User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
A pretty straightforward and slightly campy YA retelling. If you’re an easy fan of those then this will do the trick. If you’re more critical of YA tropes, simplistic writing style, and predictable plot twists then you probably won’t like this debut. My rating is very biased because I like villain origin stories, sapphic romance, and fairytale retellings (Sleeping Beauty has a special place in my heart for undisclosed reasons) so it was easier for me to be engaged. What I liked best about Malice was the worldbuilding surrounding the Graces and their magic. This was an interesting way to develop the fairy godmothers from the original story and their different dynamics between each other. I would’ve preferred more of a focus on this than the obvious [redacted] as the conflict. Also wish it was a lil darker and grittier (this is a villain origin story, after all!) but maybe we’ll get more of that in the sequel.
Rating: really liked it
Who needs Prince Phillip to break her curse when she has a misjudged, quite lovable evil sorcerer! Yes, my friends, this is creative, sappy, angsty, intriguing, captivating retelling of Sleeping Beauty!
After reading this quite tempting blurb and magnificent cover, eventually I started scream : “I WANT THIS ASAP!” Thanks to the publishers heard my cry for help and they didn’t reject me this time!
You know how the fairy tale stars, a wicked, vengeful fairy curses the princess to die : a curse could be only broken by true love kiss. But in that case: princess does not need a knight in shiny armor, a sexy prince or Christian Grey to break the curse! ( Christian Grey only works to break my morning curse: I’m heavy sleeper!)
Princess Aurora actually needs Alyce who is branded, humiliated, shamed as villain because she has gifts: horrifyingly darker, mind blowing gifts you cannot ever imagine. She is outcasted, labeled as monster and abandoned to live a lonely life.
But is she really the villanelle of this story? Because everyone in the Briar only cares about jewelries, glamorous parties they throw, charm-granting elixirs they use. They’re selfish, hedonistic, self centered people who never care about princess or future of Briar if she really dies!
Only one who thinks and care about the princess is Alyce: Dark Grace, who is powerful enough to end her life. But does she really want it? Only one year left for Prince Aurora to break the curse and survive! If Alyce helps her, they can change the future by forging a brand new world! But will she do it? Both her and princes are not so different: they are both caged in their own prisons and they need to find their ways to freedom.
There are some plot holes in the story that I wish were written differently ( I cannot exactly tell those points without giving spoilers so I’m shutting my mouth ) but I mostly enjoyed the detailedly depicted, unique, mesmerizing world building.
I truly loved Alyce and the author’s different approach to the villanelle’s mind and her true feelings. In the regular fairytale universe there is strict line between good and evil: but the author shows that there are so many grey areas and evil we thought can have goodness and light in her/his heart just like the good ones have dark sides. Their choices define who they are, not their abilities or powers!
Well, I’m giving 3.5 stars and I’m happily rounding them up to 4 original, breathtaking, well-developed, smart, new age fairy tale stars!
I think I enjoyed this version of fairytale more and I don’t say no to a sequel!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/ Del Rey for sharing this digital copy of this anticipated novel in exchange my honest opinions.
Rating: really liked it
Once upon a time an Evil Fairy cursed a line of Princesses to die. The only way to break the curse was with true love's kiss. You probably think you've heard this story...
I'd say, not quite like this.
In
Malice, Heather Walter has put her own darkly creative spin on the beloved classic,
Sleeping Beauty.
This tale follows Alyce, a Dark Grace, who has lived in a house of Beauty Graces since she was just a young girl.
While the wealthy of Briar set appointments with the other Graces to enhance their beauty, they go to Alyce for more sinister potions and tinctures.
Alyce has never fit in with the other girls and is frequently harassed by them; particularly by the beautiful and talented, Rose.
As deplorable as their treatment of her is, Alyce grows used to it. She even comes to accept it.
That's why when she crosses paths with the last Princess, Aurora, and is shown kindness, Alyce isn't quite sure how to react. Why would the Princess want to be friends with her? It doesn't make sense.
In the midst of all of this, Alyce actually stumbles upon, and befriends someone else. A man named, Kal, who is magically imprisoned in a tower. He promises to teach her how to harness her powers.
Through her meetings with him, Alyce begins to learn more about her history, potential and the world outside of Briar.
The world Walter created within this story was absolutely immersive. I loved the magic system. Learning about the Graces and their powers, but also the interactions with Fae and the history of Briar, was so enjoyable.
It's richly detailed, but in a way that stays engaging. Alyce was a fantastically created character. I felt her every emotion; also extra points for including her kestrel, Callow. Three cheers for animal companions.
The dynamic of the Graces reminded me a lot of Dhonielle Clayton's, The Belles; sometimes too much beauty can be downright scary. I enjoy this ominous feel so much.
I also thought the relationship between Alyce and Aurora was well done. It felt natural. The stakes were really high and it definitely helped push the drama of the story.
The end dragged on a bit for me, but overall, I was so impressed with this. I would definitely recommend
Malice for Readers who enjoy the darker side of fairy tales.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to reading more from Heather Walter!
Rating: really liked it
*Reread - 4.5 Stars
Holy Wickedness!!!!!!!
Alyce - Malyce - The Dark Grace - Part Vila ....... and other things.
This is the ya fantasy book that should be like all ya a fantasy books. Oh, and before I forget, let’s take a moment to admire that beautiful cover -CUE ELEVATOR MUSIC....
Now that’s done let me tell you how much I love Alyce. She’s wicked but not really wicked and she’s also something else entirely. BUT, when you beat someone down all of their life at some point shit’s going to hit the fan.
Oh and she has this beautiful Kestrel she saved from dying as a baby and her name is Callow. She had a frog too.
Anywayyyyy..... Alyce becomes friends with Princess Aurora and it’s just wonderful until some twats come along and mess it up. And some other friends turn on her and that gets messed up and people want to use her, kill her, etc and so on.
At some point your girl is gonna break! I’m not saying any more, you’ll have to read it for yourself and decide if you like it. I loved it!! π
I’m sooooo looking forward to these books and will be adding to my collection.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House for a digital copy of this book!
Mel π€πΆπΊπΎ
BLOG;
https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
Rating: really liked it
“I’m frightened of this feeling that consumes me and promises to rip free of my body and set the entire palace ablaze. Of the way I want to taste every part of her. Devour her whole.” sleeping beauty, told from a fae villain's perspective, and completely for the sapphics. this was truly one of the best books i've read in a long while. i loved the writing, the setting, the descriptions, and obviously the characters. this was so well done and so impressively crafted. and i was absolutely living for the twists and turns. i don't necessarily know what i was expecting from this, but all i know is that i was delivered so much more that i could have ever dreamed to imagine! but that ending, whewwww! one of the best debuts, retellings, and just books i've ever read. i loved this completely and with my whole heart.
trigger and content warnings: a lot of blood imagery (human blood, animal blood, getting blood for spells), kidnapping, talk of child abandonment, talk of child experimentation in the past, loss of a loved one, anxiety depiction, captivity, mention of slavery, drug use, brief mention of suicide, torture, gore, violence, murder, death. (also themes of homophobia and misogyny - always in a negative light)
Blog | Instagram | Youtube | Ko-fi | Spotify | Twitch
Rating: really liked it
Trigger Warnings: verbal abuse, mentions of suicide, some homophobia. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!
LMAO so apparently I missed the publication date for this3.5 stars because I'm indecisive
I’m not really sure if “Malice” was supposed to be a villainous retelling. On one hand, it did tell the side of the fairy tale from the witch’s perspective. On the other hand, Alyce wasn’t really a villain in the first place, so I’m not sure if it really applies. She was perceived as evil, or at least lesser, but she didn’t really have the darkness or the evil drive.
“I know what they will say of me, those who escape to the realms beyond the sea. The Vila who cursed the lovely princess. Trapped her in a tower, never to wake. Razed Briar to the ground for spite.”The
concept of this book was definitely interesting. It’s a Sleeping Beauty retelling from the perspective of the wicked fairy - in which she and the cursed princess fall in love. First of all, YES LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION THANK YOU YES.
Also, I am trash for fairy tale retellings because I don’t have the time or the energy to focus on whitewashed misogynistic homophobic princess books. So I LIVE for these diverse books.
“A princess and a Dark Grace. Quite the pair.”I was definitely intrigued by the
world-building of this book. The kingdoms, the geography and the history were described in a lot of depth, which is kind of rare for most books. I thought that was a nice touch. I also liked the magic system, and how the different creatures had their own types of magic.
