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Cover of One Dark Window by Rachel GilligOne Dark Window
New · Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

One Dark Window

by Rachel Gillig
2022 · 421 pages · Fiction
69.8Must-Read
Score New
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in her eerie, mist-locked kingdom: she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient spirit trapped in her head, who protects her and keeps her secrets. When she's drawn into a dangerous quest to save the kingdom, his help may come at a terrible price.

Why it's worth reading

It's a hugely popular gothic romantasy, praised for its atmosphere and its unusual hero.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of a duology and ends on a cliffhanger.

By the numbers

69.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers70 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Dark, Epic, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Rachel Gillig

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 rankedNew booksTop 25 · 481 rankedBooks of the 2020sTop 25 · 555 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is One Dark Window worth reading?

Yes. It's a hugely popular gothic romantasy, praised for its atmosphere and its unusual hero. It ranks #1,317 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is One Dark Window about?

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in her eerie, mist-locked kingdom: she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient spirit trapped in her head, who protects her and keeps her secrets. When she's drawn into a dangerous quest to save the kingdom, his help may come at a terrible price.

How long does it take to read One Dark Window?

About 11 hours (421 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after One Dark Window?

If you liked it, try The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross.