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A review by battybookworm
Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
4.75
This was a lovely travel through different fairy tales, most recognizable but others not as much.
Two main things of note, the way they’re connected truly makes this collection a delightful read. Each story is attached to the previous by a few key lines that end in a question and answer. In this way the flow is never broken and the narrative takes on an character study driven quality that fairytales don’t usually focus on.
Other then that, the nature of most the stories does not carry the fantastical. Instead these stories use gossip and belief to thread the magic. Normally this would not interest me but the way it is done is subtle and engaging to the point I didn’t notice the non-magic until near the end.
Two main things of note, the way they’re connected truly makes this collection a delightful read. Each story is attached to the previous by a few key lines that end in a question and answer. In this way the flow is never broken and the narrative takes on an character study driven quality that fairytales don’t usually focus on.
Other then that, the nature of most the stories does not carry the fantastical. Instead these stories use gossip and belief to thread the magic. Normally this would not interest me but the way it is done is subtle and engaging to the point I didn’t notice the non-magic until near the end.
Content Warnings
Rape, abandonment and other abuses are frequently alluded to within these stories. If these are triggering topics it may not be a definitive no but good to think of when starting the novel that it may have triggering content.