I was super excited for this book and jumped at the opportunity to read it, but unfortunately I believe I am going to have to DNF this at the 40% mark. I was invested in both the plot and worldbuilding, but I felt many of the characters and their actions fell flat. I didn't have much difficulty with the inclusion of unknown words - both real and fake - but I do think some kind of glossary would not be amiss to help readers through the story.

I also found the writing to be unclear in regards to who was doing what, as during the first chapter the POV seemingly switches repeatedly between Maika and Imma (her mother), giving me constant confusion about who this story was about. Just when I thought I'd understood whose thoughts I was privy to, the next paragraph would switch it up again. There are other parts throughout the novel that also do this, but it was the most jarring on the first chapter and made getting into the story and understanding what was going on to be more difficult.

Finally, I eventually decided to stop reading when I realized that so much of the plot and characterization isn't present, and instead every narrative beat is interrupted to tell a folktale. Normally, I love the inclusion of folktales within stories - books like The Bear and the Nightingale are among my favorites - but here it would often halt the plot in an awkward way just to tell the story. Maika would often refuse to reply to a question and instead tell a barely related folktale and both we, and the characters, were supposed to then use that to determine her feelings on a certain matter.

The most jarring was one instance before I decided it was too much for me, when Maika was talking to Nimrah and then mid-conversation gets lost in her thoughts.
<i>"Your thoughts are very loud," Nimrah said, lips curling in the shadow light.
"I was thinking of the Feast of Lots story. Do you know it?"
"It is told every year at the festival."
A yes would've sufficed.</i>
And then the next paragraph is Maika, without introduction or ceremony, immediately jumping into the story. No fanfare, no warning. The other character didn't even ask for the story - in my reading, the answer felt like "yes, I know the story so we don't need to rehash it," but the book goes the opposite direction in a way I felt was jarring.

A similar thing happens immediately in the next chapter. Her friend Amnon asks her a question, and rather than answering she responds with a folktale that he's familiar with, completely pausing the story and making both us - and the other characters - infer her feelings from this story.

It was at this point that I realized this novel wasn't for me and I decided to DNF.

I also never connected with any of the characters in this novel. I never felt like Maika was entirely justified in her refusal to use kefesh, but in the same way felt Nimrah was almost too lackadaisical with her insistence on it being used. This magic is apparently highly religious and important, but then other characters are able and willing to use it at a moment's notice without the same religious impact.

Overall, I really wish I connected with this book more as I found the initial plot intriguing and normally love stories focused on folklore, especially when they include cursed forests and the characters fighting religious discrimination.

The Maiden and Her Monster revolves around the story of Malka, a devoted daughter who ventures into dangerous territory in order to save her mother from execution. Malka must make a deal with a golem named Nimrah and learn to use Kefresh, a forbidden magic that lies within her.

If you like The Village (film) by M. Night Shyamalan and Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window, you will love this novel! It is full of mystery, intrigue, and sapphic temptation.

Topics covered: government revolution, crisis in faith, forbidden magic, forbidden romance, and more.

Thank you Maddie Martinez, Tor Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was interested in The Maiden and Her Monster being a retelling of Golem of Prague. Unfortunately, the book felt more frustrating than anything. First and foremost, I love dark fairytales. When you add the important element of horror, Im all yours.

For someone who loves taking notes when reading, this wasnt the experience here. Foreign words kept popping up, I had to either concentrate on remembering what the word meant or putting the book down and searching on my notebook. This completely threw me off. Adding to the notes, there are so many roads and places named, you desperately need a map. If you had point A, B and C, I would have been fine. But there are countless terms and place, a map and a glossary would have been appreciated.

Second, the writing wasnt that phenomenal. The style felt more juvenile and much less polished for Tor book. It was also all over the place with info dumping. Basically the entire execution was a flop and The Maiden and Her Monster felt like a YA story. Shallow. Simplistic. Empty. (I felt there was no chemistry between those two characters).

Third, magic system sounded interesting but underdeveloped and nonsensical in certain moments. And no explanation on why.

Lastly, I believe there was a lack of accountability and therefore, growth. After everything that happened. Malka doesnt acknowledge anything and prefers to stay as she is. Reflection? Out the window. Also, why did she just chose to run after a monster in a forest at night? To just jump start the plot? I... no.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with an advanced copy.

The Maiden and Her Monster weaves Jewish history and folklore into its fantasy in an engaging way. However, the atmosphere I was hoping for—and that the premise seemed to promise—never quite came through. The biggest surprise here is that, as usual, the humans prove far more dangerous than the monsters lurking in the woods. While the story follows a fairly stereotypical fantasy arc, I found myself wishing for stronger gothic and horror elements to match the title’s dark allure.

