📕 Title: Immortal Game
✏️ Author: Allison Saft
📖 Genre: YA Romantic Fantasy
⭐ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Standalone Novel

Six years ago, Shea’s sister was stolen by the fae king. The Iron Veil separating the human world from the Otherworld has made it impossible to get her back—until Shea is invited to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime chess tournament in the Otherworld, with the winner granted one wish. But the tournament is deadly and cutthroat, forcing Shea to strike an alliance with her longtime rival, the beautiful fae princess Ciara of Bri Leith.

REVIEW

Thank you Wednesday Books for the digital copy of Immortal Game by Allison Saft!

Immortal Game is a YA sapphic fantasy novel set in a world inspired by Irish folklore, written in third person perspective primarily from a single point of view.

Chess plays a complicated role in Shea’s relationships with her sister and mother. Her desire to rescue her sister drives her to compete in the tournament, but things are far more complex than they seem. Shea is tenacious and single minded when it comes to her sister, but I still liked her a lot, especially when she begins to form alliances with other players in the tournament.

The initial rivalry between Shea and Ciara is well established, creating tension as the two become reluctant allies, and the romance is a slow burn. Ciara was everything I wanted in a fae love interest; elegantly beautiful, clever, and a bit quirky. Ciara is endearingly ignorant about the mortal world which leads to some very humorous interactions with Shea. I loved how she challenges Shea not only in chess but in her approach to life in general; they bicker and call each other out, which made their romantic arc all the better.

A unique aspect of this book is that the Otherworld is known to the human world, requiring visas and government approvals to travel there, a setup that I haven’t seen before. Magical, dangerous, and full of traps, it’s a fascinating location for a chess tournament, and the deadly stakes intensify with each challenge and match as certain players meet gruesome outcomes.

While the matches are not described play by play, there is discussion of strategy and the significance of certain moves, references to chess players and historical games, player stats, and chess terminology. This may be easier to digest for readers who have basic knowledge of chess, but understanding the technicalities isn’t necessary to enjoy the story. I found it all very interesting.

This is the third Allison Saft book that I’ve read and I really enjoy her work! I highly recommend for readers who enjoy a slow burn.