Book Review: Delilah Recovered
Delilah Recovered. Amelia Estelle Dellos, Atmosphere Press. 2022, Paperback, 276 pages
Reviewed by Caroline L. Huftalen.
Amelia Estelle Dellos’ debut novel, Delilah Recovered (Atmosphere Press), leaps into the fantasy/romance realm with feuding covens of witches, fairies, angels and demons. Set in the present day, her book remains grounded in the familiar through unbreakable family bonds, yet skyrockets into an unseen world of modern-day mystique. Dellos doubles down on popular tropes with an added love triangle, which is not the sole focus of the book or her protagonist's journey but is prominent enough to titillate.
Dee, as we are first introduced to our main character, is a struggling, unemployed accountant on a job interview that turns her world upside down. After learning the truth of who she really is, where her family has been, and what they have been hiding from her and why, Dee comes back into her true self as Delilah and embarks on a fated mission. As Delilah learns her origin story, she is pinned between two men: the classic wealthy, mysterious option, and someone who began more as a friend, a partner whose only wish is to protect Delilah and right any wrongs. Torn between two men and even more unanswered questions, Delilah finds refuge in new friends that turn into the family she always longed for.
Dellos’ plot and concept are the biggest strengths of the novel. The book is filled with intrigue amidst strong characters. The best moments are when plot and strong character development collide. There is no fairy godmother, but there is Mrs. Fairfax,a magical being whose name you simply just need to say three times, and she will arrive, ready to help, ready to rescue, ready to hear the day's troubles.
The most interesting sections of the book where the story gains momentum, is when we see Mrs. Fairfax in a whole new light during the All Hallow’s Eve party, a truce amongst the warring tribes. This chaotic party filled with drugs and revelry is meant to be a source of freedom for witches and other fantastical characters. There, while Mrs. Fairfax finds calm, she also gives Delilah advice as she struggles to find the ability to let go and accept her fate. This chapter is a pivotal moment for the cast of characters, but it also gives the reader what they were desiring the whole time, as the world of the novel is built to completion, being able to be wholly seen, despite the cacophony of the party. It is the start of more lengthy chapters in the book, giving the writer and reader more time to explore the necessary details to truly pull us in.
The beginning half of the book, prior to the party scene, could have slowed down, allowing the reader to truly understand what kind of world we were living in and who the players were. Clearer details on the who, what, when, where and why would have taken this book from good to great. The same can be said for the emotional quality of the book. The stakes just weren’t high enough for what was on the line. As a reader, there was little investment despite the fact that Delilah was risking her life and her truest desires, losing people she loved left and right. Just like with the world-building, Dellos needed to remain in the tough feelings of the book, not shying away from the hardest parts. This would have allowed the reader into the turmoil and make us want Delilah and company to win. One key moment towards the end of the novel that is rushed was when Delilah unknowingly meets up with Wolf, a witch hunter. He lets her into his deepest of secrets, and swears loyalty. In the end, he is the one who truly assists Delilah in conquering her nemesis/lover. But this is all tossed to the side as quickly as it is revealed.
If Dellos is gearing up for a series, there is room to grow the bonds already created in the first book and to explore the past and present lives of Delilah and those surrounding her, revealing the true nature of everyone’s impulses, intrigues and desires. Dellos has the beginnings of a world that readers can dig into. There is real potential for her style of writing and storytelling to turn into devoured page turners. Whether this book will be part of a series or not, Dellos has left room for plenty more magic.