“I am reviled and despised for the very reasons I’m sought out. A figure of dark, evil magic. A member of a race all but stamped out. A Vila.
A monster.”Alyce is part-Vila, which are basically similar to demons. The Vila were dark and evil creatures before they were terminated, which makes everyone else treat Alyce with contempt (wow, imagine being treated badly because of your race - that doesn’t sound familiar at all). However, she works as a Grace - an Etherian-blessed human whose magical blood is used in elixirs to bestow gifts upon humans.
Alyce’s Vila magic works in the opposite way that Grace magic works. Graces can bless someone with beauty or wit. Alyce can curse someone with ugliness or clumsiness. As such, she’s called the Dark Grace.
“Obsessed with charm and beauty and whatever other fripperies those Graces can dish out. Mark my words, Alyce. When the Etherians created the Graces, they weren’t doing us a favor.”It’s a lot to explain. I thought the world-building was incorporated pretty smoothly into the narrative, but a lot of people have said that it was info-dumping for the first part of the book. I guess that makes sense, since a lot of the history was introduced in chunks and long stories, but I felt like they went along with the storyline pretty well.
“I’ll never be a heroine like Leythana. In Briar, I’ll only ever be a villain.”The
plot was definitely pretty different than the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. In this one, the witch falls in love with the princess, and the true-love’s-kiss curse was placed by someone else. It didn’t really focus on the romance for a while. More of it was focused on Alyce’s development.
That was definitely one of the best parts of this book. At the beginning, Alyce believed that her magic was dark and evil and wrong, she had very low self-esteem, and she based her opinion of herself on the opinions of others - all of which were bad. And then she found out that she was more powerful than she thought, and that her heritage had a secret side to it.
“A terrifying part of my soul whispers that I can do far more than spoil a jug of cream. That I want to.”Alyce’s arc from a wretched Grace in her dark “lair” to someone more powerful and self-aware was probably the key aspect of the storyline. It was something like a self-acceptance narrative.
“I’m better than this. More than the villain they’ve created. I close my eyes, consider tapping into the magic of the wood and stones and mortar of this house and bringing it all down around their ears.
But I do not. Because I’m a coward.”I loved her subtle conflict of wanting to be herself and being scared of her own power and the opinions it drew. She had a very believable “dark side” that she repressed because she knew that if she didn’t do it, someone else would.
“Much as I abhor being the Dark Grace, my blood’s power to thwart the Graces’ always gives me a rush of victory.”I think her transition from just trying to keep to herself every day to experimenting with her powers was executed really well, especially with how her powers always seemed to oppose her desire to be “good”.
“I did that. With my
power. Stole Rose’s Grace magic. Made a patron speak to her the way they all speak to me, contentious and spiteful. A delicious mix of elation and wonder surges as Aurora’s question from the library comes soaring back.
What else can I do?
”The
characterization was really well done for Alyce. For the other characters, I think it could have been better, but considering the length of this book that would have taken way too long.
Rose was seriously a bitch. She was the Beauty Grace working in the same house that Alyce worked in, and she was so condescending and rude and downright awful and she annoyed me to no end. I’m so tired of this whole “mean-girl” thing where there’s always one character who’s just an absolute bitch, but Rose pulled it off well. I enjoyed that she got more characterization and backstory to her actions, but the end of the book completely negated all of that and it felt useless by that point. I was hoping she would develop, but apparently not.
“Rose was wrong.” The silk of Laurel’s dressing gown rustles. “You’re not hated, Alyce. Not by all of us.”
The crisp points of the crumpled parchment dig into my palm. “Not by all,” I answer. “But by enough.”Laurel was an interesting character. I liked her for the most part, but she also bothered me. Laurel was the Wisdom Grace who loved books and learning, but she just wouldn’t pick a side? For a while it seemed like she was Alyce’s only ally until she wasn’t? She was definitely one of the nicer characters and I liked that she helped Alyce in her own way, but by the end of the book I felt like she could have been a lot better.
“My gift compels me to tell you you’re treading on thin ice.” Laurel doesn’t even look up as she speaks. “You’re a sheep among wolves, Alyce.”