Let’s see… imagine the Middle Ages, Eastern Europe and Jews being persecuted by the church. That’s basically the story.

I had very high hopes for this story, hoping for a fantastical story that incorporated Jewish culture and mythology. The whole gollum aspect had me sold!

However, the “big bad” in the story sort of became a backstory and the magic was lost pretty early on. The enemies to lovers story wasn’t convincing to me and the characters fell (literally) into “insta-love”.

I’m a fantasy lover and maybe expected more to happen with the forest and the girls… this one was sadly not for me, but I am certain that many will still find enjoyment in the story, the setting and the characters love story.

I appreciate to have been given the opportunity to explore this tale! Thank you to the author, Tor Books and NetGalley for making it possible

“The forest eats the girls who wander out after dark…”
Well guess what? Malka walks in anyway. And what she finds will ruin you beautifully.
In this gothic, sapphic, Jewish-inspired romantasy, Maddie Martinez spins a lush and harrowing tale that feels like a fable passed down through generations—if your grandmother was into curses, golems, angry priests, and monster girls with aching souls.

🖤 The Premise:
Malka, the daughter of the village healer (read: branded heretic), is thrust into a nightmare when a clergy girl vanishes and the blame lands squarely on her mother. To save her from execution, Malka strikes a desperate deal with a terrifying Ozmini priest: bring them the forest monster.

But the “monster” Malka finds isn’t the nightmare she’s been told about. She’s Sorele—a disgraced, imprisoned golem with a quiet rage and a singular goal: free the rabbi who made her. If Malka helps, Sorele will take the fall. But their bargain is stitched with secrets, and nothing—nothing—stays simple in cursed woods.

🌙 What to Expect:

A dark fairy tale atmosphere that reads like Gideon the Ninth meets Uprooted
A slow-burn sapphic romance that is as tender as it is agonizing
Jewish folklore and mysticism woven into every page, every shadow, every choice
A morally complex heroine torn between justice, survival, and desire
Monsters that aren’t really monsters—and people who absolutely are
💔 The Vibe:
Imagine staring into the eyes of the creature you were raised to hate—and feeling your heart skip. Imagine watching your village burn while holding hands with someone who shouldn’t exist. Imagine a love that defies dogma, war, death.
Yeah. It’s that kind of book.

🔮 Final Thoughts:
The Maiden and Her Monster is aching, brutal, and breathtaking. It’s about faith—how it can heal or destroy. It’s about what we owe to the people who made us. And most of all, it’s about what happens when the girl and the monster stop running from each other and start asking: What if we could be more?

The Maiden and Her Monster based on Jewish folklore and the story of The Golem of Prague. It follows Malka, a young woman who offers to venture into the murderous woods in a desperate attempt to free her mother from the Church’s evil clutches. In the woods she meets Nimrah, the golem.

Overall this book kept me engaged. However I think I was expecting something different. Maybe more so of chapters in the woods whereas the book switches into the city. I also found things came too easily to the main character and worked out, even when there was some tension. I was a little lost with the politics and the different kingdoms but could just be me not grasping it.
The romance went from nothing (they were hating each one moment) to all of a sudden there.

Still I found this book engaging and look forward to more by this author. Thank you again for the e-arc! Review will be up momentarily on my Instagram @hijabi.booknook and my goodreads violets_booknook

Representation: sapphic main relationship

Summary: Malka is a Yahad girl who lives in a small village surrounded by a forest - a forest which has become decided haunted over the past five years, to the point where any girl or woman who wanders in after dark will not be seen alive again. When an Ozmini woman - a member of the church and empire who rule the empire the Yahad live in - is killed and Malka's mother is blamed, it's up to Malka to prove to them that the cursed forest is what killed the woman. To do so, she and her friend, Amnon, must go into the forest and find the creature which killing women. Once in the forest, Malka and Amnon are rescued by Nimrah, a golem created by a mystic member of the Yahad faith who has been banished to the woods. Together, Malka and Nimrah strike a deal - Malka will help Nimrah free her creator from prosecution, and Nimrah will give herself up to save Malka's mother. However, there is much more going on in the empire than Malka is aware of, and once she leaves the forest, there is no going back. Her plans may spiral out of control as she fights not only for her mother but for her people.

