Take a photo of a barcode or cover
OH MY GOSH. This. Book. Ruined. Me. In. The. Best. Way. Possible.
It's nearly impossible to write a well-rounded final book in a trilogy. Holly Black proves it can be done. So far all the reviews I've seen have been lukewarm at best, disappointed at worst. However, any extreme critiques are unwarranted. "The Queen of Nothing" is easily my favorite book of "The Folk of the Air" series. Somehow Black manages to give closure to all the major and minor characters. Sure she could have added a few more details here and there but overall she sewed up the plot nice and neat. I went from not caring about Jude and almost despising her grueling commentary in [b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574535986l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123] to shipping her happiness hardcore in this book. This is a Daenerys-worthy glow up (we ignore season 8).
Jude absolutely owns this book. She doubts herself at every turn, but it's her flaws that make her redeemable and lovable. She tries her best to be fair to her people. Despite her initial struggles, I think she dominates the realm as queen! Surprisingly, Cardan and her make an excellent team the few times they work together. They do spend a significant amount of time apart, but this allows time for their personalities and intentions to grow. Jude's time alone gives her time to process what exactly she feels for Cardan. I admire that Black isn't afraid to give Jude some space. Jude makes it clear that Cardan is important to her, but she can take care of herself just fine. The best scene in the book is when Jude dismisses the men in her chambers and hires Fand, Grima Mog and her sisters on her squad. I love this theme of powerful women in court!
Speaking of Fand, I didn't realize how much I missed her! Her friendship with Jude develops beautifully in "The Queen of Nothing." I'm so pleased that her character returned. Similarly, there were so many delightful references to the first book. While I wasn't a fan of "The Cruel Prince," this technique gave this book more depth and a sense of finalitiy. It was important to the completion of the story that both the previous books were mentioned.
Some final thoughts:
1. Cardan's transformation was a unique way to represent his character development. I believed that he'd always be a stuck up twit but he does manage to change. The gorgeous imagery that Black used to describe the transformation was AMAZING.
2. The prophecy was fulfilled in such a clever way. I definitely didn't see that coming!
3. The prologue really set the tone for the rest of the story. It was a desperately needed chapter to develop Cardan's character and backstory. It explains so much!
It's nearly impossible to write a well-rounded final book in a trilogy. Holly Black proves it can be done. So far all the reviews I've seen have been lukewarm at best, disappointed at worst. However, any extreme critiques are unwarranted. "The Queen of Nothing" is easily my favorite book of "The Folk of the Air" series. Somehow Black manages to give closure to all the major and minor characters. Sure she could have added a few more details here and there but overall she sewed up the plot nice and neat. I went from not caring about Jude and almost despising her grueling commentary in [b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574535986l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123] to shipping her happiness hardcore in this book. This is a Daenerys-worthy glow up (we ignore season 8).
Jude absolutely owns this book. She doubts herself at every turn, but it's her flaws that make her redeemable and lovable. She tries her best to be fair to her people. Despite her initial struggles, I think she dominates the realm as queen! Surprisingly, Cardan and her make an excellent team the few times they work together. They do spend a significant amount of time apart, but this allows time for their personalities and intentions to grow. Jude's time alone gives her time to process what exactly she feels for Cardan. I admire that Black isn't afraid to give Jude some space. Jude makes it clear that Cardan is important to her, but she can take care of herself just fine. The best scene in the book is when Jude dismisses the men in her chambers and hires Fand, Grima Mog and her sisters on her squad. I love this theme of powerful women in court!
Speaking of Fand, I didn't realize how much I missed her! Her friendship with Jude develops beautifully in "The Queen of Nothing." I'm so pleased that her character returned. Similarly, there were so many delightful references to the first book. While I wasn't a fan of "The Cruel Prince," this technique gave this book more depth and a sense of finalitiy. It was important to the completion of the story that both the previous books were mentioned.
Some final thoughts:
1. Cardan's transformation was a unique way to represent his character development. I believed that he'd always be a stuck up twit but he does manage to change. The gorgeous imagery that Black used to describe the transformation was AMAZING.