“Am I?” I start in on my egg, hand trembling slightly from the rush of so thoroughly enraging Rose. For a heartbeat, my nails appear as claws as I pick off a bit of shell. “Or am I the wolf, and they’re the sheep?”Hilde was absolutely amazing and I have a suspicion that she’ll play some role in the next book. Seriously, this woman made so many hints about shit that it will make no sense if she’s not even mentioned. I have theories.
“There’s a reason you’re drawn to the first queen,” she says. “I know a bit of history, too. Enough to guess that there’s power in you, girl. More than you realize. I look forward to the day when you wake up and start using it.”Kal...I don’t know what to say about him. He was definitely important to the story and he really helped Alyce a lot. He played a really big part in Aylce’s character development. I think the way he challenged her and taught her about her heritage and powers was so important.
“Dragon’s teeth, I’m in no mood for wordplay.” A wave pounds against the cliff.
“Are you not?” He snaps the book closed. “Because that is all I see in this book. Lies and trickery. And yet you write it on your heart. Demean yourself because of the opinions of”—he opens the front cover and sneers—“the illustrious Master Walburn. What gives him the right to tell you who you are?”I can’t say a lot about him without spoilers, but his character was definitely a strong one.
“If you let me teach you…Your power will be unstoppable. You could bring the Etherian Mountains tumbling into the sea.”Aurora was definitely not what I was expecting. She was rebellious and brave and outspoken, and I loved that she wasn’t the “sweet kind amiable perfect girl who needs a strong man” that Disney has brainwashed us into thinking all good princesses are.
“I wish I could be like you.”
“What?” I suck in air too fast and cough. That’s something I never thought I’d hear coming out of anyone’s mouth, much less a royal’s.
“I do.” There’s not a trace of doubt or mockery. “Destroy things and…” She drops her voice, studying the fountain. “People, even. Let out what simmers inside me. But I can’t. I’m too well trained. Ever grateful and graceful.”The
romance was good for the most part. The whole true-love’s-curse thing brought a whole new level to the fangirl part of my brain that kept screaming “JUST KISS” at my tablet.
“She huffs. “Don’t you trust me?”
No. Yes. My fickle heart can’t make up its mind. Once again, I’m dizzy with the feeling Aurora gives me. Like plunging toward the sea and hoping you’ll grow wings before you hit the surface.”Aurora and Alyce’s relationship was so sweet and accepting and even though the way they met was kind of too close to insta-love for my liking, I’m not sure what else you expect from a fairy-tale retelling. Their chemistry at first was so
obvious and the way they explored each others’ personalities was amazing.
“Forgive me, Your Highness.”
She bats the air. “Enough of that. I’m Aurora to you.”
“Aurora.” The syllables are full and bright on my tongue, tasting of summer berries and fizzy wine.”However, I feel like their relationship development could have been delivered a lot better. It went from them meeting each other and having this chemistry to them spending more time together despite the repercussions...and then there was jealousy and angst and betrayal that was completely imagined? Alyce started feeling too jealous of Aurora’s suitors and blaming her for so much even though they didn’t even know they were in love?
They were great when their relationship started moving, but when they reached that stage where you’re supposed to, you know, figure out that you like the idiot...it just fell apart. And not in an intense, angsty-romance way. More like “I’m mad at you for doing something that I imagined because I was jealous even though I don’t know why I’m jealous”.
“She tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. Smiles in that way that turns my heart into hot, melted wax.”There was so much good content to their original relationship dynamic that I feel like the rest of it just didn’t work.
“You must think me a fool.”
“Not at all. I admire you. You’re nothing like…” I grapple for the right words, but they swish through my mind, slippery as eels. “What I thought.”
Her smile rivals the starlight. “I take that as an extreme compliment.”
“It is.” An inexplicable shyness nips at me and I fumble for a distraction.”I think the romance’s original direction of acceptance and remaking the odds was the best part. Their trust and understanding was a little too automatic, but it made a lot of really beautiful content.
“It is both a relief and a terror to be around someone who doesn’t consider me an abomination. Applauds my power instead of shrinking from it.”I also loved how
natural the romance felt. That’s real representation - when LGBTQ+ relationships are shown as normal or simple, because that’s what they are. Well, that’s what they should be (they should probably be legalized first).
