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A Curse of Roses

Diana Pinguicha (Goodreads Author)

4.06 · Rating details · 296 ratings · 197 reviews

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring t ...more

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Hardcover, 352 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Entangled: Teen

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· 296 ratings · 197 reviews

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Oct 23, 2019 Diana Pinguicha added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: books-i-worked-on

I wrote it, so naturally, I think it is the best.

Some things about A Curse of Roses (fka A Miracle of Roses):
- F/F Portuguese Historical Fantasy
- Follows Yzabel of Aragon (Isabel de Aragão), actual Saint and Cinnamon Bun
- Enchanted Mouras
- Lots of food
- Lots of flowers
- Half of the book is set in my hometown
- An Alentejo Mastiff

Content warnings are present in the book, but just in case:
- internalized homophobia
- religious-based self-harm
- religious and magic-based disordered eating
- the goddamn ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Lex Kent rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fantasy, ya-or-na, f-f, lgbtq, magic

3.75 Stars. This was a good story. I didn’t love it like I was hoping to, but there were parts I really enjoyed and I liked the overall feel of the book. I don’t get to read much historical fantasy, especially not sapphic YA, so I was really excited to read this. The author mentions that this story really meant a lot to her personally and I think that showed in her writing.

I really liked that this was a retelling of a Portuguese legend. I enjoyed the premise and how the story unfolded. I do wis 3.75 Stars. This was a good story. I didn’t love it like I was hoping to, but there were parts I really enjoyed and I liked the overall feel of the book. I don’t get to read much historical fantasy, especially not sapphic YA, so I was really excited to read this. The author mentions that this story really meant a lot to her personally and I think that showed in her writing.

I really liked that this was a retelling of a Portuguese legend. I enjoyed the premise and how the story unfolded. I do wish that more history was given about this time in Portugal. It’s not something I’m knowledgeable about and I would have loved learning a bit more about the real history. I did find that the book was easy to get into and I was hooked after a few pages. I also found that I really enjoyed the ending. I was flying through the pages near the end and I felt like the book became very entertaining at that point. The first third and last third is really where the book really shined. Unfortunately, the middle third is where the book had most of its issues in my opinion. I felt like the pace really slowed down and not much was happening. I think that the legend this was based on was not very long so I have to wonder if Pinguicha felt she had to stretch things a bit. Luckily, the beginning and ending made up for the middle stumble.

When it came to the characters I liked the ones I should like and hated the ones I should hate. I was actually surprised what a small cast of characters this had for a fantasy book but I felt like I got to know all the secondary characters well because of it. I was super surprised that I actually didn’t mind the King. Yeah, he was a bit of a jerk at times, but normally in sapphic fantasy books, kings are the worst of the worst. I liked that while the main character, Princess Yzabel, was not sexually attracted to him, that she was still able to mostly be friends with him. It was really nice to see a decent male character, in a power position, in a sapphic fantasy.

When it came to the romance I thought it was sweet. There was a part of me that felt like it moved a little fast, but when I really think back now I think the speed was okay. A little quick but better than a lot of YA books I’ve read lately. I thought they had some chemistry together but I do wish I felt their feelings a bit more. I think they were a tad subdued. That was not just the romance either but subdued feelings in other parts too. Something huge happens and I feel like everyone just always wanted the main character to suck it up. I wanted to see more feelings out of her instead. She had plenty of thoughts and worries about not being pious enough, but I wanted those deep thoughts transferred over to other issues she dealt with.

This book had some ups and downs for me but the overall story I did enjoy. I would recommend this to historical fantasy fans. I do want to say that this is the kind of book you have to suspend disbelief with, and I’m not talking about any magic. The Princess should have died from poor nutrition long before this story begins, but if you can go with the flow and just enjoy the story for what it is, I think this will be a better read for you. This is a debut book and it makes me excited to think where Pinguicha could take us in the future.

An ARC was given to me for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 22, 2020 anna (½ of readsrainbow) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1-retellings, pub-2020, 2-ownvoices, arcs, 1-fantasy, 2-lgbt, 5-young-adult, 2-side-sapphic, 2-sapphic, 2-lgbt-authors

rep: mostly Portuguese cast & setting, lesbian mc, lesbian Muslim li, lesbian scs
tw: religion-based self harm, homophobia, internalised homophobia, blood, murder, body horror

4.5 ☆

Review also on my blog. ARC provided by the publisher.

