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A review by juliwi
A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry
3.0
I must admit that it was the novel’s cover which first drew me to A Fierce and Subtle Poison. Something about the way in which the colours popped and how spiked and edged it all was really interested me. You’ll be glad to know, then, that the cover very much represents the novel, in many ways. Thanks to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison walks the fine line between a number of different genres. On the one hand it feels like a coming of age-novel, with plenty of YA themes running through it. But there is also the Magical Realist edge to it with a plot that veers quite strongly into Thriller or Mystery territory. This mix of genres can either be the strength or the downfall of a novel, but, thankfully, in the case of A Fierce and Subtle Poison it works out for the best. By fluidly moving between genres Mabry keeps her readers on their toes because they can never be entirely sure which way the plot will work out. However, what truly makes the novel is Mabry’s refusal to just use Costa Rica as an exotic setting. Too often authors use non-Western settings to provide some excitement or to make their books feel more inclusive, while absolutely failing to actually include their setting in their book. Mabry’s A Fierce and Subtle Poison is suffused with Spanish phrases, with descriptions of Costa Rican life and with folk tales. And it is in her weaving together of her own stories and those folk tales that the magic of A Fierce and Subtle Poison happens. One couldn’t imagine this novel being set anywhere else, which matters.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a beautiful mix of things which are all kept relatively in balance by Mabry. In the end I’d class it as YA fiction, largely due to the protagonist and the depth of it, but you’ll definitely walk away from this one with an appreciation for Mabry. I’d recommend this to fans of YA fiction and Magical Realism.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-fierce-and-subtle-poison-by.html
A Fierce and Subtle Poison walks the fine line between a number of different genres. On the one hand it feels like a coming of age-novel, with plenty of YA themes running through it. But there is also the Magical Realist edge to it with a plot that veers quite strongly into Thriller or Mystery territory. This mix of genres can either be the strength or the downfall of a novel, but, thankfully, in the case of A Fierce and Subtle Poison it works out for the best. By fluidly moving between genres Mabry keeps her readers on their toes because they can never be entirely sure which way the plot will work out. However, what truly makes the novel is Mabry’s refusal to just use Costa Rica as an exotic setting. Too often authors use non-Western settings to provide some excitement or to make their books feel more inclusive, while absolutely failing to actually include their setting in their book. Mabry’s A Fierce and Subtle Poison is suffused with Spanish phrases, with descriptions of Costa Rican life and with folk tales. And it is in her weaving together of her own stories and those folk tales that the magic of A Fierce and Subtle Poison happens. One couldn’t imagine this novel being set anywhere else, which matters.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a beautiful mix of things which are all kept relatively in balance by Mabry. In the end I’d class it as YA fiction, largely due to the protagonist and the depth of it, but you’ll definitely walk away from this one with an appreciation for Mabry. I’d recommend this to fans of YA fiction and Magical Realism.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.de/2016/05/review-fierce-and-subtle-poison-by.html