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catwhisperer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, and Blood
onceuponabookcase's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? No
3.5
I was sent this finished copy for free by Titan Books for the purposes of providing an honest review.
I had been really looking forward to reading Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino since it was announced. A sapphic and asexual retelling of The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti? Right up my street! While I enjoyed it overall, I wasn't quite as keen on one of the timelines.
The story is told in two timelines; in present day we follow Lou, whose teenage aunt and best friend Neela has been abducted while visiting the Goblin Market. Her family in the UK have history with the Goblin Market that Lou had no idea about, and is only discovering now. When her mum is injured, Lou is the only one who can enter the market and attempt to save Neela. Eighteen years previously, we follow May, another of Lou's aunts, as she falls for a goblin and is enticed to enter the Goblin Market, when she knows better, and the terrible things she experiences.
I personally found May's storyline more engaging. She knows about the Market, has her whole life, and knows the rules. She knows what happens to those who enter the Goblin Market, and yet she's tempted anyway. I don't want to spoil too much of the story, but I loved the conflict in her. Because of who she is, who her family are, her future is set in stone. She has no choice, but it's a life she definitely doesn't want. May feels trapped, and like she has no control. But she does have a choice about whether or not to enter the Goblin Market, and even though it's a terrible idea, she decides to risk it. She'll be fine; she knows the rules, she can keep herself safe. I just really loved May. She's flawed and makes bad choices, but I rooted for her. I really enjoyed the sapphic romance, too; is there any way a human can be loved by a goblin? May's story was so gripping, and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next.
With Lou's timeline, however, not a great deal happens. Lou learns about her family and their long history, what has been hidden from her all her life; she feels betrayed to have not been trusted with the truth, even though it was to try and keep her safe. And she enters the Market to try to save Neela. I just felt in comparison, more happened in May's timeline. I think part of this is down to the fact that both stories run alongside each other concurrently. While it's Lou's first time entering the Market, it's not the reader's first time of seeing it, because of May entering the Market. So we get all of the awe and wonder, but also how disturbing the Market is when May enters, and it would feel quite repetitive to show Lou reacting the same. So it's brushed past quite quickly. Especially as Lou is there for an entirely different reason; she's not there to be wowed by the wonders of the Market, she's there simply to save Neela. Get in, find her, and get out. And because she's learnt about the dangers of the market while her aunt is in danger, there is no appeal for her. She cannot understand why anyone who really knows about the Market would choose to enter it willingly. She's absolutely terrified, but she must save Neela. I was just much more emotionally involved in May's storyline. When you have both visits to the Goblin Market told side-by-side, it felt like there wasn't enough going on in Lou's story.
I also found it fascinating the way May and Lou reacted differently to the goblins. While goblins have glamour and magic, they also have this inherent magnetism. Humans are inexplicably drawn to goblins and their terrifying beauty. Even though they're scared, it's like they're caught under some kind of spell. They're not completely without conscious thought and discernment, as seen with May, but they are tempted, and it's a temptation that's difficult to ignore, as shown by the humans in the Market in both timelines who have completely given in to it. But Lou isn't tempted at all. She's not drawn to any of them. It's not discussed or touched on in any way, she just isn't; she's scared, and she wants to get out. And it made me wonder if it's because she's asexual. But not in the sense that she's missing something, that doesn't come across at all in the story. More like she has an advantage, a protection against the goblins, the other people we see don't. As I said, it's not mentioned at all in the story, or even hinted at, it's something that occurred to me while seeing how differently May and Lou react. I could be completely wrong, it could just be that her fear overwhelms any temptation. But I found it fascinating to consider as I read.
Despite my issues, I did enjoy Not Good For Maidens overall. I really liked the bisexual and asexual rep. I loved how it was written, and really look forward to reading more by Bovalino in future. The whole story is wrapped up with a proper conclusion, but there's a tiny element that hints at the possibility of there being a sequel, and if there is, I'd willingly enter the world of the Goblin Market again.
I had been really looking forward to reading Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino since it was announced. A sapphic and asexual retelling of The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti? Right up my street! While I enjoyed it overall, I wasn't quite as keen on one of the timelines.