My initial review for A Curse of Roses was simply “lesbians have won with this one!”, and that’s absolutely true and tells you a lot about what you should expect from this book. But let me expand on that a bit.

First of all, the book might not be using modern sexualit ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 human rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cover-love, lgbtqia, historical, netgalley, read-in-2020, retellings, drama-to-rival-my-mothers-soaps

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

(3.5/5)

I really liked how certain topics were addressed in this book, but I still think certain things could have been done better.

A Curse of Roses weaves an interesting OwnVoices retelling from a Portuguese legend, telling the tale of Princess Yzabel, betrothed to the King of Portugal, but more importantly, cursed to turn food into flowers, watching on as she and the common people around her star ...more

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Nov 19, 2020 Lilly rated it it was ok

Shelves: booooring, arc

No. No thank you. This was rushed, not at all detailed, and confusing. Super confusing. Not to mention anti-feminist, although I know that wasn’t intentional, it still wasn’t ever corrected. The plot had as many holes as a Swiss cheese block, and the characters didn’t have any flaws or personalities. The romance also wasn’t well developed and was rushed. The writing was horrendously inconsistent, at times formal and beautiful, and at others, it sounded a lot like a gangster from 2020. There were ...more

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Dec 09, 2020 ❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, historical, magic, young-adult, arc, kindle, romance, fantasy, retellings

Come see this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl!

Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

2.5/5 stars

I'm...not quite sure what my allover thoughts are about this read. Some parts of it were pretty good, and some I wasn't such a fan of. I've seen some of my friends write glowing reviews, and others inform others that it isn't worth a read. I'm somewhere in the middle, to be sure.

A Curse of Roses follows Yzabel, the princess betrothed ...more

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Nov 15, 2020 katie rated it really liked it

Shelves: gorgeous-covers, lgbtqia-plus, 4-stars, my-heart

This was one of my most anticipated releases for December, and I'm very excited to say that it did not disappoint!

I went into this with low expectations, since it was a debut, but I couldn't help but love it by the end. There was so much gay in this and I was extremely happy with the f/f romance.

"You’ve been forged in despair, Yza, and tempered in hardship. It’s made you considerate in ways many wouldn’t be. That is why we were given a power that could not just feed a nation, but temper it, too. ...more

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Oct 23, 2019 The Bookavid rated it it was amazing

Shelves: r-ff, rep-lesbian, 2020-releases, g-historical-fantasy, my-children

i cried five times

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Oct 23, 2019 Isabel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, lgbtqiap, physical-copy, retelling, historical-fiction, young-adult, mythology

This arc was provided by Entangled Teen, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: religious-based self-harm, religious and magic-based eating disorders, and religious-based internalized homophobia, sexism, and sexual harassment.

"You've been forged in despair, Yza, and tempered in hardship. It's made you considerate in ways many wouldn't be. That is why we were given a power that could not just feed a nation but temper it, too. Because you, of all people, will use it for good."

This ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 ;3 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, fantasy, lgbt, favourites

love is real and it exists solely between fatyan and yzabel <3333

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Dec 01, 2020 Bethany rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lgbtq

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars (rounding up)

A Curse of Roses is a stunning #ownvoices debut novel that retells a Portuguese myth, but with a sapphic relationship. Portuguese author Pinguicha crafts a story that is both romantic and heart-wrenching as the main character grapples with a religious practice that is violently oppressive. Check content warnings on this one if you need them, but if you can deal with the topics I do recommend it. It's a story about love, kindness, acceptance, and being true t Actual Rating: 4.5 stars (rounding up)

A Curse of Roses is a stunning #ownvoices debut novel that retells a Portuguese myth, but with a sapphic relationship. Portuguese author Pinguicha crafts a story that is both romantic and heart-wrenching as the main character grapples with a religious practice that is violently oppressive. Check content warnings on this one if you need them, but if you can deal with the topics I do recommend it. It's a story about love, kindness, acceptance, and being true to yourself, though you go through a LOT to get there.

Princess Yzabel is cursed. Any food she touches turns into flowers and she is nearly starving. Meanwhile the poor of her country are also starving and she is heartbroken at the idea of wasting any food. In desperation, she seeks out and frees a beautiful Enchanted Moura named Fatyan in hopes that she can rid her of the curse or help her turn flowers into food for her people.

