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A review by fawnsbooks
Set in Stone by Stela Brinzeanu
5.0
Set in Stone by Stela Brinzeanu - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4,5 but let's round it up)
Read the digital ARC between 28 april and 30 april. Special thanks to NetGalley and Legend Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
Summary
Set in Stone is a reimagining of an Eastern European legend. However, rather than sticking to the original story, in her retelling Stela Brinzeanu seeks to give a voice to the women who have been silenced. And she has done well.
This book tells the story of two women from opposing backgrounds, who fall in love. In a society where a woman is less than a man and freedom always seems just out of reach, Mira and Elina fight for their lives, love, and happiness.
Writing - 8/10 ⭐️
The writing isn't complex, but it is compelling. It was hard for me to put this book down and when I could not read, I found myself guessing at future events. The addition of Romanian words (glossary included!) made it a little bit tougher to read, but it made the book feel more authentic.
Pace - 9/10 ⭐️
It's a relatively short book, so naturally, it will be more fast-paced. At times, the romance felt too quick. However, many stories we all know and love follow a similar approach. Yes, it was fast. But to me, it did not feel like a rushed and ridiculous case of insta-love. For this story, it was just right. Despite the story being more fast-paced, it did not feel rushed at all and events followed each other logically.
Plot - 10/10⭐️
Personally, I do not read a lot of books that are set in medieval times, so this was refreshing. Despite the book being a reimaging of a legend, I don't know a lot about Eastern Europe and its stories. Since I am not familiar with the original legend, several plot points came as a complete surprise. However, none of the twists were so far-fetched that the story no longer made sense. I'm not sure how much of the plot is original and how much is a spin on the legend, but I loved it.
Characters - 7/10 ⭐️
At first, the characters seemed a bit flat and I struggled to keep their storylines separate. This got better after the first 30-40 pages. There were some moments of secondhand embarrassment for Elina, who is clearly a product of being raised in a wealthy family. The characters grew, learned about other perspectives, about the world and themselves. And I sure appreciate growth (especially in relatively short books). My favorite side characters are probably Rozalia and The Old Cobzar.
Enjoyability - 10/10⭐️
This book was great. The story was compelling, the plot was exciting and the characters were fun. I would definitely recommend this book.
Read the digital ARC between 28 april and 30 april. Special thanks to NetGalley and Legend Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
Summary
Set in Stone is a reimagining of an Eastern European legend. However, rather than sticking to the original story, in her retelling Stela Brinzeanu seeks to give a voice to the women who have been silenced. And she has done well.
This book tells the story of two women from opposing backgrounds, who fall in love. In a society where a woman is less than a man and freedom always seems just out of reach, Mira and Elina fight for their lives, love, and happiness.
Writing - 8/10 ⭐️
The writing isn't complex, but it is compelling. It was hard for me to put this book down and when I could not read, I found myself guessing at future events. The addition of Romanian words (glossary included!) made it a little bit tougher to read, but it made the book feel more authentic.
Pace - 9/10 ⭐️
It's a relatively short book, so naturally, it will be more fast-paced. At times, the romance felt too quick. However, many stories we all know and love follow a similar approach. Yes, it was fast. But to me, it did not feel like a rushed and ridiculous case of insta-love. For this story, it was just right. Despite the story being more fast-paced, it did not feel rushed at all and events followed each other logically.
Plot - 10/10⭐️
Personally, I do not read a lot of books that are set in medieval times, so this was refreshing. Despite the book being a reimaging of a legend, I don't know a lot about Eastern Europe and its stories. Since I am not familiar with the original legend, several plot points came as a complete surprise. However, none of the twists were so far-fetched that the story no longer made sense. I'm not sure how much of the plot is original and how much is a spin on the legend, but I loved it.
Characters - 7/10 ⭐️
At first, the characters seemed a bit flat and I struggled to keep their storylines separate. This got better after the first 30-40 pages. There were some moments of secondhand embarrassment for Elina, who is clearly a product of being raised in a wealthy family. The characters grew, learned about other perspectives, about the world and themselves. And I sure appreciate growth (especially in relatively short books). My favorite side characters are probably Rozalia and The Old Cobzar.
Enjoyability - 10/10⭐️
This book was great. The story was compelling, the plot was exciting and the characters were fun. I would definitely recommend this book.