Summary:
The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…
All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.
But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.
Thoughts:
Well I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book but I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s a beautifully dark tale of tragic romance and learning to love oneself.
First of all, I have to say how much I loved the prose in this story. It’s not all that often that I comment on the writing itself but I just loved it so much here. The prose and the way the story is told with what the writer reveals vs what is being left unsaid is just so well done here and it lends the story a gothic atmosphere even though the story isn’t typically gothic. Love, love, love the prose. *chef’s kiss*
This is very much a dark fairytale and the darkness comes from within the characters and their internal struggles, but also how those struggles manifest in fits of passion intermingled with violence. And although there are some moments I would consider violent in this, it’s never cruel. The main character, Elisabeth (or Liesl) is a plain young woman who is resigned to always be the practical one of her siblings. While her younger sister is beautiful and holds the attention and admiration of suitors and her entire family’s hopes are pinned on her younger brother’s musical talents, Liesl has allowed herself to become unnoticed. She’s been told by her father that her own dreams don’t matter as she’ll never amount to anything and all the praise is heaped on her siblings. She tells herself she’s content but clearly, deep inside, the part of herself that she’s locked away is miserable and biding its time. The Goblin King and his bid to catch her attention is the catalyst that will finally make her want to feed her dreams again.
So let’s get to The Goblin King and this dark fairytale. The book starts with a tale of two children meeting in the Goblin Grove and becoming friends, playing children’s games, and it’s told in the style of a fairy story. The players are clearly The Goblin King and Liesl. Although now much older Liesl doesn’t really remember those days, if they were real. The Goblin King once again shows up in her life and she pays him no heed, after all fairy stories aren’t real. But when he fails to catch her attention he takes her sister instead and makes a bargain with a now desperate Liesl to get her back. Even though I’m a HUGE fan of Beauty and the Beast, I don’t love it when characters implement these types of bargains even if they have good intentions because, well, they’re trying to take away any agency from someone they’re ultimately trying to gain the affection of. That is kind of fucked up when you think about it. As a plot point it works really well and it’s a bit of a tradition but I’d really love to see that trope subverted more. That being said, I don’t have any major issue with it being used here either, because it is such a common element in fairy tales.
The Goblin King was a fascinating character. He’s very mysterious as is the whole history and myth behind his character. I loved the way bits and pieces were revealed over time. All of the guessing helped with the cloudy atmosphere of the story. In the Underground things felt very off-kilter and his character is no exception. Just what is he? He seems to be more than one thing at the same time. I love that there’s a character within the character–he and Liesl have that in common in some ways although his is more literal while hers is more figurative. I feel like it not only helped make their relationship work really well but also seeing this ‘person within’ in the Goblin King gives some understanding to Liesl’s own struggles with her self and the way she’s locked a part of her self deep inside.
Now this story does get dark at times–Liesl is dealing with a lot of internal pain and recognizing her own worth. When things start coming to a head she doesn’t always deal with assigning value to herself in the most healthy way. This is something that has a huge affect on her relationship with The Goblin King as she can’t understand why he wants her and there’s this almost violent push pull. They’re both quite broken in their own ways and that doesn’t always make for the healthiest of relationships but there is a genuine love that forms between them and it felt beautiful and angsty and a bit grotesque at times.
Overall, I really loved this story. The prose was great, and these kinds of dark fairytale romances are just my thing. Very much looking forward to reading the sequel. 4.5/5 stars.
Way Too Fantasy 
Hooray, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 😊
I really loved it! I need to pick up book two. 🙂
I’m pretty sure I would love this too. In fact, I’m not sure why I haven’t read it yet! Awesome review, Lisa😁
It was an interesting one, I really liked it a lot more than I expected. 🙂
Not sure why my comment says anonymous but its Tammy, lol.
LOL – wordpress is being weird probably!
It sounds like the perfect dark winter cozy read!! I haven’t heard a lot about this book but your review made me want to check it out! 😀
Hmm, I don’t know that it was cozy but it was dark and gothic and super intriguing to me! 🙂
(I usually find dark polar fantasy reads very comforting, I don’t know why LOL)
Hahaha, that’s funny. 🙂
While I’m not usually attracted by stories with a romantic focus, this one looks very intriguing – maybe because of the darkness you mentioned – and that amazing cover seems to say “read me… read me…” 😉
Thanks for sharing!
It’s a very dark and toxic romance but it also somehow worked for me. That cover is amazing!
I loved the writing in this one too and I really wanted to love the story too but couldn’t because there’s so much romance in it and I wasn’t expecting that. It made me really upset because I felt tricked, but I probably misled myself. But the writing and atmosphere in this was wonderful.
I also don’t like it when that bargain thing is used to gain someone’s affection. I just see it as a sort of blackmail and forcing someone to like you.
Yeah it really is mostly a romance, I don’t even know that I’d expected that going in but I didn’t mind because I’m me haha. 🙂
I’m sorry that you felt tricked! I know that’s happened to me a few times with things and it really can make you resentful a bit of the story and marketing behind it!
Yes, I agree about the bargain thing. This is also why I thought the romance was problematic and toxic (just one reason really) buuuuuuut for some reason I still really liked this.
Great review!! You really know how to make me add more books to my TBR!!
Hah! Well, I hope you enjoy this if you check it out. 🙂
I’ve seen this book mentioned on various blogs a few times this year and it has me really curious! Don’t think I’ve read anything with goblins before, but I’m definitely liking the sound of this one, and I’m especially intrigued by the characters. Great review 🙂
I think this is the third goblin book I’ve read? No, 4th? LOL. This one was really interesting and had a fantastic atmosphere!
I don’t think I knew much about this book for some reason or maybe it’s just slipped my mind. Great review though, definitely made me very curious to go and take a look.
Lynn 😀
It was an interesting one! Very toxic romance, deliciously dark and maybe a bit gothic-fairtyale feeling. 🙂
As I was reading the blurb I was thinking this sounded like a YA romance that wouldn’t appeal to me all that much, but it doesn’t sound like it in your review. I might actually be quite keen on reading it… Would you say it’s YA or an adult dark fairytale?
It’s definitely YA. It’s a dark YA though, kind of like how The Bone Witch is dark YA fantasy.