Carpe Diem Society

Conflicted feelings, so much tension, and the slowest of slow-burns is what I would describe The Ballad of Never After by the wonderful author Stephanie Garber. Being the second book of the Trilogy, the middle, it contained the highest tension yet.

While looking for reviews after reading the first book, so many were saying that The Ballad of Never After was the worst of the series. In my humble opinion, it was my favourite. I do, however, get why it can be frustrating for others. It is slow. To me, the “slow pace” is done in the best way possible — with the perfect push and pull tension, unresolved and ambiguous emotions, so much mystery that still haven’t been revealed although we’re reading the middle of the series.

I’m kind of late to the party; the book was published in 2022 and I’ve just got into reading it. I think it found me at the perfect time. During and after college I’ve mostly read self-help books and couldn’t relax and enjoy some fantasy novels. I gradually started reading more classics during my college studies and discovered more recent novels.

In this part of the series, Evangeline — the main female protagonist — vows to never trust Jacks — a Fate and the Prince of Hearts — ever again. She believes he had poisoned her husband, Apollo, and had locked him up. Jacks had been a constant mystery for her, someone she could never trust no matter how much hope she had for him. Jacks never fails to show her his inhumanity.

When Apollo wakes up, it appears that he’s cursed yet again—hunting Evangeline. Throughout the book, Evangeline is constantly running away from Apollo, and although she doesn’t want to trust Jacks, he’s the one who saves her from Apollo. We feel sorrow and pity for Apollo, who, for a moment, visibly looks like he really doesn’t want to lay a hand on Evangeline. But then, in another moment he’s wielding a bow and an arrow, sharp eyes, riding a horse, and chasing his wife.

Apollo is one of those characters whom I have mixed feelings about. He’s poisoned and cursed for half of the story, so we rarely get a glimpse of his true character. When we do, he appears helpless and weak. And guess who feels the same about him — Evangeline.

Meanwhile, the Fate, Jacks is still full of mystery. In this part of the series, though, we finally get a glimpse of his past. It turns out his desperation to open the Valory stems from deeper wounds and the need to fix what had been broken.

The Valors, the first royal family of the Magnificent North, had constructed the arch as a passageway to a place called the Valory. No one knew what the Valory contained, since the stories of the North couldn’t be fully trusted, thanks to the story curse that had been placed on them. Some tales couldn’t be written down without bursting into flames, others couldn’t leave the North, and many changed every time they were told, becoming less reliable with every retelling.

The Ballad of Never After is a journey to find the four stones to open the Valory. The stones are magical and affect everyone near it — you would know it when you feel and act upon it. This stirs the plot in the best way possible. Since our characters are too stubborn to make their moves, an outside influence compels them to act in ways they never thought they would.

But to the reader, it’s everything they’ve wanted.

There is also LaLa, the Unwed Bride. Another Fate whose curse is being always left at the altar of her own wedding and crying tears so poisonous it could kill. She’s generally very bright and bubbly and had become one of the closest friends — and the only — to Evangeline. If there is anyone in this cursed world Evangeline could trust, it was LaLa.

Here, LaLa breaks the news that she is now finally engaged and believing it will be the one who stays. Evangeline and the reader then would share the same look. We all deep down know how impossible that is. The leading to LaLa’s wedding holds so many highlights of the plot, which I think is wonderful.

Costumes, make-up, new people, strange feelings, and jealousy all in one place. And let’s not forget, Evangeline is still being hunted with no one but herself and Jacks to help. Time is ticking, and all Evangeline wants is to find the stones as soon as possible to cure her husband and find her happily ever after.

Evangeline should have probably been afraid as well, but if she was being honest with herself, it was no longer the unknown contents of the Valory that most frightened her. It was the idea of partnering with Jacks to save Apollo.

The characters know, the readers know, and everyone knows how much these two deep down have feelings for each other! Was it frustrating how much they go back and forth? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Every second of it. She basically doesn’t want her feelings to be betrayed again, especially by Jacks.

The conflicting feelings about opening the Valory Evangeline experience throughout the story makes the whole mystery of it ever more alluring. I couldn’t help but be curious and look for any clues Jacks and the other Fates and creatures would give. It was exhilaratingly fun.

The way Stephanie Garber paints the world is charming and incredibly mystical. Just like the previous book, the story was embellished with so many details, but it was laid out in a way that felt natural and didn’t feel like it was info-dumped onto the reader.

As someone who easily gets bored and distracted when the author shares too many backgrounds and world-building at once, I never felt this way reading this series so far. In fact, I ended up binging the second half of this book in one sitting just because of how the plot easily flowed and wasn’t overwhelming in the tiniest bit!