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Not Good for Maidens
Salem’s Lot meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this horror-fantasy retelling of Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market.”
Lou never believed in superstitions or magic--until her teenage aunt Neela is kidnapped to the goblin market.
The market is a place Lou has only read about--twisted streets, offerings of sweet fruits and incredible jewels. Everything--from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves--is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in.
Determined to save Neela, Lou learns songs and spells and tricks that will help her navigate this dangerous world and slip past a goblin's defenses--but she only has three days to find Neela before the market disappears and her aunt becomes one of them forever.
If she isn't careful, the market might just end up claiming her too.
Lou never believed in superstitions or magic--until her teenage aunt Neela is kidnapped to the goblin market.
The market is a place Lou has only read about--twisted streets, offerings of sweet fruits and incredible jewels. Everything--from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves--is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in.
Determined to save Neela, Lou learns songs and spells and tricks that will help her navigate this dangerous world and slip past a goblin's defenses--but she only has three days to find Neela before the market disappears and her aunt becomes one of them forever.
If she isn't careful, the market might just end up claiming her too.
Hardcover
First published May 3, 2022
About the author
Tori Bovalino
9 books532 followersTori Bovalino is a bestselling author of young adult horror and fantasy fiction. She loves obscure academic facts, folklore, and oversized sweaters. Find her on Twitter as @toribov and Instagram as @toribovalino.
Tori also writes adult fantasy as V.L. Bovalino.
Tori also writes adult fantasy as V.L. Bovalino.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 710 reviews
June 24, 2024
brb, mom. heading to the goblin market. going to fall in love with a girl with like, corduroy skin and a spine made of thorns and have a chunk torn out of my shoulder via teeth. see ya later
anyway.
i was obsessed with this and read like 200 pages in a sitting and it took me 2 days to get through the next third.
the pacing was weird!!! and not in the goofy weird mythical creature way i expected and/or would have been delighted by. it flashed back and forth between the past and the present, one of those books that's half flashback, and while normally i hate the flashbacks this time i preferred em!the stakes just...never felt very high in the current day.
like...if your guardian is letting you get bit by a goblin how unsafe is it.
but overall i thought this was a huge improvement over the author's debut stylistically and in content and i love feeling optimistic!
it's like a tropical for my dark twisted nihilistic brain.
bottom line: goblins!!!!!!!
3.5
----------------
tbr review
sapphic star-crossed lovers in a horror-fantasy spooky goblin market?? am i dreaming
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
anyway.
i was obsessed with this and read like 200 pages in a sitting and it took me 2 days to get through the next third.
the pacing was weird!!! and not in the goofy weird mythical creature way i expected and/or would have been delighted by. it flashed back and forth between the past and the present, one of those books that's half flashback, and while normally i hate the flashbacks this time i preferred em!the stakes just...never felt very high in the current day.
like...if your guardian is letting you get bit by a goblin how unsafe is it.
but overall i thought this was a huge improvement over the author's debut stylistically and in content and i love feeling optimistic!
it's like a tropical for my dark twisted nihilistic brain.
bottom line: goblins!!!!!!!
3.5
----------------
tbr review
sapphic star-crossed lovers in a horror-fantasy spooky goblin market?? am i dreaming
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
June 23, 2022
3.5 Stars. This was a bit of a mixed bag for me but in the end I liked it more than I disliked it. I’m a huge fan of YA horror and YA fantasy so a book mixed with both seemed right up my alley. I knew enough of the Goblin Market tale to realize this was a retelling, but for me this book felt more like visiting the fae and fairy instead. I don’t know if the author chose that because of goblins and their historic ties to antisemitism – I don’t know enough on the topic or history to go into this or as it may pertain to this book- but I actually liked that the book felt more fae-like. I have read many books about the fae –as have many of us- so I felt like I easily understood what this other world was like. And while I found the fae-like goblins interesting and also the story itself, this book was bumpy and was much more plot driven than character driven. I’m a character driven reader personally so I’m left feeling a bit so-so but overall I thought it was a slightly above-average read.
I have to admit that the beginning was really rough on me. I had picked up the book over three different days but could not get into it at all. I was willing to give it one more chance, but I was ready to call it a DNF as I’ve decided that my reading enjoyment has to come before my story FOMO. Luckily, that final forth time was enough and as the story moved along the book was much more readable and enjoyable. I would keep that in mind that this book takes a little time.
I had a slight issue because the style of this book was done in dual timelines –past and present- and dual POV’s. I’m not a big fan of dual timelines as I find myself always more interested in one story over the other, which happened in this book, but I’ll take them over flashbacks any day. Another story choice issue for me is that I am not fond of books about a “chosen one” or “only one character can save the day” storyline with characters that never know what is actually going on. There is always some big secret that their family or friends hide from them and the character spends half the book asking questions about what is going on, that no one wants to answer. And because the character has been kept in the dark and knows nothing, they have to learn everything important within 24 hours to actually save the day so someone(s) doesn’t die or that the word doesn’t explode. This takes the no-communication trope to the extreme and truly drives me nuts. How this is a well-liked –and often used- story choice I will never know.
While the mostly uninteresting, present timeline POV was about a young ace woman named Lou, who is in the dark about her family and their role in the Goblin Market, the storyline from the past was much more interesting which involved May in an enemies to lovers, light sapphic romance and the consequences of it. I won’t go into any spoilers but this part felt much more important and just overall better written so it was the storyline I enjoyed. The romance is very fast, this is a horror book after all so not much time for fluff, but this timeline was interesting and I wanted to read about it
I think what everything really comes down to for me is the book’s length does not feel like the right fit. Had this book been a novella that was all about May, her past and then having to come back to save a relative, then the story would have been tighter and the POV with Lou, that felt forced and mostly unneeded, could have been skipped for May’s better story. Or, I think Bovalino should have gone all in and really built up the characters, helping Lou and others come alive, and spend more time world building and especially implementing the magic system. For instance there are witches in this book, and Bovalino talks about how important it is to have or lose your magic. What did the witch magic actually do? I don’t have any idea at all since it seemed like everything was done with herbs and potions that a non-witch could use. So where was their important magic we are told about? This did not have to be an epic fantasy book, but another 50-100 pages could have easily been added to build up the important parts. Where it is at now, I feel like the book just got stuck in this middle length that just didn’t work that well.
TLDR: This book was very up and down for me but even with the character building issues, and sometimes disappointing story choices, once I got into the book I did mostly enjoy what I was reading. I think I’m picking a lot in this review because I felt like the potential was there for a really great book, or novella, but it is stuck in the slightly above average category instead. I do want to reiterate that this book is horror and it is more of the gross kind of horror. I didn’t find it scary, but with all the body parts, blood, death and such, this is definitely a YA book for an older audience. I could see this giving a kid some nightmares if they are on the younger side. I think I would still recommend this book to readers looking for queer YA dark fantasy and horror. There are not a lot of books out there with this exact combo so I think some readers will find it interesting and hopefully enjoy it. Just be prepared as it does have its share of bumps.
An ARC was given to me for an honest review.
I have to admit that the beginning was really rough on me. I had picked up the book over three different days but could not get into it at all. I was willing to give it one more chance, but I was ready to call it a DNF as I’ve decided that my reading enjoyment has to come before my story FOMO. Luckily, that final forth time was enough and as the story moved along the book was much more readable and enjoyable. I would keep that in mind that this book takes a little time.
I had a slight issue because the style of this book was done in dual timelines –past and present- and dual POV’s. I’m not a big fan of dual timelines as I find myself always more interested in one story over the other, which happened in this book, but I’ll take them over flashbacks any day. Another story choice issue for me is that I am not fond of books about a “chosen one” or “only one character can save the day” storyline with characters that never know what is actually going on. There is always some big secret that their family or friends hide from them and the character spends half the book asking questions about what is going on, that no one wants to answer. And because the character has been kept in the dark and knows nothing, they have to learn everything important within 24 hours to actually save the day so someone(s) doesn’t die or that the word doesn’t explode. This takes the no-communication trope to the extreme and truly drives me nuts. How this is a well-liked –and often used- story choice I will never know.
