The Everlasting
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow is a thrilling, time-traveling fantasy adventure about the lust for power and the power of love, about heroes and villains, about history and mythology and the stories we tell and how those stories change us and the world.
Sir Una the Everlasting was rescued as an orphan by the queen-to-be of Dominion and became her first and greatest knight, dragon-slayer, and legend.
Owen Mallory is a historian whose love for Dominion through the tales of the legendary Sir Una inspired him to leave his post at the college to turn soldier. Upon returning home from the war, injured, he receives a mysterious book with Una’s symbol on it - leading him down a path to the past - and to Una herself.
The Everlasting is told from both Owen’s and Una’s perspectives and is self-referential, as if we are reading the book as they write it (and rewrite it). It’s funny - both Una and Owen are self-deprecating and humorously forthright about others and the world - and sad - as they share the emotional impact of betrayals and losses. It’s a little spicy - especially once Owen learns that the myth of Una as a Virgin Knight is just that - a myth. Most importantly, it’s just a pleasure to read. I could read a whole series of their various timelines (hint hint).
The audiobook is particularly effective with beautiful dual narration by Moira Quirk and Sid Sagar.
Like many myths and legends, we are treated to multiple versions of the story as time is reset many times and their lives are rewritten and their legends reforged. We even get some hints as to how their stories may connect to those we’ve grown up hearing about mythological places and creatures and legendary heroes.
The Everlasting is an epic tale about power and kingdoms and knights and dragons and fate - but it’s really about family - is your family the ones who share your blood? Or are they the ones who share your lives, the ones who take you in, the ones who fight for you and with you?
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy for my honest review. Pub. Date 10/28/25
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