Scan barcode
A review by eponineeurydice
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I didn't know much about This Vicious Grace before jumping in, but the concept is actually very interesting. Alessa, our main character, has been chosen by a goddess for this generation to fight against monsters and sort of be a vessel for power; because of this, Alessa's touch is deadly, and she is isolated from her family and all of her loved ones. She must choose someone to be her partner in battle—I love this concept/trope of having a special bond with someone else—but for the three she's already chosen, she has accidentally killed them all. Doomsday is getting closer and Alessa doesn't know what to do.
The characterization in this was wonderful; I loved exploring all that Alessa has to deal with, and her many struggles. The writing style was vivid and immersive, and the worldbuilding was really cool. It was overall a fantastic read, what you could call a very typical YA fantasy, which isn't a bad thing at all. I did enjoy this, and how fascinating it was, but it simply wasn't groundbreaking for me and I wasn't as emotionally attached to the characters as I wanted to be. Other than those drawbacks, this is a very compelling read full of magic and the power of connection.
The characterization in this was wonderful; I loved exploring all that Alessa has to deal with, and her many struggles. The writing style was vivid and immersive, and the worldbuilding was really cool. It was overall a fantastic read, what you could call a very typical YA fantasy, which isn't a bad thing at all. I did enjoy this, and how fascinating it was, but it simply wasn't groundbreaking for me and I wasn't as emotionally attached to the characters as I wanted to be. Other than those drawbacks, this is a very compelling read full of magic and the power of connection.