While the mostly uninteresting, present timeline POV was about a young ace woman named Lou, who is in the dark about her family and their role in the Goblin Market, the storyline from the past was much more interesting which involved May in an enemies to lovers, light sapphic romance and the consequences of it. I won’t go into any spoilers but this part felt much more important and just overall better written so it was the storyline I enjoyed. The romance is very fast, this is a horror book after all so not much time for fluff, but this timeline was interesting and I wanted to read about it
I think what everything really comes down to for me is the book’s length does not feel like the right fit. Had this book been a novella that was all about May, her past and then having to come back to save a relative, then the story would have been tighter and the POV with Lou, that felt forced and mostly unneeded, could have been skipped for May’s better story. Or, I think Bovalino should have gone all in and really built up the characters, helping Lou and others come alive, and spend more time world building and especially implementing the magic system. For instance there are witches in this book, and Bovalino talks about how important it is to have or lose your magic. What did the witch magic actually do? I don’t have any idea at all since it seemed like everything was done with herbs and potions that a non-witch could use. So where was their important magic we are told about? This did not have to be an epic fantasy book, but another 50-100 pages could have easily been added to build up the important parts. Where it is at now, I feel like the book just got stuck in this middle length that just didn’t work that well.
TLDR: This book was very up and down for me but even with the character building issues, and sometimes disappointing story choices, once I got into the book I did mostly enjoy what I was reading. I think I’m picking a lot in this review because I felt like the potential was there for a really great book, or novella, but it is stuck in the slightly above average category instead. I do want to reiterate that this book is horror and it is more of the gross kind of horror. I didn’t find it scary, but with all the body parts, blood, death and such, this is definitely a YA book for an older audience. I could see this giving a kid some nightmares if they are on the younger side. I think I would still recommend this book to readers looking for queer YA dark fantasy and horror. There are not a lot of books out there with this exact combo so I think some readers will find it interesting and hopefully enjoy it. Just be prepared as it does have its share of bumps.
An ARC was given to me for an honest review.
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November 15, 2021Hey y'all! I'm beyond excited about this book but I want everyone to have a comfortable and enjoyable reading experience. NOT GOOD FOR MAIDENS is horror/horror-adjacent and has a list of content warnings that I recommend checking out before reading.
Content Warnings:
-On-page gore
-On-page body horror (like, a lot of it)
-Violence
-Trauma
I'm happy to give more info or specifics on any of these warnings. If you read my first book, it's along the same line in terms of level of gore, but slightly more towards the body horror side than the mental/emotional side.
Happy reading!
Content Warnings:
-On-page gore
-On-page body horror (like, a lot of it)
-Violence
-Trauma
I'm happy to give more info or specifics on any of these warnings. If you read my first book, it's along the same line in terms of level of gore, but slightly more towards the body horror side than the mental/emotional side.
Happy reading!
September 18, 2022
This horror-fantasy retelling of Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market’ was as gruesome as it was interesting. I haven’t read the poem since doing my A Levels but, while I don’t feel that was a hindrance to my enjoyment or understanding, I imagine there’s references I might have missed.
Throughout the book, we alternate between a then-teenage May’s experience with the market 18 years ago and her niece Lou’s experience there in the present. I love May as a character and initially found her past and that storyline much more compelling, but as the action in the present picked up, family secrets were revealed, and Lou began to feel a sense of purpose and belonging, I really found that the present narrative grew on me. Especially when we got to see how their experiences crossed over (I hoped for one thing here and was thrilled to be right!)
There was a coven of witches, sapphic star-crossed lovers that made my heart ache, a cutthroat world hidden beneath York streets and the fierce bonds between women - both romantic and familial ones. I enjoyed Bovalino’s writing throughout and highlighted (probably far too many) passages I loved the phrasing of, but I particularly liked the expression of female desire here, both in the sense of having that craving for danger - to enter the market, to do what you shouldn’t or have ambitions beyond what’s laid out for you - but mostly in terms of having wants and feelings and learning not to be ashamed of them. Of enjoying them, even. Having that storyline of an earth-shattering first love, a forbidden love, and making it sapphic? SO exciting to me. But we also get an ace MC to follow, driven by familial ties that are just as powerful and just as important. I was a big fan of the queer rep here!
Please check out the CWs on this one and take care of yourself while reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you check it out!
I received an eARC from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.
Throughout the book, we alternate between a then-teenage May’s experience with the market 18 years ago and her niece Lou’s experience there in the present. I love May as a character and initially found her past and that storyline much more compelling, but as the action in the present picked up, family secrets were revealed, and Lou began to feel a sense of purpose and belonging, I really found that the present narrative grew on me. Especially when we got to see how their experiences crossed over (I hoped for one thing here and was thrilled to be right!)
There was a coven of witches, sapphic star-crossed lovers that made my heart ache, a cutthroat world hidden beneath York streets and the fierce bonds between women - both romantic and familial ones. I enjoyed Bovalino’s writing throughout and highlighted (probably far too many) passages I loved the phrasing of, but I particularly liked the expression of female desire here, both in the sense of having that craving for danger - to enter the market, to do what you shouldn’t or have ambitions beyond what’s laid out for you - but mostly in terms of having wants and feelings and learning not to be ashamed of them. Of enjoying them, even. Having that storyline of an earth-shattering first love, a forbidden love, and making it sapphic? SO exciting to me. But we also get an ace MC to follow, driven by familial ties that are just as powerful and just as important. I was a big fan of the queer rep here!
Please check out the CWs on this one and take care of yourself while reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you check it out!
I received an eARC from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2022
Lou didn’t believe in magic or supernatural beings, but she never questioned why her mother and Aunt May lined the doors and windows with salt or kept certain herbs hanging throughout the house. But after receiving a voicemail from her Aunt Neela that contained an eerie message, she began to wonder if there’s more to these superstitions than she thought. With her aunt kidnapped and her mom leaving to help, Lou decides to take matters into her own hands. Will Lou be able to save her aunt? Will she discover who she is and what’s missing from her life? And most importantly, will she be claimed by the market?
This was an amazing urban fantasy story. The author did an excellent job at creating the setting and including enough details to create an immersive read. The tone of the work was also immaculate – this is a dark read, and the author was able to convey that darkness and eeriness throughout the work. I loved the hereditary magic of the witches as well as the dark magic of the goblins and their market.
I wasn’t sure how much I would like the work based off its beginning, but after the first few chapters I couldn’t put it down. The story is largely told from Lou’s point of view, but as the work continues, there are several chapters scattered throughout that tell May’s story from eighteen years earlier. The character development is in depth and well written, and I loved the inclusion of a well written ace character and the sapphic romance; the character diversity was great. They were all relatable characters with believable dynamics.
The cover of the book is stunning. I listened to the audiobook version, and I loved the narrator – she did an excellent job with creating unique voices, conveying emotions, and differentiating the characters. I did notice that there’s some light fuzz noise in the background – almost like white noise – when listening to the audio on a higher volume, but it didn’t detract much from the overall quality.
There was nothing I disliked about this work, though there are some scenes of pretty intense gore with detailed descriptions that made me cringe a little. Overall, I highly recommend this work and will be reading more from this author!
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
TW: detailed gore, violence
This was an amazing urban fantasy story. The author did an excellent job at creating the setting and including enough details to create an immersive read. The tone of the work was also immaculate – this is a dark read, and the author was able to convey that darkness and eeriness throughout the work. I loved the hereditary magic of the witches as well as the dark magic of the goblins and their market.
I wasn’t sure how much I would like the work based off its beginning, but after the first few chapters I couldn’t put it down. The story is largely told from Lou’s point of view, but as the work continues, there are several chapters scattered throughout that tell May’s story from eighteen years earlier. The character development is in depth and well written, and I loved the inclusion of a well written ace character and the sapphic romance; the character diversity was great. They were all relatable characters with believable dynamics.
The cover of the book is stunning. I listened to the audiobook version, and I loved the narrator – she did an excellent job with creating unique voices, conveying emotions, and differentiating the characters. I did notice that there’s some light fuzz noise in the background – almost like white noise – when listening to the audio on a higher volume, but it didn’t detract much from the overall quality.