Review:
Wow the prose in this book was amazing. Martinez really has a gift for metaphors and imagery and I loved how she put it to use in her world building. I also really loved Nimrah - the golem struck exactly the right note for me with how *practical* she is. At one point, Malka is panicking about how she doesn't want to make a choice, and Nimrah tells her that she doesn't live in a world right now where she has the option to make a different choice, which is something I ALWAYS want to say to characters myself. Nimrah was a fantastic character with her sense of duty and love and shame, and how action meant more to her than words.
There were a couple of things that fell short for me with this book. For starters, I agree with other reviewers who said the description promises a forest book - it is not a magical forest book, at it's heart. It is a book about politics. The magical forest was actually not really a part of the plot. In fact, once they got into the forest, they basically immediately left, and then the forest was explained as an unintended side effect, rather than the main issue as the description would have you believe. Second, I found Malka to be unbearably self-righteous. Throughout the majority of the book, Malka would think/behave/act as if she alone knew what was right and what was wrong, and that she knew everything and everyone else must be wrong if they disagreed. Even as she was shown proof that she wasn't operating with all the facts, bam, next page, Malka is right again and everyone else is wrong. This led her to treat Nimrah in particular, really badly and unfairly, which then in turn made the romance fall much short for me. Last but not least, the description also hides how religious this book is. While the main plot was about religious persecution, which I can get behind, I found a LOT of the book to be really theological, specifically pro-religion theology. As a queer woman who is atheist partially due to my queerness but also b/c I don't agree with a lot of religious doctrine, the "religion gives me purpose and meaning" messaging was not to my liking. While this is necessarily a bad thing in a book, the descriptions I've seen of the book didn't include this at all, and I felt like the book as a whole was false advertising between what I thought it was and what it really was.

2.5

The first third of this book genuinely was so hard to get through. The reason why is because it feel so packed with information but not necessarily rich with information. It's like so much is happening, but we're really not getting much at all. It's a lot of stories within stories and a lot of different people, but it didn't often feel clear or pertinent. Trying to figure out who people are was kind of hard because they would be mentioned off-handedly, with roles that we just had to assume? There are also a lot of terms that are not explained because they're Hebrew, which I don't mind looking up, but some of them (as I understood) were invented for the book.

The dialogue felt a bit Disney style at times; very cliché. I think they tackle the struggle of antisemitism in their world is. The sapphic love story was not for me. It felt very unnatural. I think Malka was not a likeable character. Even though she experiences the prejudice by being Jewish, she gives so much hatred back to Nimrah based on assumtpions as well. It doesn't even dwindle down. Far into the book, after acknowledging the attraction, Malka still finds a way to insult Nimrah on her values/intentions. It just felt so hateful and there was no build-up to their connection. I understand this sort of enemies to lovers trope that was meant to be done, but it didn't work for me in this context.

Anyway, the plot does end up picking up and becoming good. It doesn't follow exactly the synopsis Iread. It does stray away from the goal of saving Imma very quickly because the "unknown" of the monster is kind of solved and discovered quickly. I thought it would be really about finding the monster and that sort of adventure. I don't dislike the way it turned out, going into a political lens, but it was unexpected. Once they got to this part around 45% of the book, the rhythm was finally going well. I enjoyed the Jewish folklore aspect of it.

2.5 rounded up.

This book had a fantastic premise and a decent execution, but it quickly became bogged down. The scenes became repetitive and the multiple extended folklore retellings heavily distracted from the main point of the novel. While I have an appreciation for incorporating early, traditional storytelling/folklore into modern stories, this felt far too dense and discombobulated to be enjoyable. This was a bummer for me, I had such high hopes and was really enjoying it until repetition and quasi-irrelevant additions distracted me from the premise. I will recommend this book to people who enjoy fantasy world-building and the intersection of religion and literature, but it was not for me.

Simply could not put this book down, the pace was great and even though I found myself frustrated with the main character’s stubbornness in the second half, it subsided. Phenomenal debut

By about 10% into the book, I was reminded viscerally of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. When reviewing that book I focused on the idea of there being a special power in taking a known story and envisioning it in a new way. I’m firmly of the opinion that approaching storytelling that way - taking what has existed previously and viewing it another way – can lead to some inventive storytelling. There are any number of ways to approach it, and The Maiden and Her Monster goes about it by taking Jewish history and folktales, this case the Golem of Prague, and putting them into a blender, metaphorically, and then laying them over a fictional world not our own adding in mysticism to the mix. More often than not, that sort of blending creates an engaging experience waiting for the reader.

