What Monstrous Gods
Releases March 5, 2024. Available for pre-order at Bookshop.org
3/5
For fans of: Sleeping Beauty, fairytale retelling, enemies-to-lovers, coming-of-age, assassins
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? YA Fantasy
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? No.
Is it spicy? Some steamy kissing
Is it violent or gory? Some monstrous transformations of saints
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? If you are a fan of retellings or Rosamund Hodge, borrow it!
“You loved those nuns as a dog loves its masters, begging for scraps, licking their feet after they kicked you.”
Synopsis: A rich and romantic new standalone fantasy loosely inspired by the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, from the New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beauty! Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and The Shadow Queen.
Centuries ago, the heretic sorcerer Ruven raised a deadly briar around Runakhia's palace, casting the royal family into an enchanted sleep-and silencing the kingdom's gods. Born with a miraculous gift, Lia's destiny is to kill Ruven and wake the royals. But when she succeeds, she finds her duty is not yet complete, for now she must marry into the royal family and forge a pact with a god-or die.
To make matters even worse, Ruven's spirit is haunting her. As discord grows between the old and new guards, the queen sends Lia and Prince Araunn, her betrothed, on a pilgrimage to awaken the gods. But the old gods are more dangerous than Lia ever knew-and Ruven may offer her only hope of survival.
As the two work together, Lia learns that they're more alike than she expected. And with tensions rising, Lia must choose between what she was raised to believe and what she knows is right-and between the prince she is bound to by duty...and the boy she killed.
““If you didn’t want me haunting you,” he says, “you shouldn’t have killed me.””
Review: Let’s get straight to the point, I loved the premise but the execution was ultimately lacking for me. I have been a fan of Rosamund Hodge’s work for a while and a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a very unique setting and history, enemies-to-lovers, and coming-of-age tropes sounded so promising. I loved the discussion of the power of religious institutions, childlike faith being challenged by reality, being given immense power but simultaneously losing any form of control, and dark history being uncovered. Even the characters of Lia, Ruven, and the royals. Their relationships were sudden, confusing, angsty, and full of distrust. The plot moved perfectly as well with twists and turns full of hidden truths uncovered and hidden agendas. This should all add up to an amazingly fun and epic story, but it just doesn’t have the emotional punch I was expecting. If you are looking for something fun, a bit dark, and fast, I highly recommend it! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.