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Book Review: Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie
The Little Fox Lair: A Bookish Den
Little Fox
July 28, 2025
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Book Review: Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie
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Book: Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1) by I.V. Marie
Genre: Dark Academia, Fantasy, Romantasy, Paranormal Fiction
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Let me preface this review by saying that I’m going to need someone in the entertainment industry to adapt this book into a television series as soon as possible. I want to see this story come to life on the screen more than anything else I’ve read this year. As a former film student and industry professional, I can already visualize this adaptation in my head.
Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie is a dark academia novel that takes place at Blackwood Academy, a school that exists between life and death in purgatory. Every ten years, prestigious students are chosen to participate in a competition that grants the winner an opportunity to permanently ascend into the school’s leadership and retain his or her soul for eternity. When a new student arrives at Blackwell with mysterious shadow magic, there is a disruption to the balance of the afterlife and the stakes of the contest increase. The contestants must figure out how to restore order in the Ether and save their own souls at the same time.
“Everything requires balance. Even the afterlife.”
I.V. Marie seamlessly combines the atmosphere of dark academia and the paranormal in this book. The concept of Blackwell Academy and the world-building of the Ether in her story are thorough and intriguing. So much so, that I really think readers can buy into this portrayal of life after death that she has created. Marie makes everything regarding the afterlife make sense, which is not easy to do with a topic that is entirely based on the unknown.
“The dead weren’t meant to dream. Though she supposed they weren’t dead—not really. They existed in the place between. The place parallel to life and death, the one right on the cusp of birth and the dawn of the afterlife.”
Aside from the setting, the characters in Immortal Consequences are very well-developed. For a multiple-POV story, I am so impressed with how much depth we get from the entire cast. All of the main characters have extensive backstories, dynamic relationships in the present, and unique personalities. They are strong as standalone aspects of the story, but also integrate incredibly well with each other in the plot. Having gone to boarding school myself, Marie perfectly captures the camaraderie and rivalry that occurs amongst students living together in an elite and ambitious environment.
“I prefer the term unfortunate acquaintances.”
Both the romantic and platonic relationships in this book are so endearing. Many types of relationships are well represented in the story. There is soul connection, LGBTQIA+ relationships, familial bonds between siblings, etc… I think readers will find themselves equally invested in all of the characters’ relationship storylines because they are so emotional and moving.
“I know you completely. Every part of your soul. It’s my greatest weakness.”
Immortal Consequences does not shy away from important, yet sensitive themes. It addresses them in a gentle and honest way. It explores the idea of death and the afterlife, traversing and fear of the unknown, acceptance of one’s circumstances, and grieving former lives. There is a found-family aspect to the story, and the book also addresses trauma, survival instincts, and empathy.
“She’d often wished somebody had told her the same thing. The importance of not wasting time, even when you’ve been handed an eternity of it. Because if there was one thing she had learned within the halls of Blackwood, one thing she’d never forget, it was that there was nothing more heartbreaking than time wasted. Nothing more harrowing than moments you could never get back.”
I have to give this book five stars (and more if I could). The vibe was Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children mixed with a little bit of The Hunger Games. I highly recommend adding this to your fall TBR, especially if you like books with high stakes, emotional depth, and magical settings. I expect this to be one of the best dark academia novels of 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and I.V. Marie for allowing me to read this copy in advance.
This book releases July 29, 2025.
View Immortal Consequences on Amazon | Bookshop.org | Books-A-Million| Kobo Rakuten
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