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relthelittlemerm 's review for:
House of the Beast
by Michelle Wong
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I support Women's Rights, but I more importantly support Women's Wrongs.
In all seriousness I absolutely adored this book! It was rich and atmospheric with in depth world building that was complex but not unapproachable. I loved the gothic style of the setting with steam punk vibes (which has quickly become one of my favorite settings).
The characters in this book REALLY shine. The dynamic between Alma and Aster was in one part loveable as you see they would do anything for each other, and in one part horrifying as you see that they would do ANYTHING for each other. The toxic co-dependency was really interesting to watch unfold throughout the book because these two characters should not be together, and yet some small part of me can't help but root for them. It was amazing to see how Alma struggled with what she wanted for revenge, what she thought was right, and what was in her power to do. The side characters were also such a treat, I ended up really enjoying what we saw of Sevelie, Kaim, Fion, and Six. All had very unique personalities and added to Alma's growth in very different but no less meaningful ways.
We HAVE to talk about the artwork! Throughout the book there are beautiful drawings peppered throughout the chapters that show such a huge variety of things, from some of the characters to some of the action that's taking place on the page. It was such a delightful edition and I loved seeing them all!
Overall I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique standalone fantasy novel that focuses on morally gray characters and a deeply interesting if not altogether unhealthy relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and HArper Voyager for the copy of the ARC.
In all seriousness I absolutely adored this book! It was rich and atmospheric with in depth world building that was complex but not unapproachable. I loved the gothic style of the setting with steam punk vibes (which has quickly become one of my favorite settings).
The characters in this book REALLY shine. The dynamic between Alma and Aster was in one part loveable as you see they would do anything for each other, and in one part horrifying as you see that they would do ANYTHING for each other. The toxic co-dependency was really interesting to watch unfold throughout the book because these two characters should not be together, and yet some small part of me can't help but root for them. It was amazing to see how Alma struggled with what she wanted for revenge, what she thought was right, and what was in her power to do. The side characters were also such a treat, I ended up really enjoying what we saw of Sevelie, Kaim, Fion, and Six. All had very unique personalities and added to Alma's growth in very different but no less meaningful ways.
We HAVE to talk about the artwork! Throughout the book there are beautiful drawings peppered throughout the chapters that show such a huge variety of things, from some of the characters to some of the action that's taking place on the page. It was such a delightful edition and I loved seeing them all!
Overall I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique standalone fantasy novel that focuses on morally gray characters and a deeply interesting if not altogether unhealthy relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and HArper Voyager for the copy of the ARC.