Strings of Shadows and Stolen Grace: "Girls of Dark Divine" by E.V. Woods
- Kim Bartosch
- Aug 7
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever been drawn to the haunting beauty of ballet, the shimmer of stage lights, or the eerie chill of dark magic, "Girls of Dark Divine" by E.V. Woods will sweep you off your feet—and then drag you into the shadows.
This gothic YA fantasy combines lyrical prose, atmospheric dread, and deeply emotional stakes to tell the story of Emberlyn, a gifted dancer caught in a nightmarish curse. She and the other ballerinas at the famed New Kora theatre are bound—body and soul—to their puppet master, Malcolm, whose charming facade masks something far more sinister.
Woods’ debut is full of dark glitter, fierce sisterhood, and the aching weight of duty, pain, and hope. This is not your average dance story—it’s a tale of resilience, resistance, and reclaiming power. Thank you to the publisher for including me in this book tour. This tour is sponsored by Toppling Stacks Tours.
Now, let’s get into the Top 5 Reasons You Should Read Girls of Dark Divine:
1. 🩰 A Dark and Enchanting Premise
Ballet is already a world of discipline, illusion, and beauty—but E.V. Woods takes that to a chilling new level. The ballerinas in Girls of Dark Divine aren’t just performing—they’re cursed. Bound by literal invisible strings, their grace on stage is marionette-like and mesmerizing… but at a terrible cost. This central concept is so unique and gripping, it pulls you into the story immediately and refuses to let go.
2. 💔 Emberlyn: A Heroine with Heart and Grit
Emberlyn is one of the most compelling protagonists I’ve read in a while. Her anxiety and sense of duty to her fellow dancers is portrayed with such honesty that you can’t help but root for her. She’s not flawless—she’s vulnerable, emotional, and scared—but she never stops fighting. Her inner turmoil and determination make her a character you carry with you long after the final page.
3. 🕯️ Deliciously Creepy Villainy
Malcolm. Oh, Malcolm. He’s a villain who creeps under your skin and stays there. Woods doesn’t just make him evil—she makes him convincingly manipulative, seductive, and horrifying. His control over the girls is both literal and symbolic, adding depth to the story’s exploration of power, abuse, and the masks people wear. Every scene he’s in carries a tension that’s impossible to ignore.
4. 🌆 Glamour Meets Gloom: The Setting is Perfection
From the haunting elegance of the New Kora theatre to the glitzy, deceptive shine of Parlizia, the setting in this novel is a character in itself. Woods does a masterful job weaving light and darkness into every location. You feel the magic, the menace, and the melancholy hanging over every scene. It’s a story drenched in atmosphere, where every backdrop feels tailored to the mood—dreamlike yet dangerous.
5. 🕸️ Themes that Matter: Abuse, Control, and Survival
At its core, Girls of Dark Divine is a powerful story about trauma, manipulation, and the desperate yearning for freedom. The curse is a metaphor—but also terrifyingly real. It explores how victims cope, how silence can be deadly, and how solidarity can be a form of salvation. While human trafficking and abusive relationships are heavy topics, Woods handles them with a thoughtful, emotional lens that gives voice to survival and strength without sugarcoating the horror.
Final Thoughts
This book absolutely dances the line between lyrical fantasy and grounded emotional horror. E.V. Woods writes with stunning clarity and sensitivity, crafting a story that’s both beautifully gothic and achingly human. I couldn’t put it down—and I didn’t want to.
If you love books like Caraval or House of Salt and Sorrows, or stories that mix dark fairy tales with rich, emotional character arcs, Girls of Dark Divine should be your next read.
💫 Highly recommend for fans of gothic YA, atmospheric worldbuilding, and heroines who shine in the shadows.
About the book:
Title: Girls of Dark Divine
Author: E.V. Woods
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Publishing date: August 5, 2025
Synopsis:
A group of hauntingly beautiful girls have been bound together by a cruel curse—and one of them will go to any lengths to save them from their violent dance. A breathtakingly gorgeous gothic fantasy about love and control that will never let you go. This spellbinding debut is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber!
In the legendary ballet theatre of New Kora, the girls on stage enchant the audience each night with their grace and divine beauty. Before Emberlyn became the show’s star, it was her dream to become one of the ballerinas… until she learned the price of their living nightmare.
A curse has bound the girls to the show’s mastermind, Malcolm, so they must obey his every command. They are controlled by the magic’s invisible strings that has the power to wield their limbs like marionette dolls. Only the commands don’t stop when the curtain comes down, and the girls live a life of fear from Malcolm’s wickedness and the twisted truth that each dancer is destined to turn to dust when the curse finally consumes her.
When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows with a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival. But the cost of freedom might be too high, and as she dances closer to the edge of darkness she realizes she might break the curse… or break her own heart forever.
Content Warning: human trafficking, violence, cults, abusive relationship
Meet the Author:
E. V. Woods is a YA author from the U.K, who has been writing for almost as long as she can remember. She wrote her first short story when she was six, her first full length novel at 15, and since then, simply hasn’t stopped. She adores all things fantastical, and loves to write tales threaded with both darkness and magic, curses and hope.
E. V. Woods is an avid traveller, a huge music fan, and holds a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham. She is endlessly curious and always looking to discover something new, whether that be from reading books, watching TV shows whilst curled up with her cats, or from one of the many adventures she spends hours daydreaming about having.
Sounds like a good read
I like the cover of the book.