Alyce has destroyed all the institutions that made the first book so fun for me (the court setting, the Graces, the monarchy itself) and with Aurora still asleep, there’s not much recognisable at first. The Dark Court is very atmospheric – think the creepy parts of the animated Disney Sleeping Beauty with her creepy minions – and while it’s a very fun setting, I felt a little bit lost to begin with. She’s far more villainous than she was in book one, and for me it was rather startling to find myself disliking her so much when she was so relatable before. The Alyce we reconnect with is now Nimara, Mistress of the Dark Court, and while there are glimmers of her former personality in there, for the most part she’s a ruthless, violent, and melodramatic lead. It makes sense, from a Sleeping Beauty point of view, but it does mean that Alyce has had 100 years of off-page character development – and she’s given in to her evil side. Apart from a brief prologue, which picks up almost immediately after the end of Malice, the story skips ahead 100 years between the two books.

So, it took me a little while to get into Misrule, I will admit. You can always scroll back up to my link above and go and read my spoiler-free review of Malice to tempt you! I’ll do my best to keep specifics vague here, but I will need to discuss book one a little bit as the two are deeply linked. So if you haven’t yet read the first book, you’ll probably want to wait and come back to this review later. My standard sequel disclaimer applies particularly strongly here: it will be impossible to discuss this book without spoiling at least some of the events of Malice. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become? And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.Īlyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But it is a love that came with a heavy price: Aurora now sleeps under a curse that even Alyce’s vast power cannot seem to break. Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. Not even the one person who holds her heart. And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. All opinions my own.Ĭontent warnings: violence, injury, and death some mild gore death of family members (in past) and grief mention of child/baby death toxic relationship dynamics oppression of magical races.įeared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Ownership: Proof and finished copy sent free of charge by Del Rey Books.

Malice misrule