There was nothing I disliked about this work, though there are some scenes of pretty intense gore with detailed descriptions that made me cringe a little. Overall, I highly recommend this work and will be reading more from this author!
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
TW: detailed gore, violence
June 1, 2022
CWs: Kidnapping, Dismemberment, Cannibalism, Gore, Violence, Torture, Confinement, Body horror, Antisemitic subtext
I'm going to start this review with something that often concerns me in Goblin Market retellings and how I think it was handled in this book before going into my thoughts on the rest of the book.
It's well known, or at least it should be, that the original Goblin Market is an extremely antisemitic work and any work based on it should seek to subvert that to avoid perpetuating further antisemitism in new forms.
(Full disclosure, I myself am not Jewish but I discussed the elements that concerned me with friends who are before posting this review)
There are ways this book subverts the antisemitism but there are many that it does not.
The goblins are described more like Fae and Fair folk than they are 'goblins' which goes part way to avoiding the antisemitic descriptions in the original, however the set up for before Lou and Mae get to the goblin market does mention horns and there is a lot of scaremongering done about their appearances (including mentions of horns) and attitudes towards humans, particularly witches. The main characters are witches and goblin blood is often an ingredient in things and said to have magical powers, the goblin market is underground, the goblins eat humans. All of this ties into extremely harmful antisemitic stereotypes that still affect Jewish people today
I think the likelihood is that the author wasn't entirely aware of how these antisemitic ideas were leaking across into the book but as I said earlier, it is, or at should be, well known about the antisemitism of the original and any work that doesn't seek to ACTIVELY subvert that, will likely still include elements of it. It's also an author's job when writing, especially when writing a retelling, to thoroughly research their subject matter and I find it hard to believe that during the author's research process they will have completely missed the discussions of antisemitism in the original text.
An example of a Goblin Market retelling that subverts the antisemitism of the original text is In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Childrens #4). In this book, rather than having a race of goblins who rely on antisemitism to be scary in an underground market, In An Absent Dream takes place in a crossroads world where people from many other universes come together to reside. The market in IAAD works on a strict moral code and those who break that code are punished in all manner of ways from reverse aging to losing senses to turning into birds. This book reframes the ideas in goblin market so it's not about an evil race of subhuman creatures but actually about morality, justice and how we treat each other. It also eliminates the physical features of goblins that formed antisemitic stereotypes.
In An Absent Dream is a perfect example of subverting harmful ideas through retelling and I don't think Not Good For Maidens was cognisant of the issues it needed to rewrite to achieve the same success.
I read Not Good For Maidens the way I read all Goblin Market retellings, keeping a keen eye out for the creeping in of the antisemitic ideas of the original but I'm aware that many readers will not do that and a lot of this will fly under people's radars.
While I'm unsure of whether to say this book is outright harmful (I'll take my cue on that from Jewish reviewers) I do think these things are concerning and should be kept in mind.
Now for my thoughts on the plot, characters and narration (as I read this as an audiobook)
Being from Yorkshire, and really enjoying goblin market retellings (when done right), I was excited to read this. I quickly realised my mistake in reading the audiobook... The narrator was entirely incapable of doing a Yorkshire accent in the slightest, most of the time it sounded Northern Irish.
There was a point where Lou says 'Edinburgh' in the dialogue and notes in her head that she's proud of herself for learning how to say it in the way her mum does so 'Eh-din-bruh' but the narrator says it 'Eh-din-borrow'. There's a point where the narrator pronounced Costa as 'Coaster' but then says it correctly towards the end of the book????
I KNOW the main character is American but choosing an American audiobook narrator who can't do a Yorkshire accent to save her life to do a book where all but 3 characters speak in Yorkshire accidents was a terrible decision and it made this book PAINFUL to listen to as someone who's lived in Yorkshire for all 26 years of my life.
This book is told in dual timeline between Mae when she was a teenager and went to the goblin market and her niece Lou, now the same age, going into the goblin market to save her young aunt Neela.
Dual timeline can be really hard to pull of and for the most part, I think the author did a really good job, the stories informed and interwove with each other well and they didn't interrupt each other's pacing. There also weren't any points where I was annoyed that we switched perspectives because it's done seamlessly enough that it makes sense that the book switches when it does. I don't think the narrative voices between perspectives are that different though and I can see it confusing people.
One of the elements I really enjoyed about this book was the casual queerness of it. Our two main characters are both queer, Mae is bi and has a relationship with a goblin woman and Lou is ace. It's always refreshing to see authors name character's sexuality on the page because it avoids any speculation or erasure of identities. Lou's strong ties with the women of her family were really lovely to read as well, her closeness with Neela and her strong urge to fight for and protect her being my favourite.
While I liked Mae and Eitra's relationship in here, I do think it could have done with a slight bit more development. It felt like they got past their issues a little quickly at times but honestly I think my opinion a little bit informed by personal taste and a little bit, I'm aromantic and struggle to understand how allos get together so quickly.
The horror elements of this books were well written, it definitely instilled that sense of unease but there were definitely times I wished the book had learnt harder into that and BEEN a horror book rather than a coming of age/rescue with strong romance and horror elements.
There was a fair amount I enjoyed about this book, the overall plot and characters were good but the painfully abysmal narration and the antisemitism underpinning the whole thing dragged this book down a HELL of a lot.
It currently sits at 3 stars but could actually be anywhere from 2.5-3.5 stars depending on how I feel
I'm going to start this review with something that often concerns me in Goblin Market retellings and how I think it was handled in this book before going into my thoughts on the rest of the book.
It's well known, or at least it should be, that the original Goblin Market is an extremely antisemitic work and any work based on it should seek to subvert that to avoid perpetuating further antisemitism in new forms.
(Full disclosure, I myself am not Jewish but I discussed the elements that concerned me with friends who are before posting this review)
There are ways this book subverts the antisemitism but there are many that it does not.
The goblins are described more like Fae and Fair folk than they are 'goblins' which goes part way to avoiding the antisemitic descriptions in the original, however the set up for before Lou and Mae get to the goblin market does mention horns and there is a lot of scaremongering done about their appearances (including mentions of horns) and attitudes towards humans, particularly witches. The main characters are witches and goblin blood is often an ingredient in things and said to have magical powers, the goblin market is underground, the goblins eat humans. All of this ties into extremely harmful antisemitic stereotypes that still affect Jewish people today
I think the likelihood is that the author wasn't entirely aware of how these antisemitic ideas were leaking across into the book but as I said earlier, it is, or at should be, well known about the antisemitism of the original and any work that doesn't seek to ACTIVELY subvert that, will likely still include elements of it. It's also an author's job when writing, especially when writing a retelling, to thoroughly research their subject matter and I find it hard to believe that during the author's research process they will have completely missed the discussions of antisemitism in the original text.
An example of a Goblin Market retelling that subverts the antisemitism of the original text is In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Childrens #4). In this book, rather than having a race of goblins who rely on antisemitism to be scary in an underground market, In An Absent Dream takes place in a crossroads world where people from many other universes come together to reside. The market in IAAD works on a strict moral code and those who break that code are punished in all manner of ways from reverse aging to losing senses to turning into birds. This book reframes the ideas in goblin market so it's not about an evil race of subhuman creatures but actually about morality, justice and how we treat each other. It also eliminates the physical features of goblins that formed antisemitic stereotypes.
In An Absent Dream is a perfect example of subverting harmful ideas through retelling and I don't think Not Good For Maidens was cognisant of the issues it needed to rewrite to achieve the same success.
I read Not Good For Maidens the way I read all Goblin Market retellings, keeping a keen eye out for the creeping in of the antisemitic ideas of the original but I'm aware that many readers will not do that and a lot of this will fly under people's radars.
While I'm unsure of whether to say this book is outright harmful (I'll take my cue on that from Jewish reviewers) I do think these things are concerning and should be kept in mind.