2. The prophecy was fulfilled in such a clever way. I definitely didn't see that coming!
3. The prologue really set the tone for the rest of the story. It was a desperately needed chapter to develop Cardan's character and backstory. It explains so much!
A heart pounding romance that's modern with a mix of old world in it; I loved Maxon much more than I ever thought I would.
FINALLY GOT MY HANDS ON THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK!
I admire how much power and strength [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] gave to her characters. She made them clearly flawed yet realistic. I found myself relating to all of the characters at some point. Zelie suffers from a martyr complex but that's to be expected with the YA genre. Compared to other books in this genre, [b:Children of Blood and Bone|41962308|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537574957l/41962308._SY75_.jpg|55911580] has few YA tropes. The female characters aren't traditionally feminine, or even overly masculine, they are just who they are.
I started counting how many times Adeyemi mentioned a male character crying. It is so rare for me to read about male characters showing their emotions! For example, I love how much Adeyemi explored Inan and Tzarin's emotional vulnerabilities. Since she does this, the relationships between the characters become more developed and fleshed out. So many stunning character arcs in just one book!
As for my favorite character, Zelie is definitely up there but Inan's chapters were my favorite to read. The exploration of his psyche was fascinating! I will continue to root for him as a character. He's giving me some Anakin Skywalker vibes and I love it. Even though Inan has an evil side to him, there is a quiet vulnerability about him that I love.
I haven't decided if I want to read the sequel yet or not. I've seen too many negative reviews so I'll wait a bit to decide. Overall this book lived up to the hype!
I admire how much power and strength [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] gave to her characters. She made them clearly flawed yet realistic. I found myself relating to all of the characters at some point. Zelie suffers from a martyr complex but that's to be expected with the YA genre. Compared to other books in this genre, [b:Children of Blood and Bone|41962308|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537574957l/41962308._SY75_.jpg|55911580] has few YA tropes. The female characters aren't traditionally feminine, or even overly masculine, they are just who they are.
I started counting how many times Adeyemi mentioned a male character crying. It is so rare for me to read about male characters showing their emotions! For example, I love how much Adeyemi explored Inan and Tzarin's emotional vulnerabilities. Since she does this, the relationships between the characters become more developed and fleshed out. So many stunning character arcs in just one book!
As for my favorite character, Zelie is definitely up there but Inan's chapters were my favorite to read. The exploration of his psyche was fascinating! I will continue to root for him as a character. He's giving me some Anakin Skywalker vibes and I love it. Even though Inan has an evil side to him, there is a quiet vulnerability about him that I love.
I haven't decided if I want to read the sequel yet or not. I've seen too many negative reviews so I'll wait a bit to decide. Overall this book lived up to the hype!
Another popular #bookstagram YA read. With plenty of twists and turns in the plot, this novel kept me guessing until the very end.
First of all, I want to address the theory of Sabine being gay. If this turns out to be true, great! However, I never assumed Sabine's feelings toward Ailesse were romantic in nature. Plus (spoiler) there is a reason later why they can't be a couple. Now I can totally see Amari and Zelie from [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] being secretly in love with each other. For now, Sabine doesn't need a partner to be happy and she's out there kicking butt!
My favorite aspect of this novel was the matriarchal society Ailesse and Sabine are a part of. This book is a must-read for all feminists! I love how all the women look after each other and forge such strong bonds. I also admire that the author of this book made the critical decision to have a matriarchal society be imperfect. Every society is flawed, and I think that's one of the main themes of this book.
This book played around with religion in an interesting way. I wanted desperately to like Jules because she's a kickass female character but I found her to be rude and judgmental. I understand that she doesn't agree with Ailesse's beliefs but she goes too far. She insults a religion that she hardly knows anything about. Ailesse is vulnerable and confused and Jules treats her like dirt. Even though I don't like Ailesse's beliefs either, Jules was such a pain that I found myself siding with Ailesse! Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the mythology and worldbuilding. The bone criers seem like a combination of sirens and Amazon warriors and I love it!!!! The only negative aspect of this novel was having a villain thrown in at the last second. No spoilers, but where Ailesse ended up at the end felt very random. Why was this character pulled out of nowhere? Having the plot change so suddenly at the last second was disappointing.
