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katiewhocanread's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Death, Confinement, Torture, and Mental illness
snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
The last time I read a horror that evoked boredom instead of fear was Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King back in 2017, so I guess it’s not unexpected that another one would arrive in my hands sooner or later. That said, Not Good for Maidens is one of the least horrifying fantasy horrors that I’ve read, even Sleeping Beauties was a smidge scarier than this.
This lack of horror in Not Good for Maidens is largely because of the story’s execution. Not only is the tension severely lacking because it takes forever (at 65%-70% of the book) before we get to the action, but the main plot for both timelines is the same thing: a rescue. Sure, there’s a lot of gore and goblins are pretty scary in general—even when they’re depicted like the fae, but that’s all. Nothing else about the story is here to scare or disgust.
Moreover, the dual timeline is well-interwoven but poorly utilised. Though I appreciate the side explorations of identity and wanting to belong or decide for oneself, the majority of Lou’s POV is a tedious read. She spends a lot of time asking questions no one wants to answer despite them all knowing that she will go and save her kidnapped teen aunt from the Goblin Market, equipped with knowledge or not. This lack of communication feels forced—like it’s just there to draw out Lou’s part of the story and act as fillers for the spaces before we get to May’s POV again. The lack of communication also drove me crazy because Lou’s just a teen and it’s the adults who are supposed to be more responsible that refuse to talk.
Anyway, the more interesting POV is May’s in the past where she’s entangled in a forbidden sapphic romance with a goblin. While I don’t enjoy insta-love, May’s side of the story also had higher stakes and a quicker pace which kept me hooked. I honestly think the book would’ve been better had the entirety of it had been in only May’s POV.
Other than that, the magic system is lacking. Aside from herbs, potions and songs/chants, what else is there for the witches? What can a witch do that a goblin or a normal person (since they can also use those herbs and potions) can’t? Outside of Goblin Market season, what do the witches do? Also, why is the Goblin Market so irresistible to people, even after they’re in it and haven’t eaten or drunk anything by the Goblins? So many questions but not enough answers.
Everything considered, Not Good for Maidens had a lot of potential to be a hair-raising rollercoaster ride of a horror, but it was far from what I expected from a Goblin Market retelling.
The last time I read a horror that evoked boredom instead of fear was Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King back in 2017, so I guess it’s not unexpected that another one would arrive in my hands sooner or later. That said, Not Good for Maidens is one of the least horrifying fantasy horrors that I’ve read, even Sleeping Beauties was a smidge scarier than this.
This lack of horror in Not Good for Maidens is largely because of the story’s execution. Not only is the tension severely lacking because it takes forever (at 65%-70% of the book) before we get to the action, but the main plot for both timelines is the same thing: a rescue. Sure, there’s a lot of gore and goblins are pretty scary in general—even when they’re depicted like the fae, but that’s all. Nothing else about the story is here to scare or disgust.
Moreover, the dual timeline is well-interwoven but poorly utilised. Though I appreciate the side explorations of identity and wanting to belong or decide for oneself, the majority of Lou’s POV is a tedious read. She spends a lot of time asking questions no one wants to answer despite them all knowing that she will go and save her kidnapped teen aunt from the Goblin Market, equipped with knowledge or not. This lack of communication feels forced—like it’s just there to draw out Lou’s part of the story and act as fillers for the spaces before we get to May’s POV again. The lack of communication also drove me crazy because Lou’s just a teen and it’s the adults who are supposed to be more responsible that refuse to talk.
Anyway, the more interesting POV is May’s in the past where she’s entangled in a forbidden sapphic romance with a goblin. While I don’t enjoy insta-love, May’s side of the story also had higher stakes and a quicker pace which kept me hooked. I honestly think the book would’ve been better had the entirety of it had been in only May’s POV.
Other than that, the magic system is lacking. Aside from herbs, potions and songs/chants, what else is there for the witches? What can a witch do that a goblin or a normal person (since they can also use those herbs and potions) can’t? Outside of Goblin Market season, what do the witches do? Also, why is the Goblin Market so irresistible to people, even after they’re in it and haven’t eaten or drunk anything by the Goblins? So many questions but not enough answers.
