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ieatbooks_'s review
I picked this up because I was looking for a cozy little fantasy story and it’s short so I only really glanced at a review or two before reading. I did enjoy the first half of the book, it was pretty much what I was looking for up until the relationship between Bianchi and Giovanna. That was not for me. I found the 23 year age gap really weird. Especially since he makes it very clear that he still sees her a child. He tells her multiple times that he is too old for her and he remembers when she was a just little kid. At this point I was just going to finish the book because I was almost done with it anyway, but when the cat died it was just kind of just the last straw. I wasn’t enjoying anymore and it felt like it wasn’t about unicorns anymore I did also find the writing to be a bit plain, but that is kind of just a nit pick and probably more of a preference thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Gore and Miscarriage
spookfish's review
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Beagle's writing is very beautiful, he is a skilled craftsman of whimsy and magical mystery. However, the could-be greatness of this book is lost about ¼ of the way through. The introduction of a romance between a 47 year old man, and a young woman in her 20's spoilt this for me, and that's most of the story! I did not like the way the protagonist referred to his young love interest, along with constantly reminding her how he remembers her as a child, even as she is stood in front of him naked as an adult.
A real shame, because the story of a lonely farmer in Italy during the winter being met my a pregnant unicorn, was really lovely, it could have been much more than it turned out to be.
Should I even mention the Italian gang that starts threatening him and murdering his animals? Not sure that needed to be wedged in.
A missed opportunity for something better.
A real shame, because the story of a lonely farmer in Italy during the winter being met my a pregnant unicorn, was really lovely, it could have been much more than it turned out to be.
Should I even mention the Italian gang that starts threatening him and murdering his animals? Not sure that needed to be wedged in.
A missed opportunity for something better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
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