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Sleep Like Death
New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.
Only the truly desperate - and foolish - seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.
With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight's corrupt deals, Eve believes she's finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely - talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation - Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.
Only the truly desperate - and foolish - seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.
With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight's corrupt deals, Eve believes she's finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely - talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation - Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
June 24, 2024
I sadly have come to the conclusion that this author’s way of writing and story telling simply is not for me.
The story is about Eve (16-17 y/o), the princess of a kingdom. One of her mothers was turned into a bird by making (a really really stupid) deal with “the Knight”. He travels a la Howls Moving Castle in a metal beast type castle on legs. Every wish he grants he twists until it becomes a curse. (Literally EVERY wish he grants, how people are still dumb and stupid enough to bargain deals with him is absolutely beyond me and annoyed me quite a lot). Eve was raised under the impression that her magical powers allowed her to best the Knight when the time comes. But then her other mother, the queen, starts acting strange and isolating herself…
I don’t know how to describe what exactly I enjoyed about this story. This does not mean that I didn’t enjoy anything (that would be 1 🌟). The story is easy to read and although I have quite some remarks, it was easy to read quickly. Moreover, the author is able to paint a very atmospheric picture which helps the setting of the story.
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Now comes the negative stuff so stop reading if you don’t like negativity or are intending to read this book bc I don’t wanna ruin it for you.
Please note this is my own personal opinion and experience with this book. I can clearly see how others might looove this book, but like I said, it’s not for me.
The story started off too slow for me and I did not understand where it was going for the longest time. It was clear the author planned out an exact plan with steps of how this story evolved. This made the story fall very flat for me and made my mind wander too much to how the story was planned out instead of being immersed in the story. It was too methodical instead of a nice flow.
The “Snow White reimagined” only appeared around 50% into the story. I would suggest calling this a YA fairytale or something, since it contains other fairytales as well and the connections to the story of Snow White started very late and were not that big of a part in the story.
The magical powers of Eve are so unclear, I still have no clue what the extent of her powers are. At one point she says that everything she creates disappears into black smoke as soon as she lets go, but other times she creates weapons or blankets that others can use. I think her magical abilities could’ve used more attention and should’ve been explored more.
Lastly, I was not able to build a connection with any of the characters and they all seemed kind of stupid to me. I did not care what happened to any of them.
The story is about Eve (16-17 y/o), the princess of a kingdom. One of her mothers was turned into a bird by making (a really really stupid) deal with “the Knight”. He travels a la Howls Moving Castle in a metal beast type castle on legs. Every wish he grants he twists until it becomes a curse. (Literally EVERY wish he grants, how people are still dumb and stupid enough to bargain deals with him is absolutely beyond me and annoyed me quite a lot). Eve was raised under the impression that her magical powers allowed her to best the Knight when the time comes. But then her other mother, the queen, starts acting strange and isolating herself…
I don’t know how to describe what exactly I enjoyed about this story. This does not mean that I didn’t enjoy anything (that would be 1 🌟). The story is easy to read and although I have quite some remarks, it was easy to read quickly. Moreover, the author is able to paint a very atmospheric picture which helps the setting of the story.
————————————————————————
Now comes the negative stuff so stop reading if you don’t like negativity or are intending to read this book bc I don’t wanna ruin it for you.
Please note this is my own personal opinion and experience with this book. I can clearly see how others might looove this book, but like I said, it’s not for me.
The story started off too slow for me and I did not understand where it was going for the longest time. It was clear the author planned out an exact plan with steps of how this story evolved. This made the story fall very flat for me and made my mind wander too much to how the story was planned out instead of being immersed in the story. It was too methodical instead of a nice flow.
The “Snow White reimagined” only appeared around 50% into the story. I would suggest calling this a YA fairytale or something, since it contains other fairytales as well and the connections to the story of Snow White started very late and were not that big of a part in the story.
The magical powers of Eve are so unclear, I still have no clue what the extent of her powers are. At one point she says that everything she creates disappears into black smoke as soon as she lets go, but other times she creates weapons or blankets that others can use. I think her magical abilities could’ve used more attention and should’ve been explored more.
Lastly, I was not able to build a connection with any of the characters and they all seemed kind of stupid to me. I did not care what happened to any of them.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
July 14, 2024DNF @ 23%
Life's too short to read boring ass books about overpowered Chosen Ones in yet another YA fantasy with bland prose and even more bland worldbuilding.
Life's too short to read boring ass books about overpowered Chosen Ones in yet another YA fantasy with bland prose and even more bland worldbuilding.
Read
June 29, 2024FUN
August 7, 2024
Even when doing a retelling, you can always count on Kalynn Bayron's books to be unique and different. Honestly, I either don't know the Snow White story well or Bayron made a ton of changes, because SLEEP LIKE DEATH was always surprising!
Princess Eve was raised to hate the Knight, a traveling creature who has tormented her Kingdom by granting wishes with a catch; no matter what, they only work out favorably for the Knight in the end. She knows this firsthand; one of her moms, wishing for a beautiful voice, was turned into a bird. Now Eve is catching her other mom, Queen Regina, acting strange, and talking into a looking glass/stone.
I won't lie; some of this book is really weird. I'm okay with that part; pieces of it were rather frustrating, though, and that was more difficult. I certainly wish the LGBTQIA+ angle was stronger beyond Eve's two moms (I mean one is a bird) and some pining. Based on Bayron's other books, there was so much more she could have done here. Instead, Eve has a romance with Nova, a messenger of the Knight, that often feels completely unfounded. They see each other, talk once or twice, and then boom, they are suddenly in love. The lack of connections or reasoning in the story made little sense.
DEATH is stronger when it comes to its allusions to myths and stories. There's a very neat parallel to the Seven Dwarfs and some decent attempts at reversing gender stereotypes from Snow White (some fail, though). The book explores dark magic, often veering deeply into sad and tragic territory--this is certainly not a Disney retelling. It looks at the relationships of mothers and daughters and women in general. Eve's relationship with Queen Regina is complicated; sometimes, you wish everyone in the story would simply communicate more. (Or stop making doomed wishes?)
I enjoyed the story the most when Eve was off exploring and attempting to save her kingdom. This was an interesting retelling, but it seemed like a lot of the connections were missing--not a lot of backstory to the Knight's vengeance, Eve's romance, and more. It's a quick read, but lacking some depth.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA in return for an unbiased review.
Princess Eve was raised to hate the Knight, a traveling creature who has tormented her Kingdom by granting wishes with a catch; no matter what, they only work out favorably for the Knight in the end. She knows this firsthand; one of her moms, wishing for a beautiful voice, was turned into a bird. Now Eve is catching her other mom, Queen Regina, acting strange, and talking into a looking glass/stone.