Now for my thoughts on the plot, characters and narration (as I read this as an audiobook)
Being from Yorkshire, and really enjoying goblin market retellings (when done right), I was excited to read this. I quickly realised my mistake in reading the audiobook... The narrator was entirely incapable of doing a Yorkshire accent in the slightest, most of the time it sounded Northern Irish.
There was a point where Lou says 'Edinburgh' in the dialogue and notes in her head that she's proud of herself for learning how to say it in the way her mum does so 'Eh-din-bruh' but the narrator says it 'Eh-din-borrow'. There's a point where the narrator pronounced Costa as 'Coaster' but then says it correctly towards the end of the book????
I KNOW the main character is American but choosing an American audiobook narrator who can't do a Yorkshire accent to save her life to do a book where all but 3 characters speak in Yorkshire accidents was a terrible decision and it made this book PAINFUL to listen to as someone who's lived in Yorkshire for all 26 years of my life.
This book is told in dual timeline between Mae when she was a teenager and went to the goblin market and her niece Lou, now the same age, going into the goblin market to save her young aunt Neela.
Dual timeline can be really hard to pull of and for the most part, I think the author did a really good job, the stories informed and interwove with each other well and they didn't interrupt each other's pacing. There also weren't any points where I was annoyed that we switched perspectives because it's done seamlessly enough that it makes sense that the book switches when it does. I don't think the narrative voices between perspectives are that different though and I can see it confusing people.
One of the elements I really enjoyed about this book was the casual queerness of it. Our two main characters are both queer, Mae is bi and has a relationship with a goblin woman and Lou is ace. It's always refreshing to see authors name character's sexuality on the page because it avoids any speculation or erasure of identities. Lou's strong ties with the women of her family were really lovely to read as well, her closeness with Neela and her strong urge to fight for and protect her being my favourite.
While I liked Mae and Eitra's relationship in here, I do think it could have done with a slight bit more development. It felt like they got past their issues a little quickly at times but honestly I think my opinion a little bit informed by personal taste and a little bit, I'm aromantic and struggle to understand how allos get together so quickly.
The horror elements of this books were well written, it definitely instilled that sense of unease but there were definitely times I wished the book had learnt harder into that and BEEN a horror book rather than a coming of age/rescue with strong romance and horror elements.
There was a fair amount I enjoyed about this book, the overall plot and characters were good but the painfully abysmal narration and the antisemitism underpinning the whole thing dragged this book down a HELL of a lot.
It currently sits at 3 stars but could actually be anywhere from 2.5-3.5 stars depending on how I feel
July 8, 2022
May left the Witchery as the sun sank lower and lower and dyed the sky red. She slipped into the twilight, into the hour that was not good for maidens, as the stars blinked and cluttered the night sky.
notes on rep: Lou is asexual; May is bisexual; Neela is pansexual; Eitra is sapphic.
(also I love Eitra SO MUCH, and her low-key sugar addiction)
notes on rep: Lou is asexual; May is bisexual; Neela is pansexual; Eitra is sapphic.
(also I love Eitra SO MUCH, and her low-key sugar addiction)
Want to read
April 18, 2022I don't know what I love more: Goblin Market retellings, or this cover.
August 15, 2022
The Goblin Market is calling you, will you heed the call? Are you strong enough to resist? And finally, will you become just another entree or come out on top? When Lou Wickett's aunt goes missing she is left with one clue to find her; in a rushed and frightened voicemail he ain't mentions "the market". Willing to do anything to get her aunt back Lou must face the sins of her family's past and weave her way through a market of death and decay. What will she uncover? And will she make it to her aunt before she is absorbed by the market?
Goblin Market books are my absolute FAVORITE. Spearheaded by Seanan McGuire's In an Absent Dream(Wayward Children Series #4) and my love of Dungeons and Dragons I am simply a trash panda, picking though and devouring any morsels I can find. Not Good for Maidens is no exception. This is the gritty and vile market you imagine while alone in the dark lying in bed. These are the goblins who are hiding under your bed, grabbing your ankles when you try to rush to the bathroom. Bred of nightmares and savagery they won't offer you a happy ending, instead offering a front row seat to your violent end. The author does a stellar job painting this world that fits these creatures and their brutality. The story is well paced and laced with history from year prior.
Five stars from this fantasy goblin who gobbled it up page by page. I heavily recommend this for anyone who loves darker fairy tales and their retellings, age range 14+ as this does have graphic violence. Fans of Wayward Children will love this story as it will help to fill the months we await our next tale with a dangerous adventure. Come by, Come by.....the market awaits
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Goblin Market books are my absolute FAVORITE. Spearheaded by Seanan McGuire's In an Absent Dream(Wayward Children Series #4) and my love of Dungeons and Dragons I am simply a trash panda, picking though and devouring any morsels I can find. Not Good for Maidens is no exception. This is the gritty and vile market you imagine while alone in the dark lying in bed. These are the goblins who are hiding under your bed, grabbing your ankles when you try to rush to the bathroom. Bred of nightmares and savagery they won't offer you a happy ending, instead offering a front row seat to your violent end. The author does a stellar job painting this world that fits these creatures and their brutality. The story is well paced and laced with history from year prior.
Five stars from this fantasy goblin who gobbled it up page by page. I heavily recommend this for anyone who loves darker fairy tales and their retellings, age range 14+ as this does have graphic violence. Fans of Wayward Children will love this story as it will help to fill the months we await our next tale with a dangerous adventure. Come by, Come by.....the market awaits
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2022
DNFing at 45% 😐 This has potential. I was expecting to be somewhat scared or nervous, but instead the slow pacing and world building made me sleepy. Maybe it’s because I was listening to the audiobook? Or maybe a YA/Fantasy/Horror hybrid just isn’t for me…
April 24, 2022
This... didn't make any sense at all. I understand and support the continued need for subversive retellings and welcome any and all diversity added to known narratives, but what on earth was everything else going on? This plot is so forgettable, I can hardly come up with enough points to write a review. I'll try, though:
Let me state this once and for all: Goblin Market is already sexy enough as it is. Many people have tried to be *deep* about it before, but that's just unnecessary. The "forbidden fruit" and "mouths" and "juices" are already there in Rossetti's manuscript. Good old erotic imagery! We get it. Young adult readers get it. It's about sex and temptation. You don't have to rewrite it to frame it in a feminist coming-of-age narrative... it already is one.
So what does Bovalino have to offer then? Nothing new, really, except maybe allusions to semi-cannibalism. I have never seen a dual-timeline narrative being used so poorly. Normally, one or the other plotline would gradually reveal information to complete the picture, which could be used to the advantage of greater plot twists, but... no? There are literally two rescue missions, one taking place in the past, one in the present, with little to no suspense to either. The end.
Romance... who is she? I can live with instalove when it's well-executed, but one can hardly expect me to believe that two nights spent walking through a marketplace selling human body parts or drinking coffee at a 24/7 café is basis enough for a ride-or-die, elope-with-me, life-sacrificing love that shatters the foundations of York's supernatural societies.
Do I, after finishing this novel, understand why The Market (tm) is so irresistible to the youth of York when all locals know it can end in torment and disfigurement, if not manslaughter? When there is literally no way to be forced into it and countless magical countermeasures to take? What even are the goblins? What work do the witches/guardians do outside of market season and poultice mixing? Isn't this the bare skeleton of a story rather than a finished novel?
I'm being so mean about the book, when I'm really just fed up with the last several YA works I've read... this is just the straw that broke the camel's back. The writing itself is not bad at all. But if I have to hear "Come buy, come buy" or "Are you coming to Scarborough Fair" one more time, I swear to god --- Some goblin is going to catch these hands.
(Note: I listened to this on audio, with the narrator choosing to do... that accent, but also to give every other character a nasal sort of voice that makes them sound stricken with a serious case of sinusitis. Neela got the worst of it, in my opinion. Is this a York cliche I am not aware of?)
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Let me state this once and for all: Goblin Market is already sexy enough as it is. Many people have tried to be *deep* about it before, but that's just unnecessary. The "forbidden fruit" and "mouths" and "juices" are already there in Rossetti's manuscript. Good old erotic imagery! We get it. Young adult readers get it. It's about sex and temptation. You don't have to rewrite it to frame it in a feminist coming-of-age narrative... it already is one.
