Amanda
A young girl seeks to undo a curse she unintentionally cast on her brother in this fairy tale-inspired novella.
I loved the story and dug the writing style, so why am I not rating this four stars or higher? It's the wrong length.
Novik has hit a great fairy tale vibe here with the story, but there's some substantial backstory that interrupts it and feels more like an epic fantasy. If she had leaned into fairy tale and made this a short story, it would have been great; if she had explored the backstory and beefed up the worldbuilding it would have made a great full-length novel. As a novella it is entertaining, but it doesn't quite reach its potential.
Received via NetGalley.
A young girl seeks to undo a curse she unintentionally cast on her brother in this fairy tale-inspired novella.
I loved the story and dug the writing style, so why am I not rating this four stars or higher? It's the wrong length.
Novik has hit a great fairy tale vibe here with the story, but there's some substantial backstory that interrupts it and feels more like an epic fantasy. If she had leaned into fairy tale and made this a short story, it would have been great; if she had explored the backstory and beefed up the worldbuilding it would have made a great full-length novel. As a novella it is entertaining, but it doesn't quite reach its potential.
Received via NetGalley.