Everything considered, Not Good for Maidens had a lot of potential to be a hair-raising rollercoaster ride of a horror, but it was far from what I expected from a Goblin Market retelling.
Thank you so much Titan Books and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence, Cannibalism, and Torture
Minor: Confinement
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you to Page Street Books and Pride Book Tours for providing a finished copy of this book.
18 years ago, May Wicket broke all her family's rules to go into the Goblin Market. Her sister managed to free her, but not without consequences.
Today their younger sister has made the same mistake, and is stuck within the market. Lou has grown up knowing nothing about the market, but is determined to save her aunt/best friend...no matter what it takes!
18 years ago, May Wicket broke all her family's rules to go into the Goblin Market. Her sister managed to free her, but not without consequences.
Today their younger sister has made the same mistake, and is stuck within the market. Lou has grown up knowing nothing about the market, but is determined to save her aunt/best friend...no matter what it takes!
This book is so good! I was in love with it right from the beginning. It is lyrical and atmospheric and creepy and so so so good. Lou is such an amazing main character and the on page asexual rep is incredible! I want to write an essay about the parallels between the temptations of the market and Lou's asexuality!
The world building around the Goblin Market in York is really interesting and I love the Wicket family's origins...which I'm not going to say what are because spoilers. I really loved Lou the most of all. She is such a great character and her fierce determination to save Neela and her mother no matter what it takes and what could happen to her is so good to read.
The chapters written from May's timeline are also really interesting though I didn't really connect with her as much as I did with Lou. I did love how the two stories were interwoven and the flashback chapters happened in the exact right spaces to really bring Lou's story into focus!
This book is incredible and worth every second and I really hope you pick it up!
The world building around the Goblin Market in York is really interesting and I love the Wicket family's origins...which I'm not going to say what are because spoilers. I really loved Lou the most of all. She is such a great character and her fierce determination to save Neela and her mother no matter what it takes and what could happen to her is so good to read.
The chapters written from May's timeline are also really interesting though I didn't really connect with her as much as I did with Lou. I did love how the two stories were interwoven and the flashback chapters happened in the exact right spaces to really bring Lou's story into focus!
This book is incredible and worth every second and I really hope you pick it up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Confinement
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Death, and Gore
kaetheluise_nckl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Ellie @ Titan Books UK for sneaking me the ARC.
This book has a sapphic relationship, an asexual main character and a pan side character.
This book has a sapphic relationship, an asexual main character and a pan side character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Torture, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Confinement, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Alcohol
No animals/pets are harmed/die in this book.mikaylaslibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Not Good For Maidens is the kind of book that keeps you up at night, not because of the horror, but because of the writing.
After reading Tori Bovalino’s first novel, The Devil Makes Three, it was easy to say that it was the first horror novel that I read from start to finish. And I don’t like horror novels. Not Good For Maidens is the same thing.
Following two main characters, Louisa in the present day and her Aunt May eighteen years earlier, it takes the classic horror poem Goblin Market to a whole new level, literally. The market starts on summer solstice and ends as summer comes to a close, trapping those who are inside for another year. It’s full of jems and fruit, treats that will trap you beneath the earth. May is a witch, or will be in a few years, so she can still enjoy the market, and she does, entering against her mother’s wishes to experience the thing that has been calling her for so long. But the goblins are ruthless this year, and May is drawn the Market Prince’s second, leaving her trapped between what she wants and what’s good for her. Louisa finds herself in the same predicament when her best friend and younger aunt Neela becomes trapped.
It’s safe to say that I enjoyed this book. Tori Bovalino’s writing describes the horror and gore in a way that doesn’t leave pictures burning in your mind or make you sure that there’s a goblin in the shadows. Instead it takes you on the ride, and leaves you safely at the last page.
Louisa and May, while experiencing two different markets eighteen years apart, are very similar and yet drastically different. The world of witches, goblins and York after dark bring them together, whether they like it or not. Also the casual bisexual and asexual represntation was wonderful, and it made each of their perspectives in the market interesting to compare.
I can’t wait to purchase a finished copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Page Street and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Blood, Death, Vomit, Torture, and Gore
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Thanks to Pride Book Tours and Page Street YA for the free copy of this book.
- NOT GOOD FOR MAIDENS is a queer, witchy, horrifying tale, and I was fully gripped by it.
- This book is gory and haunting, but also full of love and characters itching to prove themselves.
- Flipping back and forth between POVs in different timelines can be tricky, but I think Bovalino nailed it here. The parallel stories unspool quickly enough to keep you interested but not so quickly that things are revealed too soon: you'll find yourself mentally shouting at the characters to put the pieces together.
- The two POV characters, Lou and May, are ace and bi, respectively. I appreciated that challenges they might face due to their sexualities are mentioned, but it's not a book that's full of on the page queerphobia.
- NOT GOOD FOR MAIDENS is a queer, witchy, horrifying tale, and I was fully gripped by it.
- This book is gory and haunting, but also full of love and characters itching to prove themselves.
- Flipping back and forth between POVs in different timelines can be tricky, but I think Bovalino nailed it here. The parallel stories unspool quickly enough to keep you interested but not so quickly that things are revealed too soon: you'll find yourself mentally shouting at the characters to put the pieces together.
- The two POV characters, Lou and May, are ace and bi, respectively. I appreciated that challenges they might face due to their sexualities are mentioned, but it's not a book that's full of on the page queerphobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Confinement, Death, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Violence
ermreading's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
CWs: Kidnapping, Dismemberment, Cannibalism, Gore, Violence, Torture, Confinement, Body horror, Antisemitic subtext
I'm going to start this review with something that often concerns me in Goblin Market retellings and how I think it was handled in this book before going into my thoughts on the rest of the book.
It's well known, or at least it should be, that the original Goblin Market is an extremely antisemitic work and any work based on it should seek to subvert that to avoid perpetuating further antisemitism in new forms.
(Full disclosure, I myself am not Jewish but I discussed the elements that concerned me with friends who are before posting this review)
There are ways this book subverts the antisemitism but there are many that it does not.
The goblins are described more like Fae and Fair folk than they are 'goblins' which goes part way to avoiding the antisemitic descriptions in the original, however the set up for before Lou and Mae get to the goblin market does mention horns and there is a lot of scaremongering done about their appearances (including mentions of horns) and attitudes towards humans, particularly witches. The main characters are witches and goblin blood is often an ingredient in things and said to have magical powers, the goblin market is underground, the goblins eat humans. All of this ties into extremely harmful antisemitic stereotypes that still affect Jewish people today
I think the likelihood is that the author wasn't entirely aware of how these antisemitic ideas were leaking across into the book but as I said earlier, it is, or at should be, well known about the antisemitism of the original and any work that doesn't seek to ACTIVELY subvert that, will likely still include elements of it. It's also an author's job when writing, especially when writing a retelling, to thoroughly research their subject matter and I find it hard to believe that during the author's research process they will have completely missed the discussions of antisemitism in the original text.
An example of a Goblin Market retelling that subverts the antisemitism of the original text is In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Childrens #4). In this book, rather than having a race of goblins who rely on antisemitism to be scary in an underground market, In An Absent Dream takes place in a crossroads world where people from many other universes come together to reside. The market in IAAD works on a strict moral code and those who break that code are punished in all manner of ways from reverse aging to losing senses to turning into birds. This book reframes the ideas in goblin market so it's not about an evil race of subhuman creatures but actually about morality, justice and how we treat each other. It also eliminates the physical features of goblins that formed antisemitic stereotypes.
In An Absent Dream is a perfect example of subverting harmful ideas through retelling and I don't think Not Good For Maidens was cognisant of the issues it needed to rewrite to achieve the same success.