First of all, I want to address the theory of Sabine being gay. If this turns out to be true, great! However, I never assumed Sabine's feelings toward Ailesse were romantic in nature. Plus (spoiler) there is a reason later why they can't be a couple. Now I can totally see Amari and Zelie from [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] being secretly in love with each other. For now, Sabine doesn't need a partner to be happy and she's out there kicking butt!
My favorite aspect of this novel was the matriarchal society Ailesse and Sabine are a part of. This book is a must-read for all feminists! I love how all the women look after each other and forge such strong bonds. I also admire that the author of this book made the critical decision to have a matriarchal society be imperfect. Every society is flawed, and I think that's one of the main themes of this book.
This book played around with religion in an interesting way. I wanted desperately to like Jules because she's a kickass female character but I found her to be rude and judgmental. I understand that she doesn't agree with Ailesse's beliefs but she goes too far. She insults a religion that she hardly knows anything about. Ailesse is vulnerable and confused and Jules treats her like dirt. Even though I don't like Ailesse's beliefs either, Jules was such a pain that I found myself siding with Ailesse! Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the mythology and worldbuilding. The bone criers seem like a combination of sirens and Amazon warriors and I love it!!!! The only negative aspect of this novel was having a villain thrown in at the last second. No spoilers, but where Ailesse ended up at the end felt very random. Why was this character pulled out of nowhere? Having the plot change so suddenly at the last second was disappointing.
I went to buy a copy of [b:A Court of Mist and Fury|17927395|A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546406996l/17927395._SY75_.jpg|25126749] for my series reread and it was a challenge to find an affordable copy online. THAT'S HOW POPULAR THIS SERIES STILL IS! The power these books hold, ohmygosh!
Everyone in the ACOTAR fandom says this book is the best in the series. My favorite is [b:A Court of Thorns and Roses|16096824|A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546406962l/16096824._SY75_.jpg|21905102] but this one is a close second! So many characters, important plot points, and foreshadowing is introduced. It's one big dramafest that I'm lucky to have a ticket to. It's ridiculous how much I fell in love with Velaris and the Inner Circle. I love Cassian's humor, Azriel's cleverness, Mor's loyalty, Amren's honesty, and Rhys's protective nature. It's official - I want to move to Velaris. The court has everything I could want in a home, from the European city feel to the beautifully chilly mountains. Honestly, my heart belongs to this series.
This is the first book I ever read in the new adult genre. It's magical and compelling and everything I could want in a book. This book is an anomaly for me - I never enjoy reading romance. However, the combination of fantasy and romance was actually amazing. There's romance but it doesn't overpower the gripping plot.
My favorite plot points:
- Mor helping Feyre deal with her depression and ptsd. The female friendships in this book are everything I ever wished for. WOMEN SUPPORT WOMEN!
- I love that Feyre proves that it's normal for a woman to have guy friends and not hook up with them.
- How important creativity is to a person's well-being.
- SO. MUCH. FEMINISM.
- this series is one of the few to cover important topics i.e. depression, ptsd, sexual assault (both female and male), physical abuse, gender stereotypes, lgbtq+ characters
P.S. One of the BEST ENDINGS of a book ever!
Everyone in the ACOTAR fandom says this book is the best in the series. My favorite is [b:A Court of Thorns and Roses|16096824|A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546406962l/16096824._SY75_.jpg|21905102] but this one is a close second! So many characters, important plot points, and foreshadowing is introduced. It's one big dramafest that I'm lucky to have a ticket to. It's ridiculous how much I fell in love with Velaris and the Inner Circle. I love Cassian's humor, Azriel's cleverness, Mor's loyalty, Amren's honesty, and Rhys's protective nature. It's official - I want to move to Velaris. The court has everything I could want in a home, from the European city feel to the beautifully chilly mountains. Honestly, my heart belongs to this series.
This is the first book I ever read in the new adult genre. It's magical and compelling and everything I could want in a book. This book is an anomaly for me - I never enjoy reading romance. However, the combination of fantasy and romance was actually amazing. There's romance but it doesn't overpower the gripping plot.