So what does Bovalino have to offer then? Nothing new, really, except maybe allusions to semi-cannibalism. I have never seen a dual-timeline narrative being used so poorly. Normally, one or the other plotline would gradually reveal information to complete the picture, which could be used to the advantage of greater plot twists, but... no? There are literally two rescue missions, one taking place in the past, one in the present, with little to no suspense to either. The end.
Romance... who is she? I can live with instalove when it's well-executed, but one can hardly expect me to believe that two nights spent walking through a marketplace selling human body parts or drinking coffee at a 24/7 café is basis enough for a ride-or-die, elope-with-me, life-sacrificing love that shatters the foundations of York's supernatural societies.
Do I, after finishing this novel, understand why The Market (tm) is so irresistible to the youth of York when all locals know it can end in torment and disfigurement, if not manslaughter? When there is literally no way to be forced into it and countless magical countermeasures to take? What even are the goblins? What work do the witches/guardians do outside of market season and poultice mixing? Isn't this the bare skeleton of a story rather than a finished novel?
I'm being so mean about the book, when I'm really just fed up with the last several YA works I've read... this is just the straw that broke the camel's back. The writing itself is not bad at all. But if I have to hear "Come buy, come buy" or "Are you coming to Scarborough Fair" one more time, I swear to god --- Some goblin is going to catch these hands.
(Note: I listened to this on audio, with the narrator choosing to do... that accent, but also to give every other character a nasal sort of voice that makes them sound stricken with a serious case of sinusitis. Neela got the worst of it, in my opinion. Is this a York cliche I am not aware of?)
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
November 23, 2021
I have been blessed by the author with an early draft of this novel and let me just say ... Y'ALL AREN'T READY FOR WHAT'S COMING YOUR WAY IN 2022.
Want to read
January 26, 2022Heard two stories in different times, ace MC, and star-crossed sapphics so I'm in-
September 26, 2022
Also not good for me...
January 1, 2023
No pressure or anything, The Goblin Market is just my favourite poem, ever. I've wanted a retelling for so long and although I don't think this lived up to that, it was a good story in it's own right, with memorable characters and a creepy, gothic setting in York.
I do want something that's more of an expanded retelling of The Goblin Market, and this instead takes the basic formula of the Goblins, Market and strict rules to make a new story, about a market based in York and local witches.
I loved many of the characters, especially May, however I did find the main character Lou a little annoying, in the way she would repeat her frustrations with her family's past being kept secret. While May and Laura felt like fully fleshed out characters, Lou felt a little more like a vessel to tell the story.
That being said, York is one of my favourite cities that I've been to many times, so I loved the setting and was easily able to picture the winding streets, blood strewn market and vicious Goblins. This has a very similar vibe and pace to Holly Black's Tithe, so I enjoyed the feeling of familiarity.
The actual concept of the Witches, I felt, was not fully explored and I would be open to a second book to explore that further, and to develop Lou as a character after May and Laura's story has closed. And it would be nice to have a cameo from May and her family again, set a year or so later.
I do want something that's more of an expanded retelling of The Goblin Market, and this instead takes the basic formula of the Goblins, Market and strict rules to make a new story, about a market based in York and local witches.
I loved many of the characters, especially May, however I did find the main character Lou a little annoying, in the way she would repeat her frustrations with her family's past being kept secret. While May and Laura felt like fully fleshed out characters, Lou felt a little more like a vessel to tell the story.
That being said, York is one of my favourite cities that I've been to many times, so I loved the setting and was easily able to picture the winding streets, blood strewn market and vicious Goblins. This has a very similar vibe and pace to Holly Black's Tithe, so I enjoyed the feeling of familiarity.
The actual concept of the Witches, I felt, was not fully explored and I would be open to a second book to explore that further, and to develop Lou as a character after May and Laura's story has closed. And it would be nice to have a cameo from May and her family again, set a year or so later.
June 12, 2022
Please forgive me. I'm over here reading through reviews and had NO clue what the Goblin Market was, or that this was a retelling. I had to do some googling!
Now that we've got that out of the way. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I am here for ALL the LGBTQIA2S rep!! The characters were awesome! I loved Mays character so much and really enjoyed her chapters. I'm a huge fan of dual timelines and absolutely adore when two paths intersect with one another. I liked the writing style and the story, Not Good For Maidens had my attention the entire way through.
Side note: Goblin Markets are freaking SCARY!
I must read The Devil Makes Three!
Thank you so much to Canadian Manda Group for my gifted copy!! I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.
Now that we've got that out of the way. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I am here for ALL the LGBTQIA2S rep!! The characters were awesome! I loved Mays character so much and really enjoyed her chapters. I'm a huge fan of dual timelines and absolutely adore when two paths intersect with one another. I liked the writing style and the story, Not Good For Maidens had my attention the entire way through.
Side note: Goblin Markets are freaking SCARY!
I must read The Devil Makes Three!
Thank you so much to Canadian Manda Group for my gifted copy!! I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.
August 30, 2022
this was okay but i don't think i would really recommend it tbh, i had high hopes for it too
May 9, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read this author’s previous novel, and a novel about the goblin market was right up my alley. Not to mention LGBT+ rep!
Not Good For Maidens is a dual pov/timeline novel about a city where the goblin market appears every summer, with witches who regulate it. A young woman named May who falls for a goblin woman and is lured into the goblin market and has to fight her way out with her sister Laura, and then seventeen or eighteen years later, their young half sister is taken by the goblins and Lou, Laura’s daughter and May’s niece, is pulled into everything that May and Laura tried to leave behind.
I have mixed feelings about this book. When I finished, I found it really hard trying to decide whether or not to rate it 3 or 4 stars, but ended up settling on 3, and as I write this review, I’m quite confident that is a good reflection of my thoughts.
I loved the premise of the goblin market (trust me, I have schemes for a goblin market retelling of my own) which was immediately what drew me into reading this novel even though I didn’t love the author’s previous book. Christina Rosetti’s “we must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits: who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry thirsty roots?” is such an iconic line to me. So I have to say the premise and idea of the novel is what I liked the best.
The goblin market itself seemed to be executed [mostly] well. Enough was left out to not take away from the overall mystery and whimsical nature. But it was definitely like an urban fantasy-horror book. The happenings in the goblin market are brutal and graphic to the point it did surprise me for a YA book. But this author mostly took a horror turn with it, and made most goblins evil, instead of ambivalent (not wholly evil, wholly good) folkloric creatures that I’d expect.
The climax and resolution were pretty good.
I also loved the LGBTQIA representation. May is bisexual, and Lou is asexual, and Neela is pan. And the WORDS ARE USED ON PAGE!!
But unfortunately there were a lot of things that I didn’t like…
The conflict was so-so. In theory, I liked it, but execution-wise… not so much. May being taken and needing rescued, good, Neela being taken and needing rescued, good. But Lou’s emotional conflict? Not enjoyable to read. Laura purposely raised Lou away from it and kept it a secret, so when Neela is taken, there’s a big reveal to Lou. And most of the book is spent with Lou saying “why didn’t you tell me this” over and over again and being mad with her mom, basically. She’s a teenager, it’s a YA book, I get it, I understand, I really do, but it just got sort of irritating after a certain point. In the first half of the book it was pretty rough, until Lou started to get her time to shine in the spotlight.
The pacing was off at times. And with the different characters and timelines, sometimes it was frustrating. I remember when we finally read May getting invited to the market, the book switches to Lou’s perspective for a few chapters of nothing but her moping and lamenting and being angry about not being told about the market / not understanding things / people not fully explaining things to her / etc.
The whole premise of the order of witches and them being witches was not done well at all and felt very unnecessary because of that. I think it could have been discarded entirely and the family just be normal protectors of the city and medics and it would’ve been an improvement. It’s hard to describe but it felt like it was tacked on as an extra thing because the order and their magic system was just… not explained at all.
