‘4.5 stars rounded up

I ran to request this title very quickly as I read Idolfire last spring and thoroughly enjoyed it, having so much fun following Aleya and Kirby’s journey. As this title is essentially an independent sequel to Idolfire, my experience reading it quite shaped my expectations for this one. While Heaven’s Graveyard delivered adventures, sapphics, political tension, mythology and even fun, it was even more than I knew to expect. Where I simply enjoyed Idolfire, I felt deeply touched by Heaven’s Graveyard. Maybe I accidentally read it more closely, but in any case, I feel as though Curtis really went above and beyond this time.

Heaven’s Graveyard takes the reader back into the world of Idolfire, except centuries have passed and Aleya has ceased to be simply a myth, Kirby merely a footnote in her story. However, to Cod, Ashan myths and Aleya’s story are close to a lifeline, having guided her to work at a museum while searching for proof of Aleya’s life. When she gets summoned home, suddenly an adventure dealing with her obsession kickstarts…

The way Curtis writes her characters is so immersive, they all felt real to me throughout the story. Cod’s a lovely narrator, yet real and flawed. She doesn’t always make the right judgement about people and can be caught up in her own world, yet she always, always means well. Sparrow, Thal, Marr, Hani and every other side character also get their voice heard, coming onto their own vividly, even if mostly monitored through Cod’s eyes. Additionally, the narrative is so interestingly written with chapters varying in length and style, all while centering Cod and her story. The world is as richly built as in Idolfire, in its similarities and differences, and I could clearly see the streets of Palgaro in my mind.

Overall, this is a great novel—and so unapologetically sapphic, might I add. I cannot wait for it to be officially out and have a copy of it grace my bookshelves.

Thank you, Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape and NetGalley, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine.

An Archaeologist in search of a mythological figure, finds herself in a murder mystery, and runs into her ex who is a former thief turned saleswoman.

That sales pitch had me hooked but as I read on the story behind the pithy sales pitch had me hooked much deeper. Grace Curtis has a knack for fun sounding adventure stories that end up much more reflective than expected whilst still being funny and action packed.

I read it on Netgalley but fear I'll end up buying the book anyway so I have it to reread.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Heaven's Graveyard! I'm rating it 4.5 stars.

I was sold on Heaven's Graveyard as soon as I saw it described as a "sinister lesbian history mystery" in a science fantasy world. It was somehow exactly as described and not at all what I expected, and I had so much fun reading it!

Heaven's Graveyard is part sapphic thriller novel, part archaeological mystery, and part a story about humanity's tendency towards war. And, it's a story about child-parent relationships, being neurodivergent, and whether we run away from or stay to confront difficult situations.

I haven't read Idolfire, which is set 2,000 years earlier (although I now plan on doing so!). As such, my review will be entirely focused on Heaven's Graveyard.

This book makes a lot of chilling points about warfare and religion, and I loved that about it. At the same time, I found it sometimes frustratingly lacking in details — but that was because the protagonist didn't pay any attention to current affairs. She was constantly surprised by what was going on and never asked people questions about themselves or their backgrounds, so I also understand why us readers didn't get more information. All the same, I kind of wish someone had given the protagonist a talking-to and filled her in a bit on things so that we could have learned about it. For me, I think that would have been enough to make this a five-star read.

I also adored our queer, autistic-coded protagonist who is so passionate about the myth at the heart of this mystery, and who also cares so deeply despite others not seeing it. Cod's relationship with her mother and how that affects her sense of self made me cry.

Maybe it's because I'm also an archaeology geek, but I also loved the mythological aspects of this novel and the magic system.