“She reaches for the vial. Our hands touch again. My scaly skin juxtaposed with her bronze-kissed glow. Light and darkness. Monster and maiden.”Lastly, the
writing. Some of it felt a little bit clunky at times, but mostly it really suited the book’s style and aesthetic. Heather Walter’s style is so pretty and I saved way too many quotes from the book because I just knew I needed to put them in my review. But I don’t know where to put them, so here are the quotes I couldn’t fit in:
“Against my own instinct, I find myself rushing on. “What else can it be? All I can summon is ugliness and pain.”
“Alyce.” I’ve never heard my name spoken that way before, with compassion, and it almost hurts. “You are so much more than that.”“Remember what I said, Alyce. About monsters.” The words are low, spoken in a tone that wakes something deep in my core. “Take care you don’t become what they think you are.”“What would Leythana think now, if she could glimpse the future her efforts had wrought?
I think she would burn it all down.”“You were right. I’ve lived the lies Briar fed me from the day I drew breath. But I’m tired of being treated like a caged pet, let out only to entertain those who despise me.”Overall, “Malice” delivered pretty well on its promise of a sapphic fairy-tale retelling. It took me a while to read and I feel like some of the plot points weren’t completely necessary, but it was executed really well. It dragged a bit too much for me and some of it just felt like too much of a stretch, but I'll definitely be waiting for the next book.
Rating: really liked it
Viciously satisfying.
Malice takes
Sleeping Beauty and turns everything on its head, cutting right to the core of this bejewelled world. Heather Walter has given us a villain to adore.
Rating: really liked it
3.50 Stars. This was a quality book that I loved in some parts but struggled with some others. I just adore fairytale retellings, especially if they are sapphic. This was a book that I was dying to read and I had a lot of high expectations for it. In the end it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for but it was a well done book and impressive for a debut.
This was a real interesting mix that reminded me of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, but with a lot of new imaginative elements thrown in. I’ve noticed that many reviewers have complained about how slow the first half of the book was and that the second half of the book is what really brought their rating up. I find it funny because I’m the exact opposite of everybody else. I loved the beginning. I thought this was going to be a full 5 star book there for quite a while but I didn’t enjoy the second half as much, which lowered my rating. Yes, parts of the beginning were slow, but I thought it was really well written. I thought the people, the magic system, and just all the world building in general was great. I was buying the whole history and how this magical world functioned and considering this was a retelling, I thought everything was really clever.
My problems came in the second half. I think Walter was trying to do too much and she started to loose me on her story choices. The first half was so set-up, everything had such a deliberate and steady pace to it, and in comparison the second half turned into a clusterf*ck. It was such a different pace that it was jarring to me. And I think Walter was trying to put too many important things into such a small section. We have a moderate twist, then after that a pretty big twist that has a little twist attached to it, then after that a giant twist. It was just way too much. So many things were not like they seemed so it made it that I no longer trusted the author to tell me the real story. I lost complete trust to the point that I started to wonder if what I was reading was real or if maybe it was a dream or vision instead. Unfortunately, in the end that feeling and distrust affected my enjoyment.
There has been some question is this is YA but I would call this New Adult instead. The characters are in their 20’s and there is some cruelty near the end that might bother some younger readers. There is one sex scene but it is just intimate and not explicit. In general, I liked parts of the romance, especially the pairing of the two characters, but I do hope that the romance is beefed up in book 2. The relationship needs to develop more and they really just need more time together as a couple.
Like other readers I was not crazy about the ending. That’s how this is all going to end? I was happy to see that it’s not really the end and that there is a second book. I actually added a half star onto my rating since I now have hope that there will be a better overall ending. Even with the problems I had in the second half of the book, I enjoyed the first half so much that I would absolutely read a book 2. Walter is obviously talented and I think she is only going to get better and better. I’ll happily take all the new and talented sapphic fantasy writers that I can read.
A copy was given to me for a review.
Rating: really liked it
“Once Upon A Time, There Was A Villain”
Malice is a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a twist. It’s told from the perspective of an Evil Fairy who falls in love with Aurora.
Alys has been raised in an environment where nobody can stand to be around her. Surrounded by the Graces - faeries who make elixirs that enhance the lives of their patrons - Alys just wants to be celebrated like her peers. However, she is The Dark Grace, incapable of bestowing anything but curses.
When an invitation to Princess Aurora’s masquerade birthday ball arrives, Alys seizes the chance to enjoy a night of freedom & fun where no-one will recognise or demonise her - pushing her into the path of the Princess herself who is desperately searching for a way to break the curse on her bloodline before it claims her life.
