Scan barcode
A review by bookishblond
The Beast Is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale
4.0
Creepy and atmospheric, The Beast is an Animal is the dark fantasy I was craving. Well, almost.
This book is neatly divided in two - the first half is near perfect and the second half is... disappointing. But let's start with the good: this book is set in a fantasy Medieval Europe, inspired by Wales, that is terrorized by soul eaters, a bird-legged hairy Beast, and other fforest (yes, two f's) dwellers that go bump in the night. Women healers are accused of practicing witchcraft, children are forced to guard the city at night, and clergy rule with an iron fist. Our delightfully creepy heroine, Alys, is increasingly drawn to the Beast, who is apparently the spirit of the forest, and the soul eaters, who used to be little girls not unlike Alys herself. I loved the characters - Alys, the Beast, the soul eater sisters, and Alys' adopted parents (especially her mother). The world is bleak and doleful; I particularly enjoyed the church's suspicion and distrust of wise women and the overall feeling of doom and gloom. Hopelessness.
The first half of the book is soooo creepy, and I loved it. Grotesque horror is juxtaposed with brief moments of compassion and kindness, and it just works. But then the focus shifts from Alys and her hero's journal of an internal struggle to a love interest. Suddenly Alys is focused on her new man and building a life with him. This could have worked, possibly, but it didn't work for me here because the romance is so out-of-the-blue. This book would have been so much stronger without instalove or any love interest at all. The ending was also frustrating. I like where van Arsdale was going, but the ending was underwhelming, so much so that this book went from a 4.5 star rating down to a 3.5. I'm rounding up to 4 here because the first half was just that strong.
Still, I am impressed that this is a first novel. I do believe that any issues with this book are completely fixable. Van Arsdale is a strong writer, especially world building, which is no easy feat, and I will be reading more of her books sooner rather than later.
This book is neatly divided in two - the first half is near perfect and the second half is... disappointing. But let's start with the good: this book is set in a fantasy Medieval Europe, inspired by Wales, that is terrorized by soul eaters, a bird-legged hairy Beast, and other fforest (yes, two f's) dwellers that go bump in the night. Women healers are accused of practicing witchcraft, children are forced to guard the city at night, and clergy rule with an iron fist. Our delightfully creepy heroine, Alys, is increasingly drawn to the Beast, who is apparently the spirit of the forest, and the soul eaters, who used to be little girls not unlike Alys herself. I loved the characters - Alys, the Beast, the soul eater sisters, and Alys' adopted parents (especially her mother). The world is bleak and doleful; I particularly enjoyed the church's suspicion and distrust of wise women and the overall feeling of doom and gloom. Hopelessness.
The first half of the book is soooo creepy, and I loved it. Grotesque horror is juxtaposed with brief moments of compassion and kindness, and it just works. But then the focus shifts from Alys and her hero's journal of an internal struggle to a love interest. Suddenly Alys is focused on her new man and building a life with him. This could have worked, possibly, but it didn't work for me here because the romance is so out-of-the-blue. This book would have been so much stronger without instalove or any love interest at all. The ending was also frustrating. I like where van Arsdale was going, but the ending was underwhelming, so much so that this book went from a 4.5 star rating down to a 3.5. I'm rounding up to 4 here because the first half was just that strong.
Still, I am impressed that this is a first novel. I do believe that any issues with this book are completely fixable. Van Arsdale is a strong writer, especially world building, which is no easy feat, and I will be reading more of her books sooner rather than later.