As a lover of Goblin Market stories, I jumped into this with both feet, and what I found was a sweet, dark, and clever little take on the classic poem, centering on a pair of sisters and the lengths will one will go to save the other. A dark undercurrent keeps this read meaty enough for adult readers, while never veering too far into territory that would make it inappropriate for younger readers (though I also think children can handle much darker tales than we usually give them credit for). For fans of the classic poem, it's a must, though it's far from the best retelling of this story, and can drag in certain portions.

DNF @20%

I usually adore books about the goblin market as they tend to be really fun, but this one just didn't work for me. There wasn't really anything wrong about the book, I just couldn't get into it no matter how much I wanted to like this book. And to be honest, this book kind of put me into a reading slump. I guess this book just wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely, sweet children's book! Beautifully written, spooky in an age-appropriate way, and with a wonderful message about love between sisters.

thanks to NetGalley and its author for providing me with an advanced copy

Mysterious and middle age story about love and a good plot, i enjoy reading it but it was not enough time to finish it, i was on page 242 ish when Netgalley app just closed and i could not read it again.

4.0

Based on Christina Rosetti's poem Goblin Market, Diane Zahler puts her own twist to the story in her version. I appreciated the neurodiversity of her characters and the bond between the two sisters. Where I feel Zahler really excelled though, was in the setting and atmosphere. That got me hooked, and when I felt the plot rushed or lagged or when I was not feeling invested in the characters, that is why I stayed. I'm glad I read this book and will happily recommend it to others, I just found myself wanting more from the story than what Zahler provided.

Goblin Market by Diane Zahler is a dark, mysterious and adventures middle grade about what we are willing to do for the ones we love. I loved how effortlessly the mystery, folklore and adventure was woven into everyday country life.

The characters are so sweet, unique and lovable. I especially liked Stefan the neighbor boy, he is so kind and  precocious and when he shook his own because he knows Lizzie doesn't like to be touched my heart melted. I am so grateful to Holiday House for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. It was amazing.

This was imaginative and well written. A very easy recommendation and would make a great gift for readers this holiday season. Truly enjoyable and doesn't talk down to the reader which is always important.

I absolutely didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. It is short, concise, captivating and just a little bit creepy. And I especially loved the fact that it had character with synesthesia, it was such an amazing move to make this trait into something like a superpower.

Goblin Market by Diane Zahler is a middle grade horror story focusing on the bonds of sisterhood.

The relationship between the sisters was the most compelling part of this story, but the eerie lore of the Goblin Market also grabbed the reader's attention. I like the social anxiety rep from Lizzie, it felt very real.

These girls truly loved each other, and their bond was lovely to read.

Goblin Market is a great fantasy read for middle grade readers. The novel has complex and engaging characters to follow, including a protagonist that’s different from the kind that most young readers may have seen before. The plot is exciting and easy to follow, with some strong, but not too scary, horror elements. The world is folklore-inspired and very atmospheric, making it easy for readers to get immersed in the story very quickly. The plot is a little simplistic and the antagonist is a little underdeveloped, but on the whole, I think this is a great middle grade book.

That was whimsical, dark, full of sisterly bond and goblin deceit. I enjoyed it a lot! Love the eerie vibes. Lizzie is a strong and unyielding lead for this story! Also love Jakob and Stefan. Will recommend this book to dark middlegrade fans!

For those of you who are looking to scratch that goblin itch, this one will definitly do that. It’s a spooky middle grade retelling of the Goblin market tale. Following 2 sisters, who live in a small village. One of them eats a mysterious fruit offered to her at the local market and becomes ill. Obviously setting up the plot and mystery. This one definitely gave me some folklore fairytale vibes. I loved this cover when I initially saw it and I'm glad the story carries that same beauty.
Full review to come on YouTube

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for this ARC! :) Note: This book is categorized as middle grade, but its darker contents might be more suited for young adults and older.

**This is from a blog I recently published**
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Goblin Market is a dark whimsy tale that combines sisterhood, fairytales, and adventure.

I loved reading about the sisters’ relationship, the vivid setting, and the Polish folklore.

I found it difficult to get into this story because I found myself wishing that the author had spent more time on world-building and character growth. That said, Lizzie kept me hooked! She is a dynamic narrator to who I relate so much, especially her sensitive nature and her tendency to get overstimulated by touch and loud sounds. I love how her neurodivergence is normalized and found it interesting to read about how she sees sounds as colors (Synesthesia).

