A review by linesiunderline
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved loved loved this! Here are just a few reasons why:

The representation is phenomenal - never seeming forced, instead natural and real and nuanced.

The family dynamic between Briseis and her moms is so wonderful - loving and warm and open. Mo (one of Bri’s moms) is hilarious. What a strong and memorable character.

Bayron brings the mansion that Briseis inherits to life so evocatively. I could picture it in rich detail, which was what I had hoped for going in. I was not disappointed.

Plants. All the plants.

So much mythology.

It gets REALLY exciting towards the end. Oh, and talk about a cliffhanger. You’d better like cliffhangers.

My only hesitation here is the pacing. It was a slower start. I didn’t really mind because I felt immediately invested in the characters, but it was imbalanced compared to all of the action at the end, in my opinion.

I need to own this one. And I can’t wait for the follow up next year!
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