My favourite element of Malice was the worldbuilding, I love a fairytale-esque story and I really fell in love with the elaborate setting and exploring both the glamorous and darker facets of it through the eyes of Alys. The magic system and history of the world was also more complex than I expected which I adored.
We all know I love morally grey and villainous characters and I thought Alys’ character had a lot of nuance and progression, both on her own and how her story intertwines with Aurora’s.
Overall I would definitely recommend if you’re a fan of retellings or fairytale-esque stories with some cool twists and shocking betrayals. My only criticism is that I wish this book had gone a little bit darker but that is definitely a personal preference as we all know I’m a huge fan of my dark and twisted books!
Rating: really liked it
First and foremost,
THAT COVER! I mean, seriously, it is gorgeous!
But it is what's underneath the cover that matters, isn't it? So, without further ado, I am going to quote the Oprah Magazine:
"Walter's spellbinding debut is for all the queer girls and women who have been told to keep their gifts hidden and for those yearning to defy gravity." - O: The Oprah MagazineOnce upon a time there was a wicked fairy who cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that can only be broken by true love's kiss. Yes! A retelling of Sleeping Beauty with LGBTQ representation. It is dark, it's magical and compelling!
"Take care you don't become what they think you are." One would think that members of the kingdom would care about the Princess Aurora and the fate which might befall her, but it is hard to care when you are busy collecting jewels, purchasing elixirs to harm others or to make themselves beautiful and trying to impress others. But there is one who cares - The Dark Grace, a Vila known as Alyce. She is feared, she is mistreated, but she is … (read the book)
"If there is someone, I hope they deserve you." There are a lot of characters in this book - unique characters from a Kestrel, graces, Fae, and Alyce! I did not have a hard time keeping track of them so that was a plus. Another plus was the unique world that was created.
This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but it also had the feel of other fairy tales as well and it also has a Maleficent vibe. A scene at the end also gave me a minor Game of Thrones vibe as well. Fans of retellings and fantasy will enjoy this book. I am not a big fantasy fan, but I do enjoy a good retelling. This is book one in the Malice Duology.
One thing that I felt shined in this book was the emphasis on identity, relationships, knowing who you are, and coming into your own. This book is marketed as a romance and it is - but for me it was more about self-realization and knowing your worth. That being unique is a gift and not a curse. Terrific themes.
A solid debut. I believe the next book will be even better than this one. Like Alyce, I believe that Heather Walter is just coming into her own.
Captivating. Dark. Magical.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Rating: really liked it
It has been a long time since a book has left me as utterly speechless as
Malice did. I couldn’t read the final pages fast enough and when I did finish the book, I sat in a state of shock for a good while trying to process it and recover from the adrenaline rush the ending gave me (which was not ideal when I’d already stayed up late to finish it woops). It is not hyperbole to say this book blew my mind.
Malice is a deliciously dark origin story for the wicked sorceress of
Sleeping Beauty. Set in a vividly imagined fantasy world where an ancient faerie war has led to a handful of Graces (humans with the ability to harness a small amount of faerie power) being born each year and a curse cast upon the royal line, resulting in the heir’s death at the age of 21 without true love’s kiss, Malice follows Alyce, the Dark Grace, as she falls in love with the princess Aurora, the last of her line and whose death looms ever nearer.
I really enjoyed this exploration of a morally grey character and what can push someone towards villainy. Alyce was such an easy character to sympathise with which just made the narrative Walter wove that much more interesting and effective. I really loved reading from her perspective and the development she went through in this book was so well done. Additionally, Alyce’s relationship with Aurora was one of my favourite parts of this book. I really loved the way that Aurora became a source of light and hope for Alyce, and watching their relationship develop as Alyce finally found someone who saw her for who she really is. Aurora herself was also incredible. She was given so much more depth and agency than typically associated with
Sleeping Beauty and I really enjoyed reading about her and her idealism for the future of her queendom.