I won't lie; some of this book is really weird. I'm okay with that part; pieces of it were rather frustrating, though, and that was more difficult. I certainly wish the LGBTQIA+ angle was stronger beyond Eve's two moms (I mean one is a bird) and some pining. Based on Bayron's other books, there was so much more she could have done here. Instead, Eve has a romance with Nova, a messenger of the Knight, that often feels completely unfounded. They see each other, talk once or twice, and then boom, they are suddenly in love. The lack of connections or reasoning in the story made little sense.
DEATH is stronger when it comes to its allusions to myths and stories. There's a very neat parallel to the Seven Dwarfs and some decent attempts at reversing gender stereotypes from Snow White (some fail, though). The book explores dark magic, often veering deeply into sad and tragic territory--this is certainly not a Disney retelling. It looks at the relationships of mothers and daughters and women in general. Eve's relationship with Queen Regina is complicated; sometimes, you wish everyone in the story would simply communicate more. (Or stop making doomed wishes?)
I enjoyed the story the most when Eve was off exploring and attempting to save her kingdom. This was an interesting retelling, but it seemed like a lot of the connections were missing--not a lot of backstory to the Knight's vengeance, Eve's romance, and more. It's a quick read, but lacking some depth.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA in return for an unbiased review.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
July 24, 2024i love kalynn's books and really wanted to get into this, but the story made no sense. the main character was selfish, impulsive and annoying. I couldn't understand why if the knight in the magical walking baba yaga house only granted wishes that resulted in ruin that everyone kept going back to them. the whole thing just felt messy.
June 21, 2024
I don't know if I would consider this a YA retelling of Snow White. It wasn't until much later on in the book where I saw similarities to Snow White and even then, it didn't really have much significance on the plot. Though there were some parts of the world that were developed well, the concept of the Knight's and Eve's powers were lacking. I wish there was more explanation on what they were capable of. Also, I didn't really understand how and why the Knight was so powerful. Everyone who makes a wish suffers from the consequences so I didn't get why people still went to him for help, even if the idea of a wish was enticing.
Personally, I also struggled with the characters. Eve was so impulsive and she was definitely a YA character. She's quite naïve throughout the whole book and doesn't learn from experience, despite the many struggles she faces. I also thought she was selfish because she didn't seem to care about who she put in danger, despite being aware of the risks they're taking for her. She had such tunnel vision and would ignore the advice of people around her. Nova didn't really stand out to me either and I was bored with the story. It was an interesting idea but the world and characters lacked depth.
Thank you to Bloomsbury YA for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Personally, I also struggled with the characters. Eve was so impulsive and she was definitely a YA character. She's quite naïve throughout the whole book and doesn't learn from experience, despite the many struggles she faces. I also thought she was selfish because she didn't seem to care about who she put in danger, despite being aware of the risks they're taking for her. She had such tunnel vision and would ignore the advice of people around her. Nova didn't really stand out to me either and I was bored with the story. It was an interesting idea but the world and characters lacked depth.
Thank you to Bloomsbury YA for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Want to read
November 18, 2023WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS EARLY.
UPDATE: I GOT A PROOF COPY🥳
UPDATE: I GOT A PROOF COPY🥳
August 3, 2024
Having read one of the author's previous books and not liking it, I can't really say I was surprised by the fact that I didn't enjoy this one either. (It came in my book subscription tho, and since I technically paid for it, I did read it.) This was sort of an expected disappointment for me.
Where to begin? Maybe it's just me, but this book felt like it was more for children or preteens, aside from the probably too excessive for that age group amount of violence. Which feels kind of crazy to say, since I've read books marketed for those groups that felt more mature and memorable than this one. I mean, the way the world of this fairy tale retelling works is just absurd.
The Knight grants wishes but ONLY in a twisted genie sort of way that never works out well for the wishers. I can understand people getting desperate enough to try anyway and being just arrogant enough to believe that it will be different for them if they word it just right, but that's the thing- none of them know how to even try and trick him. All of their wishes are the most open-ended wishes, it's no wonder they all failed. The story frames it as if they tried to be specific and concise, but the execution fails to deliver so hard that they all seem like idiots. Including the queens, who banned it. I think if a little more effort was put in to making them sound like they tried harder to outsmart him, it would have more potency. Instead you get characters who make wishes like, "Bless my wife and I with as many children as possible." Sorry, but I don't know how you thought that wasn't going to backfire on you. Frankly, it could've been a lot worse than what happened. One could only believe the wishes they made were well thought out if you were under ten.
Honestly, the world building as a whole felt under developed. I mean, we cant all be Brandon Sandersons, and I certainly don't expect that level of intricate care from most authors, but almost nothing in this story felt fully fleshed out. I couldn't tell you jack squat about this queendom besides the fact that there's a Knight that goes around granting wishes in an evil way, in the evil version of Howl's moving castle. How big is it? What are their people known for? What does it even look like in passing? What's the rest of the world like? All questions you will not get answers for.
Eve's magic is woefully under explained as well. How does it work??? We don't know. She says that the stuff she makes with it disappears as soon as she's done using it, but what are the limitations on that? Weapons disappear basically as soon as she stops touching them, but she can make blankets that she puts on other people? At one point she makes a dress a la Elsa in Frozen (literally from snow and stardust). Multiple times she pulls the night around her like a cloak to hide. She can sense the feelings of animals. Like, girl, HOW DOES ANY OF THIS WORK?
Don't get me started on the romance, it was terrible. Zero effort put in to making me interested in them. All of the characters felt rather two dimensional, but the effect of Eve and Nova together on my psyche was just heinous. They're as forgettable as 90% of ya fantasy romances. Eve starts off hating him and ends up falling in love anyway because of proximity. Nova I guess just suffers from falling in love at first sight, despite seeing her first when she was a baby and he was not. I don't even know. It's really never explained. He just has always loved her, despite only truly meeting her recently.
This next one is just a personal pet peeve of mine:
Overall, it really needed some more development.
Where to begin? Maybe it's just me, but this book felt like it was more for children or preteens, aside from the probably too excessive for that age group amount of violence. Which feels kind of crazy to say, since I've read books marketed for those groups that felt more mature and memorable than this one. I mean, the way the world of this fairy tale retelling works is just absurd.
