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kiwij96's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.5
Good, solid worldbuilding alongside character development. From the first page, you know exactly who the main character is and why she does the things she does. Sometimes heavy on the symbolism, but I cannot fault the pacing, the twists, the characters, the romance and friendships that seemingly blossom naturally. Nothing in this story feels forced. Poldi and Ragne honestly have my whole heard, and Barthl is on track to be up there as one of my favourites if he appears in the next book. It was genuinely such a delight to read, but it was also so genuinely heartbreaking at the same time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Classism, Grief, and Body horror
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Injury/Injury detail
starmaiden's review against another edition
5.0
whoever it was that recommended this to me you are my new favourite person ever
james_dean's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
abby_can_read's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
4.0
đź“–
This book lived up to my expectations. I had a wonderful time reading it. The characters were well-developed and I liked the various relationships. I liked the relationship between Vanja and Emeric. The worldbuilding was good. The plot was a little predictable, there were a few twists that I didn't see, and the writing style was good.
This book lived up to my expectations. I had a wonderful time reading it. The characters were well-developed and I liked the various relationships. I liked the relationship between Vanja and Emeric. The worldbuilding was good. The plot was a little predictable, there were a few twists that I didn't see, and the writing style was good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death
amyteurhour's review against another edition
3.5
Content warning: abandonment, child abuse, neglect, rape, classism, toxic relationship, panic attack
The pacing felt a bit slow and dragged out for me, but overall a decent amount of angst. I wish the friendship between the Goose Girl/main character and the bird girl were more developed. The bird girl's relationship felt kind of instalove. I did check out Book 2, but haven't gotten around to it/made it a priority to read, make of that what you will.
The pacing felt a bit slow and dragged out for me, but overall a decent amount of angst. I wish the friendship between the Goose Girl/main character and the bird girl were more developed. The bird girl's relationship felt kind of instalove. I did check out Book 2, but haven't gotten around to it/made it a priority to read, make of that what you will.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship
karebearrawr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
okevamae's review against another edition
5.0
Vanja grew up as a maidservant of princess Gisele, and was abused by the family while the princess watched on in silence. Vanja’s godmothers, Fortune and Death, are two of the lower gods who watch over the Blessed Empire. When her mother figures told her that she needed to choose one of them to serve, she chose defiant independence over a life of further servitude. Now, she is living a double life of deception and thievery, impersonating the princess Gisele by day and robbing the aristocracy of their jewels by night, while the real Gisele lives penniless in the slums. But a run-in with an angry god has left her cursed, and running out of options. She has to make amends for her transgressions within two weeks, or else she will suffer a painful fate, fitting for a jewel thief: death, by way of slowly turning into the precious gems she covets.
I adored Margaret Owen’s Merciful Crow duology, so I was really excited to get her newest book! I do enjoy fairytale-inspired stories, but “The Goose Girl” is not a fairytale I am familiar with, so I basically went into the story with no expectations as to what might happen. What I found was utterly delightful, an intriguing world of magic populated by vividly drawn characters. Vanja and Gisele are deeply flawed but understandably so, and the character growth they both show over the course of the book is fantastic. The dialogue is excellent, the pacing keeps the story moving along, the romantic subplots were enjoyable, and the plot is captivating – although the book is just as much about the lasting effects of trauma, and learning how to trust again after that trust has been shattered.
In short, I loved it. I can’t wait to see what Margaret Owen cooks up next.
Representation: Lesbian main characters, other LGBT side characters, genderfluid side character and mentions of trans people (if any of the other named characters are trans, it is not mentioned.) Queer people and queer relationships are not just included, but entirely normalized within the world of this book.
Tw: child abuse, child neglect, PTSD
I adored Margaret Owen’s Merciful Crow duology, so I was really excited to get her newest book! I do enjoy fairytale-inspired stories, but “The Goose Girl” is not a fairytale I am familiar with, so I basically went into the story with no expectations as to what might happen. What I found was utterly delightful, an intriguing world of magic populated by vividly drawn characters. Vanja and Gisele are deeply flawed but understandably so, and the character growth they both show over the course of the book is fantastic. The dialogue is excellent, the pacing keeps the story moving along, the romantic subplots were enjoyable, and the plot is captivating – although the book is just as much about the lasting effects of trauma, and learning how to trust again after that trust has been shattered.
In short, I loved it. I can’t wait to see what Margaret Owen cooks up next.
Representation: Lesbian main characters, other LGBT side characters, genderfluid side character and mentions of trans people (if any of the other named characters are trans, it is not mentioned.) Queer people and queer relationships are not just included, but entirely normalized within the world of this book.
Tw: child abuse, child neglect, PTSD
sampauwels's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5