Review: Malice

 

So a book from a villain perspective, a gay retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" and a villain arc with zero redemption? Hell yeah I am reading this book. I was so tempted to read this book ever since I came across it on Goodreads but I was bound to my January tbr but I was done reading for the month so I shifted the book to this.

Malice by Heather Walter deals with the story of Alyce, a girl shunned by the normality that surrounds her because of her birth. Unlike other graces, whose blood  is a rich golden, hers is a sickly green and while other Graces evolve their magic from Etheria, her magic comes from being half Vila. And apparently everyone hates her. Until there's Aurora, the heir to the throne of Briar, the last hope of the kingdom before the curse which has haunted her family for generations has killed her. Alyce knows she's a boundary that shouldn't be crossed but maybe, once wouldn't hurt.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 3.9, interesting.

PROS:

1. I really enjoyed the fact that it was a retelling of "the Sleeping Beauty" and added a really different twist to it. Unlike a certain production company that decided to take a public domain story and make stuff on it to copyright it so that no one can use it again [cough Disney cough]. And best of all, GAY retelling. We need more of that.

2. Character: I personally enjoyed every single bit of it. They're stereotypical but they somehow match the vibe of the story as they should and it all fits together in one big jigsaw puzzle. And they've shown more than one plot points of character development and that's something. And Aurora being a naughty girl to break all rules, we stan a girl who runs on spite.

3. Corruption arc: So this came on really right at the end but it was hands down one of the best I've ever seen. I mean most of the main characters come to peace with it and try to die with the evil power that they've been bestowed and it's kind of boring. Like I love heroes, I adore heroes. But I am more in love with villains. Like gimme the story, tell me more about them. And Alyce's reasons for turning towards evil is highly justified. I love it.

4. Never thought I'd read lesbian erotica too but here we are.

CONS:

1. Pacing: Just not my style. It does go a bit slow at times when you want it to be fast and fast when you want it to slow down. That kills the mood you know. Sometimes I was like "when will this be over" and other  times I was like "it's over already? Damn."

2. Shit's just been described too much. Iun need to know some of it.

OVERALL, AN OKAY READ, really loved the ending though.