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A review by anais_novels
This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
3.5
"This Fatal Kiss" is a fun and fast-paced story that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The book is full of witty banter, giving it a romcom feel even though it's set in a fantasy world.
I especially enjoyed the use of Slavic folk tales as the foundation for the story and world-building. This added a unique and rich layer to the narrative. The book also features excellent LGBTQIA++ representation, which is seamlessly integrated into the story.
I found myself more drawn to the characters Gisela and Kazik , preferring their dynamic over Aleksey's. However, I wished the main characters, especially Gisela and Kazik , had more conversations about important issues. This would have added more depth to their relationships and the overall plot.
One thing that threw me off was the difficulty in pinpointing the time period of the setting. The descriptions of clothing and daily life suggested an older era, so I was surprised when modern elements like buses, trains, and radios appeared. This made it hard for me to imagine a full picture of the world.
While the banter and light-hearted scenes were enjoyable, they sometimes undermined the more serious moments, making it hard for those scenes to have the impact they deserved.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a review.
3,5/5 (3 - enjoyable)
I especially enjoyed the use of Slavic folk tales as the foundation for the story and world-building. This added a unique and rich layer to the narrative. The book also features excellent LGBTQIA++ representation, which is seamlessly integrated into the story.
I found myself more drawn to the characters Gisela and Kazik , preferring their dynamic over Aleksey's. However, I wished the main characters, especially Gisela and Kazik , had more conversations about important issues. This would have added more depth to their relationships and the overall plot.
One thing that threw me off was the difficulty in pinpointing the time period of the setting. The descriptions of clothing and daily life suggested an older era, so I was surprised when modern elements like buses, trains, and radios appeared. This made it hard for me to imagine a full picture of the world.
While the banter and light-hearted scenes were enjoyable, they sometimes undermined the more serious moments, making it hard for those scenes to have the impact they deserved.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a review.
3,5/5 (3 - enjoyable)
"This Fatal Kiss" ist eine unterhaltsame und schnelle Geschichte, die die Leser von Anfang bis Ende fesselt. Das Buch ist voller witziger Wortgefechte, was ihm trotz der Fantasy-Welt einen Romcom-Charakter verleiht.
Besonders gut hat mir die Verwendung von slawischen Volksmärchen als Grundlage für die Geschichte und das Worldbuilding gefallen. Dies fügte der Erzählung eine einzigartige und reiche Ebene hinzu. Das Buch bietet auch eine hervorragende LGBTQIA+ Darstellung, die nahtlos in die Geschichte integriert ist.
Ich fühlte mich mehr zu den Charakteren Gisela und Kazik hingezogen und bevorzugte ihre Dynamik gegenüber der von Aleksey. Allerdings hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass die Hauptcharaktere, insbesondere Gisela und Kazik, mehr Gespräche über wichtige Themen geführt hätten. Das hätte ihren Beziehungen und der Handlung insgesamt mehr Tiefe verliehen.
Etwas, das mich irritierte, war die Schwierigkeit, den Zeitrahmen der Handlung zu bestimmen. Die Beschreibungen der Kleidung und des Alltagslebens deuteten auf eine ältere Epoche hin, daher war ich überrascht, als moderne Elemente wie Busse, Züge und Radios auftauchten. Dies erschwerte es mir, mir ein vollständiges Bild der Welt vorzustellen.
Obwohl die Wortgefechte und die leichten Szenen unterhaltsam waren, untergruben sie manchmal die ernsteren Momente, was es schwierig machte, dass diese Szenen die gewünschte Wirkung erzielten.
Danke, NetGalley, dass ihr mir dieses Vorabexemplar im Austausch für eine Rezension zur Verfügung gestellt habt.