I saw so many mutuals and book bloggers praising this book to the point that I just had to put it on my TBR. However, to be honest the cover threw me off a bit (I know, I know 'never judge a book by its cover' and whatnot). Anyways, I read it. And now I can barely collect my thought to write this review, that's how great it was.
Here we go,
The Wicker King
by K. Ancrum
Genre: YA Contemporary, LGBTQIA
Pages: 305
★★★★★
Synopsis: When August learns that his best friend, Jack, shows signs of degenerative hallucinatory disorder, he is determined to help Jack cope. Jack’s vivid and long-term visions take the form of an elaborate fantasy world layered over our own—a world ruled by the Wicker King. As Jack leads them on a quest to fulfill a dark prophecy in this alternate world, even August begins to question what is real or not.
August and Jack struggle to keep afloat as they teeter between fantasy and their own emotions. In the end, each must choose his own truth.
"You deserve to heal and grow, too. You deserve to have someone to talk to about your problem; you deserve unconditional support; you deserve care and safety and all the things you need to thrive. Just because you may not have them doesn’t mean you don’t deserve them. If someone tells you that you don’t deserve those things, they are lying. Keep trying your best. Ask for help when you need it. Do your best to be brave, but it is okay not to be. If you drop the weight you’re carrying, it is okay. You can build yourself back up out of the pieces". ― K. Ancrum, The Wicker King
In The Wicker King, we follow the story of August and Jack's messed up friendship to the point of no return. Most people would say that their relationship is rather unlikely (Jack being a popular jock and August, the literature nerd/stoner) and unhealthy (it definitely is that) but at the end of the day, the truth is that they simply can't live without each other anymore. And we, the readers, get to be silent observers of their downfall (and growth, in a way).
So, The Wicker King is, ultimately, a story about negligence. I was struggling to find words that fully portrayed the characters but then I believe the author, K. Ancrum, said it better than I ever could:
"Jack and August are both victims of neglect. [...] Like most teenagers, Jack and August both need certain things in order to thrive. They need to care and feel cared for; they need structure and authority; they need unconditional support; they need someone to be concerned for them; they need to be able to rely on someone and they need to feel safe. Because those things were absent in their lives, they tried to build versions of them within each other. [...] Even if they are destructive. They are not “failing”; someone has failed them."
They're fucked up people stuck in a toxic relationship and the book never lets you forget that. But, at the same time, it is so hard not to understand and relate to them. Of course, I do not condone their actions, but I get their motives and the things that led them into this codependent and dangerous path. And, of course, I can not praise K. Ancrum enough for having written such complex, relatable and interesting characters (in her debut novel, no less!) and for her realistic portrayal of mental illness, which both main characters suffer from.
Concerning the plot, I have to say that I had no idea what it was about beforehand and, therefore, the whole story was a very pleasant surprise. The main conflict was beautifully written and kept me guessing at all times (so there's no way I'll spoil that for you, sorry, I'm not getting any more specific). I simply could not put the book down. The ending, normally a hit or miss for me, was perfect in my opinion. I did not see that coming. And, of course, I want more (because I'm greedy like that) but I also think it was just enough to be coherent and satisfactory. (oh, and the slow burn was just *chef's kiss*)
I loved how original the plot was as well, I loved how messed up the characters were, how beautifully written everything was. The fantastic aspect of the book but also how real everything was.
“But your best is not good enough sometimes.”... “Sometimes… you have to stop trying and just let someone else try their best. In order to survive.”― K. Ancrum, The Wicker King
As for the author, K. Ancrum is now one of my favorites. I had never heard of her before, but now I just want to read all her work. It blew my mind that she could write something so personal and important with such delicacy and skill as her debut. So good. Also, I could not stress this enough, read the author's note. You'll thank me later!
Lastly, some points that stood out to me: the cover (it'd be so much better without the people on them) and the little photos/notes/mixtapes between the chapters (so great! Except for the people).
The Wicker King was one of those reads that emotionally wrecked me (in a good way! It just hit too close to home) and I'll probably obsess about it for months (and reread it constantly too). I recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written (and so important) #ownvoices story! Actually, I think is a must-read for everyone, really.
It would be interesting to follow this world to its limits. Check the boundaries a bit. ― K. Ancrum, The Wicker King
TAGS: mental illness, slow burn, childhood friends to lovers, mixed-race main character, African American author, bisexual (and intersex) author
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