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A review by bookworm_haley
We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
We Shall Be Monsters follows the story of Gemma Cassata and her mother Virginia who live near an enchanted patch of forest in Michigan. When Gemma's mother goes missing, Gemma must go into the woods, face a witch, and break the mysterious curse that has plagued her mother. Written in dual point of view - that of Gemma and her mother - we come to terms with generational trauma, curses, and both past and present.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, as someone who grew up in Michigan near the woods, this was really easy for me to slide into mentally. Dark, and whimsical Wees brings you into this world so like our own, but sprinkled with darkness and magic. I enjoyed the strength of our female characters, they did not rely on others to offer them help, or to try and run from their problems. Our main character was very fleshed out and much more than just a 15 year old girl. However, I do think the writing style and way things progressed for this book lean very heavily YA.
Overall, while it didn't blow me away as a 29 year old, as a teenager I would've adored this book, and would definitely recommend to anyone who is a young adult or just a lover of YA fantasy style stories. Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me the ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, as someone who grew up in Michigan near the woods, this was really easy for me to slide into mentally. Dark, and whimsical Wees brings you into this world so like our own, but sprinkled with darkness and magic. I enjoyed the strength of our female characters, they did not rely on others to offer them help, or to try and run from their problems. Our main character was very fleshed out and much more than just a 15 year old girl. However, I do think the writing style and way things progressed for this book lean very heavily YA.
Overall, while it didn't blow me away as a 29 year old, as a teenager I would've adored this book, and would definitely recommend to anyone who is a young adult or just a lover of YA fantasy style stories. Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me the ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own.