At the heart of the story is a slow burn romance between these two women, but Yzabel is a devout Catholic who practices forms of self-harm as a way to pay for her sins. (this includes fasting, whipping herself, and wearing a spiked sort of garter on her leg- all on page) She has been taught a faith that is oppressive and misogynist, and despite her kind heart it's a long journey for her to accept the possibility of a loving God and the idea that he made her as she is. It's a difficult yet compelling story and includes some very well-written steamy scenes between the two women as well (any fans of the only one bed trope?), as Yzabel comes to realize her sexuality isn't what she thought it was.

The story is intense but it's an impressive debut and one that I think will speak to queer people who have been raised in conservative, religious families and perhaps came to recognize their queerness later in life. I received an advance copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include self-harm, murder, violence, misogyny, religious abuse, gore, infidelity, homophobia. ...more

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Dec 15, 2020 Vicky Again rated it it was amazing

I have to admit, I was not sure things would end well, but Pinguicha really pulled through and gave us that happy ending. Yzabel and Fatyah are so soft!!! I love them!!!

I'm absolutely stunned by the sheer amount of growth Pinguicha managed to fit in this novel. It never felt like certain parts of her growth was rushed, and Yzabel has plenty (plenty) of steps backwards, for all the steps she takes forward.

The magic of A CURSE OF ROSES is not quite as lovely as it might seem (flower magic should ...more

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Nov 26, 2020 Andy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-read, own, arc, queer-rep-lesbian, queer-rep-wlw-unspecified, queer-side-character, poc-stories, ownvoices

4.5/5

Thank you to Pride book tours, the author and Entangled teen for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Princess Yzabel wants to help the people of her future husband, Denis of Portugal. She has been cursed to turn food into flowers, usually roses, and she fears the curse will soon cost her her life like it did her grandmother before her. Her last hope is an Enchanted Moura named Fatyan. To free her, Yzabel must give her a kiss but this would be committ ...more

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Nov 23, 2020 Danielle's rated it it was amazing

A curse of roses enticed me right from the title. The blurb had me sold on the idea and the story didn’t disappoint. This was so up my street I was hooked on every single word.

A princess and a famine. She has all the food in the world but she can’t do anything but turn it into flowers. This is a story of forbidden wants, It’s about control and it’s beautifully done.

I love this publisher. I love this kind of story. I’m so glad it didn’t disappoint. 5 out of 5.

I received an ARC in exchange for an ...more

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Sep 16, 2020 ♠ TABI⁷ ♠ marked it as to-read

Shelves: edelweiss, netgalley

this book: iT wAs oNLy a kiSS

me: omg it was only a kiss I NEED THIS BOOK

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Dec 12, 2020 Sofii♡ (A Book. A Thought.) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases, fantasy, arc, young-adult, read-in-2020

I want to thank NetGalley & Entangled: Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I found many surprises in this book that I adore, I confess that this time there was little I knew about the plot, I'd only heard it was based on some Portuguese myths and I loved that, so that was what led me to pick up the book and I really loved it! Not only I think the basis of this story is super solid and very well executed, but I also really enjoyed how fresh and unique the
I want to thank NetGalley & Entangled: Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I found many surprises in this book that I adore, I confess that this time there was little I knew about the plot, I'd only heard it was based on some Portuguese myths and I loved that, so that was what led me to pick up the book and I really loved it! Not only I think the basis of this story is super solid and very well executed, but I also really enjoyed how fresh and unique the story felt as a whole. Undoubtedly, a historical fantasy that I needed in my life before the end of the year, super easy to read and although presumptuous at times, easy to enjoy.

description

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You can find more reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought.

In this book, we follow Princess Yzabel, who finds herself in the grip of a terrible curse that causes all the food she tries to eat to be turned into flowers. This has brought her to the brink of starvation, which deeply unites her to the pain that the people of Portugal feel since they're also starving. Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, seems to be the only one capable of reversing her spell, but she'll only do it if Yzabel releases herself of her own spell with a kiss, and even though Yzabel is engaged to the king of Portugal, she decides to accept for her people, but that kiss awakens another kind of hunger inside her. She had sought out Fatyan to help her and save her people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel's destruction.

This book managed to be as magical as it sounds, with the development of a myth with such beautiful colors behind it, is really difficult for something to fail, and although I think it was really beautiful and that the author decided to execute this myth on a very successful way, I feel that I'd have liked further development in other areas. I think the focus is on the myth and the development of the main characters, which I liked a lot, but I'd have liked to know a little more about Portugal from a social and cultural point of view, basically about its history itself, even so, this is the approach that the author decided to give to her story and I respect that. On the other hand, I feel that I have a somewhat unpopular opinion about the pace of the book, for me, it was very rushed at times, I'd have liked to explore more things, more places, and more lives of some secondary characters and those things, I think a slower pace would have been perfect, especially when it comes to developing romance.

