Scan barcode
mabellene's review
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
purrson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
I was already a fan of Kellen Graves’ Rowan Blood series, so I was eager to return to the RB universe and curious how a story set in the modern day would differ from the Rowan Blood’s past era settings. The Fox and the Dryad was immediately absorbing, and I had a difficult time putting it down, so I made space to enjoy it fully. I wasn’t disappointed in the least when I finished it—its delightfully queer, engaging throughout, and the ending is worth the tissues you may need while reading. I truly enjoy Graves’ writing, and even though I received a digital ARC, I preordered the book as well.
Mild SPOILERS (largely regarding the setup of the story and the characters background) below
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I’m not often a fan of hidden identity plots, but this story made it a logical choice, especially from Mal’s point of view. His true identity—details of his heritage, really, as he hasn’t truly hid himself or his true personality from Briar since the beginning—still looms quietly throughout the plot, like Chekov’s proverbial first act gun, as the story winds on, becoming more menacing and disruptive as Mal and Briar fall deeper into each other’s orbit until they’re undeniably in love.
But to backtrack: While abuse is a component of the story in TFATD, I really appreciate how well Graves writes abusive situations their characters are trying to navigate. IIRC There’s no on-page abuse in this work, definitely no romanticized abuse with this author, and nothing added for the sake of shock value. Graves handles the subject deftly and compassionately in the Rowan Blood series, and that work & skill shows itself early in TFATD. Briar and Mal each come to their entwined tale with significant personal trauma, and this story meets them where they are, their author clearly loving them throughout, even when they don’t love themselves.
Mal, a Fae lord, has an emotionally and physically abusive mother whose ferocious grip he barely survived, and our story starts as he’s forced back home and decides to find the lay of things (whilst trying to keep his presence hidden from his abuser and beginning to reconnect with his siblings). Mal struggles to stay hidden, terrified of the web she’s kept his siblings (and now a human, Briar, he discovers) ensnared in. He learns about Briar from a distance and when he later is introduced to them, it’s while subconsciously carrying a heavy load of renewed survivor’s guilt for both clawing himself free while his siblings were still trapped, and realizing the cage he escaped has, in his absence, snared the most unwitting soul. Mal grapples with these intense feelings, then is pulled up short by his sudden attraction to Briar. While attraction wins out in his conscious mind, his internal guilt doesn’t relent until he commits himself to freeing Briar from the deal they’ve struck with Mal’s abusive parent.
Briar, a human dance student, on the other hand, comes from a loving, supportive family but is now far away from home. Their parents, who try to stay involved and supportive, may as well be on another planet for all the connection Briar feels now. Between Briar’s difficulty proving themselves creatively at their new school, and the punishing (and threatening) demands of their secret deal dancing for the Fae Lady, Briar meets Mal at a time where Briar is at best, emotionally adrift. While deeply romantically invested in an unrequited secret crush on a male friend/old classmate (who seems clueless to Briar’s affections), Briar keeps their ego above water with an endless series of anonymous hookups at clubs. Their rules for these liaisons (never the same person twice, always at the other person’s place, never give out your number, and leave in the early morning—the ‘before they can leave you’ is unspoken) empower Briar to feel sexually liberated, they also keep them isolated, robbing themselves from experiencing any intimacy or developing romantic connections. The only relationships Briar allows themselves is a friendship with their lesbian class/roommate and her girlfriend (a bruja who knows a bit of Fae magic laws and has helped Mal in the past).
It’s an interesting point for these two characters to meet, and while I didn’t know what to expect, the characters sync in a push-and-pull orbit as the plot takes hold naturally and we’re off! The pace is steady, not dragging once, the characters true, the magic and world-building mysterious but consistent, and the spice, when it comes, is absolutely worth the logical-for-these-characters wait. (In fact, my only critique falls here, and is an extremely minor one: I could have used a little more detail in the spice—it all went a little too fast for me.)
Having read all three of Grave’s books now, their determination to do both their stories and characters justice is a constant with their work, and one I find especially admirable for a self-published author. I truly enjoyed this read, and was so grateful to get this ARC from the author, who is already one of my favorites. If you’re new to Graves’ work, you’re in for a treat! I can’t wait to return to the Rowan Blood world (and I loved the little shoutout to those lovers in TFATD!).
Mild SPOILERS (largely regarding the setup of the story and the characters background) below
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
But to backtrack: While abuse is a component of the story in TFATD, I really appreciate how well Graves writes abusive situations their characters are trying to navigate. IIRC There’s no on-page abuse in this work, definitely no romanticized abuse with this author, and nothing added for the sake of shock value. Graves handles the subject deftly and compassionately in the Rowan Blood series, and that work & skill shows itself early in TFATD. Briar and Mal each come to their entwined tale with significant personal trauma, and this story meets them where they are, their author clearly loving them throughout, even when they don’t love themselves.
