Honestly this is one of the most charming stories I’ve ever read, and it’s not even a story! More of a continuous day-in-the-life of a singular and enchanting woman living in an extraordinary pocket of London surrounded by an enviable amount of handsome, witty men.

As usual, T. Kingfisher knocks it out of the park. I feel like fairytale retellings can sometimes lack creativity (because naturally they're following a pre-determined narrative with pre-developed characters) but NOT in this retelling!! Anja defied all the previous molds by being not only clever, but enthusiastic, confident, and determined. There was ACTUAL slow-burn romance (to all you who like the hard-pressed guard trying to protect a charge who is always getting into trouble romance dynamic, this is for you). The magic-system was one of the most clever and well-thought out magic-systems I've ever read and the writing was the perfect amount of gruesomely creepy, laugh-out-loud witty, and kicking-my-heels charming. And while the plot might have not been the most shocking by any accounts, I certainly had a fabulous time reading it!!

Ok I wish there were a higher rating available because I can't even begin to express how much I loved this book. I think this was the first time this year that I actually sat down IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY (I usually read at night) and read HALF of it. I honestly might have finished it in one day but I was enjoying it so much I slowed my reading pace so I could savor it, like a fine wine.

T. Kingfisher is a master of her craft and is quickly making her way into the ranks of my favorite authors. Every SINGLE character is endearing (or suitably odious), the plot the perfect blend of realism and whimsy, and the writing completely immersive. I genuinely cannot WAIT to read this again (and I am currently adding it to my cart because I need to own my own copy of this book immediately).

While I can see why people would like this book (part of the reason why I came in with high expectations), it really wasn't for me. In many ways, I felt like this book possessed a lot of elements of a "booktok" book, elements that I personally don't enjoy reading. For one, the writing and a lot of the tropes fell flat and I really struggled understanding the characters and their motivations. I also had high hopes for the enemies-to-lovers romance, and was given insta-love instead 🫣 I must say though, it's one redeeming quality in my opinion was Bartholomew. I loved him dearly.