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gwynnfox's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual violence
Moderate: Animal death, Classism, and Child abuse
Minor: Grief and Eating disorder
sabrinz's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
The book starts a bit slow and is (in my opinion) never really fast-paced as we follow Vanja, posing as a princess, who steals from the reach to flee the country (and the decisions her godmothers want to impose on her). But her greed draws the curse of a deity and she'll die at the next full moon if she does not give back what she took.
Enter a junior investigator who is more than he seems and a wrathful husband-to-be who schemes behind the scenes, but why?
As an unlikely alliance forms, the past and how Vanja came to pose as the princess come to light and maybe some amends will be made.
I was mad at myelf for not getting which fairy tale this was until after having read a very unmistakable name - and only then realizing what this meant after a few more hours.
It's a great read with many elements from different fairy tales (a lot of it from German mythology) but also a lot of German influences (esp. the food - with some liberties in the spelling).
There is a second book, but this one can be read as a stand-alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger but is also not a definite end to the journeys the characters have gone on.
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Animal death, and Murder
r_a_bell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Gaslighting, Blood, and Gore
marleywrites's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Violence, Infidelity, Police brutality, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Sexual assault
There are moments when a character is triggered by her previous sexual assault. But the sexual assault does not occur on page.cassie_roberts's review against another edition
- 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
This story was happy, sad, bitter, sweet, frustrating, and wholesome in a way that was thrilling and impossible to put down. The humor, wit, and banter are well-written and perfectly executed to have you laughing out loud at the most unexpected moments.
The characters are diverse, witty, charming, morally grey, righteously independent, and full of growth. The story follows Vanya, the goddaughter of Death and Fortune. Vanya is the horrible girl at the heart of the story. She is morally grey, she steals lives and she exposes thorny truth. She is positioned as someone who will do anything to survive but she may surprise you yet or not if you love her character like I did.
Each relationship whether it was romantic or otherwise in the story was developed in such a way that it felt real. You got to follow along as characters developed their thoughts and feelings towards one another and it all made sense.
The world itself was incredible. It was atmospheric, dark and mysterious. The story is told like a fairy tale and it had me hooked. The book setting has heavy Germanic influences from the setting, to the food and the language used throughout the book. The books magic system has gods, grimlings, kobolds and general creatures of nightmares. As well as Perfects who are humans connected to the Godly Court who can use witch ash or witch oil to perform magic to protect against the grimlings or to help heal injuries but it comes with a price as most magic does. Overall the magic system is intensely intricate and intriguing and I completely loved the high fantasy nature of it.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book - Painted Devils 😍😍
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death
The author said it best - “this is a story about many things, beautiful and ugly, painful and true. There are discussions of child abuse and neglect, navigating abusive environments, and trauma from a past attempted assault. For many of us, these are wounds, and I have tried to give them air here without tearing at the hard-won stitches. Still, I trust you to know your scars.”thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Body shaming, and Murder
Minor: Rape and Animal death
shadowspinner's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse and Death
Minor: Sexual assault and Animal death
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Alcoholism, Animal death, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Murder, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
quillify_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Blood