erinarkin20's review against another edition
2.0
This one just wasn't for me...which is odd as I love fairytale retellings.. I think that in comparison, this one just didn't jump to the top of my favorites list. I do love the cover of this one though.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
geldauran's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't like it. The primary writing style, first person present, is never my favorite. But then the book decides to switch between first and third, though both characters are POV characters. I found this jarring.
Also, to be quite frank, I found this boring. The way the book is paced and the way action scenes were handled left me totally cold. I did not find Pin a likeable character, and did not understand why everyone falls in love with her the moment they meet her. I get it, we're in a fairy tale retelling. But goodness. Pin and Shoe basically look at each other and that seems to be the totality of development we need before they're quite obsessed with each other, running off together, smooching and sacrificing themselves to save the other. I didn't think anyone really had much of a personality at all in this book.
Also, whats up with the thimbles? And why would Pin, even after we know some of the details of her Before, know how to fight with a staff like that? And for God's sake, why does she ever take the thimble off? My magical thimble that protects me from shit, let me just take that off for a hot minute. What? Why? We're in the middle of a battle? Should I put my magical thimble on or wait until a more dramatic moment? There's literally a moment when everyone is getting attacked and fighting and someone is like "Pen, your thimble!" and she's like "Oh, yeah, good idea". And that ending? ah, man.
Frustration, thy name is Phoebe. Apologies, I'm feeling a little disgruntled this morning after a series of disappointing reads in a row. In summary, I didn't care for this book's writing style.
Also, to be quite frank, I found this boring. The way the book is paced and the way action scenes were handled left me totally cold. I did not find Pin a likeable character, and did not understand why everyone falls in love with her the moment they meet her. I get it, we're in a fairy tale retelling. But goodness. Pin and Shoe basically look at each other and that seems to be the totality of development we need before they're quite obsessed with each other, running off together, smooching and sacrificing themselves to save the other. I didn't think anyone really had much of a personality at all in this book.
Also, whats up with the thimbles? And why would Pin, even after we know some of the details of her Before, know how to fight with a staff like that? And for God's sake, why does she ever take the thimble off? My magical thimble that protects me from shit, let me just take that off for a hot minute. What? Why? We're in the middle of a battle? Should I put my magical thimble on or wait until a more dramatic moment? There's literally a moment when everyone is getting attacked and fighting and someone is like "Pen, your thimble!" and she's like "Oh, yeah, good idea". And that ending? ah, man.
Frustration, thy name is Phoebe. Apologies, I'm feeling a little disgruntled this morning after a series of disappointing reads in a row. In summary, I didn't care for this book's writing style.
diaryofthebookdragon's review against another edition
2.0
Likes:
+ Beautiful writing. Even something as boring as stitching sounds interesting and different.
+ In fairy tales I always imagined all those fancy things fairy godmother produced were created by magic, not slave labor. It's disconcerting. Kinda like acknowledging that your shiny new phone is made by little children in China.
+ Mystery. What are godmother motives?
+ Twist to all fairy tales.
Dislikes:
- Weird figures of speech. For examples: how Shoe calls the outside world before.
- Love triangle.
- I didn't connect to the story.
+ Beautiful writing. Even something as boring as stitching sounds interesting and different.
+ In fairy tales I always imagined all those fancy things fairy godmother produced were created by magic, not slave labor. It's disconcerting. Kinda like acknowledging that your shiny new phone is made by little children in China.
+ Mystery. What are godmother motives?
+ Twist to all fairy tales.
Dislikes:
- Weird figures of speech. For examples: how Shoe calls the outside world before.
- Love triangle.
- I didn't connect to the story.
lydia_altman's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was a very mid book. Like it wasn't bad at all, but it just wasn't that enthralling
kmfeeney's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at 115 pages or so. I rolled my eyes so many times. I hate not finishing books but this was unbearable. There was so much potential in the story but that wasn't enough to keep me going.
mercipourleslivres's review against another edition
4.0
This gave me some awesome Princess Tutu vibes!
A fairytale deconstruction where a shoemaker and a seamstress must fight the story that is marching them inexorably towards its own idea of a "happy ending." Lovely prose, though the characters are ultimately more like caricatures. It can be argued that a premise where no one has free will excuses the slight laziness there, but I would've liked a bit more depth for Pin and Shoe. That said, the meta-factor helps the story along at its weaker moments, and again, the prose is lovely. Fans of fairytales should enjoy this new twist in the skein.
A fairytale deconstruction where a shoemaker and a seamstress must fight the story that is marching them inexorably towards its own idea of a "happy ending." Lovely prose, though the characters are ultimately more like caricatures. It can be argued that a premise where no one has free will excuses the slight laziness there, but I would've liked a bit more depth for Pin and Shoe. That said, the meta-factor helps the story along at its weaker moments, and again, the prose is lovely. Fans of fairytales should enjoy this new twist in the skein.
catyalice's review against another edition
4.0
Such a neat idea!! Makes me think of all the Shrek movies with the Fairy Godmother. There were a couple of misprints or spelling errors but overall, beautiful story!!
baggy_taster's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
amarylissw's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars. Boring, starts off weird, doesn't get any better, skimmed pretty much the whole thing, couldn't get attached to the characters at all. What could've been an interesting story executed very poorly.
jemcam's review against another edition
2.0
This book had such a wonderful start (foreboding atmosphere, interesting concept, strong heroine, and Shoe, the unsmiling, earnest boy that I fell head over heels for), but then it meandered, and I became frustrated, and I was unsatisfied with the ending.