A review by ginabelle
Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

I think these books can get pretty dark and are definitely written in a different voice than the source material which is a note I’ve had for every installment. I understand wanting them to be relatable, but sometimes they veer too far off for me (Phillip’s dialogue was a noted example in this one). Anyway, I did enjoy this one more than the other ones I’ve read in the series because it gave Aurora some agency and power in her story. She gets such a bad reputation for always sleeping, so I really liked the angle that she was fighting her own battles all the while. I felt the book interrogated the original story in a refreshing way and I think Aurora’s character was flushed out in a way that made her resilient and independent and strong so I enjoyed it for that!
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