mandykins007's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenal read! It pulls you in and entrances. I wasn't expecting to like this half as much as I did. Marillier has an incredible storytelling talent. This was quite unexpected and undeniably lovely.
kathrynwilliams's review against another edition
3.0
An audible exclusive. I was interested because I love Juliet Marillier. It was fun to experience her writing again but in a different set up than I'm used to; this had more fairy tale elements and was aimed towards a young adult audience.
linneahedvig's review against another edition
2.0
This was kind of a retelling of East of the Sun West of the Moon, but only at the beginning. After that story ends, this one carries on with the troll queen's daughter. The story had some good fairy tale elements, but on the whole it felt like it was trying to do too much. It wants to have the emotional realism of something like The Goblin Emperor, looking at how someone survives abuse and abandonment and takes over a kingdom, and it also wants to tell a fairy tale with the rule of threes and archetypal characters. I have also been having a hard time with audiobooks lately, so it might have also been that.
turnherintoliterature's review against another edition
2.0
I found it difficult to stay interested in this story. Hulde was, frankly, fairly annoying in her stubbornness and her constant “woe is me, people are using me when I thought they were my friends”. The plot was also a bit simplistic in comparison to the other book I’ve read by this author. Slightly disappointing, unfortunately.
akhamilton's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps I didn't read the description well enough when I started this story. I assumed the entire novel was a retelling of the traditional east-of-the-sun story. Imagine my surprise when that concluded in part 1. I LOVED the way in which that story was upended - Hulde's perspective, the three pets, the "friend" in need of help.
Part 2 came as a bit of a shock and, as a result, was difficult for me to embrace. Honestly, I almost DNF because I was not connecting with the plot as much as I did in the first part. I'm glad I stuck it out though. Hulde's journey was, in fact, beautiful!
If you're a fan of fairy tales and are willing to give a chance on a story that moves a bit slowly in the middle, you won't be disappointed.
Part 2 came as a bit of a shock and, as a result, was difficult for me to embrace. Honestly, I almost DNF because I was not connecting with the plot as much as I did in the first part. I'm glad I stuck it out though. Hulde's journey was, in fact, beautiful!
If you're a fan of fairy tales and are willing to give a chance on a story that moves a bit slowly in the middle, you won't be disappointed.
charitie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
4.0
While I really liked the story, I didn't like the Audible narrator. I felt she completely rushed through the prose with very little color to her voice.
This is a story about a sheltered girl trying to find her path but has no clue about the world and its people outside her mountainous home. She's understatedly courageous while also very humble and kind. I found her to be a compelling lead undergoing a large amount of character growth which propels the plot forward. This is a unique world with hints of magic yet to be explored. Recommended.
This is a story about a sheltered girl trying to find her path but has no clue about the world and its people outside her mountainous home. She's understatedly courageous while also very humble and kind. I found her to be a compelling lead undergoing a large amount of character growth which propels the plot forward. This is a unique world with hints of magic yet to be explored. Recommended.
tyrshand's review against another edition
4.0
Much of this is charming and fun, while exploring how independence and solitude mix and conflict, as well as how to recognize true companionship. It straddles the line between YA and adult, making it appeal to a wide audience. However, there is quite a lot going on here and as the story moves on it begins to feel more and more like too much is happening too quickly. I'd have enjoyed a more leisurely trek through the latter half of the book. I did love that the troll princess got to be the star, though, and may never view the heroine of West of the Sun, East of the Moon in the same way again. (what a jerk) I also appreciated the idea that stories have power.
opheliajblack's review against another edition
5.0
Please note; my star rating on any book is completely subjective and limited to the label for each star.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.