The Knight grants wishes but ONLY in a twisted genie sort of way that never works out well for the wishers. I can understand people getting desperate enough to try anyway and being just arrogant enough to believe that it will be different for them if they word it just right, but that's the thing- none of them know how to even try and trick him. All of their wishes are the most open-ended wishes, it's no wonder they all failed. The story frames it as if they tried to be specific and concise, but the execution fails to deliver so hard that they all seem like idiots. Including the queens, who banned it. I think if a little more effort was put in to making them sound like they tried harder to outsmart him, it would have more potency. Instead you get characters who make wishes like, "Bless my wife and I with as many children as possible." Sorry, but I don't know how you thought that wasn't going to backfire on you. Frankly, it could've been a lot worse than what happened. One could only believe the wishes they made were well thought out if you were under ten.
Honestly, the world building as a whole felt under developed. I mean, we cant all be Brandon Sandersons, and I certainly don't expect that level of intricate care from most authors, but almost nothing in this story felt fully fleshed out. I couldn't tell you jack squat about this queendom besides the fact that there's a Knight that goes around granting wishes in an evil way, in the evil version of Howl's moving castle. How big is it? What are their people known for? What does it even look like in passing? What's the rest of the world like? All questions you will not get answers for.
Eve's magic is woefully under explained as well. How does it work??? We don't know. She says that the stuff she makes with it disappears as soon as she's done using it, but what are the limitations on that? Weapons disappear basically as soon as she stops touching them, but she can make blankets that she puts on other people? At one point she makes a dress a la Elsa in Frozen (literally from snow and stardust). Multiple times she pulls the night around her like a cloak to hide. She can sense the feelings of animals. Like, girl, HOW DOES ANY OF THIS WORK?
Don't get me started on the romance, it was terrible. Zero effort put in to making me interested in them. All of the characters felt rather two dimensional, but the effect of Eve and Nova together on my psyche was just heinous. They're as forgettable as 90% of ya fantasy romances. Eve starts off hating him and ends up falling in love anyway because of proximity. Nova I guess just suffers from falling in love at first sight, despite seeing her first when she was a baby and he was not. I don't even know. It's really never explained. He just has always loved her, despite only truly meeting her recently.
This next one is just a personal pet peeve of mine:
Overall, it really needed some more development.
August 4, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a very interesting take on Snow White. I really enjoyed all the changes: from the seven dwarves, evil witch, and the inclusion of the Knight.
However, I found this book lacking in terms of romance. When Nova pulled out the L word, it threw me for a loop. How are these characters already in love with one another? In the grand scheme of things, they’ve barely interacted. And she was basically long-distance for half. This is why I have a hard time reading YA as a 25 year old. These teenagers are falling in love all willy nilly.
This was a very interesting take on Snow White. I really enjoyed all the changes: from the seven dwarves, evil witch, and the inclusion of the Knight.
However, I found this book lacking in terms of romance. When Nova pulled out the L word, it threw me for a loop. How are these characters already in love with one another? In the grand scheme of things, they’ve barely interacted. And she was basically long-distance for half. This is why I have a hard time reading YA as a 25 year old. These teenagers are falling in love all willy nilly.
June 3, 2024
Thank you Bloomsbury Books for my advance reading copy.
Sleep Like Death might be my new favorite after Cinderella is Dead. The story sucked me in from the very beginning, had me all in my feels and I couldn’t read fast enough to see how it would all play out. I’ve been reading Kalynn Bayron since her debut and she has NOT missed! If you are a fan of fairytale novels definitely check this book out.
4 1/2 stars
Sleep Like Death might be my new favorite after Cinderella is Dead. The story sucked me in from the very beginning, had me all in my feels and I couldn’t read fast enough to see how it would all play out. I’ve been reading Kalynn Bayron since her debut and she has NOT missed! If you are a fan of fairytale novels definitely check this book out.
4 1/2 stars
May 7, 2024
Sleep Like Death was my first fairytale retelling, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the intricate fantasy world that houses it. Kalynn Bayron captivated me with her prose and storytelling abilities, and this writing style fits well with the book's motif of collecting stories and those who tell them. Eve was a unique heroine to read about and was very incongruent to the traditional princess archetypes in popular fairytales; but that's what makes Eve such an interesting character. She's brave, disciplined, devoted to her family and kingdom, wields magic, and is a gifted hunter - a far cry from the naive, sing-song Snow White I grew up with.
However, I did have some confusion about this being a Snow White retelling because until 50% through the novel, there was really no sign of this being a retelling whatsoever. After, though, the signs became clear and it was recognizably a reimagining of Snow White; it just took a long time to get to this point.
Thank you to Bloomsbury via Bookinfluencers.com for providing me with a review copy of Sleep Like Death in exchange for my honest thoughts. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.
However, I did have some confusion about this being a Snow White retelling because until 50% through the novel, there was really no sign of this being a retelling whatsoever. After, though, the signs became clear and it was recognizably a reimagining of Snow White; it just took a long time to get to this point.
Thank you to Bloomsbury via Bookinfluencers.com for providing me with a review copy of Sleep Like Death in exchange for my honest thoughts. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.
August 30, 2024
2024 reads: 242/250
eve knows only fools seek out the knight, a monster who twists wishes into curses. she knows this because her own mother was trapped in a songbird’s body after encountering him. she’s trained all her life to take him down, but when the queen begins to act strangely, she questions whether she’s really ready to achieve her goal.
my first kalynn bayron book was cinderella is dead, so i was very excited to read another retelling of hers. i loved this because it took some elements of snow white and still made it original enough to where i never felt like this was a story i’d heard before. i loved eve and seeing her determination and growth throughout the book was really special.
i’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys fairy tales!
eve knows only fools seek out the knight, a monster who twists wishes into curses. she knows this because her own mother was trapped in a songbird’s body after encountering him. she’s trained all her life to take him down, but when the queen begins to act strangely, she questions whether she’s really ready to achieve her goal.
my first kalynn bayron book was cinderella is dead, so i was very excited to read another retelling of hers. i loved this because it took some elements of snow white and still made it original enough to where i never felt like this was a story i’d heard before. i loved eve and seeing her determination and growth throughout the book was really special.
i’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys fairy tales!
June 30, 2024
What a clever twist to Snow White‼️ In many ways Sleep Like Death is very similar yet it still stands in a lane of its own. Not gonna lie this book gave me bursts of excitement when I was able to put different clues together. I also love how the author wove a few other fairytales into the mix like with the Knight. I kept thinking I know this character from something else then by the end of the book it all made sense.