So many little things about the book were just… weird! Their family dynamics, especially. The parents of both generations being split up and located in different countries but conveniently being able to visit often, Neela being a half sister to Laura and May and just a year or so older than Lou even though she’s Lou’s aunt. It’s unconventional for sure and while usually I don’t care, again, it was confusing at many points with the amount of names and just… odd. And also May being pregnant in the present timeline was mentioned like once in a sentence in the beginning and forgotten about aside from another comment like “think of the baby” later in the book.
So my overall thoughts: good premise and LGBT rep and take on the goblin market, okay or bad everything else. I would probably recommend it if someone was specifically looking for a goblin market retelling, but not sure if this author has sold me yet.
I read this author’s previous novel, and a novel about the goblin market was right up my alley. Not to mention LGBT+ rep!
Not Good For Maidens is a dual pov/timeline novel about a city where the goblin market appears every summer, with witches who regulate it. A young woman named May who falls for a goblin woman and is lured into the goblin market and has to fight her way out with her sister Laura, and then seventeen or eighteen years later, their young half sister is taken by the goblins and Lou, Laura’s daughter and May’s niece, is pulled into everything that May and Laura tried to leave behind.
I have mixed feelings about this book. When I finished, I found it really hard trying to decide whether or not to rate it 3 or 4 stars, but ended up settling on 3, and as I write this review, I’m quite confident that is a good reflection of my thoughts.
I loved the premise of the goblin market (trust me, I have schemes for a goblin market retelling of my own) which was immediately what drew me into reading this novel even though I didn’t love the author’s previous book. Christina Rosetti’s “we must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits: who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry thirsty roots?” is such an iconic line to me. So I have to say the premise and idea of the novel is what I liked the best.
The goblin market itself seemed to be executed [mostly] well. Enough was left out to not take away from the overall mystery and whimsical nature. But it was definitely like an urban fantasy-horror book. The happenings in the goblin market are brutal and graphic to the point it did surprise me for a YA book. But this author mostly took a horror turn with it, and made most goblins evil, instead of ambivalent (not wholly evil, wholly good) folkloric creatures that I’d expect.
The climax and resolution were pretty good.
I also loved the LGBTQIA representation. May is bisexual, and Lou is asexual, and Neela is pan. And the WORDS ARE USED ON PAGE!!
But unfortunately there were a lot of things that I didn’t like…
The conflict was so-so. In theory, I liked it, but execution-wise… not so much. May being taken and needing rescued, good, Neela being taken and needing rescued, good. But Lou’s emotional conflict? Not enjoyable to read. Laura purposely raised Lou away from it and kept it a secret, so when Neela is taken, there’s a big reveal to Lou. And most of the book is spent with Lou saying “why didn’t you tell me this” over and over again and being mad with her mom, basically. She’s a teenager, it’s a YA book, I get it, I understand, I really do, but it just got sort of irritating after a certain point. In the first half of the book it was pretty rough, until Lou started to get her time to shine in the spotlight.
The pacing was off at times. And with the different characters and timelines, sometimes it was frustrating. I remember when we finally read May getting invited to the market, the book switches to Lou’s perspective for a few chapters of nothing but her moping and lamenting and being angry about not being told about the market / not understanding things / people not fully explaining things to her / etc.
The whole premise of the order of witches and them being witches was not done well at all and felt very unnecessary because of that. I think it could have been discarded entirely and the family just be normal protectors of the city and medics and it would’ve been an improvement. It’s hard to describe but it felt like it was tacked on as an extra thing because the order and their magic system was just… not explained at all.
So many little things about the book were just… weird! Their family dynamics, especially. The parents of both generations being split up and located in different countries but conveniently being able to visit often, Neela being a half sister to Laura and May and just a year or so older than Lou even though she’s Lou’s aunt. It’s unconventional for sure and while usually I don’t care, again, it was confusing at many points with the amount of names and just… odd. And also May being pregnant in the present timeline was mentioned like once in a sentence in the beginning and forgotten about aside from another comment like “think of the baby” later in the book.
So my overall thoughts: good premise and LGBT rep and take on the goblin market, okay or bad everything else. I would probably recommend it if someone was specifically looking for a goblin market retelling, but not sure if this author has sold me yet.
November 7, 2021
GOTH STAR CROSSED LOVER SAPPHICS WITH HORROR ?? HELLO GIVE IT TO ME NOW
July 4, 2022
*4.75 Stars*
I was provided an audio ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lou has always lived in the states with her mother and aunt May, far away from Yorkshire where the rest of that side of her family lives. Both her mom and May have always been quite secretive but Lou is used to that. What she's not used to is that her best friend and aunt, Neela, who's only a couple years older than her, disappeared leaving only a couple cryptic messages. And that shifts Lou's entire world. Her mom goes back to Yorkshire to find Neela and Lou is shocked to find out the family secrets...
That was a very bad summary, I'm sorry. The point is, this was great.
I liked everything about it. The dual timeline, the different points of view, the characters, the plot, the setting...
The dual timeline was so perfectly crafted, the jumps from then to now felt effortless and just made sense, as did the pov changes.
The characters were layered and flawed but I loved them all the same. I loved being in Lou's head, and I do love a main Ace character, especially when it says so on the page.
The plot really kept me on my toes from beginning to end. I fell right into the story and I could not stop reading. I just wanted to know everything and I wanted to know it now! (yes, I am a brat)
I also loved reading about the family dynamics, and seeing them and Lou grow throughout the book.
The only reason why this doesn't get five whole stars is that I didn't cry and I need at least a tear to rate something five stars. (a brat, like I said)
Anyway, this made me want to read more books by Tori Bovalino which is great because I already own The Devil Makes Three.
I was provided an audio ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lou has always lived in the states with her mother and aunt May, far away from Yorkshire where the rest of that side of her family lives. Both her mom and May have always been quite secretive but Lou is used to that. What she's not used to is that her best friend and aunt, Neela, who's only a couple years older than her, disappeared leaving only a couple cryptic messages. And that shifts Lou's entire world. Her mom goes back to Yorkshire to find Neela and Lou is shocked to find out the family secrets...
That was a very bad summary, I'm sorry. The point is, this was great.
I liked everything about it. The dual timeline, the different points of view, the characters, the plot, the setting...
The dual timeline was so perfectly crafted, the jumps from then to now felt effortless and just made sense, as did the pov changes.
The characters were layered and flawed but I loved them all the same. I loved being in Lou's head, and I do love a main Ace character, especially when it says so on the page.
The plot really kept me on my toes from beginning to end. I fell right into the story and I could not stop reading. I just wanted to know everything and I wanted to know it now! (yes, I am a brat)
I also loved reading about the family dynamics, and seeing them and Lou grow throughout the book.
The only reason why this doesn't get five whole stars is that I didn't cry and I need at least a tear to rate something five stars. (a brat, like I said)
Anyway, this made me want to read more books by Tori Bovalino which is great because I already own The Devil Makes Three.
May 5, 2022
If I could give this book ten stars, I truly would.
The author had me hooked from the very first chapter and I hung on every word, enjoying the twists and turns of the story that reminded me very much of the twists and turns of the market.
Heart-achingly beautiful storytelling with characters I absolutely loved and felt for, especially as a fellow sapphic person. The romantic love story between the two women had me by the heart and made me feel just about every emotion.
I loved how the main character, Lou, is asexual (and possibly demi-romantic?), but that didn't make her any less capable of love and warmth. Her biggest love story of the book, however, was the love story with her family. Another aspect of the book the author portrayed perfectly.
If I somehow ate goblin fruit and forgot this book, I wouldn't be entirely upset because that would mean I would get to enjoy the story for the first time all over again.
The author had me hooked from the very first chapter and I hung on every word, enjoying the twists and turns of the story that reminded me very much of the twists and turns of the market.
Heart-achingly beautiful storytelling with characters I absolutely loved and felt for, especially as a fellow sapphic person. The romantic love story between the two women had me by the heart and made me feel just about every emotion.
