The Quick Cut: Girl goes looking for her missing sister. Girl discovers she's been kidnapped by the Goblin King, who requires the girl to play his twisted games to rescue the sister. Chaos and adventures abound.
A Real Review: Thank you to Thomas Dunne books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
This book snuck up on me like a ninja because it started out slow and unassuming, but soon enough became so intriguing I had to finish it that night! It takes some fairly unexpected turns that I didn't expect I'm the moment and by the end, I was left wondering "How did we get here?!?!"
Now I'm just getting ahead of myself though. The leads of our book are Liesl and the Goblin King. Liesl is older sister to her younger sister, Kathe, who disappears. When Liesl finds Kathe, she finds her in the arms of the Goblin King and life as they know it effectively ends. And so does this book because it takes a dynamic turn pacing and feel wise, albeit for the better. Now I'm just getting ahead of myself though. The leads of our book are Liesl and the Goblin King. Liesl is older sister to her younger sister, Kathe, who disappears. When Liesl finds Kathe, she finds her in the arms of the Goblin King and life as they know it effectively ends. And so does this book because it takes a dynamic turn pacing and feel wise, albeit for the better.
Liesl's such a giving character, to a flaw. She suppresses everything she wants for what she perceives as her responsibility I'm the family. Hell, she has a younger brother (that I won't even begin to touch the drama there) that she gives up her music for to make his dreams come true. A little excessive right? Got to love those giving types, I did this too to some extent in my younger years.
The Goblin King at first gives off an opposite vibe. Selfish, opportunistic, and dripping in sarcasm. However, he hides his true opinions and thoughts in analogies. You want his feelings? You'll need to psychoanalyze phrases like this:
“A candle unused is nothing but wax and wick,” I said. “I would rather light the flame, knowing it will go out, than sit forever in darkness.”
Put these two together and the steam rises on its own because the banter is heavy and continuous. They bounce off each other and really do make each other more interesting to read. The more time they spend together, the more they begin to grow as characters too. Liesl learns to be selfish and pursue what she wants (plus truly deserves). The Goblin King opens up, stops hiding behind the fancy phrases and opens up to tell his real story, how he really feels.
Put these two together and the steam rises on its own because the banter is heavy and continuous. They bounce off each other and really do make each other more interesting to read. The more time they spend together, the more they begin to grow as characters too. Liesl learns to be selfish and pursue what she wants (plus truly deserves). The Goblin King opens up, stops hiding behind the fancy phrases and opens up to tell his real story, how he really feels. Put these two together and the steam rises on its own because the banter is heavy and continuous. They bounce off each other and really do make each other more interesting to read. The more time they spend together, the more they begin to grow as characters too. Liesl learns to be selfish and pursue what she wants (plus truly deserves). The Goblin King opens up, stops hiding behind the fancy phrases and opens up to tell his real story, how he really feels.
This book is amazingly enjoyable and beyond the first section being a bit slowly paced, it's a fantastic romp. The characters are relatable, lovable, and grow in a way that makes you root for them. I look forward to seeing where the story goes in the sequel!
My rating: 4.5 out of 5