And that is true in The Maiden and Her Monster. I was initially engaged in the world Maddie Martinez created, in the characters that populated it, of how each section of the novel built into the next. But sometimes my engagement was caught on the things that jumped out as inconsistencies in the story. Our main character Malka is 23 years old, the eldest daughter of the local healer in a town that is falling prey to monsters and illness coming from the old growth woods surrounding the village. When more tragedy strikes Malka strikes a deal to save her mother by going into the woods to find the monster. That decision will lead her to Nimrah, the golem, and further into the threats facing her community. I kept coming back to the book not for Malka, but for that larger story.

There are some mechanics issues of a debut novel present here. From the first pages the characterization of Malka felt inconsistent. She is by all accounts an adult, but she acted and often thought in a very childlike manner. These inconsistencies also made me bump every time the vocabulary and overwritten sentence structure of the narration of her character would read as too far from the naive character Martinez wrote her to be. I also had a problem with the physical description of Nimrah – the same three or four aspects of her physicality were brought up repeatedly without layering in new insights. Which was troublesome when Malka’s attraction to her grows.

I went back several times to double check that this wasn’t YA, because the tone would occasionally swerve dramatically. For example, one of the recurring themes in the book is the law of unintended consequences. Sometimes this is woven in gently for the reader to suss out, and other times it was bluntly stated. But either way it, along with the other themes, was hammered in a way that made it tough for me to want to return to the book in the middle section. Not to mention that for much of the book there was not a single obstacle that Malka and the other characters came across that wasn’t immediately solved by luck or happenstance – rarely requiring any significant planning or plotting on their behalf. Another issue I had was that so much of the narrative was recognizable as culturally Jewish that the elements that were of the author’s creation stuck out or confused me. There is also quite a lot of terminology that is either religious or created and not all of it is easily understandable through context clues, and Martinez has a glossary on her website to accompany the book

Thank you to netgalley and tor books for the arc

1.5

This book was supposed to be good! The synopsis is compelling, the history is fun, and there’s a magic system with generational trauma surrounding it!!! What’s not to love??

Unfortunately, I didn’t love a lot of it. The whole “girls get disappeared into the magic woods?” That’s like maybe 10% of the story. Which is so disappointing! And it’s not even scary or haunting or anything. She just goes in and gets help. And that’s another thing. The whole book is SO easy for Malka. She gets detained in prison? S2g she gets the king to release her via peer pressure 2 pages later. I counted. There are no stakes in this book!! Everything is rushed, which makes the storyline and rationale for moving around the world feel so convoluted.

I will second whoever said in their review that this book could use a map and glossary. I think people w the exact same background (Hebrew x Czech) will get it and find the made up words a fun addition. But it makes the book a tough sell for the rest of us who have to step away, look something up, and come back. Every page.

Now. The romance that should never have been. I thought she seemed pretty cuddly w the guy she went into the woods with. Forgot his name because there are probably 30 named supposedly “important” characters each w a single purpose w no development, and he is one of them! Anywho spoiler alert the first spark of romance is 60% into the book? Because before that malka and the gollum are pretty neutral/negative towards each other, because malka isn’t super fond of people that aren’t her family, and the gollum is there as more of an elderly mentor. So they get together and it’s not fun because it doesn’t feel earned.

And don’t forget the book title drop on the last page!!! Rolled my eyes big time there.

I like the historical aspect and I think I’d probably like the actual myth a lot better. Made me think a lot about the treatment of Palestinians prior to the current genocide where it was just a slow killing of culture and individual freedoms and killing for killing’s sake. Idk that was the only real meat to this all but yeah I just slogged through this one.

This book took my breath away. Drawing from Judaism, mysticism, family, found family, fighting against oppression, this story was so beautifully crafted and well written. The magic system draws and the world building draw from Jewish mysticism and the Golem of Prague. Malka and Nimrah are two lost souls that you can’t help but root for. Although their connection wasn’t all that obvious at first, Maddie Martinez weaves a fine sapphic story that will leave your jaws on the floor!

A magical, dark fairytale that stylishly incorporates Jewish myth and folklore. I wouldn't categorize it as a romance; it leans more towards fantasy and folklore with a romantic bonus, so don’t go in thinking this is a legit romance. The focus is, to a great degree, on the journey for change against prejudicial struggles and hope rather than a romance, and I'm not mad about it. Although I would have appreciated more forest horror antics, it's an impressive debut. I even had a moment of tears, which makes it a success! (8/10)

Strengths: The novel excels in three key areas. First, the plot weaves rich historical, cultural, and mythological details that transport readers to another time. Second, the writing balances poetic density with emotional resonance, creating passages that linger. Finally, the characters feel authentic in their struggles and growth, while themes of resilience and hope provide the emotional backbone. The atmospheric setting blends seamlessly with elements of folklore and mythology, culminating in an ending that resonates long after the final page.

