Larkyra Bassette is the youngest of three sisters, who all have different magical powers of the lost gods. Larkyra’s magic is her voice – she can slay monsters with a simple song. She can also heal with her voice (somewhat like Repunzel from Tangled), but she and her sisters must keep their magic a secret nonetheless. Song of the Forever Rains by E.J. Mellow introduces readers to the Bassette family, the country of Aadilor, a secret city called the Thief Kingdom, and an undercover mission disguised as an arranged marriage. 

Larkyra’s eldest sister Abareesa’s magic relies on instruments, while her second-eldest sister Niya’s magic relies on dance. The three of them make up the Mousai, a trio of mysterious sorceresses who put on shows in the Thief Kingdom. Their combined performances are so powerful that those without magic must be strapped down for fear of uncontrollable movements. I imagine seeing one of their shows would be akin to a bad acid trip. 

Due to the strength and risk of harm her powers carry, Larkyra has spent her entire life learning to control them – this means being careful of her words, her emotions, and the like. For example, in the beginning of the book she has to refrain from screaming as an angry man chops her finger off for stealing – any loss of control would reveal her magic. She then rushes to find an alley in which to be completely alone and cry, only to learn the next morning that her cries killed nearby rats. 

As Song of the Forever Rains unfolds, readers learn that the Duke of Lachlan is basically getting high off of stolen magic – which is illegal outside of the Thief Kingdom – and using it to torture and abuse his stepson, Darius Makenna. Larkrya’s father assigns her to travel to Lachlan, allow the Duke to court her, find out who the supplier is, and find the vault containing food and money that should be going to the residents. The only problem is that Darius proves to be very much a distraction – both intentionally and unintentionally. 

E.J. Mellow creates a decently-developed fantasy world with very likeable characters. I loved the close relationship between Larkyra, Niya, and Abareesa. I’m also more excited to learn that Song of the Forever Rains is the first installment of a trilogy, with each book focusing on one of the Bassette sisters. Furthermore, while the romance between Larkyra and Darius is slow-burning, it is believable. The pace picks up towards the end of the book, but there are exciting events prior to that too, as the Bassette sisters and Darius have to figure out how to complete the mission. 

My only gripes with this story is that there are some minor plot holes (not spoiler-free), and the magic system isn’t well fleshed (they are only described as being from the lost gods). I’m hoping Mellow elaborates on the magic system further in upcoming installments, or at least fills some holes. Even so, she’s an accomplished author, and this was the first book of hers I’ve read. In any case, I’m excited to get more of the Mousai and the adventures that await them.

I will give credit to Mellow and how she challenges what society expects of women in Song of the Forever Rains; Larkyra’s voice is so powerful that she must learn to control it in order to avoid causing damage to those around her. This may sound familiar for today’s women, who learn from a young age to watch what we say or how we say it, for fear of appearing too emotional. Mellow also does a great job in exploring tough topics like PTSD and parental loss in the novel. 

E.J. joins us for a Cantina Conversation where we talk about the feminist themes in Song of the Forever Rains, how her family relationships inspired the Bassette sisters, and plans for the next installment, Dance of the Burning Sea. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and purchase the first book, available now.