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mattyb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Stalking, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cannibalism
madamenovelist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ash_ton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism
cameronreads's review against another edition
2.0
My opinions on the plot and characters of this book are rather average. I think the basic idea was there, but something about the pacing and what this book emphasised was off. I wasn't all that attached to the characters, especially because the character we're meant to be saving all through this book is never seen on page until the end. It meant the stakes didn't feel very high. To be honest, I would have read a whole book about one of the point of views (May's) if it had been expanded on and we had got to spend a bit more time with it (and there wasn't such antisemitic themes).
I do however like the casual queer representation. The main characters are ace and bi respectively, and there's a pan side character, and all of these words are said on page. There's no prejudice against them because of their sexualities, and the main romance is a sapphic one. That was all really nice to see.
I'm really mad about this one - I loved Bovalino's other book and the other goblin market retelling I've read (In An Absent Dream, Seanan McGuire) so I really wanted to love this too. Unfortunate.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Torture, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
- NOT GOOD FOR MAIDENS is a queer, witchy, horrifying tale, and I was fully gripped by it.
- This book is gory and haunting, but also full of love and characters itching to prove themselves.
- Flipping back and forth between POVs in different timelines can be tricky, but I think Bovalino nailed it here. The parallel stories unspool quickly enough to keep you interested but not so quickly that things are revealed too soon: you'll find yourself mentally shouting at the characters to put the pieces together.
- The two POV characters, Lou and May, are ace and bi, respectively. I appreciated that challenges they might face due to their sexualities are mentioned, but it's not a book that's full of on the page queerphobia.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail