Book Review: ‘The Crimson Moth’ by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Crimson Moth (also titled as Heartless Hunter) is the first book in a fantasy romance duology of the same name by Kristen Ciccarelli.

Cascadia was once ruled by three witch sisters – until they were killed in the uprising and The New Republic was born. Now magic is considered evil and all who possess it must die. Rune Winters was born with magic. Forced to turn in her own grandmother to survive, she now walks a dangerous tightrope. By day preening socialite, by night she is the Crimson Moth. Rune had vowed to use her magic to save other witches from death only the witch hunter Gideon Sharpe has grown suspicious. What follows is a complex dance of misdirection as Rune pretends to love Gideon to glean information from him and Gideon pretends to love Rune to find out if she is the Crimson Moth. Neither is prepared for when their fake feelings develop into real emotions.

The majority of the novel follows the cat and mouse chase between Rune and Gideon as each tries to outwit the other. Rune knows Gideon is dangerous and will likely kill her if he discovers she is a witch but his trusted position in The New Republic means he is useful to her – if Rune can trick him into helping. But Gideon is no fool. He knows someone well connected is rescuing witches. And if it’s not Rune then it is likely someone in her social circle. He sets traps for Rune and she must use every skill to escape them. Throughout the story this struggle for victory sees a switching power dynamic as sometimes Rune holds all the cards and sometimes Gideon has the upper hand. The relationship Ciccarelli builds between her two main characters is brilliantly entertaining and there were plenty of ‘edge of your seat moments’ when it appeared the pair would discover each other’s secret.

The Crimson Moth has its own magic system that I found clear and easy to understand. Witches use blood magic – either their own or someone else’s. The more powerful the spell the fresher the blood needed to perform it. The consequence is that each cut used for magic heals into a silver scar. I really liked the image of these scars, during the time of the Queens, becoming body art and a symbol of status for those with magic only for that hubris to be that thing that gets the witches caught after the rebellion.

In addition to the metaphorical chess game happening between Rune and Gideon, the lives and freedom of the supporting characters are also at stake. Rune’s two best friends, Alex and Verity, are the only ones who know she is the Crimson Moth. They have both vowed to help Rune in her quest despite knowing what would happen if they were discovered. Verity lost her two older sisters to magic/The New Republic and is determined to save Rune from the same fate. Alex’s relationship to Rune is more complicated. It is clear he has feelings for her but he is also Gideon’s younger brother. Throughout the novel Alex is torn between his love for Rune and his loyalty to Gideon as he strives to find an alternative path that keeps everyone safe.

I thought The Crimson Moth was an excellent novel. I fell in love with the characters and the twists and turns of the cat and mouse chase between Rune and Gideon kept me completely engaged throughout the novel. The story ends on an incredibly dramatic note and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

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