, the unpronounceable symbols later in the book can occasionally feel distracting – unlike Tolkien’s endeavor, which led to entire languages of entire cultures being written and translated, Roske’s inclusion of these occasional foreign characters doesn’t always add to the reading experience.

The pictures included are rare in a novel of such precision and editorial cleanliness, but they are bursts of imagery that give depth to this riveting environment. Though these artistic elements are primarily character portraits, there are also detailed sketches of accessories and bags, peculiar clothing, jewelry, and fauna of the land, functioning as a visual appendix to further immerse readers. The weaving of musical imagery and themes is a brilliant additional layer, evidence of Roske’s comprehensive vision for this strange and beautiful new world.

All told, in a genre that often repeats itself, Strung is one of the most uniquely imaginative works of fantasy you’ll ever read.

Strung was the Silver winner in the 2021 SPR Book Awards.