I love a good princess retelling, and this was definitely a great one! The world was built in such a mesmerizing way, and despite slight plot holes, i still had a great time reading.

Malice had a great premise. I love retellings and I love to see the story from the "villain's" perspective. I really wanted to like this story, but I could not bring myself to like or care about Alyce. The love story between the two female leads was interesting and the magic of the story was intriguing to me, but it was the main character that detracted from the whole story.

Maybe it just wasn't for me at the time maybe I give it another go later and like it. Just felt too slow and predictable for me. Usually, I do not care about that maybe I need to nap on it.

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange of a review.
I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. I thought the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters and plot more.

3.5 I think? This took awhile to get into, but I definitely appreciate Aurora not being some sort of passive princess. The worldbuilding is sound, even if the villains are a bit moustache twirling.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review. I enjoyed the time I spent reading this book but I wouldn’t necessarily read it again. The pacing sometimes felt slow and I didn’t always feel connected to the characters.

Malice by Heather Walter.

This book is an emotional queer reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty story with lots of fun world-building and a messy romance between Princess Aurora and Alyce, the "dark" witch whose power casts the fateful slumber.

Like all the women in her royal bloodline, Aurora has known her whole life that she'll die on her 21st birthday if she hasn't broken the curse with her true love's kiss -- and that if she survives, she must produce an heir. Her two older sisters have already succumbed to the curse, and her parents have brought in a seemingly endless line of boys and men to kiss her since she was a child. Now she's just turned 20 and the situation seems desperate.

Alyce, on the other hand, has been told her whole life that she's wicked and repulsive because of her racial heritage, kept alive only for the political usefulness of her magical abilities. When she and Aurora realize they've fallen for each other, it puts them in a perilous situation of impossible choices, building into a catastrophic cliffhanger ending.

Thanks to @delreybooks for the review copy through @netgalley. I can hardly wait for the sequel!

I love fairy-tale reimagining's and this sapphic retelling had some wonderful elements. However, I would love to have seen a lot more magic. There was a lot of thinking and chatting and not enough spell casting and cursing in my opinion. The romance was lovely and Alice and Aurora were engaging characters. However, as the desire for revenge developed and a general sense of the injustice Alice had faced increased, her voice took on a more angry whinging tone which got a little grating as it felt really forced. 'I am angry witch woman hear me cackle' type stuff. It reminded me a bit of Adelina in The Young Elites whose character started becoming quite unlikeable. Still, this was an enjoyable listen and I look forward to the sequel because that ending people!

A new twist on the evil queen from Sleeping beauty. Alyce is the Dark Grace, hated for her green Vila blood and a world where the Graces golden blood is in demand. After unexpectedly meeting crown princess Aurora, Alyce is surprised to find that they become friends, and maybe more. Charming and well written.

I am a huge, huge fan of darker themed fairy tale retellings and Malice did not disappoint! From the first page, I was hooked! I’m really looking forward to reading the second book!

A truly unique spin on Sleeping Beauty that, although full of darkness, conveys how easily love can be twisted by the views of those outside a relationship that advances from antaganistic to love to bitterness in the blink of a curse. This is the first book of a duology that definitely weaves the fairy tale through an absolute darkness. I loved this book and will definitely be looking for book #2.

I love this dark, sapphic fairytale. The complex characters and relationships are so interesting, and I love how it defies fairytale tropes, and deconstructs the way 'true love' is portrayed in so many fairytales.
The friendship to romance development of her relationship with Aurora was done really well, and just the right amount. It really filled a niche of dark fantasy with a lesbian MC, and romance subplot (but not overbearing) that I crave! The twist and tone shift at the end was definitely a shock, but made me excited for what happens in the next one.


Here's some links to fanart I've done inspired by the book:

https://twitter.com/layahimalaya/status/1381745262608060418
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbOicK2JWcs/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccbi8zxhOCN/?img_index=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcecE7IJVRN/?img_index=1

A brief note: I realize that this review is, as of July 3 2023, two years overdue. I originally requested an ARC for Malice in October of 2020. Unfortunately, life got in the way, as it often does, and I forgot to write a review and provide feedback to the publisher. While this review is late, I still want to fulfill my obligation as a book reviewer and ARC reader. Please note that this review is based on the ARC; it is not a reflection on the final publication, or any changes that may have been made prior to the book being sent for publication.


I would like to begin by thanking Del Rey Books and NetGalley. I was provided an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. In October of 2020, Malice was one of my most hotly anticipated fantasy reads for 2021. I am a sucker for retellings - mostly Greek myth retellings, admittedly, but I have always appreciated an author's ability to take familiar folklore or fairytales and rewrite them from a different culture or perspective. In that respect, Malice didn't disappoint. While it was far from perfect, and I did struggle, at times, with its narrative choices and pacing, overall it was an enjoyable read. I originally gave Malice a four star rating on Goodreads, and have made the decision to stand by my original score. The reason for this decision is explained in further detail/can be broken down by my individual scores per section.


