Not Good for Maidens
by Tori Bovalino
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Pub Date Jun 21 2022 | Archive Date Jul 21 2022
Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA
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Description
They’ll lure you in with fruit and gems and liquor and dancing, merriment to remember for the rest of your life. But that’s an illusion. The market is death itself.
Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett women—the family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the market—until May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. The market learned her name, and even when she and her sister left York for Boston to escape it, the goblins remembered.
Seventeen years later, Lou, May’s niece, knows nothing of her magical lineage or the twisted streets, sweet fruits, and incredible jewels of the goblin market. But just like her aunt, the market calls to her, an echo of a curse that won’t release its hold on her family. And when her youngest aunt, Neela, is kidnapped by goblins, Lou discovers just how real and dangerous the market is.
To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family’s past and what happened all those years ago. But everything—from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves—is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn’t careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781645674665 |
| PRICE | $18.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 352 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Sami T, Librarian
An appropriately creepy take on "Goblin Market" with strong Holly Black vibes. Great LGBTQIA+ representation,
Educator 483520
Dark and mysterious! I loved Lou's story of friendship and family--the asexual representation was also a fantastic surprise! I was impressed by the author's first novel, and this is an excellent follow up that does not disappoint!
Celia M, Reviewer
I cannot and will never ask for a better book than this one. It had everything I love and I cannot believe perfection like this even exists.
I am a huge fan of anything having to do with the Goblin Market, but this brings the creepiness in full force. Not to mention, the locations are the places I love most in the world.
Oh, I love this book so much!
The market itself is utterly horrifying. This book does not dance around gore and horror. I often have a hard time with reading horror not because I don't like it (I LOVE horror!) but because nothing really creeps me out anymore. Listen, I'm 40-years-old, I've seen every horror movie out there, so it takes a lot to get me scared and this one did the trick. The author's writing is utterly incredible in the way she describes the horrors and how Lou navigates them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much that I will probably own multiple copies.
Erica W, Book Trade Professional
I was sucked in by that gorgeous cover, and the book did not disappoint. The alternating timelines were very well done, the worldbuilding was intricate and engaging, and the portrayal of the goblins was especially intriguing. I loved May & Eitra's romance and Lou's character growth. And even though I know the Goblin Market is full of human body parts, I still wanna visit!
NOT GOOD FOR MAIDENS was a really compelling read and I would love another book set in this world.
Ellen A, Reviewer
This has just about everything I could ever want in a book: queer romance, strong women characters, magic and mystery, just enough adventure and action, plenty of gross icky slightly gory bits, and a whole lot of flawed folks learning how to navigate their traumas. I will desperately await any sequels or prequels and subsequent tales from within this universe,
Reviewer 744258
This book was incredibly creative and haunting. Full of love, horror, and hope. I absolutely adored this book!
This is a great fit for readers looking for
- LGBTQ+ Rep
- Horror & Goblin Lore
- A Coming of Age story
- A "Romeo & Juliet" -esque love story
- Family bonding
- Witches!
Tori's writing is beautiful and easy to read. It's perfect for people who enjoy flowing prose and vivid descriptions that take you to a whole new world.
Bianca S, Reviewer
“Morning and evening
Maids heard the goblins cry:
Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy..
We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits"
The Labyrinth meets Wintersong in this dark retelling of the Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti.
If you enjoy:
- Dark goblin stories.
- Hereditary witches.
- Sapphic romances.
- Blood and berry stained cobblestones
then you need to pick this one up.
I LOVED THIS STORY SO MUCH.
Not Good for Maidens is deliciously dark and does not shy away from gore and body horror. Consider yourself warned. Don't expect this story to be about the sort of goblins you read in PG fairytales. These goblins are manipulative, ruthless and dangerous to humans. What you can expect though is gorgeous dark fairytale vibes and beautiful writing. The world created by Tori feels so luscious and well thought out.
The dual timelines worked perfectly between the two main protagonists May and Lou and I found equal enjoyment in both stories. Sensitive content such as trauma is also explored which I always appreciate as it gives some additional depth to a story.
I am also infatuated with both covers of this book so basically I will need to buy both. It's not a want, it's a necessity.
Just know that I am OBSESSED with every part of this book.
Thank you to Page Street Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this novel to read and review in advance.
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