Reviews with content warning for Body horror - Not Good For Maidens

I feel like the book had really good bones and an interesting premise. Some things could have been described better, a lot of passages were hard to follow. I also kind of felt like there were some threads in the beginning that didn't need to be there that were randomly brought back up in the last 3 pages that just felt random and easily forgettable.

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lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A page-turning and creeptastic YA horror/contemporary fantasy, great for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The coven’s magic felt somewhat vague to me, but otherwise I greatly enjoyed this book!

CW for death, body horror, maiming

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ramunepocky's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

I really liked both of the perspectives in this book, both were separate and strong characters within their own right and they both had stories that, whilst they mirrored each other, were very different. They both had different personality traits and different motives for going into the Market and different points to prove and I enjoyed that. I loved the representation too, giving us both great asexual and bisexual rep !!!! I also loved the contrast between May and Lou, and how May grew up around the Market and was actively drawn to it, but couldn’t stay, and how Lou grew up sheltered from that side of her family history and only reluctantly entered the Market to save her Aunt and wanted to stay.

This book was far from perfect, but I enjoyed the vibes immensely and it was dark and gothic without rlly being scary. I felt like the conclusion to Lou’s story and her getting her Aunt out of the Goblin Market felt too easy, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

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sunshinestark's review against another edition

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5.0

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wardenred's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

There are rules, and I broke them. But the rules don’t matter in the market. They’re rules set by tricksters.

This was an enjoyable and highly atmospheric retelling with sone great ace and bi rep. It's worth noting that there are two storylines separate by eighteen years, and the one mentioned in the blurb that led me to pick up the book was the more boring one, tbh. I liked Lou well enough; I related to her struggle to find the balance between finding herself and belonging, and I found her relationship with her Mom, her aunt, and the rest of her family really interesting. However, May's story was simply more compelling. She had a more interesting deal right from the beginning, and while she had a somewhat similar conflict that's typical for YA ("what I want vs what my family needs me to be"), the way it unfolded against the backdrop of witchery and goblin murders was more compelling. I felt like it showcased the vibe of the whole story better, too. That whole thing about already living on the border of a mundane world and a magical one full of withcraft, and then stepping over yt another threshold into the goblin market? Beautifully done and instantly engrossing. Lou's journey was a more typical "I'm just a kid figuring myself out and overlooking some weirdness in my family, and now I've learned that a world of magic exists" one, and it was more predictable and less novel for me.

I felt like the first half of the novel was a lot stronger than the second one. In both storylines, there was some great build-up with big promises, and then the pay-off kind of... fell a little short. Looking back, perhaps it was actually a problem with the first half, too, at least in May's part; by the time we get to the most high-stakes parts, it's already way too clear how most of the big stuff is going to play out. Still, at least the thick atmosphere of beautiful terrors—the undeniable strength of this book—was very much there, whereas in Lou's story it falls a bit to the side. Upon some thinking, I actually like the blatant difference in how May and Lou interacted with the Market: May was strongly susceptible to its draw whereas Lou entered it with a single-minded purpose to find Neela, stuck to it throughout, and distanced herself from all the weirdness to some extent. She overlooked the addictive beauty all the horror was wrapped in and went straight for the horror, whereas May allowed herself to be drawn into the beauty first.

Speaking of horror: there was less of it than I expected from the way the book was presented. The story is definitely more on the fantasy side. But all the body horror bits were appropriately chilling, and everything about the Market, with the constant addictions and abductions it provides, was terrifying, and really, I just need to mention again how atmospheric Bovalino's writing is. Despite some of the book's weaknesses, I really want to read more by this author, especially if the later books end up going even deeper into the horror territory!

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kelskiiz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

more of a dark fantasy than a horror, but still really enjoyable! TWO co-dependent relationships, complicated but still loving mother-daughter relationship, i even actually enjoyed the love story portions. lou is a thoroughly likeable and understandable mc, and even may's more questionable decisions don’t irritate me as much as they might have in another story

except for when she’s captured and she’s doubting eitra and feeling all betrayed n shit, like girl come on 😭 this is YOUR doing and also she TOLD you. but also she was kinda physically and emotionally compromised and in a wee bit of a jam at the time so yk it’s fine

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madamenovelist's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

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ash_ton's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

when Laura said "I'd do ANYTHING for you May" i cried. idk man 🤧

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