The Road Through Night

by E.C. Hibbs

The worst people aren't the ones who terrorise you. It's the ones who make you fall in love with terrorising yourself.

Beatrice, Gretchen and Anselm have escaped their captivity in Thornvale, but their ordeal is far from over. They soon find themselves in the company of a formidable veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, intent on rescuing her sister Princess Alba.

Journeying north to the Ravenswood, new friendships are made and love blossoms under the shadowy trees. Beatrice learns how to fly and defend herself, yet more mysteries begin to weave around her. Will she ever know freedom? What is her true identity? Are there others with her ability to see souls?

For even in the wilderness, danger is never far away. As the Midnight War rekindles and the Fitcher princes seek her, Beatrice will need all her strength to survive this dark, dangerous world.

369 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2025

About the author

E. C. Hibbs is an award-winning author and artist, often found lost in the woods or in her own imagination. Her writing has been featured in the British Fantasy Society Journal, and she has provided artworks in various mediums for clients across the world. She is also a calligrapher and live storyteller, with a penchant for fairytales and legends. She adores nature, fantasy, history, and anything to do with winter. ​She lives with her family in Cheshire, England.

Reviews

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so the adventure continues… if you’ve not read ‘The Shade Between Shadows’, now’s the time (my review is on my blog). If you have, I’m sure you’re ready to jump in to this sequel!

We rejoin former servant, now possible Royalty Beatrice as she continues to explore her freedom in what we know as the ‘real’ historic Victorian England, and the magical Nightland that sits alongside it.

It’s hard to summarise the precise journey of this book, because while our heroes travel geographically, socially and internally, this is a book about war. Between what we perceive to be ‘good’ and ‘bad’, who we are in the middle of it as individuals, and what such awful times mean as a result. How hard is it to stand tall in one’s principles when called upon to act ‘for the greater good’, especially when you’re still discovering exactly who you are.

I’m writing this with full awareness of how relevant this fantasy tale is in 2025, and how I wish that weren’t so. But EC Hibbs may have given us a quietly powerful guide on just how we might continue to move forward and hold on to our integrity in these interesting times.

Beatrice faces so many challenges, I often found myself having to put the book aside for a moment to pause and contemplate. She cannot speak and so is constantly (and frustratingly) underestimated, while in fact being as sharp and clever as a raven. The intricacies and cruelties of the world are confusing to her because she sees through the societal norms that she never was taught to understand. She’s what we would call neurodivergent, which makes her perspective all the more accurate and heartfelt - as a narrator, she is unflinchingly honest, letting us to see and feel as she does. She knows what is ‘allowed’ but also hates the illogical cages that bind her and those around.

In this way, the story comments on society, gender, class and relationships, from the Queen herself down to the lowest housemaid, all while keeping the reader caught up in a chase to the finish that left me gasping.

As the first book was clearly very personal to the author, this takes that and runs with it - I can only guess at what lies ahead in this series. I’m glad that this time has come for this story to be told, and the manner in which it is being told. Beatrice speaks with her feelings and her art, her literal actions. She is far more than mere words can describe.

If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, seeking friendship, identity and just a place to Be, you’ll love this beautiful, thoughtful and intense tale.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the author, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Unleishd_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Road Through Night," the second book in E.C. Hibbs' Nightland Quartet, is a captivating continuation that delves deeper into a richly imagined world where fairy tales intertwine with Gothic elements. Beatrice, our neurodivergent heroine who communicates through her art, offers a unique and refreshing perspective that adds depth to the narrative. The story masterfully weaves elements of folklore, history, and mystery, creating a tapestry that's both familiar and enchantingly new. I loved how the story explores themes of loyalty, survival, and the price of power. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep things exciting, and the emotional stakes are high. The dialogue is sharp, and the action scenes hit hard, keeping you on edge. Hibbs' meticulous research and passion for storytelling shine through, making this installment a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and fairy tale retellings.

[Sai Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, E.C. has brought us a sequel that LIVES up to the first book, and it is the most amazing and palpable story I've read in a while.

This is a story where both love and terror intertwine - but it's more like poisonous vines as Beatrice unleashes calamity after calamity in her pursuit of Forbidden Love.

Beatrice finds she must face shadows she never anticipated in order to survive and yet the biggest question loomed over her head lies in finding out if her heart is stronger than the darkness around her, and the bit of it reflecting back in herself.

E.C. has woven a mesmerizing sequel – perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series and Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse darkness.