There is plenty to like in Brittle, the first instalment in a new series. It’s an escapist fantasy and a gripping page-turner, that keeps you hooked until the last moment. I thought the way the fae world intersected with our own was really interesting too and added a nice dimension to the main character’s arc.

The main character, Verve, is caught between two fae men, and I found her interactions with Fenn particularly compelling. Even though they are very manipulative of each other, it made for an engrossing and engaging read.

📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚

There were some things, however, that didn’t work so well for me. Apart from a couple of small moments, I found the story pretty formulaic, and the intense misogyny of the fae world felt unimaginative to me. If anything, it felt like a missed opportunity to create a really interesting society that was substantially different from our own, rather than just ‘the real world but worse’. If SJM is anything to go by that does seem to be a bit of an emerging trend of the subgenre, but it would have been a much more enjoyable read for me if there was more nuance.

While this one wasn’t a hit for me, I’m sure many fans of ACOTAR and similar books will enjoy this new series.

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.