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A review by marywatkines
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
5.0
This is probably one of the best books I’ve read all year. I see so many reviews of people saying it was too graphic and I disagree. I wonder if maybe people are overlooking that this isn’t YA fantasy but adult horror fantasy. I can’t handle Stephen King but this was very palatable. Maybe it’s because I cut my teeth on Neil Gaiman and fairy tales but this is just a beautiful and dark fairy tale.
Marlinchen is traumatized and trauma makes you strange. This was a very good representation of the oddity and ugliness that comes with abuse and trauma. Watching her come to terms with the ugliness of her personality and refusing to give it power but still understanding her evil is a part of her was beautiful. Seriously I adored her with my whole heart. She was very real to me and I think that the lack of escapism in this turns people off. Sometimes people with trauma don’t lead fae rebellions and overthrow corrupt rulers and forgive their sisters. Sometimes they just learn to live.
Marlinchen is traumatized and trauma makes you strange. This was a very good representation of the oddity and ugliness that comes with abuse and trauma. Watching her come to terms with the ugliness of her personality and refusing to give it power but still understanding her evil is a part of her was beautiful. Seriously I adored her with my whole heart. She was very real to me and I think that the lack of escapism in this turns people off. Sometimes people with trauma don’t lead fae rebellions and overthrow corrupt rulers and forgive their sisters. Sometimes they just learn to live.