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bookdragonenby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-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
I love this book, I wish that the romance had made a bigger aspect. But Alyce needed her time to grow and find herself. I had my suspicions of Kal and Laurel and sadly I was proven correct with their betrayal of Alyce in the end. As I read this book during class I wanted to throw it so badly at the end. The sequel can't come quick enough to quench my anger at the Briar King and Laurel. I was satisfied with Alyce's revenge, but now I simply want Alyce to be reunited with Aurora. I'm worried to see how much my heart will be broken in the sequel, but we'll find out soon enough.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Cursing
its_nix's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Blood
solenekeleroux's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I'm torn about this book.
I loved the world-building, with the Grace system and how it explores capitalist exploitation of magical beings, that's something I wasn't expecting from this book and I was here for it.
The most lacking part was the romance, especially in the build-up part. It was all tell and no show, so not very believable when something did end up happening. The twists at the end are not bad, but too little too late. I was bored during all the middle part of the book (when the romance was supposed to build-up).
The character development is also a bit weak. It started well with Alyce's character, I loved the storyline of how she discovers herself and her power. But then there's no real growth or transformation, it stays very much on the surface of what she can do with her powers instead of the deep inner exploration of good and evil that I was expecting. Most other characters have little substance and are very black and white, except for the graces (again, I think I would have loved a novel just about the graces because that was the most interesting part), especially Laurel and her political reasoning.
Side-note, I am very pissed off whenever there is a shape-shifter character/storyline and it doesn't lead to a real exploration of gender and identity, especially in what is supposed to be a sapphic novel. Don't give me shape shifters and not make them queer!
I loved the world-building, with the Grace system and how it explores capitalist exploitation of magical beings, that's something I wasn't expecting from this book and I was here for it.
The most lacking part was the romance, especially in the build-up part. It was all tell and no show, so not very believable when something did end up happening. The twists at the end are not bad, but too little too late. I was bored during all the middle part of the book (when the romance was supposed to build-up).
The character development is also a bit weak. It started well with Alyce's character, I loved the storyline of how she discovers herself and her power. But then there's no real growth or transformation, it stays very much on the surface of what she can do with her powers instead of the deep inner exploration of good and evil that I was expecting. Most other characters have little substance and are very black and white, except for the graces (again, I think I would have loved a novel just about the graces because that was the most interesting part), especially Laurel and her political reasoning.
Side-note, I am very pissed off whenever there is a shape-shifter character/storyline and it doesn't lead to a real exploration of gender and identity, especially in what is supposed to be a sapphic novel. Don't give me shape shifters and not make them queer!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Xenophobia, and Torture
Moderate: Genocide, Drug use, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
cbg11003's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The author herself said on TikTok that this book would tear me apart. Did I hear those warnings? No, I did not. I love and hate these characters so much ending this book and realizing I need to wait for the sequel caused me actual pain!
If you like fantasy, the sleeping beauty story, and/or sapphic stories and don't mind having your heart played with, definitely give this book a go.
If you like fantasy, the sleeping beauty story, and/or sapphic stories and don't mind having your heart played with, definitely give this book a go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Confinement, War, and Death
Minor: Animal death and Body shaming
booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
MALICE is a well-crafted Sleeping Beauty retelling which features a protagonist struggling against monstrosity until it feels like her only path for survival. Alyce is fantastically self-centered in a way that is at once completely understandable and the makings of an excellent villain-protagonist. She's trapped in a brutal system which pretends to be a gilded cage for most but has always been pointedly cruel to her. The rivalry between her and Rose was well-developed, with a sense of history and several meaningful shifts when Rose drifts from being the main antagonist to merely an annoyance as Alyce's problems become so much bigger than what's happening in Lavender House.
The romance is fine, I guess, not my favorite but not terrible. It's not the core of the story and I don't think it's trying to be. As a retelling, this doesn't require any knowledge of the source material. While it's more than referential, it remixes and reframes the pieces until it's a new story which can stand on its own. I actually think it reads much better if you're not trying to see where it compares to the older story. I like how it dives into the Fae side of the story without moving the setting away from the kingdom, their lives are affected by the big deeds and magical pacts of hundreds of years prior but they just have to get through today, and the next day.
I was troubled by the way it uses references to the Pleasure Graces without actually clarifying what their role is. It felt like it was heavily implied that they're sex slaves (where slavery feels like too strong of a term for the other Graces even though they're just as trapped, but feels extremely appropriate if the Pleasure Graces have involuntary sex work as part of their Crown-mandated position). If all that's happening is their gift is used in potions that help other people have better sex then I wish the novel had taken the time to clarify that point. Instead, it uses a scene with someone pretending to be a Pleasure Grace, intimating that she's there to provide the kind of service to a new bride that has historically been associated with concubines and sex workers, and doesn't provide clarification. If the Pleasure Graces are sex slaves then that should have been the rallying cry, not the much weaker claims about wishing for the system to be "better" somehow. Basically there's just enough detail to be very uncomfortable and not enough for me to be sure that I'm incorrect about my guess. Ultimately it's a small part of the story and I'll keep an eye on how that aspect is handled (if at all) in the sequel.
