Fast Pacing, Originality, Re-imagined Myths

Rating 3.5/5

In today’s review I’ve decided to share my thoughts on Caroline Astiago’s Make Damn Sure, the sequel to her Shadows and Regrets series. If you’re looking for something that blends American Gods with Supernatural then Astiago’s urban dark fantasy Make Damn Sure is the comfort read with just enough vibes to keep the pages turning, offering an original and creative story on the gods, legends and myths with which we are so familiar.

Taking place a month after the shocking events of its predecessor, Somewhere Out There, Make Damn Sure sees April and Jack attempt to adjust to their new roles on Gaia while dealing with the absence of Ben, former guardian and physician for King Arthur’s Court. With the goddess, Fate, still intent on destroying worlds and Death themselves now threatening to establish universal balance, they will need to rally the rest of the remaining guardians and a scheming Merlin to prevent further disaster all, while seeking a way to reunite with Ben and re-awaken King Arthur.

Bigger stakes and with such limited time, Astiago’s Make Damn Sure continues to bring the dark elements and dashes of humour I have come to expect in most urban fantasies. Though rather than paranormal investigators solving crimes in a hidden world or shapeshifting mechanics trying to balance packed lives with the paranormal occurrences in her hometown, (former favourites of mine), the world of Shadows and Regrets offered a standard plot with familiar characters reminiscent of your favourite weekly fantasy show. For some, perhaps higher opinionated readers, that might seem not their cup of tea. However, I can assure you Astiago can offer some unique ideas. Her portrayal of magic is just one example. Rather than having a system, magic is personified in the world of Shadows and Regrets. It is a living thing with a conscience. It can not only give its wielder’s power beyond their capability but it can communicate and advise.

Another aspect I liked of Astiago’s writing is her re-imagining of certain myths/legends, particularly King Arthur. Keeping to the key aspects of the legend e.g. magic sword, wizard, shall rise again when Britain is in peril etc, this King Arthur is portrayed with a more LGBTQIA+ element through his relationship with Ben. But the alteration does not stop there. In Somewhere Out There the letters Ben writes to his thought to be dead ex, showed his grief and longing for the once and future king. However in Make Damn Sure Astiago takes it a bit further by flipping this interpretation on its head, offering up a more sullied perspective to readers that ultimately shatters Ben and our idolisation of Arthur. Ideas like this demonstrate the originality Astiago can bring to her writing and has kept me curious for what is installed next.

From what has transpired in Make Damn Sure I suspect Astiago has lots of plans for the series. In Somewhere Out There the majority of activity unfolded on Gaia (Earth). However, in Make Damn Sure we got to not only experience a bit more of Avalon and Purgatory but also a snippet of other worlds like Styx and Hades. There was also an abundance of characters and perspectives this time around. However, there was a bit of a downside.  Astiago’s writing is fast paced and combined with the introduction to some of these newer characters, I felt it prevented you from developing a strong connection with them. While Ben had more of a prominent lead in Somewhere Out There, Make Damn Sure put more focus on characters like April, Jack and Merlin. Personally, I enjoyed the Merlin segments a lot and felt they had the strongest perspective. It delved a little deeper into his scheming and showed a complexity to him that made his conclusion a little heartfelt. We also got to learn more about his turbulent relationship with Fate and his connection to April though I will confess the plot twist between Merlin and April’s connection was not at all surprising to me. Despite such it didn't stop me from wanting to know more and seeing how it would accumulate in the end.

If you are wanting a break from the heavier titles out there, Make Damn Sure is a book to dive into.  Sure, the fast pacing makes it hard to bond with certain characters but there was a charm, humour and originality to it that will re-awaken your love for stories in its more simplistic form.