The story is told in two timelines; in present day we follow Lou, whose teenage aunt and best friend Neela has been abducted while visiting the Goblin Market. Her family in the UK have history with the Goblin Market that Lou had no idea about, and is only discovering now. When her mum is injured, Lou is the only one who can enter the market and attempt to save Neela. Eighteen years previously, we follow May, another of Lou's aunts, as she falls for a goblin and is enticed to enter the Goblin Market, when she knows better, and the terrible things she experiences.
I personally found May's storyline more engaging. She knows about the Market, has her whole life, and knows the rules. She knows what happens to those who enter the Goblin Market, and yet she's tempted anyway. I don't want to spoil too much of the story, but I loved the conflict in her. Because of who she is, who her family are, her future is set in stone. She has no choice, but it's a life she definitely doesn't want. May feels trapped, and like she has no control. But she does have a choice about whether or not to enter the Goblin Market, and even though it's a terrible idea, she decides to risk it. She'll be fine; she knows the rules, she can keep herself safe. I just really loved May. She's flawed and makes bad choices, but I rooted for her. I really enjoyed the sapphic romance, too; is there any way a human can be loved by a goblin? May's story was so gripping, and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next.
With Lou's timeline, however, not a great deal happens. Lou learns about her family and their long history, what has been hidden from her all her life; she feels betrayed to have not been trusted with the truth, even though it was to try and keep her safe. And she enters the Market to try to save Neela. I just felt in comparison, more happened in May's timeline. I think part of this is down to the fact that both stories run alongside each other concurrently. While it's Lou's first time entering the Market, it's not the reader's first time of seeing it, because of May entering the Market. So we get all of the awe and wonder, but also how disturbing the Market is when May enters, and it would feel quite repetitive to show Lou reacting the same. So it's brushed past quite quickly. Especially as Lou is there for an entirely different reason; she's not there to be wowed by the wonders of the Market, she's there simply to save Neela. Get in, find her, and get out. And because she's learnt about the dangers of the market while her aunt is in danger, there is no appeal for her. She cannot understand why anyone who really knows about the Market would choose to enter it willingly. She's absolutely terrified, but she must save Neela. I was just much more emotionally involved in May's storyline. When you have both visits to the Goblin Market told side-by-side, it felt like there wasn't enough going on in Lou's story.
I also found it fascinating the way May and Lou reacted differently to the goblins. While goblins have glamour and magic, they also have this inherent magnetism. Humans are inexplicably drawn to goblins and their terrifying beauty. Even though they're scared, it's like they're caught under some kind of spell. They're not completely without conscious thought and discernment, as seen with May, but they are tempted, and it's a temptation that's difficult to ignore, as shown by the humans in the Market in both timelines who have completely given in to it. But Lou isn't tempted at all. She's not drawn to any of them. It's not discussed or touched on in any way, she just isn't; she's scared, and she wants to get out. And it made me wonder if it's because she's asexual. But not in the sense that she's missing something, that doesn't come across at all in the story. More like she has an advantage, a protection against the goblins, the other people we see don't. As I said, it's not mentioned at all in the story, or even hinted at, it's something that occurred to me while seeing how differently May and Lou react. I could be completely wrong, it could just be that her fear overwhelms any temptation. But I found it fascinating to consider as I read.
Despite my issues, I did enjoy Not Good For Maidens overall. I really liked the bisexual and asexual rep. I loved how it was written, and really look forward to reading more by Bovalino in future. The whole story is wrapped up with a proper conclusion, but there's a tiny element that hints at the possibility of there being a sequel, and if there is, I'd willingly enter the world of the Goblin Market again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Moderate: Body horror
This book features descriptions of internal organs and mutilated corpses.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
bookswithlyndsey's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Body horror
mals_library's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
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
tinybluepixel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I thought a long time about what to write in this review. Admittedly, I was not familiar with the Goblin Market poem (of which this book is a retelling), although it seems that other reviewers are. However, only hearing the word 'goblin' sets of the alarm sirens in my head, and, well ... Instead of saying anything more, let me cite the wikipedia article on the poem, specifically, the section on interpretations: "Some critics believe that some feminist interpretations of the work leave out an anti-semitic nature within the poem. The critic Cynthia Scheinberg believes the Goblins to be "Hebraic", anti-semitic and anti-Judaic characters that the tested Christian sisters Laura and Lizzie must face in order to transition into wholesome and complete young women." Now, we all know wikipedia is not the end-all-be-all of scientific research, but it does feel like a lot of reviewers on here seem to think of the original poem to be some kind of sexy coming-of-age story.