I read Not Good For Maidens the way I read all Goblin Market retellings, keeping a keen eye out for the creeping in of the antisemitic ideas of the original but I'm aware that many readers will not do that and a lot of this will fly under people's radars.
While I'm unsure of whether to say this book is outright harmful (I'll take my cue on that from Jewish reviewers) I do think these things are concerning and should be kept in mind.
Now for my thoughts on the plot, characters and narration (as I read this as an audiobook)
Being from Yorkshire, and really enjoying goblin market retellings (when done right), I was excited to read this. I quickly realised my mistake in reading the audiobook... The narrator was entirely incapable of doing a Yorkshire accent in the slightest, most of the time it sounded Northern Irish.
There was a point where Lou says 'Edinburgh' in the dialogue and notes in her head that she's proud of herself for learning how to say it in the way her mum does so 'Eh-din-bruh' but the narrator says it 'Eh-din-borrow'. There's a point where the narrator pronounced Costa as 'Coaster' but then says it correctly towards the end of the book????
I KNOW the main character is American but choosing an American audiobook narrator who can't do a Yorkshire accent to save her life to do a book where all but 3 characters speak in Yorkshire accidents was a terrible decision and it made this book PAINFUL to listen to as someone who's lived in Yorkshire for all 26 years of my life.
This book is told in dual timeline between Mae when she was a teenager and went to the goblin market and her niece Lou, now the same age, going into the goblin market to save her young aunt Neela.
Dual timeline can be really hard to pull of and for the most part, I think the author did a really good job, the stories informed and interwove with each other well and they didn't interrupt each other's pacing. There also weren't any points where I was annoyed that we switched perspectives because it's done seamlessly enough that it makes sense that the book switches when it does. I don't think the narrative voices between perspectives are that different though and I can see it confusing people.
One of the elements I really enjoyed about this book was the casual queerness of it. Our two main characters are both queer, Mae is bi and has a relationship with a goblin woman and Lou is ace. It's always refreshing to see authors name character's sexuality on the page because it avoids any speculation or erasure of identities. Lou's strong ties with the women of her family were really lovely to read as well, her closeness with Neela and her strong urge to fight for and protect her being my favourite.
While I liked Mae and Eitra's relationship in here, I do think it could have done with a slight bit more development. It felt like they got past their issues a little quickly at times but honestly I think my opinion a little bit informed by personal taste and a little bit, I'm aromantic and struggle to understand how allos get together so quickly.
The horror elements of this books were well written, it definitely instilled that sense of unease but there were definitely times I wished the book had learnt harder into that and BEEN a horror book rather than a coming of age/rescue with strong romance and horror elements.
There was a fair amount I enjoyed about this book, the overall plot and characters were good but the painfully abysmal narration and the antisemitism underpinning the whole thing dragged this book down a HELL of a lot.
It currently sits at 3 stars but could actually be anywhere from 2.5-3.5 stars depending on how I feel
I'm going to start this review with something that often concerns me in Goblin Market retellings and how I think it was handled in this book before going into my thoughts on the rest of the book.
It's well known, or at least it should be, that the original Goblin Market is an extremely antisemitic work and any work based on it should seek to subvert that to avoid perpetuating further antisemitism in new forms.
(Full disclosure, I myself am not Jewish but I discussed the elements that concerned me with friends who are before posting this review)
There are ways this book subverts the antisemitism but there are many that it does not.
The goblins are described more like Fae and Fair folk than they are 'goblins' which goes part way to avoiding the antisemitic descriptions in the original, however the set up for before Lou and Mae get to the goblin market does mention horns and there is a lot of scaremongering done about their appearances (including mentions of horns) and attitudes towards humans, particularly witches. The main characters are witches and goblin blood is often an ingredient in things and said to have magical powers, the goblin market is underground, the goblins eat humans. All of this ties into extremely harmful antisemitic stereotypes that still affect Jewish people today
I think the likelihood is that the author wasn't entirely aware of how these antisemitic ideas were leaking across into the book but as I said earlier, it is, or at should be, well known about the antisemitism of the original and any work that doesn't seek to ACTIVELY subvert that, will likely still include elements of it. It's also an author's job when writing, especially when writing a retelling, to thoroughly research their subject matter and I find it hard to believe that during the author's research process they will have completely missed the discussions of antisemitism in the original text.
