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A review by stitchsaddiction
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
‘Stop worrying about society and playing its game, hoping that you'll be good enough. There is no such thing as true goodness, there is only perception.’
I had wanted to read the Belladonna series for ages, and I'm not sure why I hadn't done so before now; but I'm so glad I decided to do so as Belladonna was incredible. I couldn't put the book down and was fully immersed in the world that Adalyn Grace had created in this dark fantasy.
The world building is really well done as you're drawn into the life of Signa, a girl whose life seems to have Death dancing in the shadows and leaving her cast from family member to family member. We’re in a world of aristocracy, with arrogance, secrets, and the disguise of indifference, and I loved it.
Belladonna is a beautifully written mystery that's unique and imaginative, and as I said, I didn't want to put it down. I needed to know if Signa would be safe finally, and wanted to know just what was it about her that had Death lingering… is he a friend or a foe?
Each character gives something to the story, from questioning whether they're going to make Signa's newfound sanctuary be endangered or to see her be joyful. There's nothing worse to me than having a character appear who seems to be important initially and then *poof* they're gone, and that never happens. Each background character is there for a reason and breathes life into Belladonna so that it's an engaging read that has you wondering if you could slip on an exquisite outfit and wander around this world.
What's also wonderfully done is the way there's a lingering sinister atmosphere that is somehow tangible from the page. There's all this elegance and beauty going on but it almost feels like you're looking at it through a fractured window so it's just not quite as perfect a world as you'd like it to be. Darkness hides alongside Death. There's a fear of whether Signa will lose another home, a person who finally seems to care for her, and that tension is excellently done.
The world building is really well done as you're drawn into the life of Signa, a girl whose life seems to have Death dancing in the shadows and leaving her cast from family member to family member. We’re in a world of aristocracy, with arrogance, secrets, and the disguise of indifference, and I loved it.
Belladonna is a beautifully written mystery that's unique and imaginative, and as I said, I didn't want to put it down. I needed to know if Signa would be safe finally, and wanted to know just what was it about her that had Death lingering… is he a friend or a foe?
Each character gives something to the story, from questioning whether they're going to make Signa's newfound sanctuary be endangered or to see her be joyful. There's nothing worse to me than having a character appear who seems to be important initially and then *poof* they're gone, and that never happens. Each background character is there for a reason and breathes life into Belladonna so that it's an engaging read that has you wondering if you could slip on an exquisite outfit and wander around this world.
What's also wonderfully done is the way there's a lingering sinister atmosphere that is somehow tangible from the page. There's all this elegance and beauty going on but it almost feels like you're looking at it through a fractured window so it's just not quite as perfect a world as you'd like it to be. Darkness hides alongside Death. There's a fear of whether Signa will lose another home, a person who finally seems to care for her, and that tension is excellently done.