elzbethmrgn's review
I just don't care? I want to read about Yaga pottering about in the woods, not having to visit the big city and scheme with/against her ex.
gingerale06's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stacers1973's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
jrummel's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting premise - but bc I’m not familiar with Slavic tales I got a little lost. Plus the one I am familiar with Baba Yaga - they changed.
mourningstarr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
barbb_in_ab's review against another edition
4.0
I wish I had read the author's note section describing how Gilmore subverted traditional elements and has reinvented mythological characters with her own "unique spin and interpretation" before I read this story. I almost did not read based on a couple of reviews that seem to forget the story is a work of fiction, concerned that the plot was not a reflection of the traditional mythology.
tamara_joy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Genocide
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence
antimony's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
reminder to my future self that if a book mentions someone vying for power in the summary i will not enjoy myself while reading it. even if it has baba yaga. i don't like reading about nobility i don't like fantasy politics i don't like strategizing and battles and war. and the romance was nonsense it felt like ya-levels of fake and shoehorned. sorry!
the feminism also felt like very ya. like yaga oftentimes felt like when people try to write feminism into their historical fiction but give the character a very modern view of things instead of a view that would fit into the times while still wanting a better life for women. AND she spends so long talking about how she doesn't want to get married, she doesn't need a man, marriage is just a way for her to be trapped, and then falls in instalove with a guy she has no chemistry with and gets pregnant and gets married and has a kid and is obsessed with this man for no reason. and no one has any personality!!!! :(
additionally . how in the world was this so slow for covering a timeline of twenty years :/ so maybe it was boring on its own not just because of the war.
ALSO what olesya salnikova gilmore wanted to do with subverting baba yaga stories that were told by christians to make her into an evil witch instead of a nice healer with pagan roots was like. nice idea i guess. but to be perfectly honest. i love evil baba yaga that eats kids and has skulls on her house etc. and there was not nearly enough time spent with her house i love her house :( and this did not feel like it was about baba yaga at ALL!
the feminism also felt like very ya. like yaga oftentimes felt like when people try to write feminism into their historical fiction but give the character a very modern view of things instead of a view that would fit into the times while still wanting a better life for women. AND she spends so long talking about how she doesn't want to get married, she doesn't need a man, marriage is just a way for her to be trapped, and then falls in instalove with a guy she has no chemistry with and gets pregnant and gets married and has a kid and is obsessed with this man for no reason. and no one has any personality!!!! :(
additionally . how in the world was this so slow for covering a timeline of twenty years :/ so maybe it was boring on its own not just because of the war.
ALSO what olesya salnikova gilmore wanted to do with subverting baba yaga stories that were told by christians to make her into an evil witch instead of a nice healer with pagan roots was like. nice idea i guess. but to be perfectly honest. i love evil baba yaga that eats kids and has skulls on her house etc. and there was not nearly enough time spent with her house i love her house :( and this did not feel like it was about baba yaga at ALL!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
abookboundgirl's review
Unfortunately, I DNF’d this book at 28%.
I enjoyed the beginning and seeing what Yaga’s life was like, and I was interested by the other world she was able to access through her forest.
However, once she got to court these things disappeared, and I simply found the pacing too slow which caused me to become uninvested in the story and the characters.
I had to hoped to pick it back up but have now accepted that it simply wasn’t for me.
I enjoyed the beginning and seeing what Yaga’s life was like, and I was interested by the other world she was able to access through her forest.
However, once she got to court these things disappeared, and I simply found the pacing too slow which caused me to become uninvested in the story and the characters.
I had to hoped to pick it back up but have now accepted that it simply wasn’t for me.
brenbee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75