A review by effingunicorns
The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

Did not finish book.

The marketing and early chapters of this book make it seem promising, but it turns out that at least the first half is more accurately described as literary arthouse bullshit where the characters are miserable and horrible in equal measure but we're supposed to enjoy it because it's just so beautifully rendered. Like, I legitimately could've lived with the story being all character development and world-building if Evike weren't also so insufferably determined to live down to the expectations of those around her in the guise of whatever she's trying to do at any given time, and it's impossible to get properly invested in her attraction to Gaspar when so much of it is presented with this weird clinical detachment that makes even lust uninspiring. (Conversely, I could've lived with Evike being the way she is if the plot would actually move at a pace faster than a snail's crawl.)

Obviously there are plenty of people who are more than happy with this book, at least some of whom like it for the exact same reasons I despise it, and that's fine! This book is good enough on a technical level that I can respect others' ability to enjoy it. I'm just very much not its target audience, and I owe it to myself and any potential readers who actually see this review to be upfront about why that is.