And ... yeah. An underground race of sub-human creatures who lure humans away to kill and eat them? Oh, that's a big yikes. A really big one. And if a portion of these creatures are described as having green skin? Hm. An even bigger yikes. And then their main area of existance is a market, where they trade in blood and tears and locks of hair for cursed fruit? Oh. That's ... I mean, that's not great.
Now, from other reviews on this book, it seems that Goblin Market retellings are ... a thing? And I'm not sure how retelling such a deeply antisemitic could ever work.
It doesn't work in this book.
I'm not sure if the author was aware of the antisemitic background of the poem, but honestly, it kind of feels hard to miss. The goblins in this book are not like the H*rry P*tter ones, but more akin to fairie creatures, built on trickery and brutality. However, they do still very much lure human teenagers underground and kill them. So, in my personal opinion, there wasn't much done to subvert the antisemitic tropes in the source material.
In addition to the antisemitic nature of the goblins, the rest of the novel just felt jumbled together. It's dual perspective, dual timelines: In the past, May falls in love with a goblin and disregards the treaty with the goblins to see her. In the present, Lou (May's niece) tries to save her other aunt Neela (May's sister) after Neela is captured in the market. It is said many times that Lou doesn't believe in goblins, but she sure as hell accepts her reality soon enough. It's weird, because at points it seems like the narrative can't decide whether Lou believes in the market or not? Additionally, we know exactly what happens to May because she tells Lou before we get to read things from her POV, so there's no suspense at all during her chapters. We already know she's gonna get captured. We already know she's gonna kill the market prince.
Also, what was the whole witch subplot about? Felt like a totally separate book, a totally separate story, and honestly, if it would've been left out, the story wouldn't have been altered at all. Same with May's pregnancy. None of these things had an impact on the story at all, nor were they necessary.
Now, to round this review out with: I liked that the author explicitly stated the sexualities of Lou, May, and Neela. It feels like it's too rarely that we actually read the words asexual and bisexual in books. Sure, there's asexual and bisexual characters, but how often do we actually read those words? That was a nice surprise. I just wish Lou's asexuality would've been more integrated into the story and not just used as an explanation as to why she feels alienated from other people her age. For example, the market works a lot on sexual temptation, and I think an asexual character in that environment could've made for interesting interactions. But alas, it was not to be.
I thought a long time about what to write in this review. Admittedly, I was not familiar with the Goblin Market poem (of which this book is a retelling), although it seems that other reviewers are. However, only hearing the word 'goblin' sets of the alarm sirens in my head, and, well ... Instead of saying anything more, let me cite the wikipedia article on the poem, specifically, the section on interpretations: "Some critics believe that some feminist interpretations of the work leave out an anti-semitic nature within the poem. The critic Cynthia Scheinberg believes the Goblins to be "Hebraic", anti-semitic and anti-Judaic characters that the tested Christian sisters Laura and Lizzie must face in order to transition into wholesome and complete young women." Now, we all know wikipedia is not the end-all-be-all of scientific research, but it does feel like a lot of reviewers on here seem to think of the original poem to be some kind of sexy coming-of-age story.
And ... yeah. An underground race of sub-human creatures who lure humans away to kill and eat them? Oh, that's a big yikes. A really big one. And if a portion of these creatures are described as having green skin? Hm. An even bigger yikes. And then their main area of existance is a market, where they trade in blood and tears and locks of hair for cursed fruit? Oh. That's ... I mean, that's not great.
Now, from other reviews on this book, it seems that Goblin Market retellings are ... a thing? And I'm not sure how retelling such a deeply antisemitic could ever work.
It doesn't work in this book.
I'm not sure if the author was aware of the antisemitic background of the poem, but honestly, it kind of feels hard to miss. The goblins in this book are not like the H*rry P*tter ones, but more akin to fairie creatures, built on trickery and brutality. However, they do still very much lure human teenagers underground and kill them. So, in my personal opinion, there wasn't much done to subvert the antisemitic tropes in the source material.
