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A review by queentau
Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I normally love fantasy with a little sapphic romance, but this book wasn't quite for me. (Mild spoilers to follow)
I found the plot a little too predictable, especially the middle third when they're trying to figure out who the villain is; I knew who cursed her the instant we met them and they never even thought of their name as a suspect over the next 100+ pages. Next, where the middle act was slow, the last act, which featured a largely separate plot arc, felt rushed, and a little too easy.
When it comes to the romance, I really hate an "I'm no good for you" rejection and the other poor communication that comes with it. To me that really ruined both the romantic tension and the romantic payoff, which was a piece of the book I had really been looking forward to.(Also, the love interest having a kink for women crying was a choice lol)
Lastly, I found the narrator kinda annoying. Like, I get it, I know who they are from a literary context, I love the idea, and at times I even enjoyed it! But sometimes it also became a little distracting. (At this point I'm also kinda nit-picking though, cause this really wasn't a huge issue to me)
Overall I did still enjoy reading Mortal Follies though! And I enjoyed the mix of a wide variety of supernatural elements in the world building. But to me, the pacing was off, the plot was predictable, and the romance was unsatisfying.
I found the plot a little too predictable, especially the middle third when they're trying to figure out who the villain is; I knew who cursed her the instant we met them and they never even thought of their name as a suspect over the next 100+ pages. Next, where the middle act was slow, the last act, which featured a largely separate plot arc, felt rushed, and a little too easy.
When it comes to the romance, I really hate an "I'm no good for you" rejection and the other poor communication that comes with it. To me that really ruined both the romantic tension and the romantic payoff, which was a piece of the book I had really been looking forward to.
Lastly, I found the narrator kinda annoying. Like, I get it, I know who they are from a literary context, I love the idea, and at times I even enjoyed it! But sometimes it also became a little distracting. (At this point I'm also kinda nit-picking though, cause this really wasn't a huge issue to me)
Overall I did still enjoy reading Mortal Follies though! And I enjoyed the mix of a wide variety of supernatural elements in the world building. But to me, the pacing was off, the plot was predictable, and the romance was unsatisfying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping and Sexism