I absolutely loved this book. The fairy tales were tied together so neatly, the characters felt sooo real. They are so natural, and easy to understand why they are the way they are. Naomi Novik knows how to write strong women. And she does it with empathy. Being a strong woman isn't about fighting in a tight bodysuit, she doesn't make killing and aggression seem sexy. Being strong means making the right decision and looking out for your loved ones. It means you cry, collapse, then get up again and do what's right. She lets her characters slowly understand their enemies, and develop empathy towards them. I really appreciate this kind of story telling. And although there was definitely a villain in the end, I really like how the antagonists were portrayed in a non black-and-white way. A lot of people said the middle part of the book was a bit unnecessary, but I didn't feel that way. It may be a personal preference, but I absolutely love diving deeper into a book's world and story. So I don't mind a few hundred pages here and there haha. Also I feel like we really had to see the struggles of the characters more, I definitely think it was necessary. The middle part made it much easier to identify with them. It was where most of the character development happened! Where we could see why they decide in certain ways in the end. So I absolutely think the author made a good decision with keeping these parts! Also, I loved the different POVs. Yes, sometimes I had to read something twice till I realized whose POV I'm in, but Novik did a great job on the characters unique voices. It's incredibly hard to write like this! And finally, I want to thank the author for not making the romance the center of the plot. I do love a good romance, but I feel like this is a much better way to show young girls that your value isn't in being someone else's wife. AND let's not forget!! Not a single one of the protagonists were beautiful!! How often do you see that kind of stuff?? I'm truly amazed. I also wanna thank my bestie for buying this book for me for my birthday 😭 she knows my taste in books so well I love her. 🩵 I really recommend this book to anyone who likes unique fairy tales, found family stories, awesome world building, well written characters and an exciting plot.