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lacewing's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
shalini_gunnasan's review against another edition
4.0
This was really fun. Wish it was longer, feels like it was cut off a bit abruptly at the end.
lezreadalot's review against another edition
3.0
This was okay. A neat story about faeries and changelings, from the POV of a mischievous old scout. I wish we'd gotten more world building, a bit more about changelings and a bit more interaction with the human mother. Also the romance between Domnall and Micol was a little ?_?
But I enjoyed it.
But I enjoyed it.
wzwy's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ltwardwriter's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kemendraugh's review against another edition
4.0
What a strange little faerie story. I think I liked it? Probably three and a half stars.
jskstarr's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse
One of the charactersrobotwitch's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. A sweet, and fairly quaint, little faerie story.
leticiatoraci's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting Novella with Fae. I wish there would be more chapters to this story with these characters and world, this felt like the beginning of a novel length story.
verkisto's review
4.0
Many of the novellas I've read lately have been heavy, thoughtful pieces about real issues. I like that sort of fiction. Story is still king, so the issues have to work in service to the issues, and there's nothing that annoys me more than a book that is more issue than story. If I have to choose between the two, I will always choose story.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child isn't about issues, but it's a well-told story that doesn't let go once you begin reading. Domnall is an old, crotchety fae creature who is sent out to find a baby to swap with one of their own ill children. Mother's milk is the only thing that will cure the child, but with fewer and fewer of their own kind brave enough to go into the outside world, it falls on Domnall to make that journey.
Wrigley's storytelling is natural and approachable. Her characters are fully realized, and the relationships she creates between them are believable. It's a light story, but the threats are real, and the consequences serious, so you wind up reading to make sure that everything will turn out okay in the end. These are the best kinds of stories. There were a couple of anachronisms in the dialogue that pulled me out of the story -- I'm not convinced that "Catch up with you later" is a phrase used by the fae -- but they're minor quibbles.
The story ends with enough unanswered questions to make me hope that this is just the first in a series. I'd like to see more adventures involving Domnall, not just because of how this novella ends, but also because of how well this story is written. Domnall and the Borrowed Child is one of those stories that's just a delight to read.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child isn't about issues, but it's a well-told story that doesn't let go once you begin reading. Domnall is an old, crotchety fae creature who is sent out to find a baby to swap with one of their own ill children. Mother's milk is the only thing that will cure the child, but with fewer and fewer of their own kind brave enough to go into the outside world, it falls on Domnall to make that journey.
Wrigley's storytelling is natural and approachable. Her characters are fully realized, and the relationships she creates between them are believable. It's a light story, but the threats are real, and the consequences serious, so you wind up reading to make sure that everything will turn out okay in the end. These are the best kinds of stories. There were a couple of anachronisms in the dialogue that pulled me out of the story -- I'm not convinced that "Catch up with you later" is a phrase used by the fae -- but they're minor quibbles.
The story ends with enough unanswered questions to make me hope that this is just the first in a series. I'd like to see more adventures involving Domnall, not just because of how this novella ends, but also because of how well this story is written. Domnall and the Borrowed Child is one of those stories that's just a delight to read.