Now of all the characters one of my favorite was Grump if stay ready was a person it would definitely be him. I loved Eve’s character too she was stubborn at times but also very brave. Holding magical powers with the ability to conjure weapons from her surroundings and a gift for communicating with animals. She trained her whole life to take down the Knight and would stop at nothing until that destiny was fulfilled. There are so many things I could and want to say about this book but I’ll keep my spoilers for now. I honestly feel like the author did a fantastic job with this one and I hope everyone enjoys reading it too. Special thanks to @coloredpagesbt @kalynnbayron @bloomsburybooksus for my #gifted copy‼️
Now of all the characters one of my favorite was Grump if stay ready was a person it would definitely be him. I loved Eve’s character too she was stubborn at times but also very brave. Holding magical powers with the ability to conjure weapons from her surroundings and a gift for communicating with animals. She trained her whole life to take down the Knight and would stop at nothing until that destiny was fulfilled. There are so many things I could and want to say about this book but I’ll keep my spoilers for now. I honestly feel like the author did a fantastic job with this one and I hope everyone enjoys reading it too. Special thanks to @coloredpagesbt @kalynnbayron @bloomsburybooksus for my #gifted copy‼️
June 24, 2024
Eve, is a strong and determined heroine on a mission to defeat an ancient monster known as the Knight. She has unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve faces the challenge of saving her family and kingdom from the Knight’s corrupt deals.
I enjoyed the storyline and found Eve to be a realistic and relatable teenager, marked by moments of defiance and frustration. The writing in this book is stronger than Barron's previous works, with a well-crafted setting and atmosphere that adds a touch of grimdark to the narrative. Overall, this was a fun and engaging read, showcasing Barron's growth as an author.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced readeres copy of this book to review.
I enjoyed the storyline and found Eve to be a realistic and relatable teenager, marked by moments of defiance and frustration. The writing in this book is stronger than Barron's previous works, with a well-crafted setting and atmosphere that adds a touch of grimdark to the narrative. Overall, this was a fun and engaging read, showcasing Barron's growth as an author.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced readeres copy of this book to review.
July 28, 2024
➳ 3.75
TW: animal death, blood, child abuse, child death, confinement, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, gore, grief, infant loss, infertility, injury/injury detail, medical content, mental illness, physical abuse, pregnancy, pregnancy trauma, suicide, torture, violence.
This one is for the Once Upon a Time girlies.
I have missed YA fairytale retellings so much lately and this delivered. From the wintery atmosphere to the magical chosen one trope (that actually made sense) to the creative ways the fairytale elements were incorporated, Kalynn Bayron has once again proven that she is incapable of delivering an unenjoyable novel.
This book actually excels in its core messages of family (particularly the power of mothers) and desperation born out of love. The moments that focused on family (both related and otherwise) were the strongest parts of the book; and even with the short page count, it was impossible not to feel for the characters.
Eve was... a bit on the trying side, but it's hard to blame her - all things considered. I just wish there had been a bit more character work, particularly with her head-strong/rather unkind nature at times.
While I did enjoy this, I won't pretend that I don't wish there had been a bit more to the story - both in length and content. It's so fast-paced (which serves the fairytale aspect well) that it sometimes left the story feeling a bit... underbaked. I wanted more world-building, more time spent on the relationships (particularly the romance), and more spent on certain plot-points that I found interesting.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to someone that's easily irritated by YA and needs all of their stories to be massive feats of world-building and character work.
But if you loved OUaT, if you're looking for a nostalgic yet creatively-unique YA fairytale retelling with a lot of heart, I completely recommend this.
Kalynn Bayron's books are such lovely, fun times (even amidst the heavy topics) and this was no different.
TW: animal death, blood, child abuse, child death, confinement, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, gore, grief, infant loss, infertility, injury/injury detail, medical content, mental illness, physical abuse, pregnancy, pregnancy trauma, suicide, torture, violence.
This one is for the Once Upon a Time girlies.
I have missed YA fairytale retellings so much lately and this delivered. From the wintery atmosphere to the magical chosen one trope (that actually made sense) to the creative ways the fairytale elements were incorporated, Kalynn Bayron has once again proven that she is incapable of delivering an unenjoyable novel.
This book actually excels in its core messages of family (particularly the power of mothers) and desperation born out of love. The moments that focused on family (both related and otherwise) were the strongest parts of the book; and even with the short page count, it was impossible not to feel for the characters.
Eve was... a bit on the trying side, but it's hard to blame her - all things considered. I just wish there had been a bit more character work, particularly with her head-strong/rather unkind nature at times.
While I did enjoy this, I won't pretend that I don't wish there had been a bit more to the story - both in length and content. It's so fast-paced (which serves the fairytale aspect well) that it sometimes left the story feeling a bit... underbaked. I wanted more world-building, more time spent on the relationships (particularly the romance), and more spent on certain plot-points that I found interesting.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to someone that's easily irritated by YA and needs all of their stories to be massive feats of world-building and character work.
But if you loved OUaT, if you're looking for a nostalgic yet creatively-unique YA fairytale retelling with a lot of heart, I completely recommend this.
Kalynn Bayron's books are such lovely, fun times (even amidst the heavy topics) and this was no different.
August 26, 2024
This book read like if Once Upon a Time was on crack ??? And that show was already on crack so that's saying something
July 25, 2024
This was just... so bad? Like, really, really bad. I don't know when Eve and Nova were supposed to've fallen in love, when Nova says it, my only reaction was: "What, where?!" They barely freaking know each other, Eve was irascible that entire time, and Nova ultimately spent more time with her mom than her so: HUH?
Every character's actions were.... I don't know how to describe it. First-thought actions? Not even impulsive because that implies conviction and gut feeling and this was more: I've had a thought, now I must act on it and they're complex situations so it's always just a stupid thought more than anything else. The characters who die... it's kind of their own faults because it would be so very easy not to? Just... don't do the dumb thing you just did? So it's hard to feel much sympathy at all.
Eve's wish at the end????? Your friend just died, your mom's still a fucking bird, your other mom has now rapidly aged and your wish didn't address any of it??? Also, why was there a "deal" at the end to save Nova? A deal implies the Knight potentially gets something out of it too, instead it's just: here's a way to undo the consequences of that last deal for no reason, ta-dah. *jazz hands* And it's still the same rape-y Snow White solution but they love each other (based on nothing) so it's fine now and also it's the boy instead of the girl so does consent still matter? No, right?
I feel like this book came out into the world with not a single other person having read it first - not the author, not an editor, not a single reader. Instead words were splatted onto a page, people were like: it's probably fine, and now I'm holding this terrible monstrosity in my hands that could've potentially been rescued if someone had just asked some basic-ass, editor-like questions about it first. Like....
