To caveat this review I think the writing in this book was good, I just don’t think the content was for me.

I went into this knowing that there was a religious aspect to this story. What I wasn’t prepared for is how prominent it is. I really struggled as I’m not religious myself and so couldn’t relate to the characters as well as I’d have liked to. I also felt that aside from Lia some of the characters were lacking in depth and the pace meant I didn’t buy into the story as much as usual.

As a sleeping beauty retelling it’s a really fresh take which was great. The premise was really interesting and if the religious aspect suits you then I think you’ll really enjoy it.

It’s closed door which I don’t mind, I don’t always need spice but I think sometimes intimacy can really add to a relationships dynamic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy.

A retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale and I really loved the character of Lia. Very enjoyable, in fact I loved the story. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.

Talk about a traditional tale getting twisted... this one got my head turning and turning. It is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. It is modernised with values that are more relevant to contemporaries, yet it is set in Victorian times. It is definitely a thought-provoking story.

What Monstrous Gods was a pleasant surprise of a read for me. I have tried some of the author's previous books, but never managed to get into them. But that wasn’t the case here. Right from the start Lia was the flawed but smart, selfless and determined main character that a story that deals with powerful gods and faith needs to carry it. The book deals with gods and their saints, faithfuls and faithless, blessings and burdens, and most importantly - who and what someone is willing to risk for the greater good. The pantheon of the gods, the concept of how humans connect with the gods abilities and the overall lore of the world was very interesting to read about.

While Lia was a great mc, the rest of the cast wasn’t very fleshed out, and sometimes felt pretty empty. This was also the case of her love interest Ruven. It felt like he only had a few lines he constantly cycled back to, and while the romance started out engaging it eventually started to stall as there wasn’t much more to it.

If you enjoyed books like Little Thieves and Vespertine, then you’ll probably also like this one.

I love Rosamund Hodge retellings. They’re always dark twisted and rooted in assorts of fascinating historical things as well as her faith which always gives an interesting extra dimension to her characters.
This novel take on Sleeping Beauty, flips gender roles and examines religion, faith, crisis of faith and religion as a political weapon whilst also being gripping, eldritch and absorbing.
As with all of Hodge’s stories, the world is rich and real, this one is analogous to the Victorian era of industrialisation, with Lia waking a royal family kept under a sleeping enchantment by the sorcerer Ruvan for 500 years. (Imagine falling asleep during the Hundred Years’ War and waking up in the industrial era). Born with a miraculous gift, Lia's destiny is to kill Ruven and wake the royals. But when she succeeds, she finds her duty is not yet complete, for now she must marry into the royal family and forge a pact with a god - or die. To make matters even worse, Ruven's spirit is haunting her.

I really enjoyed the way the story develops, the way the truth of the royal family and the nature of the gods and the things Lia finds herself doing simply in order to survive are propelled by her dynamic with Ruven, her unwavering love for the gods even as she finds herself doubting what they are and deconstructing what she was taught by the nuns who raised her.
I really enjoyed how her core values remained the same even as she doubted herself, the gods, and everyone around her as her worldview shifted.
Her relationship with Ruven is brilliant and i love the way it develops and transforms and twists.

The book is so engaging and unputdownable The world building is dangerous, religious and engrossing . This is inspired by sleeping beauty fairytale. The characters were mysterious and they have hidden facades. The book has twists and turns. The ending is so shocking. It was such a rollercoaster ride, I felt so many emotions. I read it in one sitting.

Lia is born with a gift and she is destined to kill Ruven and unbind the Royal family, break the curse and wake them up and the gods too as centuries ago he raised a briar around palace and bound them and silenced the gods. What was a royal palace now is surrounded by thorns and hedge. Lia has lost her loved ones and grew up in orphan. The secrets spill off soon and truth comes in light. Old Gods are not what they appear to be and nothing hurts more than betrayal and rejection. To protect the royal family and Runakhia, Lia must awake the gods. If she fails to please them, then tragic death awaits her.

Things take a tragic turn and Lia’s odyssey becomes dangerous. So many terrifying things happens in the plot. When her destiny takes a different turn, she feels that she was living in a delusion till now and she finds it hard to trust anyone. Each action has a consequence, she must make a wise choice. Either she fulfil her royal duties or she choose a path that can lead to darkness and uncertainty.

Many thanks to the Author, Publisher and Netgalley