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_leitmotif_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sucker for a beauty and the beast retelling. and this is a good one, primarily because ballard and louvaen are FANTASTIC characters. he’s broken, worn through from fighting his curse for hundreds of years and has lost hope and she’s shielded up to her gills with self sufficiency and fierce defensiveness of her small circle of family. they instantly recognize each other’s gifts/wounds and that recognition is the basis of all that follows for them, and the reason that their connection and intimacy feels so authentic and meaningful.
some bits of the plot feel rushed, especially in the last 100 pages or so, and tbh, the breaking of the curse isn’t coherently explained. couldn’t tell you why ballard survives it, in the end.
but, who cares! i’ll take a bit of plot incoherence for the shared arc of such deep, wonderful characters.
this was the first book i’ve read by grace draven. grace’s writing reminds me in many ways of juliet marillier’s work (which i love), so im delighted by the long list of other books from draven i can dive into.
some bits of the plot feel rushed, especially in the last 100 pages or so, and tbh, the breaking of the curse isn’t coherently explained. couldn’t tell you why ballard survives it, in the end.
but, who cares! i’ll take a bit of plot incoherence for the shared arc of such deep, wonderful characters.
this was the first book i’ve read by grace draven. grace’s writing reminds me in many ways of juliet marillier’s work (which i love), so im delighted by the long list of other books from draven i can dive into.
Minor: Body horror, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence