Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Hodder & Stoughton (2022), 416 pages
Description
Nineteen-year-old orphan Signa Farrow confronts Death--and her own deathly powers--when she investigates the mysterious murder of a relative at the Thorn Grove estate.
User reviews
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
A reluctant 3 stars. I bought this because I got sucked in by a pretty cover, and all the elements were there to make an interesting story: murders, poison, Death as a character, ghosts, and while it was technically written well enough to merit three stars, I didn't find much to like about it. Some
The reason I wouldn't recommend this book though, is I personally found the MC ridiculous. Yes, she had a very difficult life, being shuffled from one guardian to another, all of whom were only interested in her money and treated her terribly. Yes, she's lonely. Neither is an excuse for her childish behaviour or her lack of self. 75% of the book is all about her wanting to look pretty and act pretty and attract a husband so that she can join society - because then they'll have to like her. She's 19, she has the powers of Death himself, and she's an idiot. She has her great awakening in the last 25% of the book, where she suddenly decides to hell with conventions and to just be herself, which was both entirely too late coming, and entirely too unbelievable.
A very average book with a weak MC. All in all, a waste of a gorgeous cover.
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YA is written so well that it's ageless, but this isn't one of those YA's. There's a complete lack of sophistication to the writing, and the story should have been edited into a much tighter structure. The mystery was good though - the author totally plotted murder and attempted murder without me having a clue.The reason I wouldn't recommend this book though, is I personally found the MC ridiculous. Yes, she had a very difficult life, being shuffled from one guardian to another, all of whom were only interested in her money and treated her terribly. Yes, she's lonely. Neither is an excuse for her childish behaviour or her lack of self. 75% of the book is all about her wanting to look pretty and act pretty and attract a husband so that she can join society - because then they'll have to like her. She's 19, she has the powers of Death himself, and she's an idiot. She has her great awakening in the last 25% of the book, where she suddenly decides to hell with conventions and to just be herself, which was both entirely too late coming, and entirely too unbelievable.
A very average book with a weak MC. All in all, a waste of a gorgeous cover.
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LibraryThing member OpheliaAutumn
So, I'm a bit torn on this one. I enjoyed reading it and it kept me interested - the pacing was good, and there's a lot of good stuff there, like the atmosphere, and I think I'm interested enough that I might read the next one.
There was a mix of tropes I like and some I don't - I felt uncomfortable
I guess one of the main plot twist quite early, but that didn't prevent me from reading more. It just felt too tame and could have been more interesting otherwise, for example if desire/lust had been treated in a less tropey way. Some characters were brushed up too quickly and appeared in /disappeared from the story in a way that wasn't too subtle, and ultimately I failed to see why Signa cared so strongly about most people there apart from Death and Sylas. It felt a bit too "oh, instant connection because of a clever plot circumstance!" at times. I also thought there weren't enough stakes with her powers apart from the very beginning, but again, I still enjoyed the book overall.
I want to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for gifting me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
There was a mix of tropes I like and some I don't - I felt uncomfortable
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with the relationship with Death, because he basically knew Signa as a baby, but I think it also has to be seen metaphorically and with the point of view of Signa, which makes a lot of the book work better actually. I like the message about not fitting in society being OK, and being yourself, but it was way too tame and didn't question the social order at all, or played on a few questionable tropes at time. There were a few inconsistencies / questions (ex, why is Death so happy to speak with Signa when apparently he can speak with the Dead in his own world anyway? Why doesn't he sound like a timeless mythical creature? Why didn't the murderer change the way they poisoned people as they knew Signa spotted Belladonna easily, is it just so the boom can keep its title? It felt a bit childish. Again, let's see the book as a metaphor and it works better)I guess one of the main plot twist quite early, but that didn't prevent me from reading more. It just felt too tame and could have been more interesting otherwise, for example if desire/lust had been treated in a less tropey way. Some characters were brushed up too quickly and appeared in /disappeared from the story in a way that wasn't too subtle, and ultimately I failed to see why Signa cared so strongly about most people there apart from Death and Sylas. It felt a bit too "oh, instant connection because of a clever plot circumstance!" at times. I also thought there weren't enough stakes with her powers apart from the very beginning, but again, I still enjoyed the book overall.
I want to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for gifting me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member sennebec
This started slowly for me, but at the hundred page mark, something happened to grab my attention big time. From there, it was a solid page turner with interesting characters, creepy events, some really good surprises, and a dandy ending that's perfect for what comes next.
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace was one hell of a way to end the month. From the opening scene, when we first see Signa taking poison on purpose, to the twisty ending, all you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride. This Gothic romance has all of the best tropes. Plus, I cannot help but think it would be
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somewhat cool to be able to take any poison and live through it. What got me, though, is the addition of Death as a character. Ms. Grace writes him in such a way that makes my dark heart flutter. Ms. Grace already announced the sequel and its release date, and is already on my must-read list for 2023! Show Less
Awards
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2024)
Surrey Teens Read (Nominee — 2024)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
416 p.; 9.45 inches
ISBN
9781399713436
Local notes
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being - and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family's waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother's restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger, and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
Includes signed bookplate by the author.
Includes signed bookplate by the author.