This book is definitely a slow build and a slow burn. My main reason for not giving this book five stars was that it has a bit of a slow start and it took me a good while to feel completely entrenched in the story. I also felt that it was quite dense at times and probably a bit longer than it needed to be. None of this is exactly a fault of the book, more some things that I personally struggle with and, had I not known to expect, unfortunately would have probably turned me off from the book. However, the slow start worked really well to develop the worldbuilding of this novel and help the reader get to know Alyce and her situation. And the slow burn romance was done absolutely perfectly! The slow build was completely worth it for the emphasis it gave to the faster paced ending alone, which showed just how quickly and dramatically things can break down. The final chapters of this book left me reeling, even the twists that I’d guessed really hit because of the strength of Alyce’s reaction and my empathy for her.
If a dark, sapphic
Sleeping Beauty retelling is something you’re interested in, you need to pick
Malice up! Especially if you’re a fan of morally grey characters and villain origin stories. This book was just so incredibly well written and developed and I cannot wait to see how everything wraps up in the sequel!
Just for posterity, my initial reaction to finishing
Malice: what the FUCK !!!!!!!!! in the best way possible!!! WHAT THE FUCK !!!!
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you Del Rey for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
Rating: really liked it
Malyce in fairytale land!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: β€οΈππππ
Heat/Steam: N/A
Story/Plot: πππππ
World building: πππππ
Character development: π€π€π€π€π€
The setting: Fairytale Land (Briar)
The Hero(s): Alyce - has dark and incomprehensible powers and is ostracized for being a monster. Alyce has no friends due in part to her affinity towards hexes and curses.
The heroine: Aurora - The crown princess who has a curse. She must find a prince and get true love’s first kiss or she will be dead within a year.
The Love Story: A slow burn sapphic romance between the cursed princess and the one person who has the blood of the people that cursed her family. The Villain is not a standard fairytale villain and the good and bright people are fake and catty. Quite the turnaround in fairy tale land…
Alyce lives in Briar where there is magic in the form of Graces. Graced children are born with half fae blood that is golden. They use their gold blood in addition to enhancements procured at an apothecary to create potions or tinctures that can do things for their customers like add beauty, change eye color and hair color. However, Alyce is not half Fae but half Vila (monster) and she has the green blood of the Vila which is a race that was eradicated.
Alyce has a dark grace and can combine her blood with enhancements to curse people, give them warts, and make bad things happen to them. Her customers come to her for potions/hexes because they are jealous or angry and want bad things to happen to people they use them on. Alyce lives in Lavender house and the other Graces she lives with have nicknamed her Malyce.
I have to say, that I am a lover of the fairytale retelling and this one is certainly a fun one since it turns just about every fairy tale stereotype around. I love that the shiny happy people are so tarnished and that the “villain” is the protagonist. Also, though the princess is named Aurora and has a curse, this one has elements of a bunch of other fairy tales.
For example, Alyce lives with other graces and due to her Vila blood, she is delegated to the basement area and gets stuck running errands for the other graces (almost like cinderella). Though she is allowed to go to the ball in a gown that miraculously appeared for her. Also, we associate Sleeping Beauty with the names Aurora and Briar Rose and in this book, Aurora is the princess of Briar. I really enjoyed this story. I won’t give away any more, but to say Alyce’s tale is terrific!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
Rating: really liked it
The fact that this book has 470 pages and I finished it in four days speaks for itself.
When I first got an invitation to read and review Malice I thought it was ya book, but man, when I started it I was pleasantly surprised that it was
adult story.However, it doesn't have graphic or violent scenes (there is one scene about hm hm adult activity but it isn't detailed), so I feel like
it is perfect choice for readers who usually read ya fantasy but would like to explore adult books in that genre.The book follows
Alice who people call Malice, because of her dark magic and her look, which is different from what their society considers as beautiful.
Alice is also a narrator of this story that is written in first person.The whole
atmosphere in the novel is dark and gray, at least that is how I imagined it, and therefore it is
perfect to read during winter.This is Sleeping Beauty retelling (with some parts that reminded me of Cinderella) and it is also a fantasy romance in which protagonists are our dear Malice and Aurora.
To some it might sound cheesy, but trust me, it isn't. In matter of fact, it is a good story, with
interesting plotline in which love story isn't in main focus, although it is important part.
Because of it, I think this book could appeal to big audience and not just romance lovers.
If you like retellings, you will probably appreciate this novel.
With more than few surprises the story left me confused at times, but still it was so enjoyable and also, the cast of characters was interesting to follow.
The ending was good but at the same time I wish it had better closure...
