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Book: “The Eye of Leviathan” by M. A. Carrick
Publishing Info: Orbit, July 2026
Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!
Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound
Book Description: In an alternate Spanish Golden Age, the Council of the Sea Beyond has risen to unrivaled power, exploiting the Otherworld’s most precious resources for their own gain. Estevan seeks to uncover their secrets, but he risks the exposure of his that he is a faerie, masquerading as a mortal.
The Hungry Girl is the human whose place he took. Lost among the fae and desperate to find some purpose for her existence, she leaps at the chance to help a group of Spanish explorers in the Sea Beyond…only to be horrified at the atrocities they commit.
A faerie pact has separated them– but only together can they bring down Spain’s worlds-spanning empire and save the homes they have both come to love.
Review: Well, mark this one down as another excellent fantasy story from the writing duo that is M. A. Carrick! After loving “The Rook and the Rose,” I was confident that I would like this one as well. But it also sounded very different, focused on an alternate version of Spain during the Inquisition, a version of the world where not only those who weren’t Catholic were persecuted, but the fae as well. It sounded ambitious, and after reading it, I think I underappreciated just how ambitious it was from the start!
Let’s begin with the worldbuilding and historical elements. This book definitely doesn’t shy away from its historical roots, so strict fantasy readers should buckle in for a hefty dose of historical fiction. While there are obvious adjustments to fit in the magical elements, there’s also a close look at the realities of the Inquisition and the oppressive society that made up this point in history, and many real-life historical figures are present in the tale. Further, the story takes its time exploring religion and the central role it played not only on a society level, but an individual level. It’s difficult to set aside the modern lens through which we often think of religion, but Carrick does an excellent job of exploring the theme here, both with how fundamental it was to those living in this time and the ways in which it shaped almost every aspect of their lives.
But on top of the historical events, I loved the way the authors pulled in their fantasy world, neatly layering an entirely new element smoothly and efficiently. This very much felt like a version of history that could have existed had, you know, fae been real. What’s more, through this portion of the book, the story explores themes regarding colonization and exploitation. There were some very tough moments in this book, but everything was handled carefully and with a light touch, avoiding the pitfalls of heavy-handed preaching that can sometimes happen with big topics like this.
I also loved all of the characters we had here. Obviously, the two main POV characters get the most attention, and each was very enjoyable in their very different ways. But I also really liked the side characters. Unlike some of the themes which are fairly black and white, the characters who make up this world almost all exist within some shade of gray. While what is being done to the fae is indefensible, there are large parts of their society and individuals operating within it who have their own inexcusable moments. Further, we see kindness and love from humanity, even if by and large, human society as a whole is at a low point.
Estevan and the Hungry Girl were both excellent leading characters. The story alternates between their chapters, and I will say that while I liked both of these characters, their stories felt very different, leaving the pacing feeling a bit uneven as we bounced between the two. Estevan’s story is slower, and this is the portion that reads like historical fiction almost more than fantasy. And for her part, the Hungry Girl’s story is a much more adventure-forward, fast-paced fantasy novel, full of dangers and thrills. I enjoyed both, but it was one of those cases where I would become invested in one and always be slightly disappointed to have to switch. Only to repeat that experience with the other storyline.
Other than this slight ding to pacing, there was one odd character moment that I’m not sure how I feel about. There are perhaps slight spoilers to follow, so skip the next paragraph if you want zero spoilers, even light ones.
We meet a character in the middle of the book who, while living as a man now, was born a woman. Like I said, this is a very historically accurate book, and much of that focus also includes the strict limitations put upon women. At one point, one character mentions that there are no women trapped in towers in Spain, like you see in fairy tales. Another character aptly responds that perhaps ALL women in Spain are trapped in towers. It’s a very powerful moment.
But then when it comes to this character, the theme gets pretty muddied. There are moments where the book seems to present them as a trans man who has always wished to be a man as an identity. But in the same breath, when exploring that character’s past, we see them running up against a society that isn’t allowing them the life and adventure they crave, simply for being a woman. Did they want to be a man? Or did they want the life and freedom of a man and this was the only option? Surely, there would be plenty of women who would struggle under the oppression and limitations put upon them simply due to their sex. So much so that dressing up as and presenting as a man to exist the way they prefer would be the obvious route, regardless of identity matters. It’s a tricky topic, but I think the book just missed the mark here, especially given the apt critique of society’s views of women throughout the rest of the book.
Back to the nonspoilers! I’ll wrap this one up by saying this was much lighter on the romance front than “The Rook and the Rose.” True, that trilogy worked up to it, but even from the start, it felt more prevalent than what we get here. One character has an extensive subplot romance, while the other may have one developing? Or not? I wasn’t quite sure how to read things there. But I just wanted to note that for readers who may have been looking for more romance from these authors again.
Overall, I really loved this book! It was a long read, but one of those books that I never wanted to end. Hopefully the second half of the duology arrives quickly!
Rating 9: A wonderful blend of historical fiction and fantasy, “The Eye of Leviathan” is as heart-wrenching as it is enthralling!
Reader’s Advisory:
“The Eye of Leviathan” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.
The Library Ladies 