My favorite plot points:
- Mor helping Feyre deal with her depression and ptsd. The female friendships in this book are everything I ever wished for. WOMEN SUPPORT WOMEN!
- I love that Feyre proves that it's normal for a woman to have guy friends and not hook up with them.
- How important creativity is to a person's well-being.
- SO. MUCH. FEMINISM.
- this series is one of the few to cover important topics i.e. depression, ptsd, sexual assault (both female and male), physical abuse, gender stereotypes, lgbtq+ characters
P.S. One of the BEST ENDINGS of a book ever!
"A sleeping forest will allow safe passage. But if it wakes, be prepared to run." ~ [b:Winterwood|43822698|Winterwood|Shea Ernshaw|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549309592l/43822698._SY75_.jpg|62284064]
An eerily beautiful book. I wouldn't call it haunting exactly, but more cerebral and atmospheric. The unusual plot and gorgeous imagery make for a strange reading experience. I enjoyed this book immensely, but it was a wild ride.
The plot doesn't sound that unique at first: witch meets boy, witch falls for boy, boy is actually a missing person. Pretty standard stuff. However, [a:Shea Ernshaw|15941035|Shea Ernshaw|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1574101213p2/15941035.jpg]'s creation of a living, breathing forest makes the plot more complicated. I wasn't expecting to like Nora that much because the witch trope has been done before. However, after reading the book, I have to admit I've never read about a witch quite like her. This novel is nearly a work of magical realism because hardly any tangible magic occurs. The reader spends most of the book following the adventure of a witch that doesn't seem like a witch. I love how introspective and quiet Nora is because I can relate to her as a main character. When she does speak up, it's to defend the trees and that's lovely.
Final thoughts:
- I guessed what had happened to Oliver 1/3 of the way through the novel. I guessed it when Nora saw him at Willa Walker's grave. I was disappointed that Oliver's backstory was exactly what I predicted. Maybe that was meant to be spoon-fed to the reader though since Nora's ending was so unexpected! I love how her nightshade turned out.
- I. LOVED. FIN. such a fun character/sidekick! There were several moments where I was afraid he was going to get hurt.
- Nora's neighbor is so cute. I would've loved a couple more conversations with him.
An eerily beautiful book. I wouldn't call it haunting exactly, but more cerebral and atmospheric. The unusual plot and gorgeous imagery make for a strange reading experience. I enjoyed this book immensely, but it was a wild ride.
The plot doesn't sound that unique at first: witch meets boy, witch falls for boy, boy is actually a missing person. Pretty standard stuff. However, [a:Shea Ernshaw|15941035|Shea Ernshaw|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1574101213p2/15941035.jpg]'s creation of a living, breathing forest makes the plot more complicated. I wasn't expecting to like Nora that much because the witch trope has been done before. However, after reading the book, I have to admit I've never read about a witch quite like her. This novel is nearly a work of magical realism because hardly any tangible magic occurs. The reader spends most of the book following the adventure of a witch that doesn't seem like a witch. I love how introspective and quiet Nora is because I can relate to her as a main character. When she does speak up, it's to defend the trees and that's lovely.
Final thoughts:
- I guessed what had happened to Oliver 1/3 of the way through the novel. I guessed it when Nora saw him at Willa Walker's grave. I was disappointed that Oliver's backstory was exactly what I predicted. Maybe that was meant to be spoon-fed to the reader though since Nora's ending was so unexpected! I love how her nightshade turned out.
- I. LOVED. FIN. such a fun character/sidekick! There were several moments where I was afraid he was going to get hurt.
- Nora's neighbor is so cute. I would've loved a couple more conversations with him.
"She learned which herbs were valuable and which were dangerous, and which herbs were valuable because they were dangerous." ~ [b:The Witch of Duva|13643163|The Witch of Duva (Grishaverse, #0.5)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1336644891l/13643163._SX50_.jpg|19258458]
Such a unique and magical story. Absolutely loved it and would recommend to any fans of fantasy books, magic, beautiful language, and immersive stories. This is the perfect cozy winter audiobook. It's a quick story to listen to but every second is filled with gorgeous imagery. I felt like I was traveling through Duva with the protagonist! By far this is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to and this is my favorite story by [a:Leigh Bardugo|4575289|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534446099p2/4575289.jpg]. AND WHAT ABOUT THAT ENDING?! I never saw it coming!
