Book Review: Menagerie by Rachel Vincent / by A.M. Molloy

Menagerie

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Menagerie 〰️

This is my second reading of this book, and once again, I was not disappointed.

Rachel Vincent's Menagerie series is a super close second to my all-time favourite series of hers, the Soul Screamers series. (Though if you have read any of my previous Vincent book reviews, you'll know that anything she writes is literary gold, in my opinion, and there's a reason she is an insta-buy for any new book she writes).

I can't begin to describe how excellent this book is. I've never been stripped of all my rights and treated worse than a death row inmate, but Vincent's writing made me feel as though I have. I could feel Delilah's despair as her humanity was stripped away. I felt the sadness of her fellow captives. I wasn't just reading this story; I was experiencing it. And that is why Vincent is a master storyteller.

From the very first page, Vincent pulls you into a world where not only do animals and humans exists, but cryptids such as mermaids and shifters are real. Sadly, something known as the reaping happened in the 80s and cryptids is no longer allowed to co-exist with humans. (I read the whole series when it first came out; I just never did a review. So I can say that as the books go on, we learn more about the event known as the reaping). It's unfortunate to see cryptids being treated so poorly, but knowing humanity, I can buy this happening in our world.

If you are a fan of any of Vincent's works, especially her Shifters series or mythical creatures in general, this is the story for you. The twists and excellent writing keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time, wondering how Delilah can escape her fate of captivity. A true masterpiece of a story. 10/10 I highly recommend it.