I think the first part of the book is super solid and even more the last chapters which are where the story really comes to life, but there are some weak scenes especially in the middle , scenes that perhaps could have been developed more deeply and others that I felt were there as to lengthen the book a little more, I felt I want more information, which is something good because it means that I'm interested in what I'm reading. Apart from this, I really enjoyed this book and its story, and the things that could have been better, in my opinion, are only details, I don't think there's any major flaw, I think it's a clean, fresh and innovative book in many ways.

I really liked the characters, especially Yzabel, I think I'm demanding with my main characters, especially in new releases I hope to see something new, and this character gave me what I expected, she's SO brave and caring, and I love how she empathizes with the poorest people all the time putting herself in their place and wanting to fight for them. Despite the horrible curse that obviously has her extremely weak, I think she's a very strong girl in personality, who goes directly for those she wants, and I admire that, I liked her position for most of the book and I also think she had a super marked growth towards the end of the book. And I also liked the other characters, but I think Yzabel is the best created. Finding myself with a king who's not the typical evil king, but is a softer personality, I liked, I think that having an evil one who's not so evil, gives him an original touch since it shows that not all people have only one bad side and a good side, but we're a combination of both, and that's fine, it's more real for me.

I liked the romance, I think it's very sweet, and it's very well thought out, again, I think it was kind of rash, and I'd have liked a better transition and slower development, but still, I managed to enjoy it a lot, the relationship felt very real, and the way in which the author described everything made me feel deeply invested in what was happening between them. I want to remind you that the book follows a sapphic romance so that's great! I think many people will like this romantic side of the story, it was very beautiful.

The author's style, although a bit rush-y at times, is very solid, I love how she has chosen to elaborate this story from a more sentimental side because I think the emotional charge is there, there were scenes where I felt like I could cry, so I can say It will make you feel many emotions, and that's obviously due to the author's writing style, which is really beautiful. I wouldn't say her style is very colorful, but rather that type of simpler writing in the best way, it takes you through the scenarios in a very good way and although, as I said, it's rush at times, it still handles other aspects that generate good thrill in the reader

I would undoubtedly recommend this book, I think it has a solid base that's very interesting to explore, the myth on which the author has been based is incredibly beautiful and magical, that's still my favorite aspect of the book, and although it's rush in its narration and it lacks development in some aspects, it's very enjoyable and although many say it's a slow pace, I don't think so, I read it quite fast, in fact, on the contrary, I think that a slow pace would have been even better to develop more some areas in depth, but in general, the story itself is very good and is very well thought out. The romance is charming, the characters are quite solid, especially the main character who stands out above other characters that I've read due to her feisty and empathetic personality & also is quite atmospheric, which is great. But if you like myths and want to explore this Porugues myth, don't hesitate to give it a chance, it's worth it.

First Thoughts 12/18/20

What a wonderful fantasy!! I really enjoyed this book very much, the plot is super original, I'd never heard about Portuguese mythology before and I really fell in love with the myth on which this story is based. I think it's very easy to read and I found myself kind of moved by the story at times, which I didn't expect.
On the other hand, I feel like some scenes are rushed and lack the necessary construction to make the story feel more atmospheric, but it's still super enjoyable and refreshing. ...more

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Oct 05, 2020 ❤︎ ☾ Jeanette ☾❤︎ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, favorites, netgalley, arcs

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All quotes/sayings were taken from the ARC and may change.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled teen for allowing me to read an ARC of A curse of roses!!!

Spoiler free review

A curse of roses immediately drew me in with the gorgeous cover and the description. It did NOT disappoint. I’d like to start this off by saying I love the author’s note that was in this book! The writing was absolutely gorge ...more

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Jun 25, 2020 Fanna marked it as definitive-tbr · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-releases

June 25, 2020: A f/f YA fantasy romance? I shouldn't be needing anything else to anticipate this one's release but the fact that it involves a curse around food & flowers, well, that's even more exciting! ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Tânia rated it it was amazing

Giving this one 5* before the release to fight the hate generated over the author's opinion of another book.

I'll eventually change it after reading the book. For now, I stand with freedom of speech ...more

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Jul 26, 2020 j.chestnut marked it as to-read

portuguese leads? a f/f romance?? magic??? yes please, thanks!

