By Heather Walter
Malice (ARC Book Review)
Maleficient by way of Sarah J. Maas, Malice by Heather Walter is the gay, fae fairytale retelling of the romance of Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora with the villain of the story.
In this adult fantasy, Malice does what most books with a villain POV like this get so wrong; instead of portraying the villain as just some misunderstood character who was really good all along, Walter crafts a woman who is complicated and makes decisions readers will hate her for while also being relatable. And, instead of being just a whiff of the original story as many retellings are, this novel goes for the gold and gives so many nods to those who came before.
The cherry on top, the slow burn forbidden romance mixed with a slight friends-to-lovers trope creates a relationship readers will most certainly root for, especially as it was built nicely and believably over the course of the novel. But it admittedly could have had a bit more steam and overall scenes between the two lovers. However, this is an easily forgiven ‘fault’ when traded for more room to let the story grow not just as a romance but as a fantasy that will be great for bah-humbug-to-love readers as well.
Although the writing was sometimes a little obvious and explanation-heavy where I would have liked more atmosphere and prose, these choices likewise end up paying off as the story leans into its surprisingly political and dramatic plot, giving it a more intricate and multi-layered edge that builds into a rollercoaster of an ending, albeit a slightly rushed one.
The last few chapters are a sprinkling of predictability amongst an onslaught of shocking twists and turns, leaning far deeper into the dark side than I could have hoped for in a way that was oh so fitting. Leaving plenty of room for a sequel (which seems to be a confirmed likelihood with the updated Goodreads title) I can’t wait to see where and how far the story goes and read more from this author, who will surely become a fan favorite soon enough.
I rated Malice 4.5 out of 5. Fans of Maas should pick this up yesterday.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
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verbal abuse, mentions of suicide, some homophobia, violence.
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