Mal, a Fae lord, has an emotionally and physically abusive mother whose ferocious grip he barely survived, and our story starts as he’s forced back home and decides to find the lay of things (whilst trying to keep his presence hidden from his abuser and beginning to reconnect with his siblings). Mal struggles to stay hidden, terrified of the web she’s kept his siblings (and now a human, Briar, he discovers) ensnared in. He learns about Briar from a distance and when he later is introduced to them, it’s while subconsciously carrying a heavy load of renewed survivor’s guilt for both clawing himself free while his siblings were still trapped, and realizing the cage he escaped has, in his absence, snared the most unwitting soul. Mal grapples with these intense feelings, then is pulled up short by his sudden attraction to Briar. While attraction wins out in his conscious mind, his internal guilt doesn’t relent until he commits himself to freeing Briar from the deal they’ve struck with Mal’s abusive parent.
Briar, a human dance student, on the other hand, comes from a loving, supportive family but is now far away from home. Their parents, who try to stay involved and supportive, may as well be on another planet for all the connection Briar feels now. Between Briar’s difficulty proving themselves creatively at their new school, and the punishing (and threatening) demands of their secret deal dancing for the Fae Lady, Briar meets Mal at a time where Briar is at best, emotionally adrift. While deeply romantically invested in an unrequited secret crush on a male friend/old classmate (who seems clueless to Briar’s affections), Briar keeps their ego above water with an endless series of anonymous hookups at clubs. Their rules for these liaisons (never the same person twice, always at the other person’s place, never give out your number, and leave in the early morning—the ‘before they can leave you’ is unspoken) empower Briar to feel sexually liberated, they also keep them isolated, robbing themselves from experiencing any intimacy or developing romantic connections. The only relationships Briar allows themselves is a friendship with their lesbian class/roommate and her girlfriend (a bruja who knows a bit of Fae magic laws and has helped Mal in the past).
It’s an interesting point for these two characters to meet, and while I didn’t know what to expect, the characters sync in a push-and-pull orbit as the plot takes hold naturally and we’re off! The pace is steady, not dragging once, the characters true, the magic and world-building mysterious but consistent, and the spice, when it comes, is absolutely worth the logical-for-these-characters wait. (In fact, my only critique falls here, and is an extremely minor one: I could have used a little more detail in the spice—it all went a little too fast for me.)
Having read all three of Grave’s books now, their determination to do both their stories and characters justice is a constant with their work, and one I find especially admirable for a self-published author. I truly enjoyed this read, and was so grateful to get this ARC from the author, who is already one of my favorites. If you’re new to Graves’ work, you’re in for a treat! I can’t wait to return to the Rowan Blood world (and I loved the little shoutout to those lovers in TFATD!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Body horror
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Self harm
purrson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
I was already a fan of Kellen Graves’ Rowan Blood series, so I was eager to return to the RB universe and curious how a story set in the modern day would differ from the Rowan Blood’s past era settings. The Fox and the Dryad was immediately absorbing, and I had a difficult time putting it down, so I made space to enjoy it fully. I wasn’t disappointed in the least when I finished it—its delightfully queer, engaging throughout, and the ending is worth the tissues you may need while reading. I truly enjoy Graves’ writing, and even though I received a digital ARC, I preordered the book as well.
Mild SPOILERS (largely regarding the setup of the story and the characters background) below
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I’m not often a fan of hidden identity plots, but this story made it a logical choice, especially from Mal’s point of view. His true identity—details of his heritage, really, as he hasn’t truly hid himself or his true personality from Briar since the beginning—still looms quietly throughout the plot, like Chekov’s proverbial first act gun, as the story winds on, becoming more menacing and disruptive as Mal and Briar fall deeper into each other’s orbit until they’re undeniably in love.
But to backtrack: While abuse is a component of the story in TFATD, I really appreciate how well Graves writes abusive situations their characters are trying to navigate. IIRC There’s no on-page abuse in this work, definitely no romanticized abuse with this author, and nothing added for the sake of shock value. Graves handles the subject deftly and compassionately in the Rowan Blood series, and that work & skill shows itself early in TFATD. Briar and Mal each come to their entwined tale with significant personal trauma, and this story meets them where they are, their author clearly loving them throughout, even when they don’t love themselves.
Mal, a Fae lord, has an emotionally and physically abusive mother whose ferocious grip he barely survived, and our story starts as he’s forced back home and decides to find the lay of things (whilst trying to keep his presence hidden from his abuser and beginning to reconnect with his siblings). Mal struggles to stay hidden, terrified of the web she’s kept his siblings (and now a human, Briar, he discovers) ensnared in. He learns about Briar from a distance and when he later is introduced to them, it’s while subconsciously carrying a heavy load of renewed survivor’s guilt for both clawing himself free while his siblings were still trapped, and realizing the cage he escaped has, in his absence, snared the most unwitting soul. Mal grapples with these intense feelings, then is pulled up short by his sudden attraction to Briar. While attraction wins out in his conscious mind, his internal guilt doesn’t relent until he commits himself to freeing Briar from the deal they’ve struck with Mal’s abusive parent.
