The Tearsmith

Blurb

Legend speaks of the Maker of Tears: a man with eyes like glass, who crafts all the fears that dwell in people's hearts . . . What will it take for star-crossed orphans Nica and Rigel to face him and his creations?

Growing up within the walls of Grave's Orphanage, Nica's imagination burned with fantastical stories. Including that of The Tearsmith, a mysterious craftsman, guilty of having forged all the fears and anxieties in the world.
When at seventeen, she's adopted by Mr and Mrs Mulligan, Nica thinks she's leaving her world of dark fairy tales behind her.

But the Mulligans also adopt Rigel, an orphan who is as mesmerising and handsome as he is troubled. They share a past filled with grief and isolation, and the ever-gentle Nica starts to fall for her forbidden love.

However it isn’t long until the fears and the darkness of her childhood threaten to unravel her future.

Can Nica find the courage to embrace the future?
Forget her past?
And fall for her secret love?

My Review

The Tearsmith is a captivating contemporary dark romance that weaves the complex lives of Nica and Rigel into an emotional tapestry that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The writing is engaging and immersive, keeping readers deeply attached to the characters as they navigate their troubled pasts and uncertain futures.

Initially, I approached this book expecting a fantasy. The first 200 pages blur the lines between reality and the tale of The Tearsmith so skillfully that you wonder if there's magic at play. Questions like, "Why is Rigel the way he is?" and "Are Nica's eyes a sign that she is The Tearsmith?" kept me intrigued. It wasn't until halfway through that I realized this is a profound story about love, trauma, and healing rather than a blend of fantasy and romance.

The plot centers around Nica and Rigel, teenagers from the same orphanage, who must navigate their complex relationship while living together. Their journey is both fascinating and disturbing as they grapple with deep-seated wounds, childhood trauma, PTSD, and a forbidden attraction. Despite some flaws, the novel’s emotional depth and dark allure make it a memorable read.

Nica is portrayed as naive, lovely, and tender, often exhibiting a child-like innocence, while Rigel comes across as dark, mysterious, and possessive. Anna, with her nurturing nature, quickly takes Nica and Rigel under her wing, though Norman, her partner, is a more distant and harder-to-relate-to figure. Adeline and Nigel exude creepy vibes from the start, contrasting sharply with the endearing Miki and Billi, who immediately won my heart.

However, I felt the character development was lacking, especially for Rigel. While Nica showed some growth, Rigel remained as violent, possessive, and closed off at the end as he was at the beginning. His possessiveness and jealousy added spice to the book, I even enjoyed the fact that he didn’t needed a drastic change of his personality to be loved, he stayed the same prickly character throughout the book made sense, but his mental health could have benefitted from some development. 

A significant downside is the book's length. Many sections felt like fillers and could have been trimmed without affecting the story. The first half overly emphasizes Nica's dislike for Rigel, while the second half focuses repetitively on her love for him. A more concise narrative would have made the novel even more impactful.

In conclusion, The Tearsmith is a unique and memorable book, despite its flaws and occasional repetitiveness. Nica’s naivety can be frustrating at times, but the story remains captivating overall.

Now, let’s see how the Netflix adaptation butchers this story!