Weakness: Not a weakness, truly, but a suggestion for some readers. The overall readability, while most of the prose captivates with its richness, it demands careful attention from readers. The frequent use of Hebrew and Yiddish terminology creates occasional barriers for those unfamiliar with Jewish cultural references. Though context often helps decipher meaning, keeping track of who, what, when, where, and why alongside the narrative can be challenging. The audiobook version, with its proper pronunciations, significantly enhances comprehension of these linguistic elements. I highly recommend the audiobook either instead of or alongside the written book.

Spice Level: 1 out of 5
Cover Grade: A
Audiobook Narrator: Excellent!

I had such a wonderful time reading this novel. The title alone was enough to intrigue me and capture my attention. After reading the story, I can attest that not only will the gothic, lush, and atmospheric plot completely grip you from start to finish, but the intricate and dynamic characters will leave an impression on your heart long after you turn the final page. This is my first read by this author and she has such a poetic writing style that immerses you fully into the story. I highly recommend this read for any lover of fantasy, fairy tales, and a gothic ambience.

This book was like wandering into an eerie enchanted forest with a picnic basket full of dark fairy tales, spicy monsters, and a healthy sprinkle of morally gray vibes. There’s definitely something deliciously gothic and Beauty-and-the-Beast-esque in its bones (and tentacles 👀), and I did find myself charmed by the unique worldbuilding and eerie, romantic tension.

Buuut...while I wanted to love it — truly, I had my “monster romance era” candles lit — some parts felt a bit undercooked. The pacing got murky in the middle, the character development sometimes wobbled like a half-set pudding, and I wanted just a bit more emotional depth behind the spice. Give me heart with my heat, ya know?

Still, if you’re here for vibes, shadowy castles, and a heroine with guts (and questionable taste in monstrous men), this might just be your cup of darkly brewed tea.

Will I read the next one? Probably. I’m a sucker for gothic aesthetics and monster boyfriends, after all.

What a great addition to the romantasy/fantasy space! The LGBTQ and Jewish representation is much needed.

A TRUE (no insta love here) enemies to lovers sapphic romantasy that also delivers an important and timely message. The writing was beautiful and captured the cruelest parts of humanity and its prejudices. This novel is DARK and heavy. It is rich in complicated folklore, there is gore and torture, it is not a light hearted read!! Expect magic, politics, forced proximity, slow burn, forbidden love, loss of innocence.

The characters, pacing, plot, and romance development were chef's kiss. The only reason I give this 4 stars instead of 5 is I sometimes got lost in the very complicated folklore and little details. I appreciate the very slow burn but wish there was a little more romance (not necessarily spice just romance). It would have also been really interesting to see a chapter from Nimrah's POV but that is just me being greedy.

I can’t wait to see what this author does next after this debut!!

On paper, this book has everything I look for in a novel: a dark, atmospheric setting rooted in mythology, with a mystical forest too? The synopsis and cover immediately caught my interest.

But this book was very slow. I picked this up a few weeks ago, put it right back down after getting through a few chapters, and I only just finished it to write this review. Had I not received this as a NetGalley ARC, I would’ve DNFed without looking back.

In the beginning, this book is very hard to follow - I could see it being especially difficult for non-native English speakers. The mix of made-up and real-life Hebrew words was especially confusing, and there was no glossary to reference. Beyond that, it took several chapters to get to the real inciting event of the novel. While I appreciate the setup Martinez does to establish setting and character, I trudged through it. There was a lot information at once, when I would’ve preferred to be eased into the world.

As for the dialogue: it often felt awkward to me. I couldn’t imagine a person saying those lines fluidly. In my head, a lot of scenes looked as though actors were slogging through a script. This contributed toward my opinion on the relationship between Malka and Nimrah: though the characters had depth and an interesting dynamic, their interactions often fell flat to me. The romance lacked the buildup I always look for in fantasy novels with romantic subplots. Suddenly—over halfway through the novel—the two had romantic tension.

Despite my misgivings, I can see how others might enjoy this novel, especially closer to its release date in autumn.

2.5 stars, rounded to 3.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC!

A dark, lush fantasy that weaves political intrigue and the slowest of slow burns (in the best possible way) into something that feels like a folktale.

Think The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden meets Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver, with a side of GennaRose Nethercott’s Thistlefoot - but in a way that’s entirely its own, and wholly gorgeous.

I loved every second of it.