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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
3 stars-- I liked it.
I haven't seen Maleficent, and I think this book may rely pretty heavily on references to the film that I didn't get. My rating reflects that-- YMMV.
Alyce is the Dark Grace, her green Vila blood and ugly appearance separate her from the Graces, who use their golden blood to make people more beautiful. The kingdom of Briar was founded by a warrior queen, but now languishes in the care of a weakened queen and corrupt king whose family is victim of an ancient Vila curse: daughters who do not kiss their true love by their 21st birthday will die. Aurora is the third and only living daughter and heir to the crown. She finds Alyce interesting, despite the fact that she is of the same race as the curse-maker.
The pacing was good, we learn the world of the Graces and the royals and the black tower for a while, the BAM at 80% things really happen fast. I enjoyed that crescendo. I found the worldbuilding confusing and the book lacked a central theme. Alyce is maligned for her identity, but she seems to trust easily and make decisions without thought. It felt like the author was trying to do too many things-- echo Maleficent, incorporate original fairy tales, and maybe work on too many themes-- revenge, trust, conflicts among races, beauty standards, family, betrayal, morality, class. Those are all things that interest me but Alyce is kind of all over the place with her relationships with people, and the national conflicts are a little confusing.
I do hope that the second in the duology will add some clarity, and I'm hoping some themes emerge that unite the narrative.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC. My opinions are my own.
I haven't seen Maleficent, and I think this book may rely pretty heavily on references to the film that I didn't get. My rating reflects that-- YMMV.
Alyce is the Dark Grace, her green Vila blood and ugly appearance separate her from the Graces, who use their golden blood to make people more beautiful. The kingdom of Briar was founded by a warrior queen, but now languishes in the care of a weakened queen and corrupt king whose family is victim of an ancient Vila curse: daughters who do not kiss their true love by their 21st birthday will die. Aurora is the third and only living daughter and heir to the crown. She finds Alyce interesting, despite the fact that she is of the same race as the curse-maker.
The pacing was good, we learn the world of the Graces and the royals and the black tower for a while, the BAM at 80% things really happen fast. I enjoyed that crescendo. I found the worldbuilding confusing and the book lacked a central theme. Alyce is maligned for her identity, but she seems to trust easily and make decisions without thought. It felt like the author was trying to do too many things-- echo Maleficent, incorporate original fairy tales, and maybe work on too many themes-- revenge, trust, conflicts among races, beauty standards, family, betrayal, morality, class. Those are all things that interest me but Alyce is kind of all over the place with her relationships with people, and the national conflicts are a little confusing.
I do hope that the second in the duology will add some clarity, and I'm hoping some themes emerge that unite the narrative.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC. My opinions are my own.
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This a was a reread, and I love it still. Onto book 2!
The narrator did a lot of heavy lifting for the writing in this book. I don't think I would have finished it were I reading it instead of listening but it pulled me along as background noise until near the end where it started hammering at the same note for too long. I wanted to see this go somewhere very different. I'll see if the sequel can redeem it, but I'm not going in with high expectations. Certainly not the worst book of its kind but it's left me feeling more disappointed for what it might have been than what it was.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! Fantastic retelling of Sleeping Beauty via Elphaba with queer characters who are well-developed and complex. 12/10 will read again!
Malice is an extremely satisfying twist on the classic fairytale stories. This was a wonderful blending of multiple tales—Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella in particular. Alyce is part Vila, a magic-wielding race that has been nearly exterminated. Due to her lineage, she is treated with fear and revulsion by nearly everyone she meets. Alyce serves in the Lavender House, providing curses to the denizens of the city as the Dark Grace. Aurora, on the other hand, is the last remaining princess in a line of cursed daughters, all doomed to die if they do not kiss their true love before they turn 21.
The worldbuilding in this story was fantastic and I greatly enjoyed reading every new detail about the world at large. The story is well-written and the pacing was good. I’m a big fan of slow-burn, queer romance stories and Malice definitely delivered on this front. I’d definitely recommend this for anyone who is a fan of fairytale retellings who’d like a queer twist on the genre. Without giving any spoilers, the only aspect I wasn’t a huge fan of was how the book ended. I’m really hoping the author intends to continue Alyce and Aurora’s story.
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The worldbuilding in this story was fantastic and I greatly enjoyed reading every new detail about the world at large. The story is well-written and the pacing was good. I’m a big fan of slow-burn, queer romance stories and Malice definitely delivered on this front. I’d definitely recommend this for anyone who is a fan of fairytale retellings who’d like a queer twist on the genre. Without giving any spoilers, the only aspect I wasn’t a huge fan of was how the book ended. I’m really hoping the author intends to continue Alyce and Aurora’s story.
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.