REVIEW: But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo
Set in the secluded and luxurious Capricious House, But Not Too Bold tells the tale of Dália as she is promoted to Keeper of the Keys, a role she’s been training for her whole life. Unfortunately, her mentor Maltilde, the former Keeper of the Keys, has been eaten by the lady of the house, Madam Anatema. Under the threat of a similar fate, Dália must unravel the mystery that led to Maltilde’s abrupt end. Hache Pueyo has told a deliciously gothic, modern fairy tale with But Not Too Bold that squeezes a lot into this novella-sized package.
“Be bold, be bold, but not too bold,
Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold.”
These are the words that greet visitors to the third floor of Capricious House, where Madam Anatema resides and where only the women of her staff may tread. The words are intended for Anatema’s brides, of which she has had many, to remind them not to look upon Madam’s face. Breaking that rule means you’re next on the menu. Anatema is an Archaic One, an ancient being that has existed long before us human “little people”, and she has the form of what can be best described as a giant spider lady. Mostly spider, and big enough to eat a human whole.
Dália was raised in Capricious House from the age of 8 when she was adopted from a local orphanage. She is used to Anatema’s appearance, having seen her on a few occasions before succeeding Matilde. Not long after becoming Keeper of the Keys, Dália starts to realise that Anatema is paying her special attention – the sort usually reserved for courting a new bride. No bride has lasted more than a couple of weeks in the house before being consumed, nevertheless Dália seems drawn to Anatema and enjoys spending time with her. When the truth behind the aforementioned mystery sends Anatema into a destructive rampage, threatening to eat every member of the household staff, Dália is likely the only thing that can calm the beast; but what will it cost her?
But Not Too Bold blends a gothic setting with the tension of a sword of Damocles dilemma alongside the magic of a fairy tale. If the title and the warning words sound familiar, they feature in an English fairy tale called Mr. Fox, which is the oldest known variation of what became the Bluebeard story. You shouldn’t be surprised either that But Not Too Bold has been compared to Carmilla. This little novella is steeped in the history of both gothic horror and fairy tales, which have been woven together by Pueyo expertly to bring the reader a tense balance between love and tragedy.
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