Such a unique and magical story. Absolutely loved it and would recommend to any fans of fantasy books, magic, beautiful language, and immersive stories. This is the perfect cozy winter audiobook. It's a quick story to listen to but every second is filled with gorgeous imagery. I felt like I was traveling through Duva with the protagonist! By far this is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to and this is my favorite story by [a:Leigh Bardugo|4575289|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534446099p2/4575289.jpg]. AND WHAT ABOUT THAT ENDING?! I never saw it coming!
"...So, even way back in the fourteenth century, women were being blamed for men’s bad behavior." ~ [b:Red Hood|43721070|Red Hood|Elana K. Arnold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561406538l/43721070._SY75_.jpg|68041410]
A gorgeous retelling of [b:Little Red Riding Hood|9453611|Little Red Riding Hood|Jacob Grimm|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347357583l/9453611._SX50_.jpg|27039426]! It is one of my least favorite fairytales but this retelling is so well done that I can't help but love it. I have very few critiques of this novel because the characters, plot, and descriptions are so breathtaking. First of all, I love the idea of setting the book during modern-day. The author seemed to integrate the fairytale plot into a real setting with such ease. The merging of magic and reality seems effortless. Mystery and intrigue in a small town is always fun, and in this book, it added to the suspense of the wolves. Some of my favorite aspects of this story were the female characters, feminist themes, and rich storytelling.
I loved Bisou, Keisha, Maggie, and Meme. They are all so different and amazing in their own ways. Bisou is a strong, fierce woman but she also gives guys a chance. Unlike Keisha, who is sometimes blunt and judgmental, Bisou is more thoughtful and easygoing. I thought Bisou's boyfriend James would become a wolf at some point, but she believed in his goodness, and ultimately her instincts were correct. Keisha annoyed me at first but then I came to admire her. She has some of the best lines in the book and I love how she stands up for her fellow women. Maggie goes through the best character arc. She goes from timid victim to loyal friend. I love how these girls protect and care for each other! All of the female characters interpreted feminism in their own way and I found myself relating to them all at different times. I love how this book wasn't afraid to tackle difficult subjects such as harassment, rape, toxic masculinity, mental and physical abuse, and sexism.
Some of my final thoughts:
- Critiques: The first 100 pages were incredibly slow. I didn't understand what was really happening until the second wolf attack. Since Bisou's whole life and abilities are a mystery, it's difficult for the reader to figure out what is happening to her.
- Using a second person POV is risky but [a:Elana K. Arnold|5772357|Elana K. Arnold|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1331582486p2/5772357.jpg] pulled it off! The unusual POV made the book feel more like a recited fairytale.
- We find out most of Bisou's backstory, but I wish the book was a little longer because I still have so many questions. I don't understand how the hunter concept works. Plus Keisha makes a great point, I'd love to know if there were more hunters!
A gorgeous retelling of [b:Little Red Riding Hood|9453611|Little Red Riding Hood|Jacob Grimm|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347357583l/9453611._SX50_.jpg|27039426]! It is one of my least favorite fairytales but this retelling is so well done that I can't help but love it. I have very few critiques of this novel because the characters, plot, and descriptions are so breathtaking. First of all, I love the idea of setting the book during modern-day. The author seemed to integrate the fairytale plot into a real setting with such ease. The merging of magic and reality seems effortless. Mystery and intrigue in a small town is always fun, and in this book, it added to the suspense of the wolves. Some of my favorite aspects of this story were the female characters, feminist themes, and rich storytelling.