Why hasn't anyone tried to strategically use wishes - wish against other wishes (use the entire population who've been wish-ravaged working together since apparently the Knight is compelled to keep making deals??)/wish against the Knight/create an impossible to fulfill wish - since apparently there's no limit to how many you can ask for? Why hasn't anyone tried to unravel the bird-queen wish, not very believable no one's tried, yeah? When the fuck did Nova and Eve supposedly fall in love? Why doesn't Nova have his own plan since he also hates the Knight and knows way more about him than any other character? Why doesn't Eve's wish at the end even make an attempt to undo the previous wishes especially since she has personally felt the consequences of so many of them? Why would Junior come out to get ganked when he could've just as easily.... not, and also it would've made a lot more sense if he didn't? What was the point of all of Eve's magic since she didn't really do a lot with it and was super ineffective against the Knight? Are you really going with Eve's ancestor outsmarted the Knight because he just happened to say his name out loud in the three day period he tasked her with her figuring it out? Really though? What are you trying to say and do you think you said it? Etc., etc., etc. (I could honestly keep going and going and going so I have to stop but DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM HERE???)
Every character's actions were.... I don't know how to describe it. First-thought actions? Not even impulsive because that implies conviction and gut feeling and this was more: I've had a thought, now I must act on it and they're complex situations so it's always just a stupid thought more than anything else. The characters who die... it's kind of their own faults because it would be so very easy not to? Just... don't do the dumb thing you just did? So it's hard to feel much sympathy at all.
Eve's wish at the end????? Your friend just died, your mom's still a fucking bird, your other mom has now rapidly aged and your wish didn't address any of it??? Also, why was there a "deal" at the end to save Nova? A deal implies the Knight potentially gets something out of it too, instead it's just: here's a way to undo the consequences of that last deal for no reason, ta-dah. *jazz hands* And it's still the same rape-y Snow White solution but they love each other (based on nothing) so it's fine now and also it's the boy instead of the girl so does consent still matter? No, right?
I feel like this book came out into the world with not a single other person having read it first - not the author, not an editor, not a single reader. Instead words were splatted onto a page, people were like: it's probably fine, and now I'm holding this terrible monstrosity in my hands that could've potentially been rescued if someone had just asked some basic-ass, editor-like questions about it first. Like....
Why hasn't anyone tried to strategically use wishes - wish against other wishes (use the entire population who've been wish-ravaged working together since apparently the Knight is compelled to keep making deals??)/wish against the Knight/create an impossible to fulfill wish - since apparently there's no limit to how many you can ask for? Why hasn't anyone tried to unravel the bird-queen wish, not very believable no one's tried, yeah? When the fuck did Nova and Eve supposedly fall in love? Why doesn't Nova have his own plan since he also hates the Knight and knows way more about him than any other character? Why doesn't Eve's wish at the end even make an attempt to undo the previous wishes especially since she has personally felt the consequences of so many of them? Why would Junior come out to get ganked when he could've just as easily.... not, and also it would've made a lot more sense if he didn't? What was the point of all of Eve's magic since she didn't really do a lot with it and was super ineffective against the Knight? Are you really going with Eve's ancestor outsmarted the Knight because he just happened to say his name out loud in the three day period he tasked her with her figuring it out? Really though? What are you trying to say and do you think you said it? Etc., etc., etc. (I could honestly keep going and going and going so I have to stop but DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM HERE???)
July 7, 2024
3.5/5
I loved the fact that this book is centered around a fairytale but isn’t a fairytale. Let me explain, some authors when they write retellings will name drop characters and events that make the retelling seem just like the original, without going along and making these characters feel real, in the sense that the reader learns about them more and gets to have a way to connect with them besides just liking their original story. I loved how this story didn’t follow the original plot and made it its own story that you could read it and not instantly know it is a retelling. With that I will say the pacing for me wasn’t the best. It would be fast at time but most of the time it was just slow and even though I was able to finish this in my usual time I just found it to feel longer than it was.
I loved the fact that this book is centered around a fairytale but isn’t a fairytale. Let me explain, some authors when they write retellings will name drop characters and events that make the retelling seem just like the original, without going along and making these characters feel real, in the sense that the reader learns about them more and gets to have a way to connect with them besides just liking their original story. I loved how this story didn’t follow the original plot and made it its own story that you could read it and not instantly know it is a retelling. With that I will say the pacing for me wasn’t the best. It would be fast at time but most of the time it was just slow and even though I was able to finish this in my usual time I just found it to feel longer than it was.
July 11, 2024
Queen Regina>>>
July 1, 2024
3.75. Sleep Like Death is a creative twist on the Snow White fairytale with an imaginative storyline and characters that possess depth and relatability.
This book follows a teen named Eve through multiple events that are loosely based on the Snow White story. The main difference is that Eve’s character was strong and incredibly talented with a touch of magic. The story intensifies when Eve witnesses her mother, the queen, exhibiting bizarre behavior in her chambers and the story unfolds from there. I loved the strength and depth at which we learned the relationship between mother and daughter as well as the originality in the story itself. What a fun read!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kalynn Bayron, and Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on June 25th!
This book follows a teen named Eve through multiple events that are loosely based on the Snow White story. The main difference is that Eve’s character was strong and incredibly talented with a touch of magic. The story intensifies when Eve witnesses her mother, the queen, exhibiting bizarre behavior in her chambers and the story unfolds from there. I loved the strength and depth at which we learned the relationship between mother and daughter as well as the originality in the story itself. What a fun read!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kalynn Bayron, and Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on June 25th!
August 23, 2024
I feel so bad but I dnf’d this one.
Life is too short to read books I’m not that interested in and this is one of them.
I tried. I really did but I couldn’t get into it. Let me start by saying that I love that we are getting more black girl representation. That is such a positive note and it gave me so much happiness.
But that’s where that ended. For me I could not get into this at all. I was bored the first half but of this book and because I have three other current reads I’m not going to bother reading the rest.
The characters and world building fell a bit flat and did nothing to pull me in.
Overall I was a tad disappointed but I’m curious to read a different book from Kalynn Bayron!
Life is too short to read books I’m not that interested in and this is one of them.
I tried. I really did but I couldn’t get into it. Let me start by saying that I love that we are getting more black girl representation. That is such a positive note and it gave me so much happiness.
But that’s where that ended. For me I could not get into this at all. I was bored the first half but of this book and because I have three other current reads I’m not going to bother reading the rest.
The characters and world building fell a bit flat and did nothing to pull me in.
Overall I was a tad disappointed but I’m curious to read a different book from Kalynn Bayron!
August 9, 2024
If there's anyone I know I can trust to take a classic fairytale and spin it on its head in the best possible way, it's Kalynn Bayron. This was, unsurprisingly, fantastic.
Putting a dark and emotional twist on two tales and merging them into something wholly unique, Sleep Like Death is a captivating, unnerving and deadly story of desire, determination and defiance.
