A review by orinthebard
Malice by Heather Walter

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love a villain origin story. Love to see plot points from the original fairy tale clicking into place, in new and unexpected ways. Love that it's gay and that homophobia doesn't really exist in this world, though heteronormativity does and Alyce deals with a lot of othering as the Dark Grace. And of course the brilliant world building of the Grace system, the magic and political intrigue. This is MY kind of book.

The only thing I don't love is Alyce's inner voice. She's a bit insufferable, always jumping to conclusions and spouting off overly dramatic one-liners. But I'm already reading the next book because
what in the Daenerys Targaryen was that ending?? How was she ok with killing Laurel and a bunch of random servants? Was she possessed?
I need to know what happens next.
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