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Dec 16, 2020 Darce rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-stars, retellings, romance, arcs, fantasy-adventure, lgbtq-etc, mystery

4 gorgeous stars!

This novel was one that I know I’ll remember for years. Written by an author who has faced prejudice against both Portuguese women and LGBTQ+ women, this #OwnVoices book manages to combine factors of Portuguese mythology, YA fantasy and sapphic romance into a beautiful novel about discovering love and learning to embrace every part of yourself.

A Curse of Roses follows a princess engaged to a decent king, but one whom she doesn’t romantically love. However, this princess has much 4 gorgeous stars!

This novel was one that I know I’ll remember for years. Written by an author who has faced prejudice against both Portuguese women and LGBTQ+ women, this #OwnVoices book manages to combine factors of Portuguese mythology, YA fantasy and sapphic romance into a beautiful novel about discovering love and learning to embrace every part of yourself.

A Curse of Roses follows a princess engaged to a decent king, but one whom she doesn’t romantically love. However, this princess has much more to worry about than her friendly-but-loveless marriage – Yza cannot eat or touch food without turning it into flowers. This means that Yza has been wasting away for years, unable to swallow more than a bite of food without having thorns tear her throat up, only able to drink broth to sustain herself. Finally, in an act of desperation, Yza goes searching for the mythical Enchanted Moura, who’s said to be able to grant any wish to the person to find her. Upon discovery of the Moura, Yza is finally able to learn about her curse, however she now has another problem to face – her growing attraction for the Moura she found.

“Yzabel didn’t know death could be so beautiful, or that betrayal could cut so deep.”

A Curse of Roses was gorgeously written, very easy to follow and very easy to read. It was not an especially complex story – which worked in the author’s favour – and the characters were very realistic and easy to relate to – a definite plus for this novel. I found myself growing quite attached to many of the side characters, and even laughing during particular stages of the book, and I found the Portuguese tale absolutely fascinating to read about.

The sapphic romance may have been improvised and may not have been in the original tale, but I believe it definitely added to the story and added to the entertainment value. Fatyan and Yza had a sweet and believable romance, and I enjoyed reading about the way their relationship developed and progressed, despite bumps in the road. I also loved the feminist aspects of the story! You know I’m a killer for a book with feminism 😉

“Leave it to men to believe themselves the reason for a woman’s actions.”

I did find some aspects of the story – for example, the speed in which Yza accepted the solution to her curse (I’m trying not to spoil here) – to be a little fast-paced, but I didn’t mind too much, and overall I really liked this book! It had wonderful rep and a unique and fascinating storyline, and I believe the author wrote a wonderful depiction of the trials of loving oneself.

Thank you so much to the author and YA Bound Book Tours for the ARC copy! ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Alexia Moon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, historical-fiction, fantasy, own-in-ebook, read-in-2020, portuguese-authors, lgbt, young-adult, retellings

I was given a free e-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review is fully my opinion.

As soon as I saw an f/f retelling of a Portuguese myth/legend I knew I had to read it! I was fortunate to get access to it through NetGalley and I thank the publisher for that! I love to support Portuguese authors! At first, it was very weird to see Portuguese names mixed with English and with the English language and it took me a while to get used to it but by mid-book, I was totally use ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 bia marked it as not-owned-but-need-asap

a portuguese f/f retelling?? MY FUCKING RIGHTS

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Dec 01, 2020 Permanently_Booked rated it it was amazing

There is nothing more exciting than when your favorite genres come together to spin a tale you have not heard of before. Steeped in Portuguese history and tied to the legend of the Miracle of Roses that floats around Saint Queen Isabel and her King, Dinis. Pinguicha took this historical tale and merged it with magic and lore to bring to life Princess Yzabel and the Enchanted Moura, Fatyan.

I loved the writing style and the growth of the characters in such a short period of time. Yzabel is slowly ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 Maëlys marked it as to-read

Shelves: sapphic, lgbtqia, 2020-releases

"With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more."

It is always all about the yearning.