I loved how the main character, Lou, is asexual (and possibly demi-romantic?), but that didn't make her any less capable of love and warmth. Her biggest love story of the book, however, was the love story with her family. Another aspect of the book the author portrayed perfectly.
If I somehow ate goblin fruit and forgot this book, I wouldn't be entirely upset because that would mean I would get to enjoy the story for the first time all over again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Atmospheric, gory and filled with dark magic, a great halloween read.
Read
May 17, 2022ARC provided by Page Street YA for review
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
Not Good for Maidens is a modern, queer retelling of Christina Rosetti's The Goblin Market that takes place within two timelines. In the present, Lou's young aunt/best friend Neela has been taken by the Market all the way across the ocean in her family's ancestral home in the UK; Eighteen years ago, Lou's aunt May was the one held by the Market while her mother went in to save her, and whatever happened back then was enough to drive them from the country and never speak of it again, to the point of hiding Lou's magical heritage from her.
What I think this book did well:
- The Goblin Market itself, to an extent. - I was pleasantly surprised by the level of body horror and gore in a YA book. The goblins themselves are an interesting bunch and the market reads just as atmospherically intense as I'd expect after Tori Bovalino's previous book, The Devil Makes Three.
- The Dual Timelines. - I think the timelines worked well against each other in pacing and there were only a couple instances where I wanted to yell at the book to "go back, go back!" when it switched over. A small amount of that I think is good, keeping me invested in waiting for it to switch back as long as the current one still engages me. (I have seen other reviews say that the timelines are difficult to differentiate at times because they're pretty similar. It seems that most of these I saw were audiobook reviews, so this might be a book where the physical is a better read than the audio.)
What didn't work quite as well for me:
- The Goblin Market itself, to an extent. - But you just said up above- I know, I know. While the horrors of the Market are well written, what the book fails to communicate to me, as the reader, is why someone would be lured in to this monstrous place not just once, but multiple times in a row. I spent a lot of my time in May's timeline not understanding why she went in the first place and why she ever went back to the horror show. This is where the book attempts to use the sapphic star-crossed romance with a goblin girl, but it's instalove and in my mind still fails to show me the why of it all. This was the biggest issue for me through the entire book. If I can't understand why a character did the thing that started the entire plot, that's going to sit with me for the whole book.
- The familial relationship between Lou and Neela. - This is a pretty nitpicky thing, but I kept waiting for it to become apparent why the author chose to make Lou and Neela same-age Niece/Aunt instead of something much easier to explain like cousins or family friends, but it never did. There's no exploration of the sisterly relationship between Neela and Lou's mom and other aunt, so it seems like an unnecessary complication that is consistently the tripping point in explaining the book to others.
So, in the end, 3.5 stars. Atmospherically good (Tori Bovalino writes a spooky atmosphere like nobody's business) but somewhat lacking in character intent.
CW for moments of intense gore/body horror
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
Not Good for Maidens is a modern, queer retelling of Christina Rosetti's The Goblin Market that takes place within two timelines. In the present, Lou's young aunt/best friend Neela has been taken by the Market all the way across the ocean in her family's ancestral home in the UK; Eighteen years ago, Lou's aunt May was the one held by the Market while her mother went in to save her, and whatever happened back then was enough to drive them from the country and never speak of it again, to the point of hiding Lou's magical heritage from her.
What I think this book did well:
- The Goblin Market itself, to an extent. - I was pleasantly surprised by the level of body horror and gore in a YA book. The goblins themselves are an interesting bunch and the market reads just as atmospherically intense as I'd expect after Tori Bovalino's previous book, The Devil Makes Three.
- The Dual Timelines. - I think the timelines worked well against each other in pacing and there were only a couple instances where I wanted to yell at the book to "go back, go back!" when it switched over. A small amount of that I think is good, keeping me invested in waiting for it to switch back as long as the current one still engages me. (I have seen other reviews say that the timelines are difficult to differentiate at times because they're pretty similar. It seems that most of these I saw were audiobook reviews, so this might be a book where the physical is a better read than the audio.)
What didn't work quite as well for me:
- The Goblin Market itself, to an extent. - But you just said up above- I know, I know. While the horrors of the Market are well written, what the book fails to communicate to me, as the reader, is why someone would be lured in to this monstrous place not just once, but multiple times in a row. I spent a lot of my time in May's timeline not understanding why she went in the first place and why she ever went back to the horror show. This is where the book attempts to use the sapphic star-crossed romance with a goblin girl, but it's instalove and in my mind still fails to show me the why of it all. This was the biggest issue for me through the entire book. If I can't understand why a character did the thing that started the entire plot, that's going to sit with me for the whole book.
- The familial relationship between Lou and Neela. - This is a pretty nitpicky thing, but I kept waiting for it to become apparent why the author chose to make Lou and Neela same-age Niece/Aunt instead of something much easier to explain like cousins or family friends, but it never did. There's no exploration of the sisterly relationship between Neela and Lou's mom and other aunt, so it seems like an unnecessary complication that is consistently the tripping point in explaining the book to others.
So, in the end, 3.5 stars. Atmospherically good (Tori Bovalino writes a spooky atmosphere like nobody's business) but somewhat lacking in character intent.
CW for moments of intense gore/body horror
April 27, 2022
I went into this one with really high expectations because The Devil Makes Three completely took me by surprise when it comes a well crafted story within the realm of gothic/dark academia. I desperately wanted this story to recreate those vibes, but it just didn’t quite get there.
Don’t get me wrong, Bovalino still maintains incredibly atmospheric writing and really nails the horror and body gore that the Wickett women experience at the Goblin Market. I also loved that there’s so much casual queerness in the storyline (an ace MC and a f/f relationship).
I don’t think the dual timelines where we get the flashbacks of May’s story 18 years prior in contrast to Lou’s current timeline worked for me. The biggest reason for this was that May and Lou didn’t feel like unique characters/voices, so it was really difficult to remember who was talking and in which timeline we were in. Because of this, the pacing felt choppy versus being very fluid.
While this one wasn’t a favorite, I am still looking forward to Bovalino’s next book.
Thank you to Recorded books for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Don’t get me wrong, Bovalino still maintains incredibly atmospheric writing and really nails the horror and body gore that the Wickett women experience at the Goblin Market. I also loved that there’s so much casual queerness in the storyline (an ace MC and a f/f relationship).
I don’t think the dual timelines where we get the flashbacks of May’s story 18 years prior in contrast to Lou’s current timeline worked for me. The biggest reason for this was that May and Lou didn’t feel like unique characters/voices, so it was really difficult to remember who was talking and in which timeline we were in. Because of this, the pacing felt choppy versus being very fluid.
While this one wasn’t a favorite, I am still looking forward to Bovalino’s next book.
Thank you to Recorded books for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
December 27, 2022
Format: audiobook
Author: Tori Bovalino ~ Title: Not Good for Maidens ~ Narrator: Laura Knight Keating
Content: 3 stars ~ Narration: 3 stars
Based on a story of Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. Maybe this reading experience would be better if I knew the story before reading this novel. All in all, this was an interesting story. I finished the audiobook, but it didn’t grab me as it should. Not Good for Maidens was my second Tori Bovalino novel, but if I’m honest, I liked The Devil Makes Three more.
If you are a fan of young adult dark fantasy/horror, with main characters witches and goblins, and don’t mind many content warnings, you could like this. And I am sure many readers will. I guess I am not quite the target audience here, or maybe I just was not in the mood.
Narration was good overall, and I would normally like this change of accents, but it didn’t feel natural.
Thanks to Recorded Books for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Author: Tori Bovalino ~ Title: Not Good for Maidens ~ Narrator: Laura Knight Keating
Content: 3 stars ~ Narration: 3 stars
Based on a story of Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. Maybe this reading experience would be better if I knew the story before reading this novel. All in all, this was an interesting story. I finished the audiobook, but it didn’t grab me as it should. Not Good for Maidens was my second Tori Bovalino novel, but if I’m honest, I liked The Devil Makes Three more.
If you are a fan of young adult dark fantasy/horror, with main characters witches and goblins, and don’t mind many content warnings, you could like this. And I am sure many readers will. I guess I am not quite the target audience here, or maybe I just was not in the mood.