Overall this is a solid retelling and a good novel which depicts the slow slide of a trapped young woman into the monster everyone already thought she was.
The romance is fine, I guess, not my favorite but not terrible. It's not the core of the story and I don't think it's trying to be. As a retelling, this doesn't require any knowledge of the source material. While it's more than referential, it remixes and reframes the pieces until it's a new story which can stand on its own. I actually think it reads much better if you're not trying to see where it compares to the older story. I like how it dives into the Fae side of the story without moving the setting away from the kingdom, their lives are affected by the big deeds and magical pacts of hundreds of years prior but they just have to get through today, and the next day.
I was troubled by the way it uses references to the Pleasure Graces without actually clarifying what their role is. It felt like it was heavily implied that they're sex slaves (where slavery feels like too strong of a term for the other Graces even though they're just as trapped, but feels extremely appropriate if the Pleasure Graces have involuntary sex work as part of their Crown-mandated position). If all that's happening is their gift is used in potions that help other people have better sex then I wish the novel had taken the time to clarify that point. Instead, it uses a scene with someone pretending to be a Pleasure Grace, intimating that she's there to provide the kind of service to a new bride that has historically been associated with concubines and sex workers, and doesn't provide clarification. If the Pleasure Graces are sex slaves then that should have been the rallying cry, not the much weaker claims about wishing for the system to be "better" somehow. Basically there's just enough detail to be very uncomfortable and not enough for me to be sure that I'm incorrect about my guess. Ultimately it's a small part of the story and I'll keep an eye on how that aspect is handled (if at all) in the sequel.
Overall this is a solid retelling and a good novel which depicts the slow slide of a trapped young woman into the monster everyone already thought she was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexism, Misogyny, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Murder, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
clovelatte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Moderate: War, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Torture, Murder, Misogyny, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Bullying
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
catmac15's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
One of the best sapphic books I've ever read! The world-building and magic systems were so well done. This book was also 500+ pages and I finished it in less than 3 days (that's pretty quick for me, especially with school) and I couldn't put it down, especially the last 100 or so pages really were the selling point of the book for me. The author did such a good job of taking a story we all know so well (Sleeping Beauty) and giving a whole new spin to it. One thing about retellings is that there's a chance that they would be too predictable because we know the original story and we might end up with a copy-and-paste situation but Malice is the complete opposite. I look forward to the release of the 2nd book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Grief, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Genocide, War, and Misogyny
lagiven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.25
This was a beautiful, Sapphic retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and I love that the evil fairy was the protagonist. Alyce's character arc is strong, and her descent into villainy was well paced. I loved how good and evil blurred throughout the book. I also appreciated that even some antagonistic characters were given backstories to explain their actions. Aurora was a great juxtaposition from the classic fairy tale princess, and the relationship between her and Alyce was excellent in how they accepted and trusted each other. There was some insta-love type stuff, but that does come with fairy tale stories. My only real con was that the last quarter of the book felt very rushed. It jumped from twist to twist, so there wasn't much time to register what had just happened before the characters were thrown into a new, crazy scene. That being said, I sped through this book in a few days, and I can't wait for its sequel to be released.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, and Misogyny
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5 RTC
Well. Damn. This was incredible!!
Rep: sapphic half-vila MC, possibly suffers from PTSD, sapphic love interest, queer-normative world for MLM and WLW couples (sadly still very driven by the gender binary).
CWs: Blood, bullying, death, gaslighting/manipulation, lesbophobia/general queerphobia for royals, misogyny, murder, violence, child abuse, drug use/abuse by side character, grief, slavery/extortion of Graces, torture, xenophobia towards Vila and Fae.
Well. Damn. This was incredible!!
Rep: sapphic half-vila MC, possibly suffers from PTSD, sapphic love interest, queer-normative world for MLM and WLW couples (sadly still very driven by the gender binary).
CWs: Blood, bullying, death, gaslighting/manipulation, lesbophobia/general queerphobia for royals, misogyny, murder, violence, child abuse, drug use/abuse by side character, grief, slavery/extortion of Graces, torture, xenophobia towards Vila and Fae.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Slavery, Torture, and Xenophobia
kylieqrada's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
Probably my favorite fairy tale retelling I've ever read!! Not only does Heather Walter remix Aurora into a queer feminist icon, but the evil sorceress gets a starring role with an epic backstory and a gray characterization that I was living for. This book is hella diverse, super quirky and fun, and pretty sexy too??? An all-around good time! I'm looking forward to the sequel and seeing more from this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, and Xenophobia