The Debtor's Game

A Novel

De: Isabelle Mongeau

Narrado por: Kristen DiMercurio

In a world where faeries are born with tattoos of debt to the High Fae, one servant must navigate a game of dangerous, sensual court politics between her mistress and the king—the first installment in a dark fantasy series.

“Dark, dangerous, and deadly, The Debtor’s Game is a gorgeous treat to read, with sensual and atmospheric prose. I could not put this book down.”—Lindsay Straube, New York Times bestselling author of Kiss of the Basilisk

As a palace faerie, Avery is busy preparing Lady Kassandra, a High Fae of the House of Illusion, for the upcoming coronation. Both of their freedoms rely on it: Kassandra, to escape her violent brother, and Avery, to pay off rings of debt tattoos she has inherited from her family, which force her to serve the High Fae.

After a series of tragic events, Avery is forced to split her loyalties between Lady Kassandra and the newly crowned King Maxian, an alluring High Fae of staggering power. Avery agrees to spy on the King in exchange for liberating her family from debt, forming a triangle that proves more dangerous by the minute—further complicated by Avery’s warring desire and resentment for both Maxian and Kassandra.

But freedom from her debt grows further out of reach when she’s forced to test her loyalties, leading her to uncover secrets about the High Fae with earth-shattering implications. Soon, Avery must find out whether the faeries—and herself—are really as powerless against the High Fae as they seem...or whether she just might hold the key to freeing them all.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of the Glossary and Bibliography from the book

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Dark, dangerous, and deadly, The Debtor’s Game is a gorgeous treat to read, with sensual and atmospheric prose. I could not put this book down. Heart-wrenching yet hopeful, it is a story of triumph, of defying the odds, of fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. Isabelle Mongeau is a striking new voice in fantasy.”—Lindsay Straube, bestselling author of Kiss of the Basilisk

“A darkly enchanting story of fae debts and treacherous courtly intrigue, The Debtor’s Game draws you into a world where every choice carries a devastating consequence and every twist is more shocking than the last. With a protagonist grappling with torn loyalties and conflicting desires, and a narrative brimming with political games and morally complex characters, this is a must-read for fans of fantasy.”—Braidee Otto, author of Songbird of the Sorrows

“Led by a complex, clever, and uniquely fascinating heroine, The Debtor’s Game is a gripping, darkly lush fantasy tale that intertwines obsession, twisted loyalties, and political intrigue. You won’t want to put this one down.”—Kate Golden, bestselling author of A Dawn of Onyx

“Isabelle Mongeau crafts a visceral world where debt rules all and agency is a game of sacrifice, allyship, and plumbing the depths of one’s own capacity for torment. Profoundly dystopian and grounded by resilient characters, The Debtor’s Game is fantasy at its most hard-hitting.”—Shalini Abeysekara, Sunday Times bestselling author of This Monster of Mine

“An utterly magnificent debut . . . Isabelle Mongeau has crafted a brutal world with a breakneck, unpredictable plot that is perfectly balanced with poignant prose and characters you wish to pluck from the pages to safety. . . . Perfect for fans of darkly twisted court politics, morally gray characters, and a whole heaping of female rage.”—Hazel McBride, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Fate Forged in Fire

“Seductive and merciless, The Debtor’s Game turns fae politics into something intimate and dangerous. Mongeau’s world simmers with tension, moral complexity, and a heroine whose journey is filled with unexpected twists, power, and desire.”—Jean Kwok, author of Dominion

“Mongeau creates a strong and sympathetic character in Avery, who will resonate with many, and employs complex worldbuilding, intricate plotlines, and dangerous court politics that will hook readers from page one. . . . Stunning from beginning to end.”—Library Journal, starred review

“This delightful page-turning debut builds a world ripe for many more adventures.”—Booklist

A fantasy story from a forgotten point of view

This book is amazing! It has hints of all the favorites but is done from a new perspective. It has magic, fae and fairies but so much more.

I Loved It So Much!

The Debtor's Game is honestly unlike any fantasy novel I've read before, in an outstanding way!

It's dark. It's real. It makes you think the way truly great literature should.

I can get over Isabelle Mongeau's metaphors! Her word pictures are so distinct, alive, and sometimes visceral. I love her writing style!

The characters are compelling. I'd kill for some of them, and I love to hate the villains! You get so much drama in here on top of some really gripping political intrigue!

I need to stop because I'm rambling here, but the world and magic system are so complex and fascinating! Any fiction author who recommends so many diverse books at the end as sources of inspiration is alright with me! It reminds me of Frank Herbert's obsession with making Dune's ecology realistic. This author definitely did her research! (At least with making the biology plausible, that's my field of study.)

Kristen DiMercurio did a fantastic job with the narration! You can really feel the emotional moments hit hard while the whole of the audio book is still very easy to listen to. Some narrators get a little too overboard and listening feels exhausting, but this one is at the perfect level of emotion balanced with consistency. Probably too personal of a thing for others to judge without listening to the sample audio, but it worked well for me.

One last thing! I normally don't read books from an incomplete series. I tend to wait until they're done and then binge them. But a friend said he needed someone to talk about this book with and I relented. I do not regret the decision at all! Even though this is the first book in a series, it very much feels like it could be a standalone piece. I feel really satisfied with the ending. But now the frustration of having to wait for the next book makes me feel like a kid again.

Absolutely 10/10! I'd recommend both the book itself and this narration!