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taelights's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
This was a very fast easy read that I read all in one sitting to get myself out of my current reading slump as it was the shortest thing on my bookshelf. I had bought this book knowing not much about it at all other than it was a queer Sleeping Beauty retelling that a person on TikTok said was good so I decided to buy it because I enjoy retellings of classic fairytales but this was not what I expected at all and I should have probably looked into the description more before picking it up so that's kind of on me for not doing more research before slapping it on my to-read list but I was blinded by the cool cover and that it was a retelling of a fairytale I enjoy by a good author.
This book was alright. The subject matter wasn't for me to begin with (but again that's on me for not doing any research into the book and taking queer Sleeping Beauty retelling at face value) and the overall story left me very disappointed in the end and wanting a lot more. The story is extremely fast-paced I realized this is just a novella but it would have been better if it had been expanded on even just a bit more as I felt a lot of details were very vague and a lot of it was skimmed over. Like I still don't understand the ending especially like did they end up polyamorous or??? I honestly have no fucking idea.
The world-building didn't make sense at all and required a lot of suspension of disbelief. Such as her phone working in a medieval other dimension and the fact that the characters from the medieval world didn't seem to have any questions or reactions to modern-day technology. Plus a few other things that felt off and wrong because the world-building was just weird.
Idk overall this book wasn't for me. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't good either. It was more just confusing and disappointing lol.
This book was alright. The subject matter wasn't for me to begin with (but again that's on me for not doing any research into the book and taking queer Sleeping Beauty retelling at face value) and the overall story left me very disappointed in the end and wanting a lot more. The story is extremely fast-paced I realized this is just a novella but it would have been better if it had been expanded on even just a bit more as I felt a lot of details were very vague and a lot of it was skimmed over. Like I still don't understand the ending especially like did they end up polyamorous or??? I honestly have no fucking idea.
The world-building didn't make sense at all and required a lot of suspension of disbelief. Such as her phone working in a medieval other dimension and the fact that the characters from the medieval world didn't seem to have any questions or reactions to modern-day technology. Plus a few other things that felt off and wrong because the world-building was just weird.
Idk overall this book wasn't for me. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't good either. It was more just confusing and disappointing lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
bookworm_leilani's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
This is dare I say it, a perfect novella. Concise in that not a word or punctuation mark more than is necessary is on the page, each bit of ink the exact right one, yet never feeling rushed or sparse. It’s lyrical without devolving into purple prose, heartfelt & wry without being melancholic or twee. I want a century more with each of the characters, yet don’t think *this* story of theirs needed one more page. I’ll be back for the sequel novella, A Mirror Mended, & hope to see everyone we met again but also feel content that if we don’t - if only Zinnia is on page again - I feel content with the path the others are on at the end.
And speaking of characters other than Zinnia, somehow the background characters are 3 dimensional with just a few sentences each to bring them to life, because again: novella.
The art by David Curtis is an homage to those threatening, elegant, fascinating silhouettes in the best of the Grimm collections, & did I mention whole things is queer af?
And speaking of characters other than Zinnia, somehow the background characters are 3 dimensional with just a few sentences each to bring them to life, because again: novella.
The art by David Curtis is an homage to those threatening, elegant, fascinating silhouettes in the best of the Grimm collections, & did I mention whole things is queer af?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Medical content
Moderate: Rape
booksandprosecco's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood and Medical content
Minor: Rape
wanderonwards's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, and Sexual assault
mommarex1221's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
I adore Alix E. Harrow and will continue to happily consume anything she writes. Even fairy tale retellings.
A very sweet, quick read that could've (most definitely) been fleshed further out into a full novel that would've been even more compelling. But I see Alix has plans for Zinnia and the novella might just be the best way to go. Looking forward to A Mirror Mended and any other tales that lie ahead of Zinnia.
A very sweet, quick read that could've (most definitely) been fleshed further out into a full novel that would've been even more compelling. But I see Alix has plans for Zinnia and the novella might just be the best way to go. Looking forward to A Mirror Mended and any other tales that lie ahead of Zinnia.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
bradleygiselle's review against another edition
I just really didn't get along with the narrator. I didn't hate the book but I'm on a quest to read only things that are making me happy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Medical content
purplatypus's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Confinement and Rape
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
nicolemattingly's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Full review to come but I loved this so much! I want more stories, more of Zin and these worlds and everything about this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Medical content
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Sexual assault
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