A review by lovelylittleladd
Malice by Heather Walter

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

AAAAAAAHHHH this was magnificent. I love this new take on a classic tale. 

The transformation of Alyce is CHILLING. The adaptation of her character alone had me never wanting to put this book down. Each twist and turn left me surprised. I loved seeing the dark turn of her character and how unfortunate circumstances throughout life can affect one’s character. It’s nice to see this tale retold from a morally grey standpoint, rather than pure good or evil—it gives the whole story a much more humanistic approach. And that ending? WOW.
THAT’S the “evil” villain I’ve known for years, and here I am actually cheering for her now.


I LOVED this sapphic take on the classic tale. The way Alyce describes her feelings for Aurora makes my heart burst; it’s how I feel when I’ve fallen head-over-heels for a woman.
My heart fluttered when Aurora and Alyce finally connected. I enjoyed that sort of representation in this novel.
 

Also, can we talk about the ANGST?!
My heart absolutely BREAKS for both of them and the doom of their relationship. Poor Aurora can’t catch a break with all of these curses and Alyce only digs herself a deeper hole when trying to fix her wrongs. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see play out. But, it pulls at my heartstrings in the best way. I live for the angst!
 

I’m excited to see how it plays out in the sequel. This was a delightful read, even when being absolutely heartbreaking.
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