Writing quality/readability - 4/5 Walter takes a balanced approach with her writing. While many of the descriptions in the novel - from the scenery and clothing to individual spells - are rich and lush, she avoids falling into the common trap of purple prose. Her writing is descriptive, without being overly verbose. With that being said, the majority of Walter's writing is very sensory heavy, in terms of its reliance on the description of the scenery, the spells, and the clothing. This was a delight for me, because I adore descriptive writing. However, it's so consistent that it could quickly get overwhelming for some readers, and at times the descriptions seem a bit redundant, which in turn detracts from the story. Walter is heavy on show, don't tell. She's adept at setting the scene, but unfortunately, less skilled when it comes to explaining a character's emotions or motives through exposition or the narrative of the text. Overall, her writing is clear and free of grammatical errors, with a standard and easily understood vocabulary, and a consistent style.


Plot - 2.5 out of 5 - This section is rounded up to a solid 2.5. This is largely due to the fact that it feels as if it's trying to accomplish two retellings, instead of one. Alyce is part-Vila; a race of dark faerie that was eradicated long ago, after a long and drawn out conflict. As a result, she is reviled, shunned, and feared; not only by the community that she provides her services as a Grace to, but among her fellow Graces, as well. (It should be noted that a 'Grace' is essentially a magic courtesan; they are inherent magic users, who are able to weave spells for cosmetic or superficial purposes, such as granting the consumer increased fortune and luck.) Due to her mixed lineage, Alyce is incapable of producing the same magic as her fellow Graces. Instead, she creates curses and hexes, which, inexplicably, still yields her a high number of clientele, despite the fact that she's actively ostracized and shunned by the bulk of her community.

There's a somewhat clumsy attempt at xenophobia and racism that is never properly addressed throughout the plot, and is overall hamfisted. Alyce's treatment at the hands of her fellow Graces feels vaguely Cinderellan, and seemed out of place and uncharacteristic for a business that relied on the income Aylce (mocking called Malice by her fellow Grace, Rose,) brought in.

The way that Aylce and Aurora meet is clichéd and, again, seems implausible and far-fetched, given that we're told, repeatedly, how aghast and repulsed the kingdom is by Aylce's employment and general existence. The pacing towards the second half of the novel felt rushed and sloppy. There are too many plot elements in play that are never revisited or addressed again (though perhaps the plot holes are addressed in the sequel.)

It's almost as if Walter couldn't decide whether she wanted to write a sapphic storyline, or a villian origin story. I'm hesitant to even agree with the claim that this is a villainous retelling at all (which is a shame. Maleficent was my favorite Disney villian as a kid.) The ending is rushed, and ends on a cliffhanger before Alyce can exact the revenge she swears to, a la Elphaba in Wicked.

Overall, the first half and the second half of the novel felt disjointed and unconnected.

Characterization - 4/5 Characterization is one area in which Malice excels. Rose, for example, is throughly unlikable, but still shows glimmers of compassion and a personality outside of her facade of open contempt for Alyce. Hilde is perhaps the most sympathetic and likeable character of them all. The characters are all fleshed out, and their motives, wants, and flaws are fully realized in a way that keeps them from being one dimensional.

Worldbuilding - 5/5 This is where this novel shines.The magic system is detailed and unique, and a pleasure to read about. The mythology and lore of the world is solid and intriguing, and clearly shapes the way the hierarchy of the kingdom is established. The world is fully fleshed out, immersible, and believable.

Overall, while this was a fun twist on a familiar fairytale, it is by no means groundbreaking, and poor pacing causes it to stumble. Unfortunately, while it is a duology, the second book in the series will be a miss from me.

It was frustrating how long it took for the characters to declare their love to one another and even more frustrating to see what happened as a result. Walter does a phenomenal job in expressing Alice's rage and agony and I could totally empathize with her plight and her actions (perturbing as they seem) and as a result my feelings were swirling all over the place when I finished this book . Now I anxiously await the second book in the duopoly to see how Walter fixes things.

Everything about this book screams Morgan, and it was one of my most anticipated reads for a long time. I didn’t love it as much as I expected but the second half is really good and I’m excited to pick up book 2! The first half of the book felt slow to me; I wasn’t connecting to Alyce and it was a bit of a chore to pick up even though I loved the lore and worldbuilding. But when Alyce met Aurora it definitely picked up, and the last 100 pages in particular were so good! I like how Heather Walter has twisted the Sleeping Beauty story, it’s very clever. And the characters grew on me; there were parts that felt kind of info dumpy, while also being purple prose. I don’t know. But I would still recommend it, it’s a good story that took a little while to capture my full attention.

When I first generously received the arc from netgalley, I was stoked! But unfortunately for me I couldn’t find an interest in where the plot began to progress. Maybe sometime in the future I’ll pick it up and give it another shot.

I love villain stories. I really love Disney villain stories that get retold. I especially love when those Disney villains and the heckin princesses are a thing, oh my gosh. This was everything I wanted and then some.

Ooo I love fairytale retellings!!! This story has you rooting for the villain to get the girl instead of the prince.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I finally got around to reading this. However, it just wasn’t for me. i think it’s because I waited too long to read it so my interest in it has gone down. I think I want to give it another chance down the line but at this time I just couldn’t get into it.