20 of the Best Fantasy Books of 2023

I’ve been raving about this book since 2023 began, and I have no plans to stop now. This chunky novel by the Argentine writer of dark gothic tales is a rich story about young Gaspar and his father, Juan, who is determined to keep his son’s magical abilities secret from the rich, powerful family that already has Juan do their dirty summoning work for them, even with his weak heart. As Gaspar grows up, he has to face the dark cult and their horrifying secrets in this vivid, frightening, suspenseful tale that mixes rich fantasy with Argentinian history.

Strong content warnings for violence, body horror, domestic & emotional abuse, trauma; also warnings for suicidal ideation/suicide, homophobia, ableism, substance abuse, r-slur, self-harm.