Whilst the romance itself left a little to be desired and the side characters/relationships could have been a tad more developed, the non-stop action and high stakes were so entertaining and compelling that I didn't find myself missing it until reflection upon finishing.
Overall, this was a fast paced and atmospheric read and one I'd happily recommend.
Putting a dark and emotional twist on two tales and merging them into something wholly unique, Sleep Like Death is a captivating, unnerving and deadly story of desire, determination and defiance.
Whilst the romance itself left a little to be desired and the side characters/relationships could have been a tad more developed, the non-stop action and high stakes were so entertaining and compelling that I didn't find myself missing it until reflection upon finishing.
Overall, this was a fast paced and atmospheric read and one I'd happily recommend.
July 8, 2024
2 stars!
I feel really bad but this did not work for me.
To start with some strengths:
- I think the writing of this book was strong. It was easy to read and that was nice.
- It was extremely fast-paced. I read Kalynn Bayron's book You're Supposed to Die Tonight last year and it was similarly quick paced.
- The representation was strong. As a Black woman, I love to read about other Black women just existing and living life so I appreciated that. Also like many of Kalynn Bayron's novels, there was a queer relationship (unfortunately it's not super featured) in this book which is also great!
Where this went wrong:
- The story progression of this book felt kinda odd. Everyone made decisions in split seconds, and it felt like the characters also decided to like and trust people for no reason?
- The romance. Don't even get me started on this. Why were people telling each other that they loved one another when they spent definitely less than 4 days together? It was so unbelievable, and every time the love interest was on the page I was rolling my eyes,
- The fairytale retelling aspect. This may be a hot take, but I love a fairytale retelling. I'm not entirely convinced this is one? I guess it's kind of a mash up of Howl's Moving Castle (the villain lives in a castle similar to Howl) but the Snow White elements barely came in (like maybe at 70%) and the way they were shoehorned in made it seem like in the last second someone was like wait wasn't this supposed to be a Snow White retelling.
- The characters. Unfortunately, basically all of the characters felt one dimensional. The villain? He was scary but when we found out his motivations I literally laughed out loud. The Queen? She kind of treated everyone else in the story like they were dumb and I so believe some issues could've been solved with communication. Eve? Fairly flat and not really different from many other YA fantasy FMCs. She also made so many stupid decisions that I wanted to yell at her.
- The magic system in this book also made little to no sense and was also not really explained which is alright? I guess?
Overall, this was really a disappointing read and it makes me sad that this didn't work for me.
Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review!
I feel really bad but this did not work for me.
To start with some strengths:
- I think the writing of this book was strong. It was easy to read and that was nice.
- It was extremely fast-paced. I read Kalynn Bayron's book You're Supposed to Die Tonight last year and it was similarly quick paced.
- The representation was strong. As a Black woman, I love to read about other Black women just existing and living life so I appreciated that. Also like many of Kalynn Bayron's novels, there was a queer relationship (unfortunately it's not super featured) in this book which is also great!
Where this went wrong:
- The story progression of this book felt kinda odd. Everyone made decisions in split seconds, and it felt like the characters also decided to like and trust people for no reason?
- The romance. Don't even get me started on this. Why were people telling each other that they loved one another when they spent definitely less than 4 days together? It was so unbelievable, and every time the love interest was on the page I was rolling my eyes,
- The fairytale retelling aspect. This may be a hot take, but I love a fairytale retelling. I'm not entirely convinced this is one? I guess it's kind of a mash up of Howl's Moving Castle (the villain lives in a castle similar to Howl) but the Snow White elements barely came in (like maybe at 70%) and the way they were shoehorned in made it seem like in the last second someone was like wait wasn't this supposed to be a Snow White retelling.
- The characters. Unfortunately, basically all of the characters felt one dimensional. The villain? He was scary but when we found out his motivations I literally laughed out loud. The Queen? She kind of treated everyone else in the story like they were dumb and I so believe some issues could've been solved with communication. Eve? Fairly flat and not really different from many other YA fantasy FMCs. She also made so many stupid decisions that I wanted to yell at her.
- The magic system in this book also made little to no sense and was also not really explained which is alright? I guess?
Overall, this was really a disappointing read and it makes me sad that this didn't work for me.
Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 6, 2024
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Sleep Like Death revolves around the desperation of desire. A wish which we would be willing to give up everything. All the bad bargains, imprecise wording, and futures we would gamble away. Our words are always twisted and we always think we are being careful, but desperation is never so. It's about sacrifices we make to keep ourselves safe, to protect our loved ones, and the ones we force, maybe unknowingly, our loved ones to pay.
Sleep Like Death revolves around the desperation of desire. A wish which we would be willing to give up everything. All the bad bargains, imprecise wording, and futures we would gamble away. Our words are always twisted and we always think we are being careful, but desperation is never so. It's about sacrifices we make to keep ourselves safe, to protect our loved ones, and the ones we force, maybe unknowingly, our loved ones to pay.
July 22, 2024
She’s done it again!
June 25, 2024
Thanks to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was pretty disappointing, to be honest. It started out strong but all these uninteresting side characters bogged it down. I wish the protagonist used her OP magic more often.
Also thought it was hilarious how people STILL kept making deals with the Knight despite all of his deals turning into crap. "I want to be the best singer in the land!" Gets turned into a bird. Literally everyone knows about these bad deals and STILL makes them. I thought everyone in the book was an idiot--especially the arrogant protagonist who kept getting most side characters dead. Not a very enjoyable read.
This was pretty disappointing, to be honest. It started out strong but all these uninteresting side characters bogged it down. I wish the protagonist used her OP magic more often.
Also thought it was hilarious how people STILL kept making deals with the Knight despite all of his deals turning into crap. "I want to be the best singer in the land!" Gets turned into a bird. Literally everyone knows about these bad deals and STILL makes them. I thought everyone in the book was an idiot--especially the arrogant protagonist who kept getting most side characters dead. Not a very enjoyable read.
July 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: grief, violence, death, gore, mention of death of a child, murder, mention of torture, suicide
I’ve kept my eye on Kalynn Bayron since reading her debut, Cinderella is Dead, and her writing has only gotten better and better. So, my expectations were naturally high for this book. And returning to her writing roots, she took on a neglected fairy tale for this book—Snow White, although there are hints of other fairy tales woven into the story.
To start with, Bayron’s writing is incredible. Her stories are always written in a straightforward manner, although she includes vivid descriptions and makes it easy to immerse myself in the story. The book takes place in winter, and despite it being almost 90° where I live, I was nearly ready to wrap myself in a blanket and make some tea. I loved reading every page, and this is the kind of book that I couldn’t put down and walk away from.
