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adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall very fun. Don't expect well rounded characters or character development. Classic fairytale vibe. Was very frustrated with our main character it often felt like she was a Mary Sue but for the most part it worked. The plot was very strong and the ending was super inviting. Highly recommend as a fun read. I really think I'll enjoy it even more on a second read now that I know what to expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Death
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I intentionally read this book after her other book Spinning Silver because I thought I would like this one a bit more, but I actually think I like Spinning Silver more. I still loved this book though-- the imagery was great, the characters were interesting, and it had a very fairytale-like feel which I adore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, War
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I kept rooting for this book and it kind of kept letting me down, sadly. I fell in love with the magic system, the visualizations of spell casting, the descriptions of reading the Summoning, and the dark horror of the Wood. Unfortunately, Sarkan's never ending verbal abuse toward Nieshka, her being 17 to his 150, the weird sympathetic framing of a rapist, and the inclusion of only one explicitly black character just to have her be the daughter of a slave really soured me on the whole thing.
I'll just rant here. The fact that Sarkan chooses specifically girls (never explained why boys aren't chosen if everyone with the gift must be trained) and expects them to cook all his meals for him for ten years was already irredeemable in my eyes. His constant berating of Nieshka literally left her EXPECTING abuse multiple times throughout the book which left me feeling sick at its romanticization. Truly, Sarkan's only traits were that he liked cleanliness and that he was mean. Their hideous age gap (of literally a child and a very old man) being framed as his excuse to momentarily hesitate from sex with her? yikes. Why did she need to be 17? I would have much preferred reading about an adult woman and her ages old immortal boyfriend. Lastly, the rape scene was handled unbelievably poorly and just made Sarkan even more monstrous to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Infidelity, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very strong read, although I preferred Spinning Silver. My primary complaint is the romance between Sarkan and Agneskia - I simply could not see the romantic chemistr. It felt forced to me, and I think the narrative would have been better served without it.
I also can't say I liked the reveal about the origin of the Wood Queen and the reason the wood is attacking. I think the Staryk were handled with more nuance in Spinning Silver.
However, I would still strongly recommend this novel.
I also can't say I liked the reveal about the origin of the Wood Queen and the reason the wood is attacking. I think the Staryk were handled with more nuance in Spinning Silver.
However, I would still strongly recommend this novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
When picking this book up for the second time, as the first time I picked it up I stoped half way, I came across many people complaining about the second half of this book. Having now finished it I feel I understand why. Much of the second half feels disjointed from the first. There was very little establishing done in the first half for what was to come in the second, making the reading experience feel poor. It's less that one half is better than the other and more that the book struggled to make me feel invested in the antagonist it presented.
The book also has a slight issue of an age difference. While not always a deal breaker, Agnieszka is 17 at the beginning of the story and it is unclear as too when her birthday is and if she turns 18 prior to her romantic relationship with The Dragon growing.
A final complaint is, again, the romance sub-plot. While I don not dislike Agnieszka and The Dragon, her interactions with her best friend Kasia feel entirely romantic. For much of the book (if not all of it) I felt that the two girls were in love with each other and in many ways make a better match than The Dragon does.
In the books defence, the character arcs for Agnieszka, The Dragon, and Kasia all felt whole and well thought out. They all ended in ways that were satisfying and spoke to who they were or who they wanted to be (if begrudgingly on the part of The Dragon). Agnieszka in particular has a very satisfying arc that is well established with her connection to Baba Jaga. She's also an incredibly loveable and strong lead.
The book also has a slight issue of an age difference. While not always a deal breaker, Agnieszka is 17 at the beginning of the story and it is unclear as too when her birthday is and if she turns 18 prior to her romantic relationship with The Dragon growing.
A final complaint is, again, the romance sub-plot. While I don not dislike Agnieszka and The Dragon, her interactions with her best friend Kasia feel entirely romantic. For much of the book (if not all of it) I felt that the two girls were in love with each other and in many ways make a better match than The Dragon does.
In the books defence, the character arcs for Agnieszka, The Dragon, and Kasia all felt whole and well thought out. They all ended in ways that were satisfying and spoke to who they were or who they wanted to be (if begrudgingly on the part of The Dragon). Agnieszka in particular has a very satisfying arc that is well established with her connection to Baba Jaga. She's also an incredibly loveable and strong lead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There's a few tropes in here that I am not the biggest fan of
- Ancient creature x barely legal teenager romance.
I know that there is no equivalent to this irl so I should stfu, but it still makes me uncomfortable, even if it is later revealed that the MC is immortal as well. It is even mentioned within the text by Sarkan that this has weird undertones (right before he has sex with the MC anyway, so he obviously was not too concerned).
- Best friend character that should have been the love interest instead but is not because heteronormativity says no.
I did not dislike Sarkan as a love interest. Gloomy, grumpy, bookish boys are a weak spot of mine. But Kasia x Agnieszka would have been immaculate. Super strong sword fighter girl x witch? I want that story dammit!
- Ancient magical objects and places getting a thorough explanation instead of staying mysterious.
Stories with fairy tale vibes do not need to explain everything. Why can the bears in Goldilocks talk? Because they can. Why do they eat porridge? Because they do. Not everything needs an explanation in fairy tales. And for me explaning why The Woods existed felt a bit unnecessary.
It is an enjoyable read nonetheless! And there was much I did enjoy!
- Uneasy allies to lovers
- Well written friendship
- A fairy tale esque feeling
- Female characters calling men out for their bullshit
- "Being strong" not being linked to violence or traditionally masculine tasks and features
- Eastern european influences (Baba Jaga, the food, the names of the characters, hell maybe even the Woods itself)
- Everything about the Summoning
- That singular smut scene
I don't love the ending of the book either, but somehow it did not take away from the rest of the story for me. There is just too much to enjoy here.
- Ancient creature x barely legal teenager romance.
I know that there is no equivalent to this irl so I should stfu, but it still makes me uncomfortable, even if it is later revealed that the MC is immortal as well. It is even mentioned within the text by Sarkan that this has weird undertones (right before he has sex with the MC anyway, so he obviously was not too concerned).
- Best friend character that should have been the love interest instead but is not because heteronormativity says no.
I did not dislike Sarkan as a love interest. Gloomy, grumpy, bookish boys are a weak spot of mine. But Kasia x Agnieszka would have been immaculate. Super strong sword fighter girl x witch? I want that story dammit!
- Ancient magical objects and places getting a thorough explanation instead of staying mysterious.
Stories with fairy tale vibes do not need to explain everything. Why can the bears in Goldilocks talk? Because they can. Why do they eat porridge? Because they do. Not everything needs an explanation in fairy tales. And for me explaning why The Woods existed felt a bit unnecessary.
It is an enjoyable read nonetheless! And there was much I did enjoy!
- Uneasy allies to lovers
- Well written friendship
- A fairy tale esque feeling
- Female characters calling men out for their bullshit
- "Being strong" not being linked to violence or traditionally masculine tasks and features
- Eastern european influences (Baba Jaga, the food, the names of the characters, hell maybe even the Woods itself)
- Everything about the Summoning
- That singular smut scene
I don't love the ending of the book either, but somehow it did not take away from the rest of the story for me. There is just too much to enjoy here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
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
If you like Howl's Moving Castle, you should read this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, War
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual harassment
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For the first 2/3 of this book I was all in, but the last bits felt really repetitive to me, how many times will you tell me that the forest can’t be beaten only for it to be ~kinda~ beaten in the end? . The romance was kinda cute, kinda problematic. Overall, it was a good book, very interesting dynamics with the forest and a good premise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, War
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual harassment
Minor: Slavery, Vomit