I loved Bisou, Keisha, Maggie, and Meme. They are all so different and amazing in their own ways. Bisou is a strong, fierce woman but she also gives guys a chance. Unlike Keisha, who is sometimes blunt and judgmental, Bisou is more thoughtful and easygoing. I thought Bisou's boyfriend James would become a wolf at some point, but she believed in his goodness, and ultimately her instincts were correct. Keisha annoyed me at first but then I came to admire her. She has some of the best lines in the book and I love how she stands up for her fellow women. Maggie goes through the best character arc. She goes from timid victim to loyal friend. I love how these girls protect and care for each other! All of the female characters interpreted feminism in their own way and I found myself relating to them all at different times. I love how this book wasn't afraid to tackle difficult subjects such as harassment, rape, toxic masculinity, mental and physical abuse, and sexism.
Some of my final thoughts:
- Critiques: The first 100 pages were incredibly slow. I didn't understand what was really happening until the second wolf attack. Since Bisou's whole life and abilities are a mystery, it's difficult for the reader to figure out what is happening to her.
- Using a second person POV is risky but [a:Elana K. Arnold|5772357|Elana K. Arnold|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1331582486p2/5772357.jpg] pulled it off! The unusual POV made the book feel more like a recited fairytale.
- We find out most of Bisou's backstory, but I wish the book was a little longer because I still have so many questions. I don't understand how the hunter concept works. Plus Keisha makes a great point, I'd love to know if there were more hunters!
"Magic Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" ~ [b:Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen|6124802|Fairest of All A Tale of the Wicked Queen|Serena Valentino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360570756l/6124802._SX50_.jpg|6303264]
3.5 stars
Definitely not my favorite of the books in this series but still an enjoyable read. [b:The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince|17428643|The Beast Within A Tale of Beauty's Prince (Villains, #2)|Serena Valentino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394411414l/17428643._SX50_.jpg|24284974] expanded more on the Beauty and Beast fairytale, making the retelling more vivid and rich with detail. However, [b:Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen|6124802|Fairest of All A Tale of the Wicked Queen|Serena Valentino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360570756l/6124802._SX50_.jpg|6303264] was like reading a screenplay version of Disney's "Snow White." The first half of the book gave the reader some backstory on the Evil Queen. The only aspect of her backstory that I liked was her passionate love for her husband. She seemed like a great queen at first, but the explanation on why she became evil didn't...really...work. Since three other witches were influencing her to turn evil, I didn't feel convinced of the Evil Queen's personality change. Also, it wasn't clear to me how the queen became evil? What was that about her being descended from a family of witches? Did the Evil Queen have some sort of mental illness? I have too many unanswered questions.
What I think would have made this story better would be more names for the characters, a longer and more intricate plot, development of Snow White's character, and more action near the beginning of the book. Every time something interesting started to happen the queen just ran off to ask the Magic Mirror the same questions. I did appreciate the foreshadowing of the queen and Snow White hiding in the swamp and then later the Evil Queen traveling through the same spot in the swamp!
3.5 stars
Definitely not my favorite of the books in this series but still an enjoyable read. [b:The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince|17428643|The Beast Within A Tale of Beauty's Prince (Villains, #2)|Serena Valentino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394411414l/17428643._SX50_.jpg|24284974] expanded more on the Beauty and Beast fairytale, making the retelling more vivid and rich with detail. However, [b:Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen|6124802|Fairest of All A Tale of the Wicked Queen|Serena Valentino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360570756l/6124802._SX50_.jpg|6303264] was like reading a screenplay version of Disney's "Snow White." The first half of the book gave the reader some backstory on the Evil Queen. The only aspect of her backstory that I liked was her passionate love for her husband. She seemed like a great queen at first, but the explanation on why she became evil didn't...really...work. Since three other witches were influencing her to turn evil, I didn't feel convinced of the Evil Queen's personality change. Also, it wasn't clear to me how the queen became evil? What was that about her being descended from a family of witches? Did the Evil Queen have some sort of mental illness? I have too many unanswered questions.
What I think would have made this story better would be more names for the characters, a longer and more intricate plot, development of Snow White's character, and more action near the beginning of the book. Every time something interesting started to happen the queen just ran off to ask the Magic Mirror the same questions. I did appreciate the foreshadowing of the queen and Snow White hiding in the swamp and then later the Evil Queen traveling through the same spot in the swamp!
