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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
Lush, ethereal and utterly unputdownable! Veronica Roth’s Slavic folklore infused Urban Fantasy was a gorgeously crafted novella exploring themes of family heritage, sacrifice and redemption that I couldn’t get enough of.
Set in modern day Chicago, we follow a human (Dymitr) who convinces Zmora (Aleksja aka ‘Ala’ ) to find help him find the legendary witch Baba Jaga. In exchange for an enchanted flower that can cure the curse placed upon her bloodline by the monster-hunting group known as the Holy Order.
But time is of the essence as the flower— once picked— only has 36 hours before it dies… and all of their hopes along with it.
I don’t read novellas very often as, usually, if they aren’t connected to an already established story or series, they can sometimes fall flat for me- especially when it comes to the worldbuilding and character development. But, I’m glad to report, that was absolutely not the case for Veronica Roth’s newest work.
Despite its only 170-ish page length, Roth weaves quite a vivid and compelling narrative with an endearing cast of characters that I found soo easy to immerse myself in.
I liked all three of our POV characters (Ala, Dymitr and Niko) but it was Dymitr who fascinated me the most with his mysterious backstory and reasons for wanting to meet Baba Jaga kept secret from us for the majority of the story. His with detailed knowledge of monsters also makes him an enigma to Ala and Niko who were desperate to figure him out just as much as I was.
Having grown up in such a multicultural part of the UK, I love learning about different cultures so enjoyed getting to explore Chicago’s Polish immigrant community in such an intimate and unique manner.
With reference to the November uprising, as well as scenes exploring Slavic and Polish traditions (one of my fave being when Dymitr translates an old lullaby Ala’s mother used to sing) Roth’s descriptions felt rooted in experiences of real diaspora communities and the varying degrees of connection (or disconnect) that can arise over time.
My only real complaint is that it wasn’t longer! I’d adored the world-building and characters, and hope that Roth will someday take the chance to revisit in future projects.
If you love Urban Fantasy, The Witcher or Slavic folklore, then you should definitely consider checking this out. Just check TWs beforehand.
Also, thank you Titan Books for the proof.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
btwnprintedpgs's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Now I need a printed version of this book on my shelf. Atmospheric, emotional, and fantastically woven together, I need this novella injected into my veins.
In such a short time, this story built a rich, paranormal underbelly within modern-day Chicago; made me care immensely about its characters and get emotional over them; and tied together the fates of three people who seemingly have nothing in common other than being relative outsiders within their communities. I loved the writing and the depth we got from the characters despite the format of the story (or because of the format of the story?). The mythological depth was also well done - not too info dumpy, but enough that you understand each class/race so that you care and you can follow.
Am I back in my Veronica Roth era? Who knows. But I am now a huge fan of this book.
TW: death, mutilation, violence, murder, injury detail, alcohol, blood; mentions death of a parent, death of a child
eARC gifted via Edelweiss by Tor Books in exchange for an honest review.
In such a short time, this story built a rich, paranormal underbelly within modern-day Chicago; made me care immensely about its characters and get emotional over them; and tied together the fates of three people who seemingly have nothing in common other than being relative outsiders within their communities. I loved the writing and the depth we got from the characters despite the format of the story (or because of the format of the story?). The mythological depth was also well done - not too info dumpy, but enough that you understand each class/race so that you care and you can follow.
Am I back in my Veronica Roth era? Who knows. But I am now a huge fan of this book.
TW: death, mutilation, violence, murder, injury detail, alcohol, blood; mentions death of a parent, death of a child
eARC gifted via Edelweiss by Tor Books in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol and Blood
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
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