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A review by laurel00
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thistlefoot is, at its core, a story about memories: both individual and collective, the power of memories, as well as the importance that we must allot to them. And Nethercott did a perfect job of encapsulating all the heart-wrenching pain, the tragic hope, and the ultimate beauty of memory.
I absolutely adored the writing in this. Nethercott has a stunning talent; I could've tabbed every single line of this book and I would have something to say about each passage. There is so much depth to, not just her storyline and her characters, but the very essence of the novel. I was completely pulled into the book; I could see and feel everything that was happening as if the characters were sitting right next to me.
Nethercott also did a fantastic job of exploring how generational pain spreads and morphs throughout time, how fascism feeds on people's deepest fears and desires to convince them to become a pawn in a deadly game, how necessary it is to remember tragedies and why they must be passed down throughout history. I also was very happy to see Nethercott touch on monstrosity and queerness: a topic I see often explored in the horror genre, but was pleasantly surprised to find in a fantasy, folkloric novel. Without a doubt in my mind, I could read this story a hundred times over and discover something new every single time.
I also found the characters absolutely amazing. Both our main characters have such specific identities, they felt very fleshed out and realistic, and I loved both of their arcs. Following them through each of their journeys was a genuine pleasure (heartbreak and all), as well as seeing their relationship with one another shift and grow as they discovered more about themselves bit by bit.
And of course, I could not talk about this book without mentioning the titular character, the house itself: Thistlefoot. I fell in love with this character, and the chapters that were narrated by the house were the ones that touched me the most. The way that the reimagined Baba Yaga tale was laid out throughout the story was so effective. I admit that, for most of the book, I was expecting this to be a 4.5-star rating; I had pretty much settled on it in fact. But then, I got to the last 100 pages of the novel... and I simply could not stop crying. And not just crying—sobbing. Every time I flipped to a chapter with Thistlefoot as the narrator, I had to brace myself and clutch my box of tissues because I knew I was in for a devastating emotional rollercoaster. As I'm writing this review, I'm exhausted from all the weeping, and I can't believe I've managed to write something decent here, instead of drowning in a pool of my own tears.
Although this book is a little long and although it may take some time at first for you to really settle into the story, it is definitely worth every single page. A top read of mine this year, without a doubt.
I absolutely adored the writing in this. Nethercott has a stunning talent; I could've tabbed every single line of this book and I would have something to say about each passage. There is so much depth to, not just her storyline and her characters, but the very essence of the novel. I was completely pulled into the book; I could see and feel everything that was happening as if the characters were sitting right next to me.
Nethercott also did a fantastic job of exploring how generational pain spreads and morphs throughout time, how fascism feeds on people's deepest fears and desires to convince them to become a pawn in a deadly game, how necessary it is to remember tragedies and why they must be passed down throughout history. I also was very happy to see Nethercott touch on monstrosity and queerness: a topic I see often explored in the horror genre, but was pleasantly surprised to find in a fantasy, folkloric novel. Without a doubt in my mind, I could read this story a hundred times over and discover something new every single time.
I also found the characters absolutely amazing. Both our main characters have such specific identities, they felt very fleshed out and realistic, and I loved both of their arcs. Following them through each of their journeys was a genuine pleasure (heartbreak and all), as well as seeing their relationship with one another shift and grow as they discovered more about themselves bit by bit.
And of course, I could not talk about this book without mentioning the titular character, the house itself: Thistlefoot. I fell in love with this character, and the chapters that were narrated by the house were the ones that touched me the most. The way that the reimagined Baba Yaga tale was laid out throughout the story was so effective. I admit that, for most of the book, I was expecting this to be a 4.5-star rating; I had pretty much settled on it in fact. But then, I got to the last 100 pages of the novel... and I simply could not stop crying. And not just crying—sobbing. Every time I flipped to a chapter with Thistlefoot as the narrator, I had to brace myself and clutch my box of tissues because I knew I was in for a devastating emotional rollercoaster. As I'm writing this review, I'm exhausted from all the weeping, and I can't believe I've managed to write something decent here, instead of drowning in a pool of my own tears.
Although this book is a little long and although it may take some time at first for you to really settle into the story, it is definitely worth every single page. A top read of mine this year, without a doubt.