In addition to the antisemitic nature of the goblins, the rest of the novel just felt jumbled together. It's dual perspective, dual timelines: In the past, May falls in love with a goblin and disregards the treaty with the goblins to see her. In the present, Lou (May's niece) tries to save her other aunt Neela (May's sister) after Neela is captured in the market. It is said many times that Lou doesn't believe in goblins, but she sure as hell accepts her reality soon enough. It's weird, because at points it seems like the narrative can't decide whether Lou believes in the market or not? Additionally, we know exactly what happens to May because she tells Lou before we get to read things from her POV, so there's no suspense at all during her chapters. We already know she's gonna get captured. We already know she's gonna kill the market prince.
Also, what was the whole witch subplot about? Felt like a totally separate book, a totally separate story, and honestly, if it would've been left out, the story wouldn't have been altered at all. Same with May's pregnancy. None of these things had an impact on the story at all, nor were they necessary.
Now, to round this review out with: I liked that the author explicitly stated the sexualities of Lou, May, and Neela. It feels like it's too rarely that we actually read the words asexual and bisexual in books. Sure, there's asexual and bisexual characters, but how often do we actually read those words? That was a nice surprise. I just wish Lou's asexuality would've been more integrated into the story and not just used as an explanation as to why she feels alienated from other people her age. For example, the market works a lot on sexual temptation, and I think an asexual character in that environment could've made for interesting interactions. But alas, it was not to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Antisemitism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Death, Cannibalism, Drug use, Medical content, Murder, and Torture
amanduhhhpls's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was a book where the vibes were great but it could have used a little more rounding out of character arcs to truly get the reader to connect.
The descriptions of the small Scottish town, the giant looming cathedral, the river that runs through the city, and the unease of the goblin market all made the vibes of this book immaculate if you're looking for a grim read.
The gore in this was pretty heavy. There are some descriptions of disembowlment, decapitation, and lots and lots of body horror. There is medical/magical grossness. If you're familiar with goblin markets from other stories, then this will likely feel familiar to you. The only big difference between this and other goblin stories was that the goblins feel more like fae. It was an interesting characterization.
On to the characters: I didn't like how the mom and aunts kept our main character in the dark about something that was such an important part of her upbringing and their lives. Almost the entire conflict in this book could have been solved if Mae and Laura talked to Lou openly about their family history. Even when Neela goes missing, they are still so secretive and don't tell Lou anything until she basically forces them to. This ends up putting Lou into the unlikely hero/naive hero trope that I don't love.
This was told in a dual timeline, which is always a gamble because there's one timeline I end up liking more, and this time it was the flashbacks into Mae's life. I wish we got more backstory to why a goblin felt like a safe place to explore her sexuality, but her on-page exploration of bisexuality and the sapphic relationship that ensued was hands down the best part of the book. Mae and Eitra's characters were the most well-rounded in the book and their motivations were clear because of it.
There's some other rep as well: Lou is asexual and Neela is pan. Neither of these are explored very far, but they are stated on page.
Overall, I just wished this book didn't hinge on miscommunication and I wish some of the characters were written with stronger, more relatable stories.
The descriptions of the small Scottish town, the giant looming cathedral, the river that runs through the city, and the unease of the goblin market all made the vibes of this book immaculate if you're looking for a grim read.
The gore in this was pretty heavy. There are some descriptions of disembowlment, decapitation, and lots and lots of body horror. There is medical/magical grossness. If you're familiar with goblin markets from other stories, then this will likely feel familiar to you. The only big difference between this and other goblin stories was that the goblins feel more like fae. It was an interesting characterization.
On to the characters: I didn't like how the mom and aunts kept our main character in the dark about something that was such an important part of her upbringing and their lives. Almost the entire conflict in this book could have been solved if Mae and Laura talked to Lou openly about their family history. Even when Neela goes missing, they are still so secretive and don't tell Lou anything until she basically forces them to. This ends up putting Lou into the unlikely hero/naive hero trope that I don't love.
This was told in a dual timeline, which is always a gamble because there's one timeline I end up liking more, and this time it was the flashbacks into Mae's life. I wish we got more backstory to why a goblin felt like a safe place to explore her sexuality, but her on-page exploration of bisexuality and the sapphic relationship that ensued was hands down the best part of the book. Mae and Eitra's characters were the most well-rounded in the book and their motivations were clear because of it.
There's some other rep as well: Lou is asexual and Neela is pan. Neither of these are explored very far, but they are stated on page.
Overall, I just wished this book didn't hinge on miscommunication and I wish some of the characters were written with stronger, more relatable stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Body horror, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Kidnapping
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.