kenna13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Suicide, Gore, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
christygsp's review against another edition
3.5
The love story was fun and the banter was great. I know we are reading the origin story of a villain (another phenomenon that I don’t understand why people like so much, but here I am reading one so… yup) but it still felt like it wasn’t until the end.
I was rooting for characters, liking the story, then BAM they hit me with creepy and I was annoyed.
Ultimately, these fairytale retellings always feel the need to lean more into the creepy/evil but I was impressed that majority of this story didn’t so that.
Moderate: Violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Gore
arieslofi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
i really liked the character of mary ann especially, though i'll say cath was neither here nor there and jest completely failed to be compelling to me,
Spoiler
which made his deaththis book could have been really good, personally, if we hadn't had any type of romance involved, only a girl losing her dreams and having to deal with being stuck in a loveless marriage with the king until she snaps. i would even have enjoyed it if there had been romance involved, though differently. if, for example,
Spoiler
instead of jest taking her away and the last 30% happening the way they did, she had, just like before, stuck with the king, a fool (which could have served as a callback in dialogue!) only for jest to come back and her, tired and betrayed, called for his head. he was, after all, a wanted criminal,the ending itself felt unsatisfactory to me,
Spoiler
there was no real build-up to this sudden change in her behavior (though we are given a reason) and we only get a glimpse of it some chapters before. i feel like showing her ability to be genuinely evil and ruthless throughout the book would have worked better—even if we kind of get those moments in very small doses, like her stealing from the pumpkin patch and her intensity at playing croquet, although this latter felt more like a "this happens in the original story!" bit.generally, not a bad book, per se, but it left me wanting a lot more, so i can't say i'm exactly happy with it. the premise is much better than the execution itself, though it only goes south around 70% of the book for me.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Misogyny, and Body shaming
Minor: Gore, War, and Eating disorder
abby_can_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Murder, Blood, Misogyny, Grief, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Animal death, Classism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: War and Kidnapping
carrotsxcks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Murder
kaziaroo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Body shaming, Blood, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, and Murder
Minor: War and Gore
booksanna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
Jest was a martyr and one that left such powerful impact on me. His death…. Perhaps it was meant to be. Great book, horrifying to readEdit, i knocked off 0.25 stars because the beginning was very slow.
Edit 2: it’s been a year and this has become my 5 star book. Worth it
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Gore and Body shaming
Minor: Suicide and War
zoepagereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
kbairbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Violence, War, Body shaming, Dementia, Murder, Classism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol
rain_baby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Violence, Grief, and Gore
Minor: Body shaming