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. The only other problem I had with it was I found some of the reveals to be very strangely placed? Like we as the reader would know something before the characters did so when it was revealed it really wasn't that big of a deal? 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. To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family's past and what happened all those years ago. But everything -- from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves -- is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn't careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too. From The StoryGraph. 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.

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) But because this is YA, I try to be subjective and think of what I'd have given it when I was younger and it probably would have been a 4.5/5stars A spellbinding dark fantasy of generational magic and mischief. With haunting prose, this riveting tale will hold you captive like the call of the Goblin Market itself." – Rosiee Thor, author of Fire Becomes Her and Tarnished are the Stars Going off of that, I personally enjoyed the story of May far more than I enjoyed the story of Lou. I found Lou's story to be quite generic and boring, and I found myself waiting for May's chapters. The dual timeline was so perfectly crafted, the jumps from then to now felt effortless and just made sense, as did the pov changes.What also comes across very clearly is that the author is very familiar with her setting. Her descriptions are such that there is no doubt that she has travelled the roads and explored the locations which are pivotal in the book. Currently living in Northern Ontario, I could relate to the many communities mentioned: Sudbury, Wawa, Kirkland Lake, and Timmins. 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. 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. With equal measures of terror and tenderness, Tori Bovalino crafts a vivid story as alluring as the taste of goblin fruit.” – Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge and Forestfall

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

Not Good for Maidens

Full disclosure, I myself am not Jewish but I discussed the elements that concerned me with friends who are before posting this review) 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. The story is mainly told from Lou’s POV, with May’s story sprinkled through it gradually over the course of the book. One of my favorite aspects of the book was witnessing all the women in the story go on their own journeys of self-discovery and grow into themselves. Lou’s character development in particular was absolutely awesome. The book also focuses a lot on family and the bond between these women, which I really enjoyed. I was sent this finished copy for free by Titan Books for the purposes of providing an honest review.

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 I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.The atmosphere was really good, especially as someone who is from Boston which is where a bit of the story takes place. I really love the world building and what she decided to do with the goblin market, and I also thought the goblins themselves were really interesting. I also found it fascinating the way May and Lou reacted differently to the goblins. While goblins have glamour and magic, they also have this inherent magnetism. Humans are inexplicably drawn to goblins and their terrifying beauty. Even though they're scared, it's like they're caught under some kind of spell. They're not completely without conscious thought and discernment, as seen with May, but they are tempted, and it's a temptation that's difficult to ignore, as shown by the humans in the Market in both timelines who have completely given in to it. But Lou isn't tempted at all. She's not drawn to any of them. It's not discussed or touched on in any way, she just isn't; she's scared, and she wants to get out. And it made me wonder if it's because she's asexual. But not in the sense that she's missing something, that doesn't come across at all in the story. More like she has an advantage, a protection against the goblins, the other people we see don't. As I said, it's not mentioned at all in the story, or even hinted at, it's something that occurred to me while seeing how differently May and Lou react. I could be completely wrong, it could just be that her fear overwhelms any temptation. But I found it fascinating to consider as I read.

The assault and murder investigations are front and centre, but there are additional plot lines with Holly looking into the disappearance of a family member and a constable being accused of sexual assault. I absolutely love the premise of this, the goblin market is one of my favorite fairy tales and it is a shame at how few retellings there are. This book came at an especially perfect time because I had just finished writing my own goblin market retelling novel! So is really fun getting to see one another author did with it. QaS: In Not Good for Maidens we discover a Goblin Market which is as dark as it is treacherous. What were your favorite aspects of the Market to write about, and what did you find the most challenging about it?

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This is the sort of retelling that honours the essence of the original but spins it into something entirely new. The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti is an impactful poem warning of the dangers of temptation and damnation, particularly periodical taboos surrounding sexuality and desire. Bovalino brings these moral panics into the modern day, interrogating societal assumptions and the underlying judgement of female sexuality. It is a deeply feminist and empowering book, complicating Rossetti’s original challenges to society. The way Bovalino brings the original tale into the timelines is excellent and a creative way of merging these two worlds. Her reinterpretation is a brutal, blood-drenched one, but also one that maintains hope. On Vancouver Island, a young woman is assaulted at a remote park and barely escapes with her life. Soon another girl is killed at another remote location. Corporal Holly Martin of the local RCMP detachment is the first officer on the scene in both cases; although others soon take over the investigations, Holly remains interested and her input affects the outcome. Lou was such a fantastic protagonist and really acted as the audience’s eyes, as she enters this darkly magical world. Her spirit and determination is admirable, but she is not entirely immune to temptation. The way she wavers is so human and the conflicts she encounters are both mental and physical. I loved the way Bovalino explores family ties, heritage, and intergenerational trauma. In fact, the entire central cast of characters is so fractured and fascinating to read about. The representation was so amazing, particularly the speech about being asexual. This representation is not something you see too often in books and Bovalino brings sensitivity and authenticity to it. Also, the choice of setting is perfect. Aside from some Northern representation, Bovalino really taps into that environment of small town superstitions. It is claustrophobic and suffocating. At the same time, it speaks to folklore of old and the knowledge of something beyond. It pays homage to the history embedded in these small towns and the way that traditions are upheld. At its core, this is a book about temptation and damnation in a way that examines societal pressures and judgements. It asks why society deems certain values and people as forever unsullied and others as above judgement.