DNF @ 60%

I received an eARC of this for review.

Even the audiobook on 3.5x couldn't get me through this unfortunately. I think for some people this will absolutely be a perfect book but I just found myself frustrated.

It started off strong, with the first 100 pages or so being packed full of emotive language and beautiful, raw description. Then we kept getting that dramatic and emotive language used while absolutely nothing happened, which kind of just made it feel melodramatic instead. All the marketing I've seen seemed to advertise this as an adult Red Riding Hood retelling, but instead it was very much a YA Beauty and the Beast retelling. Honestly I feel like I've read this exact book dozens of times.

I was expecting a monster boy (I was promised a monster boy!!) but instead the 'monstrous wolf' is literally just a dude with long hair and some scars. It never makes sense why they sacrifice daughters to him and he literally offers to let her leave immediately after she arrives. The plot felt really slow and confused. I couldn't tell you what anybody's motivations were, like the entire plot was handwaved away in favour of a romance that wasn't nearly as interesting as the book thought it was. Tropes were shoved in with basically no build up or explanation and it just weighed the story down.

Ultimately I was just bored for the middle 40% of the book, and couldn't push through because I didn't care about self-absorbed Red or the bland Eammon. I had really high expectations and maybe that's part of why I'm so disappointed but honestly for an adult fantasy I want more depth and explanation, and to really feel the characters. This felt like a middling YA.