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A review by ishouldreadthat
Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I'm not much of a poetry person, but Goblin Market has always been a favourite of mine. As soon as I heard that Not Good for Maidens was a reimagining of Christina Rossetti's poem, I had to have it in my hands!
Bovalino does a great job of incorporating the dark sensuality and temptation of Goblin Market into her own writing. I loved her imagining of the market below the streets of York and the supernatural draw that the women of the city feel, whether they want to or not. Her description of the market and its various levels and wares was fantastic and the goblins themselves were so incredibly cool. She does a great job setting up the fantasy elements in this book!
I think my mixed feelings about Not Good for Maidens mostly surround the dual timeline. I often find that when books have a dual POV or timeline, one is far more interesting than the other -- that is definitely the case with here. I absolutely loved May's point of view chapters, which tell the story of why the sisters fled York 18 years prior. May is a great character with a fascinating story, and I couldn't get enough. However, I found the present day timeline much more dull by comparison. Lou just didn't have the same strong sense of character (although it could be argued that this is intentional) and I just didn't click with her story at all. Maybe it would have been stronger if May's storyline was one book and Lou's was the sequel? I'm not sure.
I also wish that there was a stronger sense of place in this book. When a fantasy/horror story is set in a place like York, I would expect it to have a lot of atmosphere. I personally love stories that have a strong setting, especially when that setting is so central to the book, and this one didn't quite hit the mark.
Overall, Not Good for Maidens is a good read but I feel like there was potential for it to be a much stronger book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I'm not much of a poetry person, but Goblin Market has always been a favourite of mine. As soon as I heard that Not Good for Maidens was a reimagining of Christina Rossetti's poem, I had to have it in my hands!
Bovalino does a great job of incorporating the dark sensuality and temptation of Goblin Market into her own writing. I loved her imagining of the market below the streets of York and the supernatural draw that the women of the city feel, whether they want to or not. Her description of the market and its various levels and wares was fantastic and the goblins themselves were so incredibly cool. She does a great job setting up the fantasy elements in this book!
I think my mixed feelings about Not Good for Maidens mostly surround the dual timeline. I often find that when books have a dual POV or timeline, one is far more interesting than the other -- that is definitely the case with here. I absolutely loved May's point of view chapters, which tell the story of why the sisters fled York 18 years prior. May is a great character with a fascinating story, and I couldn't get enough. However, I found the present day timeline much more dull by comparison. Lou just didn't have the same strong sense of character (although it could be argued that this is intentional) and I just didn't click with her story at all. Maybe it would have been stronger if May's storyline was one book and Lou's was the sequel? I'm not sure.
I also wish that there was a stronger sense of place in this book. When a fantasy/horror story is set in a place like York, I would expect it to have a lot of atmosphere. I personally love stories that have a strong setting, especially when that setting is so central to the book, and this one didn't quite hit the mark.
Overall, Not Good for Maidens is a good read but I feel like there was potential for it to be a much stronger book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Blood