3.5? 3.75? I still enjoyed it, but I more easily saw the flaws and weak points this time around. I have to start work, so no review just now, but I swear I'm gonna try and get one up tonight when I'm home lmao 
 I tried to open goodreads to type this review out last night, but it kept giving me an error pageaEUR| A sign? lmao. SPOILERS BELOW so avert ya eyes if you don't wanna see em 
 I think my main issue with this novel is that chunks of it felt underdeveloped and brief. The writing is gorgeous, in my opinion. It can go on and on a little bit at times, but I absolutely adore the way Novik describes the cantrips and spells. The premise itself falls into a category that IaEUR(tm)m finding to be a favourite of mine aEUR" dark, morbid fairy tales aEUR" and at its core, I do genuinely think the plot itself is very well done. However, after finishing my second reading, it feels like I would have preferred parts of the story to be better explained or given more depth and time to unravel. 
 Sarkan and NieshkaaEUR(tm)s relationship feels like it goes from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye and whilst I found the ending adorable and their interactions enjoyable enough, I wish the first 1/3?? Maybe? of the book had been spaced out or rearranged so we could see them going from aEUR~unhappy as fuck roomiesaEUR(tm) to aEUR~fam, i think I love you? what the fuck : /aEUR(tm) a little more clearly. 
 Kasia is lovely and I do like her as a character, but I wish sheaEUR(tm)d been given a little more aEUR~screentimeaEUR(tm), so to speak. Wishful thinking, but I think I would have quite liked a chapter from her perspective somewhere. Sarkan, as well, now that IaEUR(tm)m thinking about it. I wonder how the book might have read if weaEUR(tm)d jumped between Nieshka, Kasia and Sarkan every few chapters? It might have been messy, who knows. I like my multiple POVs too much lmao 
 The Wood and the Wood Queen? Loved the concept. Some of the scenes in the Wood were genuinely creepy and had me cringing, but the reveal at the end of the WoodaEUR(tm)s origin just feltaEUR| a tad hasty. ThataEUR(tm)s not to say I didnaEUR(tm)t enjoy the way it was done, because I did, but I would have enjoyed it more had there had been a slow unravelling of the truth, a more obvious hint here or there as the story progressed, rather than having just about all of it dumped on you towards the end. 
 Alosha is my fave, just throwing that out there. ThataEUR(tm)s all I wanna say. Alosha is my fave. 
 The aEUR~epilogueaEUR(tm), if it could be called that, was probably my favourite part of the story. Nieshka working with the Walkers to try and heal the Wood and the remaining heart trees was a rly nice way to end things imo, and Sarkan rocking up at the village, all nervous and stiff and awkward, was pretty sweet as well. 
 IDK IF ANY OF THIS MADE SENSE?? I enjoyed this, but I wish things had been done a little differently here and there. 
 PS: I'm not gonna lie, I was lowkey hoping Kasia and Nieshka would end up together in the end when I first read this and I STILL.... kinda feel like they made more sense together than Sarkan and Nieshka lmao.... BUT THAT'S JUST ME : " ) 
 What's this?? Daisy wrote a review?? Surely the world must be ending.