Transparency disclosure: I asked for an advance reading copy of the Reflections of Lilje Damselfly, which is why I was able to, firstly, read it before it got published, and secondly, read it on my Kobo.
Overview:
Author: Natalie Kelda;
Available on: Amazon (or buy a paperback copy and make me insanely jealous);
Read as: Ebook (on Kobo);
Read for: Rest, dreaming of spring, realistic portrayal of chronic illness;
Best paired with: Herbal tea, lemonade, strawberries;
Cosy Scale: Sweet with a side of realism;
Features: Nymphs, Sapphic relationships, complicated and messy human things.
Spoiler free review
Goodreads Review for : Reflections of Lilje Damselfy
by Natalie Kelda
There are some books you need to devour. Others you want to savour.
I requested, and obtained, an advance reading copy. Having read some of Natalie Kelda’s previous work, I went ahead and pre-ordered it : I knew I’d be reading it no matter what. I love Natalie Kelda’s worldbuilding and prose, and the cover (and I do judge books by their covers) seduced me.
Going into the book, I knew there would be depictions of chronic illness. In a world where Nymphs and magic exist, the pain of an ache with no solution is shown with grace and humility, even as the main character, Lilje, navigates murky human mores.
It’s a short story. The fact that it took me a few months to read is because I didn’t want the story to end. But end it does, and its conclusion is as beautiful as it is heartrending.
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World building and scenery
As I mentioned, Natalie Kelda’s worldbuilding is seamless. And while I appreciate descriptive writing of locations, it can get tiresome if the author is gauche or predictable about it.
Instead, I would find myself re-reading passages just to makes sure I had the scene right in my head. I googled flowers. I tried to highlight and leave notes, but my Kobo betrayed me, so I can’t wait to revisit it this summer, my pot of tea at the ready, when it releases on Kindle on June 23rd.
If you’re lucky, you might even be able to order a paperback copy, shipped out as of July 1st. I’m rather upset I don’t know anyone in United Kingdom or in the European Union who’s coming my way anytime soon; I’d ask for them to bring me a stamped copy, exclusive to those regions.
Ease of reading
I am always in awe by Natalie Kelda’s prose – especially because she has confirmed that English is her second language. The sentences flow easily, the depictions are rich and detailed, tantalising and tormenting all our senses in turn.
The writing sets the mood and tone immediately – reminding me of the Austen-esque descriptions of the ladies at Bath. A tour de force when I consider that her other series, the Inner Universe series, is a sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy, tale of derring-do space adventurers on wooden ships.
Also, you probably didn’t click on it earlier, but seriously: visit the author’s website. From illustrations drawn by the author to short stories that give the longer novels so much more dimension, (including space maps!), we can get a full picture of each novel and where it fits in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention that Natalie Kelda is completely transparent with regards to the topics broached and portrayed in the books.
My favourite part?
The tension between the two love interests even as Lilje tries to understand what it means to be human.