Misrule: Book Two of the Malice Duology
Does true love break curses or begin them? The dark sorceress of “Sleeping Beauty” reclaims her story in this sequel to Malice.
“Fans of reimagined fairy tales and LGBTQ+ themes will be delighted with the conclusion of this fantasy duology.”—Booklist (starred review)
The Dark Grace is dead.
Feared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Not even the one person who holds her heart.
Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. 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. And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.
Alyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become?
Or is true love only for fairy tales?
Book Two of the Malice Duology
“Fans of reimagined fairy tales and LGBTQ+ themes will be delighted with the conclusion of this fantasy duology.”—Booklist (starred review)
The Dark Grace is dead.
Feared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Not even the one person who holds her heart.
Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. 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. And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.
Alyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become?
Or is true love only for fairy tales?
Book Two of the Malice Duology
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Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
Misrule follows Alyce centuries after the events of Malice, continuing the fantastical LGBTQ retellings of Sleeping Beauty.
Storytelling
Misrule opens up soon after the events of Malice; Alyce is trying to wake up her Sleeping Beauty, and what comes afterward is a kingdom of the Vila.
So many things have changed since the last novel. Alyce is now Queen of Briar, a land that has become a haven for the Vila, a race so hated by the elves and humans that they tried to wipe them out. Alyce has rescued many, but her many tormentors who hated her for being different still linger, even if it is as servants.
Walter did a fantastic job in the way she evolved the story of Malice. The world has changed, but Alyce still faces those prejudices. What worked well was how all the pieces of the story just fell into place perfectly. We read it and think that maybe the story will go in one direction, that it will evolve in a certain way. However, Walter’s imagination shows an entirely different way to develop and retell Sleeping Beauty. That is what makes the story wonderful. It has this unpredictability to it, plot twists, and shifts in dynamics that keep the reader engaged.
There is also world-building. The Vila, this race that was thought to have been wiped out, has come back with a vengeance, with a mind full of openness and power at their fingertips. They are a cast of strong characters that each add something to the world and court that Walter is building here. Moreover, what they also do is serve to show how Alyce has grown and changed since the previous novel.
Characterization
Alyce has changed over the centuries, and become more confident in herself. But there is a darkness that has always lingered from the first book. That rage she felt for being emotionally and physically abused at a young age, tormented throughout her life for being different, bubbles just beneath the surface. I love that about her; it makes her more realistic. Yes, centuries have passed, and she now has a new family, people who respect, love, and challenge her.
However, the scars from that abuse linger. The sting of betrayal and pain it has affected the way she acts, and how she rules her kingdom, and that is something anyone can relate to. We can move on from the pain, but we can’t ever truly get over it.
This adds to the plot development and the tension mounting in the story. It is such an incredible and well-told story that develops Alyce into such a formidable story, giving life to the relationship between Princess Aurora and her dark grace.
Final Thoughts
Misrule is an excellent novel. As masterfully told as its predecessor, Misrule is a brilliant conclusion to a brilliant duology that brings new life to the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Misrule follows Alyce centuries after the events of Malice, continuing the fantastical LGBTQ retellings of Sleeping Beauty.
Storytelling
Misrule opens up soon after the events of Malice; Alyce is trying to wake up her Sleeping Beauty, and what comes afterward is a kingdom of the Vila.
So many things have changed since the last novel. Alyce is now Queen of Briar, a land that has become a haven for the Vila, a race so hated by the elves and humans that they tried to wipe them out. Alyce has rescued many, but her many tormentors who hated her for being different still linger, even if it is as servants.
Walter did a fantastic job in the way she evolved the story of Malice. The world has changed, but Alyce still faces those prejudices. What worked well was how all the pieces of the story just fell into place perfectly. We read it and think that maybe the story will go in one direction, that it will evolve in a certain way. However, Walter’s imagination shows an entirely different way to develop and retell Sleeping Beauty. That is what makes the story wonderful. It has this unpredictability to it, plot twists, and shifts in dynamics that keep the reader engaged.
There is also world-building. The Vila, this race that was thought to have been wiped out, has come back with a vengeance, with a mind full of openness and power at their fingertips. They are a cast of strong characters that each add something to the world and court that Walter is building here. Moreover, what they also do is serve to show how Alyce has grown and changed since the previous novel.
Characterization
Alyce has changed over the centuries, and become more confident in herself. But there is a darkness that has always lingered from the first book. That rage she felt for being emotionally and physically abused at a young age, tormented throughout her life for being different, bubbles just beneath the surface. I love that about her; it makes her more realistic. Yes, centuries have passed, and she now has a new family, people who respect, love, and challenge her.
However, the scars from that abuse linger. The sting of betrayal and pain it has affected the way she acts, and how she rules her kingdom, and that is something anyone can relate to. We can move on from the pain, but we can’t ever truly get over it.
This adds to the plot development and the tension mounting in the story. It is such an incredible and well-told story that develops Alyce into such a formidable story, giving life to the relationship between Princess Aurora and her dark grace.
Final Thoughts
Misrule is an excellent novel. As masterfully told as its predecessor, Misrule is a brilliant conclusion to a brilliant duology that brings new life to the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
** Many thanks to NetGalley for kindly providing me with this ARC **
100 years after the curse was cast that sent Aurora into deep sleep, Alyce has built her own dark court. Briar no longer exists, and nor does Alyce. Under the new name Nimara the former Dark Grace now rules over her new kingdom. She is desperate to bring the princess back to life, though scared things will not be the same between the two of them. When Aurora is accidentally awakened by someone not supposed to break her curse, what will happen to a kingdom whose heir has risen to find a wholly different world than the one she was meant to rule? This book has everything; morally grey characters, rich imagery, sapphic relationships, interesting twists and turns. I liked Malice and the foundation it laid, but its sequel added so much more depth to the world and its characters. The world we were introduced to in the first one is now being expanded and reconstructed, as much has changed in 100 years. The characters felt a lot more round, and I found the pacing to be just right. Alyce and Aurora’s relationship felt so realistic, and I am more than happy with the ending. Reading this book felt bittersweet in the best way possible.
100 years after the curse was cast that sent Aurora into deep sleep, Alyce has built her own dark court. Briar no longer exists, and nor does Alyce. Under the new name Nimara the former Dark Grace now rules over her new kingdom. She is desperate to bring the princess back to life, though scared things will not be the same between the two of them. When Aurora is accidentally awakened by someone not supposed to break her curse, what will happen to a kingdom whose heir has risen to find a wholly different world than the one she was meant to rule? This book has everything; morally grey characters, rich imagery, sapphic relationships, interesting twists and turns. I liked Malice and the foundation it laid, but its sequel added so much more depth to the world and its characters. The world we were introduced to in the first one is now being expanded and reconstructed, as much has changed in 100 years. The characters felt a lot more round, and I found the pacing to be just right. Alyce and Aurora’s relationship felt so realistic, and I am more than happy with the ending. Reading this book felt bittersweet in the best way possible.
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