An example of a Goblin Market retelling that subverts the antisemitism of the original text is In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Childrens #4). In this book, rather than having a race of goblins who rely on antisemitism to be scary in an underground market, In An Absent Dream takes place in a crossroads world where people from many other universes come together to reside. The market in IAAD works on a strict moral code and those who break that code are punished in all manner of ways from reverse aging to losing senses to turning into birds. This book reframes the ideas in goblin market so it's not about an evil race of subhuman creatures but actually about morality, justice and how we treat each other. It also eliminates the physical features of goblins that formed antisemitic stereotypes.
In An Absent Dream is a perfect example of subverting harmful ideas through retelling and I don't think Not Good For Maidens was cognisant of the issues it needed to rewrite to achieve the same success.
I read Not Good For Maidens the way I read all Goblin Market retellings, keeping a keen eye out for the creeping in of the antisemitic ideas of the original but I'm aware that many readers will not do that and a lot of this will fly under people's radars.
While I'm unsure of whether to say this book is outright harmful (I'll take my cue on that from Jewish reviewers) I do think these things are concerning and should be kept in mind.
Now for my thoughts on the plot, characters and narration (as I read this as an audiobook)
Being from Yorkshire, and really enjoying goblin market retellings (when done right), I was excited to read this. I quickly realised my mistake in reading the audiobook... The narrator was entirely incapable of doing a Yorkshire accent in the slightest, most of the time it sounded Northern Irish.
There was a point where Lou says 'Edinburgh' in the dialogue and notes in her head that she's proud of herself for learning how to say it in the way her mum does so 'Eh-din-bruh' but the narrator says it 'Eh-din-borrow'. There's a point where the narrator pronounced Costa as 'Coaster' but then says it correctly towards the end of the book????
I KNOW the main character is American but choosing an American audiobook narrator who can't do a Yorkshire accent to save her life to do a book where all but 3 characters speak in Yorkshire accidents was a terrible decision and it made this book PAINFUL to listen to as someone who's lived in Yorkshire for all 26 years of my life.
This book is told in dual timeline between Mae when she was a teenager and went to the goblin market and her niece Lou, now the same age, going into the goblin market to save her young aunt Neela.
Dual timeline can be really hard to pull of and for the most part, I think the author did a really good job, the stories informed and interwove with each other well and they didn't interrupt each other's pacing. There also weren't any points where I was annoyed that we switched perspectives because it's done seamlessly enough that it makes sense that the book switches when it does. I don't think the narrative voices between perspectives are that different though and I can see it confusing people.
One of the elements I really enjoyed about this book was the casual queerness of it. Our two main characters are both queer, Mae is bi and has a relationship with a goblin woman and Lou is ace. It's always refreshing to see authors name character's sexuality on the page because it avoids any speculation or erasure of identities. Lou's strong ties with the women of her family were really lovely to read as well, her closeness with Neela and her strong urge to fight for and protect her being my favourite.
While I liked Mae and Eitra's relationship in here, I do think it could have done with a slight bit more development. It felt like they got past their issues a little quickly at times but honestly I think my opinion a little bit informed by personal taste and a little bit, I'm aromantic and struggle to understand how allos get together so quickly.
The horror elements of this books were well written, it definitely instilled that sense of unease but there were definitely times I wished the book had learnt harder into that and BEEN a horror book rather than a coming of age/rescue with strong romance and horror elements.
There was a fair amount I enjoyed about this book, the overall plot and characters were good but the painfully abysmal narration and the antisemitism underpinning the whole thing dragged this book down a HELL of a lot.
It currently sits at 3 stars but could actually be anywhere from 2.5-3.5 stars depending on how I feel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Violence, Vomit, Torture, Slavery, Murder, Gore, Death, Confinement, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Antisemitism
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