Briar, a human dance student, on the other hand, comes from a loving, supportive family but is now far away from home. Their parents, who try to stay involved and supportive, may as well be on another planet for all the connection Briar feels now. Between Briar’s difficulty proving themselves creatively at their new school, and the punishing (and threatening) demands of their secret deal dancing for the Fae Lady, Briar meets Mal at a time where Briar is at best, emotionally adrift. While deeply romantically invested in an unrequited secret crush on a male friend/old classmate (who seems clueless to Briar’s affections), Briar keeps their ego above water with an endless series of anonymous hookups at clubs. Their rules for these liaisons (never the same person twice, always at the other person’s place, never give out your number, and leave in the early morning—the ‘before they can leave you’ is unspoken) empower Briar to feel sexually liberated, they also keep them isolated, robbing themselves from experiencing any intimacy or developing romantic connections. The only relationships Briar allows themselves is a friendship with their lesbian class/roommate and her girlfriend (a bruja who knows a bit of Fae magic laws and has helped Mal in the past).
It’s an interesting point for these two characters to meet, and while I didn’t know what to expect, the characters sync in a push-and-pull orbit as the plot takes hold naturally and we’re off! The pace is steady, not dragging once, the characters true, the magic and world-building mysterious but consistent, and the spice, when it comes, is absolutely worth the logical-for-these-characters wait. (In fact, my only critique falls here, and is an extremely minor one: I could have used a little more detail in the spice—it all went a little too fast for me.)
Having read all three of Grave’s books now, their determination to do both their stories and characters justice is a constant with their work, and one I find especially admirable for a self-published author. I truly enjoyed this read, and was so grateful to get this ARC from the author, who is already one of my favorites. If you’re new to Graves’ work, you’re in for a treat! I can’t wait to return to the Rowan Blood world (and I loved the little shoutout to those lovers in TFATD!).
Mild SPOILERS (largely regarding the setup of the story and the characters background) below
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
But to backtrack: While abuse is a component of the story in TFATD, I really appreciate how well Graves writes abusive situations their characters are trying to navigate. IIRC There’s no on-page abuse in this work, definitely no romanticized abuse with this author, and nothing added for the sake of shock value. Graves handles the subject deftly and compassionately in the Rowan Blood series, and that work & skill shows itself early in TFATD. Briar and Mal each come to their entwined tale with significant personal trauma, and this story meets them where they are, their author clearly loving them throughout, even when they don’t love themselves.
Mal, a Fae lord, has an emotionally and physically abusive mother whose ferocious grip he barely survived, and our story starts as he’s forced back home and decides to find the lay of things (whilst trying to keep his presence hidden from his abuser and beginning to reconnect with his siblings). Mal struggles to stay hidden, terrified of the web she’s kept his siblings (and now a human, Briar, he discovers) ensnared in. He learns about Briar from a distance and when he later is introduced to them, it’s while subconsciously carrying a heavy load of renewed survivor’s guilt for both clawing himself free while his siblings were still trapped, and realizing the cage he escaped has, in his absence, snared the most unwitting soul. Mal grapples with these intense feelings, then is pulled up short by his sudden attraction to Briar. While attraction wins out in his conscious mind, his internal guilt doesn’t relent until he commits himself to freeing Briar from the deal they’ve struck with Mal’s abusive parent.
Briar, a human dance student, on the other hand, comes from a loving, supportive family but is now far away from home. Their parents, who try to stay involved and supportive, may as well be on another planet for all the connection Briar feels now. Between Briar’s difficulty proving themselves creatively at their new school, and the punishing (and threatening) demands of their secret deal dancing for the Fae Lady, Briar meets Mal at a time where Briar is at best, emotionally adrift. While deeply romantically invested in an unrequited secret crush on a male friend/old classmate (who seems clueless to Briar’s affections), Briar keeps their ego above water with an endless series of anonymous hookups at clubs. Their rules for these liaisons (never the same person twice, always at the other person’s place, never give out your number, and leave in the early morning—the ‘before they can leave you’ is unspoken) empower Briar to feel sexually liberated, they also keep them isolated, robbing themselves from experiencing any intimacy or developing romantic connections. The only relationships Briar allows themselves is a friendship with their lesbian class/roommate and her girlfriend (a bruja who knows a bit of Fae magic laws and has helped Mal in the past).
It’s an interesting point for these two characters to meet, and while I didn’t know what to expect, the characters sync in a push-and-pull orbit as the plot takes hold naturally and we’re off! The pace is steady, not dragging once, the characters true, the magic and world-building mysterious but consistent, and the spice, when it comes, is absolutely worth the logical-for-these-characters wait. (In fact, my only critique falls here, and is an extremely minor one: I could have used a little more detail in the spice—it all went a little too fast for me.)
Having read all three of Grave’s books now, their determination to do both their stories and characters justice is a constant with their work, and one I find especially admirable for a self-published author. I truly enjoyed this read, and was so grateful to get this ARC from the author, who is already one of my favorites. If you’re new to Graves’ work, you’re in for a treat! I can’t wait to return to the Rowan Blood world (and I loved the little shoutout to those lovers in TFATD!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Death of parent
More...