Well that’s a lot of world building. Start with elemental magic, nothing super new there (although acid is always a fun one). Add in an ancient prophecy and twins where only one can rule. Still not that unusual.

And then defy the prophecy and literally stop the world spinning, leaving one side a desert scorched by a never ending noon, the other frozen in perpetual night.

We’re chasing a dying sea under an endless sun that kills us with a thousand little cuts every day. There’ll be nothing left soon. Nothing but sand and bone.

Now that’s pretty cool worldbuilding, especially for a fantasy world (it’s something you see slightly more in sci-fi).

Now on top of that, you have a ruler in each world, each with a daughter. Well, you can guess what probably happened and who these two are (remember those twins I mentioned?), but none of them know that.

So you get a fascinating ride as each realized just how screwed up their own corner of the world is, falls in love (there is more than a touch of romance in this book)…

If the choice is between me risking my life and losing you, I’d choose the first.

…and sets off on a journey to set things right.

When the dead find words, the goddess and the Devoted son will meet atop a fish not a fish, on a sea not a sea. It is she who travels to the endless Abyss, and it is he who guides her.

I quite enjoyed this book. It takes a bit of getting into and the leads are… more than a touch Young Adult/‘chosen one’ish, but it’s still a fun read/listen.

Onward!