Where We Go At Night by Ikwo Ntekim
Where We Go at Night is a powerful, gripping new novel from debut author Ikwo Ntekim.
Trixie Godfrey has lived in Woods Crossing her whole young life — a small town, but one with a darker secret lurking in the woods. Alongside the everyday lives of humans, the alluring world of the fae resides in the forest nearby. Almost no one in town can see them, and don’t even know they exist, aside from Trixie and her family.
When she returns home one night to find her grandfather, Pops, murdered at the hands of some of the fae, Trixie sets out on a journey to see justice served. And yet, as she falls deeper into the twisted machinations of the fae world, she soon realizes that all is not what she thought it to be. There are layers, and sides, to every story, and as she finds herself pulled in different directions by those who insist their side is the correct one, she must confront hard truths about her own family and the legacy that she inherits from them.
A Multilayered Mystery
In her debut novel, Ntekim crafts a compelling story that immediately draws you in. An indie bookseller and store manager, Ntekim brings extensive knowledge of the genre to Where We Go at Night, leaning in to some of the traditional magical roots of the fae, as well as the emotional undercurrents of romantasy plots, all the while weaving in explorations of race, identity, generational trauma, familial relationships, white supremacy and more.
Trixie is a queer, Black teen who drives the narrative of the story with a fierce voice, passionate about those she loves and determined to bring Pops’ killer to justice. As more and more is revealed, and Trixie is confronted with knowledge that throws her past relationships into a new, darker light, I was transfixed by the way that Ntekim explores Trixie’s emotional arc. It is no easy thing to have your world turned on its head, and Trixie’s acknowledgement, discoveries and revelations throughout the book are incredibly well-written.
Deep Connections and Developing Relationships
The romance in Where We Go at Night is handled in a beautifully real way, in that it is laced with the doubt, the fear, the influences of life and the world around these characters that makes it feel believable. Trixie and the fae warrior Lariel are at odds with each other, and yet drawn to each other, and the way that their relationship develops and evolves is stunning to read.
Throughout it all, Ntekim brings us into a wonderfully detailed world. I enjoyed the intricacies of the fae and their magic, the bond between the fae and Trixie’s family and the layers of the human world that Trixie is also a part of. The relationships with her school friends, with her mother, with her friend Charlie’s mother — there is something so honest and so genuine about these characters and their lives, despite the magic coursing through the pages, and it is one of the reasons that Where We Go at Night keeps you invested from cover to cover. This is a story that feels real, even if the world is just out of reach.
Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, if you love a book with fae courts, interesting magic, forbidden alliances, slow-burn and enemies-to-lovers romance and so much more, then Where We Go at Night is for you!