Eve is the main character, and the only POV character in the story. We see everything filtered through the eyes of this teenager, who is nearly seventeen, and she has been training for her entire life to remove the threat of the Knight from their kingdom. She’s confident in her abilities, both physical and magical, but she borders on arrogant at times. I liked that she’s a flawed character—she makes decisions without thinking the consequences through, which is natural for a teenager; she has a short temper, but she’s able to leash it when needed; and she often speaks without thinking, making her seem insensitive to others. But it’s clear that she has a good heart, even if she’s typically so fixated on vengeance that she can’t always see what’s in front of her.
I couldn’t help but feel confused about the Knight and the nature of the deals that were made with him. Every single deal that was made seemed to go badly in the most cruel of ways, and there wasn’t even one deal that was made that didn’t end in misery. If this was the case, I didn’t understand why even the most desperate of people would go to him to make a deal, knowing that it wouldn’t end in the way they were hoping for. If there were a few deals that went well, I could understand this more, since some people would hope that they’d wind up happy, but even getting what you hoped for ended in cruel and torturous ways, negating the value of the deal.
However, this story completely subverts the traditional Snow White story, which involves tension between Snow White and her “evil” stepmother—there’s the presence of the evil other woman, who views Snow White as a rival and not a daughter figure—yet in this book, that isn’t the case at all. I can’t say much more about this because I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but don’t expect to see the Snow White story that you’ve heard since childhood. This one gives agency to the women in the story, but especially Snow White, who isn’t a damsel in distress, but a strong, confident, and able young woman who is in a bad situation and needs to learn how to let people help her. So basically she’s the anti-Snow White, although there is still a romance subplot in the story.
I was a little surprised by the romance aspect in the story, mainly because there was a lot going on in the story, and the pairing is different than what I’ve seen in Bayron’s other books. She still has queer representation in the story, and the world is a queer-centric one, where same sex relationships are common and viewed just like heterosexual relationships.
Overall, this was one of the best fairy tale retellings that I’ve read in a long time, although I would have liked to see the Knight at least make one or two successful and happy deals to understand why people would still consider making deals with him. Without that, it didn’t fully make sense to me. But aside from this one snag, the story was written beautifully and tightly plotted. If you like fairy tale retellings with empowered women, queer-centric worlds, and subverted retellings, this is hands down the book for you!
CONTENT WARNING: grief, violence, death, gore, mention of death of a child, murder, mention of torture, suicide
I’ve kept my eye on Kalynn Bayron since reading her debut, Cinderella is Dead, and her writing has only gotten better and better. So, my expectations were naturally high for this book. And returning to her writing roots, she took on a neglected fairy tale for this book—Snow White, although there are hints of other fairy tales woven into the story.
To start with, Bayron’s writing is incredible. Her stories are always written in a straightforward manner, although she includes vivid descriptions and makes it easy to immerse myself in the story. The book takes place in winter, and despite it being almost 90° where I live, I was nearly ready to wrap myself in a blanket and make some tea. I loved reading every page, and this is the kind of book that I couldn’t put down and walk away from.
Eve is the main character, and the only POV character in the story. We see everything filtered through the eyes of this teenager, who is nearly seventeen, and she has been training for her entire life to remove the threat of the Knight from their kingdom. She’s confident in her abilities, both physical and magical, but she borders on arrogant at times. I liked that she’s a flawed character—she makes decisions without thinking the consequences through, which is natural for a teenager; she has a short temper, but she’s able to leash it when needed; and she often speaks without thinking, making her seem insensitive to others. But it’s clear that she has a good heart, even if she’s typically so fixated on vengeance that she can’t always see what’s in front of her.
I couldn’t help but feel confused about the Knight and the nature of the deals that were made with him. Every single deal that was made seemed to go badly in the most cruel of ways, and there wasn’t even one deal that was made that didn’t end in misery. If this was the case, I didn’t understand why even the most desperate of people would go to him to make a deal, knowing that it wouldn’t end in the way they were hoping for. If there were a few deals that went well, I could understand this more, since some people would hope that they’d wind up happy, but even getting what you hoped for ended in cruel and torturous ways, negating the value of the deal.
However, this story completely subverts the traditional Snow White story, which involves tension between Snow White and her “evil” stepmother—there’s the presence of the evil other woman, who views Snow White as a rival and not a daughter figure—yet in this book, that isn’t the case at all. I can’t say much more about this because I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but don’t expect to see the Snow White story that you’ve heard since childhood. This one gives agency to the women in the story, but especially Snow White, who isn’t a damsel in distress, but a strong, confident, and able young woman who is in a bad situation and needs to learn how to let people help her. So basically she’s the anti-Snow White, although there is still a romance subplot in the story.
I was a little surprised by the romance aspect in the story, mainly because there was a lot going on in the story, and the pairing is different than what I’ve seen in Bayron’s other books. She still has queer representation in the story, and the world is a queer-centric one, where same sex relationships are common and viewed just like heterosexual relationships.
Overall, this was one of the best fairy tale retellings that I’ve read in a long time, although I would have liked to see the Knight at least make one or two successful and happy deals to understand why people would still consider making deals with him. Without that, it didn’t fully make sense to me. But aside from this one snag, the story was written beautifully and tightly plotted. If you like fairy tale retellings with empowered women, queer-centric worlds, and subverted retellings, this is hands down the book for you!
June 30, 2024
thank you to Bloomsbury and Colored Pages Book Tours for providing me with an ARC!
Kalynn Bayron is quickly becoming one of my favourite YA authors, and this book is a stunning example of why. Her take on Snow White is interesting and was written in a way that even when I knew how the story traditionally went, I was surprised by the way that the plot went, and it was so exciting to read, especially once the actions that we recognize from the fairytale really began. The writing was so visceral, and the slightly uncertain note to the story being truly wrapped up made it feel more like an upgraded fairytale than anything. Honestly, I would probably read about Bayron’s interpretation of just about every fairytale, and I think that SLEEP LIKE DEATH combines several types of fantasy to make a book that was definitely worth the read.
I’m honestly not sure what I was expecting going into this book, but once we truly got into the action I was hooked. The first part of the book, while interesting and fun to read, wasn’t as entrancing as the last 3/4ths but I think that’s more about me starting a new book than anything. Eve’s character was so interesting and I feel like you almost could have read an entire other book exploring her and more of the world that was built around Queen’s Bridge. The structure of the story is a little untraditional to some fantasy, but Eve’s story carries through into a more traditional arc.
