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A review by sandymaple
A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you to Tor Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Firstly, I'll say that this is a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities. Since I never finished the Dickens original, I am not equipped to discuss this book as a retelling.
Nonetheless, I was really intrigued by Parry's A Far Better Thing. It is an alluring mash-up of two worlds, each going through major upheaval, with characters torn between the two while also navigating battles with their own demons. It is very slow at the beginning, and I'll admit that it took nearly half the book to convince me that I wanted to finish it. After over three weeks of fighting, Parry got my buy-in and I raced through the second half. The ending was devastatingly predictable, but I just HAD to know.
The way that Parry laces magic through an already familiar landscape is not overbearing but rather subtle and beautiful. Changelings are not my favourite piece of folklore, but they were well-utilized in this story. The faerie world felt vague and fuzzy, and while that was frustrating because I wanted all my questions answered, it also felt like an accurate representation of how that world would feel from the outside.
I am heavily invested in the adventures of Addison and Rosemary, and I hope we get to see them again some day!
Overall, this was thought-provoking and eventually also captivating. I give it 4.25 stars.
This book will be released on June 17, 2025.
Firstly, I'll say that this is a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities. Since I never finished the Dickens original, I am not equipped to discuss this book as a retelling.
Nonetheless, I was really intrigued by Parry's A Far Better Thing. It is an alluring mash-up of two worlds, each going through major upheaval, with characters torn between the two while also navigating battles with their own demons. It is very slow at the beginning, and I'll admit that it took nearly half the book to convince me that I wanted to finish it. After over three weeks of fighting, Parry got my buy-in and I raced through the second half. The ending was devastatingly predictable, but I just HAD to know.
The way that Parry laces magic through an already familiar landscape is not overbearing but rather subtle and beautiful. Changelings are not my favourite piece of folklore, but they were well-utilized in this story. The faerie world felt vague and fuzzy, and while that was frustrating because I wanted all my questions answered, it also felt like an accurate representation of how that world would feel from the outside.
I am heavily invested in the adventures of Addison and Rosemary, and I hope we get to see them again some day!
Overall, this was thought-provoking and eventually also captivating. I give it 4.25 stars.
This book will be released on June 17, 2025.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder, War
Minor: Rape