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In a land controlled by a witch-hunting Tribunal, Princess Aurelia lives in constant fear that her magic and unusual gift of seeing spirits will be discovered. When an assassination attempt reveals her abilities, Aurelia is forced to flee her own country and find asylum in the land of her betrothed. But when a betrayal leaves her alone and stripped of her identity in an unfamiliar city, Aurelia plans a new path for herself — one that includes revenge against the Tribunal.
She’s desperate to bring down the dark organization that continues to terrorize her people, but there is something amiss in her new home, and if she hopes to bring justice to her country, she’ll first have to uncover a deadly mystery surrounding a secretive prince, the ghost of an ancient queen, a poison vine called bloodleaf, and a killer determined to break the city’s magical barrier.
Bloodleaf features an interesting world, compelling mythology, a strong female protagonist, high emotional stakes, and a plot that left me guessing (even if my guesses were mostly right). Parts of the story almost had a gritty historical feel, with the tribunal’s injustice and innocent women being hung for the suspicion of witchcraft.
Another unique element of the story is that it’s actually a Goose Girl retelling. Instead of geese, though, this story features lots of ghosts.
While the story began somewhat slowly, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Bloodleaf is a nice start to a series, though honestly, with its satisfying conclusion, this story could easily be read as a standalone.
(Other books on Rated Reads that are Goose Girl retellings include The Secret Princess and The Goose Girl.)
Rated: Moderate. Violence is a large part of the plot, and it can sometimes be gory, including animal violence and countless deaths (some at the hand of a serial killer). A character finds a severed kitten’s head left as a threat. The bodies of dead horses are found, including the gorier description of a horse head that is nailed to the city gate. Women are hung and burned at the stake as witches. Characters are stabbed, several throats are slit, and a man is left in a gibbet to die. A pregnant woman is killed, though her baby lives. A woman is beaten in an attempted rape. Through visions, a child’s horrible death is relived and a woman is seen committing suicide by jumping from a tower. Shed blood plays a large role in the story as a conduit of blood magic. Sexual content includes a few sexual innuendos. Characters kiss. There are only around 3 uses of mild language. Characters participate in a seance.
