Foul Days

The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, Book 1

By: Genoveva Dimova

Narrated by: Zura Johnson

The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre fiction.

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice treating lycanthrope bites, bargaining with kikimoras, and slaying bloodsucking upirs. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex, the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed by someone close to her, Kosara’s only choice is to trade her shadow—the source of her powers—for a quick escape.

Unfortunately, Kosara soon develops the deadly sickness that plagues shadowless witches—and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To find it, she’s forced to team up with a suspiciously honorable detective. Even worse, all the clues point in a single direction: To get her shadow back, Kosara will have to face the Foul Days’ biggest threats without it. And she’s only got twelve days.

But in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the biggest monster from her past?

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2024 Genoveva Dimova (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Charming, wry, and emotionally resonant. Dimova’s propulsive, assured prose captures a fresh, gritty world bursting with wonderful characters—and monsters galore! Get ready to meet your new favorite supernatural crime-busting duo.”—Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

“Sharply written, utterly imaginative, by turns terrifying and hopeful—a wonderful read.”—New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow

“There's no safety when the Foul Days come for you: this book will drag you in and not let you go until dawn.”—Marie Brennan, award-winning author of A Natural History of Dragons

Complex characters, very cool mythology

I absolutely loved this first book in Genoveva Dimova’s thrilling gaslamp fantasy duology, The Witch's Compendium of Monsters. It’s so well written, I felt completely immersed in the story. The world building is fantastic, and Dimova does a great job incorporating creatures from Slavic folklore. I loved the complexity of the characters, human and monster alike. The story easily held my attention with all of its twists and turns, and I enjoyed the mix of magic, mystery, suspense, humor, and a hint of romance. Our main character, the witch Kosara, is able to solve the main mystery posed in this first book, but many plot threads remain to be resolved in the second book.

The audiobook production was excellent, and Zura Johnson’s narration really contributed to my enjoyment of the story. She was fun to listen to, with good pacing, clear pronunciation, distinctive voices to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

This is a story I will want to listen to again, and I highly recommend this audiobook for fans of gaslamp fantasy and Slavic folklore.

Loved this one

I've been reading a lot of fantasy novels rooted in Slavic folklore and I am LOVING the gothic vibes. This is a fast-paced, richly imagined story that delves into themes of abandonment, grief, poverty, and toxic relationships. And it is amazing.

Long ago, when monsters emerged, mages erected a wall between the richer and poorer aspects of a city. Kosara, a fire witch, is an expert in dealing with various supernatural creatures in her city of Chernograd. Her skills are formidable, but she is always wary of the Tsar of Monsters, who feeds on the love of young women. He is well aware of her power and is furious that she managed to escape his clutches in the past. Fearful and desperate, she sacrifices her shadow—the source of her powers—for illegal passage to Belograd, the city free of monsters on the other side of the wall.

Kosara soon realizes that she is showing signs of the deadly wasting sickness that afflicts shadowless witches, and her only hope for survival lies in reclaiming her lost magic. Her quest forces her to team up with a detective - and she's not a huge fan of coppers. The dynamics between Kosara and the detective are fraught with tension and suspicion and their bond grows into such a beautiful one over the course of the story. Kosara is a deeply flawed yet relatable character. Her struggles with abandonment, trust, guilt, and grief resonated so strongly with me, making her journey all the more engaging.

There is excellent world-building, seamlessly integrating Slavic folklore into the fabric of the story. The depiction of mythical creatures like rusalkas and kikimoras adds a unique flavor. The exploration of poverty and wealth in a fantastical setting is a welcome one - though it could have been stronger. I suspect this will return in the next book. The biggest highlight of the story was the relationship between Kosara and the toxic Tasr of Monsters compared to her relationship with the detective. Her former toxic relationship is the driving force of the plot and echoes similar predatory relationships in our own world. It's chilling how the effects echo in her own head and drive so many of her actions.

The plot is richly layered, with each twist and turn revealing more about the characters and the world they inhabit. The book’s exploration of complex themes is handled with nuance and respect.
This is a phenomenal story that combines incredible world-building, rich folklore, and finely drawn characters with a big dose of humor and heart. I cannot wait to see what is coming next.

Unique and Enjoyable

FOUL DAYS has an intriguing premise that kept me invested throughout the story.

Things I enjoyed:

-The setup and world building
-The variety of witches and monsters
-The plot
-The slow-burn romantic interest

Things I was neutral about:

-Pacing, which felt a bit erratic.
-The writing sometimes leaned more into telling than showing.

Extra points for:

-The way privilege and prejudice was portrayed, reflecting the real-world back at us in a unique way.
-The impressive portrayal of grooming and domestic violence, which was a subtle yet fully developed aspect of the plot.

This story ends on a cliffhanger, which is to be expected since it’s the first in a duology.

I thought Zura Johnson did a fantastic job with the narration.