Book Review: Siduri by J.J. Vason

Book Blurb

After her mother’s death, Siduri’s search for her missing father reveals a shocking truth – she belongs to an ancient eldritch race being hunted to extinction. Forced to flee with a foul-mouthed spirit, her ex and an orphaned ghost boy, Siduri meets treachery at every turn. With her enemies closing in, can Siduri survive the genocidal crusade?

Siduri is a tale of fate and family secrets in a world where the line between the living and the dead is blurred.

Overall Analysis of Siduri

Siduri by J.J. Vason is not your average ghost story. Set in a world where ghosts are not impervious to harm and are descendants of an ancient, eldritch race, it offers a fresh take on the genre. The story follows Siduri, who suffers a tragic fate aboard a train while en route to deliver news to her aunt of her mother’s passing. At the outset, the reader is provided with little information about the rules of the world, but ambiguity serves as an essential part of the unfolding mystery.

Siduri starts off at a swift pace, and if you are not buckled, it can be easy to lose your focus of the plot and the intricacies of the interesting world Vason built. However, when it comes to the second act, the story slows down quite a bit as Siduri familiarizes herself with the workings of the ethereal plane, but some readers may appreciate the opportunity to catch their breath and collect their thoughts. The middle of the book did seem to meander a bit, but the author admits later on in the book that that is a feature of gothic literature, so it can be forgiven. Though, I found the ending to be quite satisfying and neatly wraps up the plot points.

The characters are quite colorful in this book—both in their makeup and their choice of vocabulary. The dialogue is full of crass language. For me, I am not distracted by such things, but some may be taken aback by some of the more descriptive insults. Personally, I do not think it detracts from the story whatsoever and helps maintain the reader’s focus. However, some of the character’s personalities mirror each other to some degree, but with such an expansive cast, that is a risk.

One thing I must applaud Vason on is their ability to navigate complicated relationships. There is a rich and intertwining history between many of the characters along with a fairly complex family tree. Vason does an impeccable job at maintaining these interwoven threads throughout the story, which I can’t imagine was an easy task.

While, like any story, there are clever twists, Vason is masterful at laying the groundwork for these reveals by leaving breadcrumbs for the reader to pick up on along the way. I never felt that the author relied on cheap plot devices to try to shock the reader.

Final Thoughts

Siduri by J.J. Vason provides a unique perspective on the gothic genre. I felt a connection to Siduri that did not feel forced due to Vason’s smooth transitions between dialogue and her inner monologues. Despite the heavy themes, often described in vulgar terms, I feel the author handled them with grace. Furthermore, despite the antagonist, The Fedyhow, initially being vaguely presented at the beginning of the novel, the author morphed them into a substantial threat by the end, featuring a notorious figurehead linked to Siduri’s past. Siduri is an interesting read akin to The Most Dangerous Game meets Corpse Bride. Perhaps that’s not the most accurate comparison, but for fans of gothic dramas and thrillers, Siduri is the book for you.