The Butcher’s Masquerade has easily become my favourite instalment in the series so far. I’ve loved every book, even when things got a bit chaotic along the way, but this one reminded me exactly why I’m so obsessed with this wild world. As soon as we hit the Hunting Grounds something shifted. It felt sharper, more emotional and way more gripping than I expected. I tore through it.
Donut absolutely steals the show here. She always does, but this time she’s on another level. She’s clever, dramatic, mouthy in the best way and so full of heart. I was laughing at her one second then wanting to cry with her the next. Carl’s great too, but Donut owns this whole book and I’m not sorry about it.
What surprised me most was how much heart sits under all the madness. There are some big emotional punches in this one and a few scenes that got me tearing up when I least expected it. The reunion with a certain someone had me holding my breath and it paid off in such a satisfying way. And then there were the moments that came out of nowhere and left me crushed. Prepotente and Miriam had me feeling things I was not prepared for.
Level six itself is such a fun setting. A fantasy world full of dinosaurs, hunters chasing crawlers, strange politics and that menacing masquerade hanging over everything. I loved seeing Carl and Donut take on new specialties, fail and succeed in the funniest ways and get tangled up in all the drama the dungeon throws at them. Even the side characters shine. People you barely know end up hurting to lose because Dinniman is annoyingly good at making them feel real.
The humour is still perfect. Between Donut’s diva era, Mongo’s dinosaur adventures, the comic con scenes and the absolute trainwreck of the masquerade party, I laughed more than I expected to. This series balances heartbreak and pure silliness better than anything else I’ve read and it never loses its heart.
The ending was brutal in that classic Dinniman way and left me stressed but keen for whatever happens next. This series isn’t for everyone, but for those of us who love it, The Butcher’s Masquerade is a standout. It’s emotional, funny, clever and packed with characters you can’t help but root for. I finished it and still don’t feel done with it.
⭐️4/5 stars Bring on the next level!!
