Scan barcode
A review by chrisistrangerthanu
Beautiful by Juliet Marillier
4.0
This was so hard for me to judge as I don't usually listen to audio books. I generally don't like hearing a book in a voice other than my own. So it's hard to tell if I would have enjoyed the book more or less than if I had been reading it quietly myself. I love Juliet Marillier though, so I had to try it.
I really enjoyed the book. Hulde was a compelling heroine, a victim of her own mother and completely unused to the world outside her castle. Her story initially parallels a famous fairytale, but as that tale ends, this tale goes on to show how characters like Hulde can have a life outside of their little bit part. Hulde is obsessed with stories and fairytales. She reminded me a lot of myself as a child, in ways both good and bad. I did find the character extremely naive to the point of irritating at times given that she was meant to be 16 for most of the book, but being reminded of her childhood did give that a bit more realism. I loved the other characters we met, and I did wish for more details about some of them and the hill folk clans we didn't get to meet. In some ways the story felt long but also rushed near the end somewhat.
I did find this book a little bit younger seeming than Marillier's other work, as though meant for children, if not for some of the graphic conversations about war. I personally prefer the more adult vibe of Marillier's other stories, but it was still a solid read. I loved seeing a fairytale about trolls and different magic and customs to what we are used to. I loved Hulde's development as a character and I loved her little crew too. It was a sweet and magical story.
I really enjoyed the book. Hulde was a compelling heroine, a victim of her own mother and completely unused to the world outside her castle. Her story initially parallels a famous fairytale, but as that tale ends, this tale goes on to show how characters like Hulde can have a life outside of their little bit part. Hulde is obsessed with stories and fairytales. She reminded me a lot of myself as a child, in ways both good and bad. I did find the character extremely naive to the point of irritating at times given that she was meant to be 16 for most of the book, but being reminded of her childhood did give that a bit more realism. I loved the other characters we met, and I did wish for more details about some of them and the hill folk clans we didn't get to meet. In some ways the story felt long but also rushed near the end somewhat.
I did find this book a little bit younger seeming than Marillier's other work, as though meant for children, if not for some of the graphic conversations about war. I personally prefer the more adult vibe of Marillier's other stories, but it was still a solid read. I loved seeing a fairytale about trolls and different magic and customs to what we are used to. I loved Hulde's development as a character and I loved her little crew too. It was a sweet and magical story.