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A review by stewardofbooks
Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino
3.0
"Are you coming to the market, the market, the market?"
Tori Bovalino is a masterful storyteller. As you follow the Wickett women through the generations in their perpetual struggle against the cruel goblin market, the market grips you too. Years after some nameless incident hurt and changed her mother and aunt's lives, Lou finds herself up against the same nameless terror. The existence of the market has been hidden from her, but she still is not free of its terrible grip. As she struggles to come to grips with her family's painful past, she is thrust headlong into the age-old fight against the bloodthirsty goblin market. Can she make it out again?
This is the second retelling of Christina Rosetti's poem 'Goblin Market' I've read (both totally different) and this one definitely brings the horror of the market to life in a very real way. I enjoyed the multiple points of view from the different time-periods and thought that the two timelines wove into each other really well. I enjoyed the character development in both May and Lou. Parts of the book were a little too gory for me (personal taste) but it only added to the story. Some of the romance felt a little forced and rushed and it would have been nice to see a little more in-depth development of the relationship. The narration was a little slow and uniform, I would love to rather read this book myself. I don't enjoy horror as much as other genres but this was a fun introduction into fantasy horror - a first for me.
Tori Bovalino is a masterful storyteller. As you follow the Wickett women through the generations in their perpetual struggle against the cruel goblin market, the market grips you too. Years after some nameless incident hurt and changed her mother and aunt's lives, Lou finds herself up against the same nameless terror. The existence of the market has been hidden from her, but she still is not free of its terrible grip. As she struggles to come to grips with her family's painful past, she is thrust headlong into the age-old fight against the bloodthirsty goblin market. Can she make it out again?
This is the second retelling of Christina Rosetti's poem 'Goblin Market' I've read (both totally different) and this one definitely brings the horror of the market to life in a very real way. I enjoyed the multiple points of view from the different time-periods and thought that the two timelines wove into each other really well. I enjoyed the character development in both May and Lou. Parts of the book were a little too gory for me (personal taste) but it only added to the story. Some of the romance felt a little forced and rushed and it would have been nice to see a little more in-depth development of the relationship. The narration was a little slow and uniform, I would love to rather read this book myself. I don't enjoy horror as much as other genres but this was a fun introduction into fantasy horror - a first for me.