Youtube ☆ Twitter ...more

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Dec 21, 2020 Arin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-sapphic-books, review-copies

eARC provided via the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: discussions of religious-based self harm, religious-based eating disorders, and religious-based internalized homophobia, body horror

This book blew me away. I expected to love it and I ended up loving it even more than expected. Yzabel and Fatyan were so soft and I loved every aspect of their relationship so much. The discussions of religion and religious based homophobia almost made me cry multiple ...more

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Nov 04, 2020 USOM rated it really liked it

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

TW: homophobia (also internalized), self-harm, " magic-based disordered eating", sexism

A Curse of Roses is a story about self-acceptance and questioning the beliefs we assume to be true. In a society where queer identity and magical powers are considered evil and demonic, A Curse of Roses portrays the difficult journey of questioning the authority figures in our lives. Whether it be ...more

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Oct 20, 2020 Kahlia rated it liked it

Shelves: rep-lgbtqia, author-queer, audience-young-adult, genre-fantasy

3.5 stars.

2020 has blessed us with several queer retellings of myths and fairytales, and I was admittedly concerned that A Curse of Roses would feel too similar to other books I’ve read this year to give it an objective review. Luckily, I needn’t have worried. Elements of Portuguese history and culture are both deeply interwoven into Yzabel’s story, which gave this book a unique perspective – exactly the purpose of an #ownvoices retelling.

Like most retellings, the plot is fairly basic, and Yzabe 3.5 stars.

2020 has blessed us with several queer retellings of myths and fairytales, and I was admittedly concerned that A Curse of Roses would feel too similar to other books I’ve read this year to give it an objective review. Luckily, I needn’t have worried. Elements of Portuguese history and culture are both deeply interwoven into Yzabel’s story, which gave this book a unique perspective – exactly the purpose of an #ownvoices retelling.

Like most retellings, the plot is fairly basic, and Yzabel and Fatyan’s relationship follows a fairly standard cursed-mentee/wise mentor template, though both characters are interesting enough in their own right to make up for the straightforward narrative. Also, Yzabel is thirsty for Fatyan, and I loved it.

However, this book is much more a historical novel than I anticipated; Yzabel and her fiancé, Denis, are based on real Portuguese royals, and there are several references to the Reconquista. This leads to the most interesting part of the novel, for me: Yzabel struggles deeply with internalised homophobia and reconciling her desire for Fatyan with her Christian faith. I thought this book did an excellent job of pointing out the role that religion played in controlling women’s lives in the Middle Ages and the hypocrisy of various religious leaders, while also respecting Yzabel’s beliefs and the way she embodied what she saw as Christian values of charity and kindness. Pinguicha also does an excellent job at balancing the period-typical homophobia with an acknowledgment of the fact that queer women existed everywhere in history, and were often able to use gender stereotypes to their advantage in carving-out safe spaces for themselves without men getting suspicious.

If I had any issues with this book, it’s that I would have liked a slightly broader scope. This is a very tight-knit book with a small cast of characters, and almost all of the action takes place within the castle and the immediately surrounding streeting (save for one steamy scene in the local baths… ). I also think this book could have benefited from expanding a little more on Portuguese history for those of us who are relatively unfamiliar; without going into spoiler territory, some of the final conflict in this book is based on the divide between Christians and Muslims, which feels a little abrupt without a good understanding of the historical context. (I did quite a bit of Googling afterwards).

I’m not sure it’s really necessary for me to extoll the importance of ownvoices narratives to anyone who’s gotten this far into my review, but A Curse of Roses was definitely another example of how much diverse perspectives can bring to the fantasy genre.

Note: I received an ARC from Entangled Teen. A Curse of Roses is available from 1 December.

This review is also available @ firstbreathsreviews. ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 emery rated it it was amazing

this book really came for my heart. as a queer portuguese person, thank you for writing this. while I’m not a religious person, this gave me a lot of comfort. It also inspires me to look into my culture more. learn about legends and past royalty. I’m thankful for that

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Oct 27, 2020 Joanna Goodrich rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I desperately wanted to love this book! It was compared to Crier's War (which I absolutely loved) and Cemetery Boys (which I really want to read) but it fell incredibly flat and was so disappointing.

There was basically no world building. I had no idea what Portugal was like at this time and didn't understand the history or what was happening to the country in this book. We had a plague that was ravaging families but there was no history there. We also had magic and a history of magic, which we ...more

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About Diana Pinguicha

Diana Pinguicha

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Born in the sunny lands of Portugal, Diana is a Computer Engineer graduate who currently calls Lisbon home. She can usually be found writing, painting, devouring extraordinary quantities of books and video games, or walking around with her bearded dragon, Norberta. She also has two cats, Sushi and Jubas, who would never forgive her if she didn’t mention them.

Her art can be found at http://pinguich ...more