Narration was good overall, and I would normally like this change of accents, but it didn’t feel natural.
Thanks to Recorded Books for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
September 17, 2022
ngl this is probably harsh but. one thing in this story really bugged me.
i know people get pregnant all the time but one of the main characters in this was pregnant but like. it wasn’t even a plot point. like every now and again they’d be like, what about the baby? and ur like, oh yeah i forgot she was PREGNANT. and u don’t even know how she got preggo? no explanation or mention of boyfriend. just. it was soooo random??????????????????? there was no reason to make her pregnant and it just made me so confused. full chekhovs gun moment i was waiting for her to give birth but no!!!! NO !!!!
i know people get pregnant all the time but one of the main characters in this was pregnant but like. it wasn’t even a plot point. like every now and again they’d be like, what about the baby? and ur like, oh yeah i forgot she was PREGNANT. and u don’t even know how she got preggo? no explanation or mention of boyfriend. just. it was soooo random??????????????????? there was no reason to make her pregnant and it just made me so confused. full chekhovs gun moment i was waiting for her to give birth but no!!!! NO !!!!
Read
April 26, 2022Don’t know how I feel about this one yet. Really lost me in the middle and then caught my interest at the end. Doesn’t really feel like the dual timeline was executed very well
July 4, 2022
2 stars--it was OK. Wrong reader, I think--this felt very YA to me, and I was irritated that the way the book creates tension (and adds length) was to have characters not talk to each other.
April 3, 2023
Too repetitive, and the whole book just revolved around her trying to save Neela from the Goblin Market and nothing else.
June 26, 2022
A modern take on the Goblin Market fairytale. Queer rep galore. Themes of belonging, family, duty, bonds, and bargains. Old English villages. Witches. Creepy-as-heck body horror. You’ll find it all in Not Good for Maidens, a dark YA fantasy full of bargains gone wrong, temptations too strong, and yearning to belong, unfolding over two timelines and two continents.
This book is sinister, dark, and creepy in a way that I find delightful (though admittedly others may disagree). The visceral imagery, especially the body horror, was rendered in creative, gory glory. I didn’t fully process this until the end, but there are also no major male characters in this story, save for minor appearances by a few, a father, and of course, the ruthless Goblin Prince. I love the female-fronted cast, with women of such a wide range of personalities and worldviews. And I’m not always a fan of dual timelines, but in this story, it worked quite well–both narratives were compelling, so I didn’t get that feeling of annoyance when you’re just waiting for one to be done before you move on to the next, and it helped develop the characters who appeared in both timelines, seeing them before and after the trauma of the Market.
There are some really interesting family dynamics in this book. Not in the “omg everyone is cheating on everyone how scandalous” way, but in an unconventional mixing of generations. Lou’s aunt, Neela, is just a year or two older than Lou herself, so the two are more like cousins. Lou’s mother and other aunt, May, raised Lou together, while Lou’s father is a separate relationship. There are a lot of emotions packed into this space, with close sisterhood, aunts that feel more like sisters, and some blurring of the line between “adult” and “child.”
Now, of course, the question I’m basically contractually obligated to answer: How is the ace rep? (Disclaimer, there is not actually a contract, it’s just me being hyperbolic.) Honestly, I really appreciated it! I thought it was handled well–it wasn’t just dropped in randomly or used for a convenient plot point and promptly forgotten. It wasn’t danced around; they actually used the word “asexual” on-page. And the main character’s asexuality played into a lot of her character development, beyond just being an isolated facet of her existence. One running theme in Lou’s life is the fact that she feels like an outsider, like she exists on the outskirts of things everyone else knows. And while this manifests in large, obvious ways, like her family literally hiding the fact that they are witches linked to an ancient goblin market, it shows up in smaller ways, too–including the “outsider” feeling of being asexual, like you just were kept in the dark about something everyone else somehow already knows. It's also very interesting seeing her experience of the Market (basically, "I don't want to be here, I want to save this person and leave, wtf is wrong with these people, I'm here to save lives not to make friends") contrasted with her mom/aunt's experiences 18 years ago (where an unexpected star-crossed goblin romance made things quite a bit more confusing).
Now, one thing I want to note: this is not a particularly fast-paced book. It isn’t long, so it goes by quickly, but it doesn’t feel action-packed for the most part, until the final ~30%. It is still very psychologically gripping, just not in a constant-action way, if that makes sense. The plot “twists” are predictable–but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being able to tell where the story is going doesn’t dampen the enjoyment of seeing how it gets there, and in some way it heightens the experience, knowing just how wrong things are about to go for these characters. And while the plot isn’t shocking, the sheer brutality of many aspects of the market are.
Look, this book might not be for everyone, because not everyone is into horror, and I get that. Not everyone wants to see a tree growing out of a disemboweled torso (this is the sanitized description; a more gruesome version shows up on-page). But for fans of queer horror, Seanan McGuire’s In an Absent Dream (or Rosetti's original "Goblin Market" poem), and unsettling imagery, this is an excellent choice.
This book is sinister, dark, and creepy in a way that I find delightful (though admittedly others may disagree). The visceral imagery, especially the body horror, was rendered in creative, gory glory. I didn’t fully process this until the end, but there are also no major male characters in this story, save for minor appearances by a few, a father, and of course, the ruthless Goblin Prince. I love the female-fronted cast, with women of such a wide range of personalities and worldviews. And I’m not always a fan of dual timelines, but in this story, it worked quite well–both narratives were compelling, so I didn’t get that feeling of annoyance when you’re just waiting for one to be done before you move on to the next, and it helped develop the characters who appeared in both timelines, seeing them before and after the trauma of the Market.
There are some really interesting family dynamics in this book. Not in the “omg everyone is cheating on everyone how scandalous” way, but in an unconventional mixing of generations. Lou’s aunt, Neela, is just a year or two older than Lou herself, so the two are more like cousins. Lou’s mother and other aunt, May, raised Lou together, while Lou’s father is a separate relationship. There are a lot of emotions packed into this space, with close sisterhood, aunts that feel more like sisters, and some blurring of the line between “adult” and “child.”
Now, of course, the question I’m basically contractually obligated to answer: How is the ace rep? (Disclaimer, there is not actually a contract, it’s just me being hyperbolic.) Honestly, I really appreciated it! I thought it was handled well–it wasn’t just dropped in randomly or used for a convenient plot point and promptly forgotten. It wasn’t danced around; they actually used the word “asexual” on-page. And the main character’s asexuality played into a lot of her character development, beyond just being an isolated facet of her existence. One running theme in Lou’s life is the fact that she feels like an outsider, like she exists on the outskirts of things everyone else knows. And while this manifests in large, obvious ways, like her family literally hiding the fact that they are witches linked to an ancient goblin market, it shows up in smaller ways, too–including the “outsider” feeling of being asexual, like you just were kept in the dark about something everyone else somehow already knows. It's also very interesting seeing her experience of the Market (basically, "I don't want to be here, I want to save this person and leave, wtf is wrong with these people, I'm here to save lives not to make friends") contrasted with her mom/aunt's experiences 18 years ago (where an unexpected star-crossed goblin romance made things quite a bit more confusing).
Now, one thing I want to note: this is not a particularly fast-paced book. It isn’t long, so it goes by quickly, but it doesn’t feel action-packed for the most part, until the final ~30%. It is still very psychologically gripping, just not in a constant-action way, if that makes sense. The plot “twists” are predictable–but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being able to tell where the story is going doesn’t dampen the enjoyment of seeing how it gets there, and in some way it heightens the experience, knowing just how wrong things are about to go for these characters. And while the plot isn’t shocking, the sheer brutality of many aspects of the market are.
Look, this book might not be for everyone, because not everyone is into horror, and I get that. Not everyone wants to see a tree growing out of a disemboweled torso (this is the sanitized description; a more gruesome version shows up on-page). But for fans of queer horror, Seanan McGuire’s In an Absent Dream (or Rosetti's original "Goblin Market" poem), and unsettling imagery, this is an excellent choice.
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