I mean, I felt like it was cut off in the middle of the action, which makes sense since this is duology...
Now I wish I had the sequel already, but I guess I'll have to wait for another year...
Rating: really liked it
BEYOND FIVE STARS
Bruh, bruh, bruh. What the fuck did I just read? What was that ending? WHEN CAN I GET THE SECOND BOOK?
I loved this book bruh, and not just because it was a sapphic retelling. When I fucking tell you that the worldbuilding. was OUT of this WORLD!!!!!
Alyce slayed harder than a gay manin gucci on a catwalk. She's like that iconic mother gothel quote: "You want me to be the bad guy. Fine, now I'm the bad guy."
Okay; SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK, DO NOT PASS!!!!!!
here are four super important, super cool,super fun reasons why I loved this book.
1) Alyce
talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.
2) Lesbians
Let's go lesbians, let's go.
3) Aurora
“Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.”– Jim Carey
4) The ending
tunring into a dragon. killing Roose and the king. Killing Kal. Burning the kingdom to the FUCKING GROUND.But Auroras slumber, NOOOO!!! Alyce, wake her up, she desn't deserve to die.
---------------------------
HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT!
Review To Come
————————————————
gay, enemies to lovers, sleeping beauty retelling, stubborn princess and evil witch,
YES PLEAASSSEEE!!!!
Rating: really liked it
Now a Goodreads Choice nominee in Fantasy! Abomination. Half-breed. Mongrel. Beast. Monster. The world is cruel place for souls like Alyce, the Dark Grace. But Briar, a queendom known for its magic and beauty, doesn’t have much kindness to spare for anyone who seems different or steps out of line.
Half-Vila and scorned for it, Alyce’s powers and appearance are remarkably different from her ‘sister’ Graces at Lavender House. While they have brightly colored hair with golden eyes and the ability to grant virtues to their clients such as beauty, wit and knowledge, the upper class of Briar goes to Alyce only for curses. Of course she doesn’t provide anything deadly, and all Grace elixirs eventually fade, but through her lineage, looks and occupation, Alyce has earned herself a daunting reputation.
But all that changes in one night, at one ball and involving the last Briar princess, cursed to die on her 21st birthday if she is not kissed by her true love. Alyce finds herself in an impossible situation, working for people she despises, wanting to escape, but also drawn to the princess of Briar, who needs her help to break the curse her Vila ancestors placed on her bloodline. Is there any way Alyce’s powers can be used for good, or have her detractors always been right—that all she can do is create darkness, suffering and evil?
Sleeping Beauty was my favorite Disney princess movie growing up, but even then Aurora felt like a spectator in her story. Yes it was
about her, but she barely spoke. Instead people acted on her behalf, her father sent her away, the fairies protected her, Maleficent hunted her and Phillip tried to save her. Even for princess movies of the time, she had remarkably little agency. So I was really happy with the characterization of Aurora in this book. She’s pragmatic and clever, always searching for a way to break her curse herself. And once the clock has run down she doesn’t wallow, she makes decisions for what’s best for the realm and eventually herself. Watching her older sisters die of the same cause that will eventually kill her has turned into motivation to, if not live longer, then at least live better.
As for Alyce, I’m sure at this point we’ve all seen or read a
Sleeping Beauty retelling that is a little less harsh on the villain of the story. What I appreciated in Heather Walter’s interpretation is that yes, Alyce is more sympathetic, but she doesn’t do that by sanitizing her powers or personality. Instead we’re exposed to the very human cruelty of the people around her, the uncertainty of her purpose in her community and the malevolence she feels against people who have hurt her and those she loves. The ending especially was a masterclass in constructing a compelling villain, to the point where you are rooting for her as she unleashes her rage onto an unsuspecting populace. Like much of Briar’s history, the record of events will be modified, unflattering details erased entirely, and the Dark Grace’s fury will be whispered about in hushed breath for centuries to come.
The first book of the
Malice duology was already a roaring success for me. There’s intricate world-building not just in Briar but beyond it. The magic system and magical species have a great foundation laid for the next book. I’m very excited to pick up where it was left off immediately after the final climax of the story, and can’t believe I have to wait until April (!!!!) 2022. I’m ready for more vengeance. I’m ready for wrath. I’m ready for Nimara.
*Thanks Jordy for sending me this for my birthday!! π
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
