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A review by fauxvais
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
4.0
A Red Riding Hood retelling! These are pretty rare to come by, aren't they? Crimson Bound follows Rachelle, a girl originally destined to be a wood wife, weaving spells and charms to protect the world from the foreboding Devourer's return. After a disastrous friendship with one of the Devourer's followers, Rachelle is marked as a Bloodborne assassin and enrolls in service to the king, doing the duty of the damned until she can find a way to resurrect a pair of swords that may thwart the Devourer's return and his desire to plunge the world into darkness.
REP: amputee SC.
TW's: sexual assault (prologue).
PROS:
- World building. I understand that a lot of reviewers were incensed by the inaccuracy involved in Hodge's use of French fairytales and folklore, but I think for people who are reading this book without prior knowledge of that lore, this isn't really an issue. Hodge isn't trying to write historical fiction; this is a fantasy novel, and I think she can use fairytales and folklore however she pleases so long as it's not exploitative nor capitalizing on misrepresentation of a minority. The world she builds is lush and complex and tantalizing but also easy to absorb and understand. I kept reading because it was all so interesting to learn about.
- Rachelle's relationship with Amalie. This was pretty much the highlight of the book for me. I'm honestly surprised the romance wasn't between these two, because their relationship had the most history, felt the most believable, and carried the highest degree of mutual concern, worry, and care. They shared so few scenes with each other, but each scene felt like a light against the bleak backdrop of the rest of the book. They clearly brought out the best in each other and made each other hope despite the surrounding, impending darkness, and I loved that.
- Rachelle's relationship with Eric. This was also a huge highlight for me! I really love how complicated their relationship was, and how despite all of his tricky mannerisms, Rachelle did find it in herself to care about Eric because he'd helped her find purpose where she thought all was lost. I wasn't unsatisfied with where their relationship ultimately went, and I think it was fitting that,. The tragedy and complexity of their relationship was enrapturing to watch unfold, and I want to see more appreciation for tragedies like it! Sometimes, relationships don't work out, and it's for the best!
CONS:
- Lack of addressing trauma. There is a scene in the prologue where Rachelle is told by a Forestborn (the Devourer's followers) to shed her protections, after which he kisses (bites?) her forcefully, thereby marking her as a Bloodbound. The experience is incredibly traumatic for her, and it follows her throughout her mental-emotional journey in the book. What I was unsatisfied with was the lack of follow-up when the Forestborn's identity was finally revealed towards the end;. There was plenty of reflection on the sense of betrayal and anger over being made into a Bloodbound by someone she'd come to befriend, but I really wish the actual nature of the assault itself has been addressed more, too.
- The central romance with Armand. I really loved how Rachelle and Armand's friendship developed in the first half of the book. Her qualms against him felt believable, and his vague banter with her was entertaining and induced curiosity from the reader. What really took me off guard was Hodge having Rochelle admit that she had been secretly wary of and watchful over Armand the entire time because she. . . loved him? It didn't match up at all with her internal thought process or character arc from the start of the book. I think it would have been more believable had Rachelle realized towards the end that she'd grown to love Armand, but as it was developed in the book, it felt really poorly paced. Rachelle's relationships with Amalie and Eric felt far more realistic.
- Lack of follow through after the day is saved. This is pretty much a standard complaint I have for most fantasy novels. The end of the novel was neatly wrapped up in a matter of minutes, with all problems and cliffhangers left conveniently solved by existing side players or circumstances. I wish more fantasy novels took the time to marinate in the aftermath and realize that solutions are works in progress. They don't wrap up that easily.
FINAL RATING: 4.25
REP: amputee SC.
TW's: sexual assault (prologue).
PROS:
- World building. I understand that a lot of reviewers were incensed by the inaccuracy involved in Hodge's use of French fairytales and folklore, but I think for people who are reading this book without prior knowledge of that lore, this isn't really an issue. Hodge isn't trying to write historical fiction; this is a fantasy novel, and I think she can use fairytales and folklore however she pleases so long as it's not exploitative nor capitalizing on misrepresentation of a minority. The world she builds is lush and complex and tantalizing but also easy to absorb and understand. I kept reading because it was all so interesting to learn about.
- Rachelle's relationship with Amalie. This was pretty much the highlight of the book for me. I'm honestly surprised the romance wasn't between these two, because their relationship had the most history, felt the most believable, and carried the highest degree of mutual concern, worry, and care. They shared so few scenes with each other, but each scene felt like a light against the bleak backdrop of the rest of the book. They clearly brought out the best in each other and made each other hope despite the surrounding, impending darkness, and I loved that.
- Rachelle's relationship with Eric. This was also a huge highlight for me! I really love how complicated their relationship was, and how despite all of his tricky mannerisms, Rachelle did find it in herself to care about Eric because he'd helped her find purpose where she thought all was lost. I wasn't unsatisfied with where their relationship ultimately went, and I think it was fitting that,
Spoiler
despite how much Rachelle may have cared for Eric and maybe even have wanted better for him, she accepted him for what he was when he revealed himself as her Forestborn, and she didn't allow her feelings to cloud her judgment or prevent her from taking him down when she knew it was what she had to doCONS:
- Lack of addressing trauma. There is a scene in the prologue where Rachelle is told by a Forestborn (the Devourer's followers) to shed her protections, after which he kisses (bites?) her forcefully, thereby marking her as a Bloodbound. The experience is incredibly traumatic for her, and it follows her throughout her mental-emotional journey in the book. What I was unsatisfied with was the lack of follow-up when the Forestborn's identity was finally revealed towards the end;
Spoiler
given Rachelle's developing relationship with Eric, I'm surprised there wasn't more commentary on how sickened she felt knowing the person she lost her virginity to was also the person who originally sexually assaulted her- The central romance with Armand. I really loved how Rachelle and Armand's friendship developed in the first half of the book. Her qualms against him felt believable, and his vague banter with her was entertaining and induced curiosity from the reader. What really took me off guard was Hodge having Rochelle admit that she had been secretly wary of and watchful over Armand the entire time because she. . . loved him? It didn't match up at all with her internal thought process or character arc from the start of the book. I think it would have been more believable had Rachelle realized towards the end that she'd grown to love Armand, but as it was developed in the book, it felt really poorly paced. Rachelle's relationships with Amalie and Eric felt far more realistic.
- Lack of follow through after the day is saved. This is pretty much a standard complaint I have for most fantasy novels. The end of the novel was neatly wrapped up in a matter of minutes, with all problems and cliffhangers left conveniently solved by existing side players or circumstances. I wish more fantasy novels took the time to marinate in the aftermath and realize that solutions are works in progress. They don't wrap up that easily.
FINAL RATING: 4.25