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A review by trishajennreads
A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry
4.0
I received this book from NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Full review to be posted on my blog soon.
This book was beautiful. The writing is lovely. I was drawn in to Mabry's smooth, simmering prose.
The story isn't as fantastical as I expected. I thought it would be more intense with a cursed girl, and a normal boy fighting for his life. Rather, it was about a cursed girl and a normal boy trying to save a different kidnapped girl.
But the magical realism was also refreshing, in a way. It was subtle as the title suggests. The mystery simmered below the surface. What is real? What is true? These questions constantly barrelled around my brain.
I didn't like Lucas in the beginning. He seemed to be exactly what he complained people saw him as, the lazy rich kid who hooks up with girls. But as he narrated more and I started to recognize what he was actually thinking and feeling, I began to really like him. It was refreshing to read a male narrator again. So much of the YA I have recently read has been female driven.
I liked the exploration of abandonment and dreams, and the mystery and power of story.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to anyone who would like a dose of magical realism as a break from YA fantasy.
This book was beautiful. The writing is lovely. I was drawn in to Mabry's smooth, simmering prose.
The story isn't as fantastical as I expected. I thought it would be more intense with a cursed girl, and a normal boy fighting for his life. Rather, it was about a cursed girl and a normal boy trying to save a different kidnapped girl.
But the magical realism was also refreshing, in a way. It was subtle as the title suggests. The mystery simmered below the surface. What is real? What is true? These questions constantly barrelled around my brain.
I didn't like Lucas in the beginning. He seemed to be exactly what he complained people saw him as, the lazy rich kid who hooks up with girls. But as he narrated more and I started to recognize what he was actually thinking and feeling, I began to really like him. It was refreshing to read a male narrator again. So much of the YA I have recently read has been female driven.
I liked the exploration of abandonment and dreams, and the mystery and power of story.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to anyone who would like a dose of magical realism as a break from YA fantasy.