If you’re already ready for fall and the start of spooky season, this is an enjoyable read to get you in the mood! Also, check out Christina Rossetti's poem, ‘Goblin Market,’ the basis for this reimagining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goblin Market by Diane Zahler follows our main character Lizzie, a girl that can see the color of sounds. She has an older sister named Minka who's a wonderfully talented artist. Their mother goes into town for the market day once a week to sell the crops their family grows. Once Minka reaches the appropriate age, her and Lizzie are expected to go on the weekly market place in their mother’s stead. Minka is quite sociable while Lizzie would rather avoid being around people. When she’s in loud places her synesthesia causes her to be extremely overwhelmed so she avoids going to crowded places. Her family decides that Minka will go to the market alone moving forward.

One day Minka comes back from the market raving about a plum a very handsome boy gave her. As time goes on, she meets him again and gives him a lock of her hair and slowly her world starts falling apart. Only Lizzie can possibly figure out how to help her sister.

When I first requested this, the plot alone drew me in. I don't know if i've ever seen a middle grade book listed in the horror category so I was VERY intrigued with what this would hold. I honestly could not believe how much I enjoyed this. I read it every chance I could get because i had to know how Lizzie was going to swing this. The first few times Minka talked to Emil I was already on edge, but when she gave him a lock of her hair? AND SHE DID! Girlie what are you doing???? That's WEIRD. While I didn't particularly enjoy Minka's character, I was a huge fan of Lizzie and her character growth.

My only real complaint was Jakob and Stefan''s dad. Him being abusive didn't really feel like a necessary anecdote to the story. Maybe if we had learned more about his backstory and had that situation explored further it could have held more weight. I'm not sure, just really wasn't comfy with it or how Stefan joked about his brother getting hit...

Overall though, I would read this again!

This book was a gorgeous fairytale filled with sisterly love. I did not expect that I was going to love this story as much as I did. I have never been that fond of fairytales, but this one has settled itself in my heart. It was firstly the cover that pulled me in - the colours, the gorgeous drawing, everything screamed "read me". Then it was Lizzie, she is such an amazing character, and feels extremely relatable for me, as I was also the child who never wanted to talk to new people, or be randomly hugged. She has a wonderful way that she looks at the world, even without her special powers. I also feel she is a bit autistic coded, which I love in a childrens book - it makes children feel seen! Minka was a bit less relatable for me, but I still felt her arc was very believable. She fell in love with the first boy who actually made her feel special, who told her everything she dreamt about, and everything she wanted to have and do in the future. But it was the wrong kind of boy.

I read this story in two days, but if I had had a bit more time yesterday I probably would've finished it in one go. Its very easy and quick to read, but it still gives you enough to envision a wonderful world. I also loved the special cultural things that got weaved into the story, the food and names, the specific traditions - I am a sucker for local traditions.

To end this rambling review: everyone should read this book, it's that good.

Goblin market by Diane Zaher.
Lizzie and Minka are sisters, but they’re nothing alike: Minka is outgoing and cheerful, while Lizzie is shy and sensitive. Nothing much ever happens in their sleepy village—there are fields to tend, clothes to mend, and weekly trips to the market, predictable as the turning of the seasons. Lizzie likes it that way. It’s safe. It’s comfortable. She hopes nothing will ever change.
Really creepy story. My daughter loves it. Illustrations were amazing. 5*.

A beautifully written coming of age fairy tale. I loved seeing the Polish folklore, baking, and culture in this story. The relationship between the sisters was so sweet. Highly recommend for fans of fairy tales of all ages.

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy... And probably won't be eating fruit from handsome men in a while! Lol

My favourite aspect of this novel was seeing mentions of Slavic folklore. The Goblin Market poem has always been a love of mine and I was really interested to see a retelling of the fey where they are not the good guys, or the romantic interest of the story.

I did feel like perhaps this story didn't branch out quite enough from the old spoken folk tales. For me it seemed to stick a little too close to the well known formulas of fairy stories.
Likewise I wasn't too sure what audience this was written for, whether it'd suit a middle grade or YA audience.

The writing style made me think more middle grade but then it was quite a slow burn story, more character driven than plot heavy, which may suit older readers more.

Morning and evening
Maids heard the goblins cry:
“Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy..."

This Polish folklore is a middle grade delight! I adored the relationship between the sisters, and I appreciated that it was a quick read for a fun beach day.