As far as characters go though, my favourites were definitely the Kingfishers and I wish I could say more about them, but I don’t want to spoil something so just know they’re great! I really just loved how Bayron took elements of Snow White and created a different story in the tradition of the original, and how the characters were able to generally have nuance even in shorter times on the page. I look forward to any potential fairy tales she tackles in the future!
Kalynn Bayron is quickly becoming one of my favourite YA authors, and this book is a stunning example of why. Her take on Snow White is interesting and was written in a way that even when I knew how the story traditionally went, I was surprised by the way that the plot went, and it was so exciting to read, especially once the actions that we recognize from the fairytale really began. The writing was so visceral, and the slightly uncertain note to the story being truly wrapped up made it feel more like an upgraded fairytale than anything. Honestly, I would probably read about Bayron’s interpretation of just about every fairytale, and I think that SLEEP LIKE DEATH combines several types of fantasy to make a book that was definitely worth the read.
I’m honestly not sure what I was expecting going into this book, but once we truly got into the action I was hooked. The first part of the book, while interesting and fun to read, wasn’t as entrancing as the last 3/4ths but I think that’s more about me starting a new book than anything. Eve’s character was so interesting and I feel like you almost could have read an entire other book exploring her and more of the world that was built around Queen’s Bridge. The structure of the story is a little untraditional to some fantasy, but Eve’s story carries through into a more traditional arc.
As far as characters go though, my favourites were definitely the Kingfishers and I wish I could say more about them, but I don’t want to spoil something so just know they’re great! I really just loved how Bayron took elements of Snow White and created a different story in the tradition of the original, and how the characters were able to generally have nuance even in shorter times on the page. I look forward to any potential fairy tales she tackles in the future!
Read
August 22, 20243.5 but will round up
I love a good retelling! Bayron tells a re-envisioning of Snow White and I have alot of thoughts, some good, some more nit-picky!
Things I loved
I loved how there was a sprinkling of multiple fairytales referenced throughout the book. For example - the Queen's crest is a miller's wheel. There's like 3 that I can think of right there from Brother's Grim that that could be referenced, but telling would spoil it! I will say the tie in was 👌👩🍳😘
I hated Huntress from the start, so I loved how things go for her!
I loved Nova! Jaded, doing what he was told until there was a reason to stop, coming out of a mirror?? Hello!
Eve annoyed me at the beginning but she grew on me! but Claude and his boys were probably the best characters in the book.
Things I didn't love
One of her mothers turns into a Nightingale. and that's it. She's randomly flying around in parts but there's literally nothing else going on with her other than small references and Eve's and her other mother's grief is shown with the loss of her. It felt like a wasted plot point.
I hate it when there are throw backs to the Disney versions - drives me nuts! I did think it was cute eventually that one character goes by Grump, but still... it felt like a pop culture reference in a fantasy movie.
The mirror felt like it was half baked. I liked the lore behind it, found and hidden in the castle, Nova is able to step out of it, they use it to talk to each other sometimes, but still - mix that with the "looking glass" line that literally has nothing to do with why Eve runs away just didn't FEEL like it matched with the story, but more like it was just trying to show references to Snow White - it was just too displaced.
All in all, it was a really fun read, I haven't read too many Snow White retellings so take it with a grain of salt when I say this is now my favorite Snow White retelling!
I love a good retelling! Bayron tells a re-envisioning of Snow White and I have alot of thoughts, some good, some more nit-picky!
Things I loved
I loved how there was a sprinkling of multiple fairytales referenced throughout the book. For example - the Queen's crest is a miller's wheel. There's like 3 that I can think of right there from Brother's Grim that that could be referenced, but telling would spoil it! I will say the tie in was 👌👩🍳😘
I hated Huntress from the start, so I loved how things go for her!
I loved Nova! Jaded, doing what he was told until there was a reason to stop, coming out of a mirror?? Hello!
Eve annoyed me at the beginning but she grew on me! but Claude and his boys were probably the best characters in the book.
Things I didn't love
One of her mothers turns into a Nightingale. and that's it. She's randomly flying around in parts but there's literally nothing else going on with her other than small references and Eve's and her other mother's grief is shown with the loss of her. It felt like a wasted plot point.
I hate it when there are throw backs to the Disney versions - drives me nuts! I did think it was cute eventually that one character goes by Grump, but still... it felt like a pop culture reference in a fantasy movie.
The mirror felt like it was half baked. I liked the lore behind it, found and hidden in the castle, Nova is able to step out of it, they use it to talk to each other sometimes, but still - mix that with the "looking glass" line that literally has nothing to do with why Eve runs away just didn't FEEL like it matched with the story, but more like it was just trying to show references to Snow White - it was just too displaced.
All in all, it was a really fun read, I haven't read too many Snow White retellings so take it with a grain of salt when I say this is now my favorite Snow White retelling!
August 28, 2024
• Ruin. Rot. That is all the Knight is capable of granting. •
🪞🍏🩸
Die Prämisse und die kreative Umsetzung bekannter Märchen als Grimdark-Retelling gefallen mir gut, doch da enden die positiven Punkte an "Sleep Like Death" auch bereits. Charakterzüge werden szenenweise vergessen, die Charaktere bleiben bis zum Ende distanziert-egal und die Romance ist an den Haaren herbeigezogen.
Die Vornamen der sieben "Zwerge" mögen mein persönlicher pet peeve sein, doch sie setzten dem Ganzen dann die Krone auf und die Immersion war vollends gebrochen, obwohl zu diesem Zeitpunkt gerade einmal die Hälfte des Buchs erreicht war. Dass ich es trotzdem bis zur letzten Seite geschafft habe, kann nur eine Leistung meines eisernen Willens sein ...
Leider eine unterdurchschnittliche Leseerfahrung, die ich nach "Cinderella Is Dead" nicht erwartet hätte.
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Die Prämisse und die kreative Umsetzung bekannter Märchen als Grimdark-Retelling gefallen mir gut, doch da enden die positiven Punkte an "Sleep Like Death" auch bereits. Charakterzüge werden szenenweise vergessen, die Charaktere bleiben bis zum Ende distanziert-egal und die Romance ist an den Haaren herbeigezogen.
Die Vornamen der sieben "Zwerge" mögen mein persönlicher pet peeve sein, doch sie setzten dem Ganzen dann die Krone auf und die Immersion war vollends gebrochen, obwohl zu diesem Zeitpunkt gerade einmal die Hälfte des Buchs erreicht war. Dass ich es trotzdem bis zur letzten Seite geschafft habe, kann nur eine Leistung meines eisernen Willens sein ...
Leider eine unterdurchschnittliche Leseerfahrung, die ich nach "Cinderella Is Dead" nicht erwartet hätte.
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