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gondorgirl's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, and Sexism
surdiablo's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
'Interesting' subversion of a classic story with snarky humor. Made me chuckle sometimes but also became too repetitive, which I guess is unavoidable considering how the story has to progress. Felt like nothing special overall, but the ending wasn't what I expected and it seemed rather morbidly funny, especially the nice little touch on the last page. Overall, it was just okay...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Animal death, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
essjay's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I bounced p hard off Gideon the Ninth, and was worried I wouldn't like this either, but it was entirely captivating and I read it in one sitting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Confinement
szuum's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Gore
tostita's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I loved the first half of this book, which made the ending all the more disappointing.
What’s good: the voice, the wit, the scenario, the narration
What’s bad: Floralinda does not become empowered to be her real self; rather, she is broken and hardened by events into someone who is no more, and perhaps far less, her “real” self than the spoiled princess she started as. In the end she has become someone who turns to violence first, regardless of need, who now willingly upholds the same violent institution that imprisoned her in the first place. I also am not at all comfortable with the implication that one cannot be a girl and also be strong, or damaged, or anything less than softly pretty and meek, and that being tough and deviating from mainstream beauty standards makes one a “monster.” And then there is the uncomfortable incident where Floralinda forces agender Cobweb to choose whether to be a boy or a girl. I assumed the book would circle back around to that by the end and correct things, but it never did.
This book started off so well. I wish it hadn’t let me down in the end.
What’s good: the voice, the wit, the scenario, the narration
What’s bad: Floralinda does not become empowered to be her real self; rather, she is broken and hardened by events into someone who is no more, and perhaps far less, her “real” self than the spoiled princess she started as. In the end she has become someone who turns to violence first, regardless of need, who now willingly upholds the same violent institution that imprisoned her in the first place. I also am not at all comfortable with the implication that one cannot be a girl and also be strong, or damaged, or anything less than softly pretty and meek, and that being tough and deviating from mainstream beauty standards makes one a “monster.” And then there is the uncomfortable incident where Floralinda forces agender Cobweb to choose whether to be a boy or a girl. I assumed the book would circle back around to that by the end and correct things, but it never did.
This book started off so well. I wish it hadn’t let me down in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide
andloveistoolong's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship
pengustorm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Princess Floralinda has a witch stick her at the top of a tower so that she can be rescued and get a husband. Floralinda is on the 40th floor. And all 39 of the other floors are filled with nasty things that the princes have to face to be worthy of her. The only problem- the dragon guarding the first floor is too good. None of the princes survive to fight the second floor. Which means Floralinda has to find her way down the tower. I love how Floralinda finds the strength in herself to handle all of these very un-princessly battles. And the end! Fantastic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
katiemack's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Sarcastic fairies, battling monsters, a princess who isn’t really a princess—this is so fun! It’s my first Tamsyn Muir, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I listened to this on audiobook because I loved reading Gideon the Ninth by the same author, and I wanted to get a feel for this narrator since I know she (Moira Quirk) narrates The Locked Tomb series. First of all, Moira Quirk is fantastic and I'd listen to just about anything she narrated. As far as the story, it's an interesting examination of fairy-tale tropes. As might be expected if you've read anything else by Tamsyn Muir, it can be quite dark while also being sarcastic and humorous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Body horror
Minor: Vomit, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder
aardwyrm's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Striking the balance between riffing on riffs and intentionally clashing tones is tricky, but with very few stumbles, achieved. There are a few moments that are downright precious, but overall a fun little subversion for the generation that grew up on already subverted fairy tales.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Vomit, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexism, Suicide, Abandonment, Animal death, and Mental illness