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A review by enne
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos
4.0
4 stars
TW: attempted murder, underage drinking, death
Rep: trans boy LI, (two) lesbian major SCs, Russian-American family (and MC)
The Writing
The writing in this book was very atmospheric and felt very fitting to the setting. I especially loved the descriptions of the different houses and the detail that went into all of that. I felt transported into the small town and it felt very homey and creepy at the same time and I loved that so much.
The Plot/Pacing
The plot felt like it was a bit all over the place for me, which is really my main complaint with this book. The build-up to the climax felt like it didn't raise the stakes quite enough, and I thought the climax sort of felt like it came out of nowhere. Also, the pacing of the romance felt really weird to me?? Like I didn't really feel the chemistry between them and it felt like it came out of nowhere?? But you get used to it, ig.
The Characters
I really wanted more from these characters. I didn't really feel like we saw much development from anyone who wasn't the main character. And while I really enjoyed what we did get from the main character, I felt like there was a missed opportunity to explore her character further that just,, didn't happen and I wish it had.
I would have also liked the side characters to have been established better because I know that they're important to the main character, but they're not necessarily important to me, as the reader.
The World
LISTEN, the magic in this world is inspired by Russian folklore and I thought this was one of the best uses of Russian folklore that I've ever read and, as someone who's Russian, I don't say that lightly. Although there were times where I found myself wishing that the author went a bit deeper when it came to the history of the folklore/magic itself, I do get that not everything can be done in a 350-page book, so I didn't really have a major problem with it.
For the most part, I really loved the way Russian fairy tales were used and I honestly found myself wishing I was a part of this magical family even though seeing when you die sounds quite horrifying, not gonna lie.
Overall
I have been looking for books that feature Russian-American characters for literally ages and when I found out that this one had Russian-American queer people, I got even more excited. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would also like to know if there's going to be a sequel because the way this story leaves off feels very,, unfinished, you know??
~~~
Anyways, I would like more Russian-inspired stories set in a contemporary setting, thank you.
TW: attempted murder, underage drinking, death
Rep: trans boy LI, (two) lesbian major SCs, Russian-American family (and MC)
The Writing
The writing in this book was very atmospheric and felt very fitting to the setting. I especially loved the descriptions of the different houses and the detail that went into all of that. I felt transported into the small town and it felt very homey and creepy at the same time and I loved that so much.
The Plot/Pacing
The plot felt like it was a bit all over the place for me, which is really my main complaint with this book. The build-up to the climax felt like it didn't raise the stakes quite enough, and I thought the climax sort of felt like it came out of nowhere. Also, the pacing of the romance felt really weird to me?? Like I didn't really feel the chemistry between them and it felt like it came out of nowhere?? But you get used to it, ig.
The Characters
I really wanted more from these characters. I didn't really feel like we saw much development from anyone who wasn't the main character. And while I really enjoyed what we did get from the main character, I felt like there was a missed opportunity to explore her character further that just,, didn't happen and I wish it had.
I would have also liked the side characters to have been established better because I know that they're important to the main character, but they're not necessarily important to me, as the reader.
The World
LISTEN, the magic in this world is inspired by Russian folklore and I thought this was one of the best uses of Russian folklore that I've ever read and, as someone who's Russian, I don't say that lightly. Although there were times where I found myself wishing that the author went a bit deeper when it came to the history of the folklore/magic itself, I do get that not everything can be done in a 350-page book, so I didn't really have a major problem with it.
For the most part, I really loved the way Russian fairy tales were used and I honestly found myself wishing I was a part of this magical family even though seeing when you die sounds quite horrifying, not gonna lie.
Overall
I have been looking for books that feature Russian-American characters for literally ages and when I found out that this one had Russian-American queer people, I got even more excited. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would also like to know if there's going to be a sequel because the way this story leaves off feels very,, unfinished, you know??
~~~
Anyways, I would like more Russian-inspired stories set in a contemporary setting, thank you.