Review - Kill Me Softly

by Sarah Cross
publisher: Egmont USA
date of publication: April 10, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 331
source: Netgalley
read it in: 3 days

From Goodreads:

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own... brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

I am a huge fan of fairytales and fairytale re-tellings, so when I heard about Kill Me Softly, I knew I had to read it as soon as I possibly could.  The depiction of the darker side of fairytales is something that I greatly appreciate, so I was all the more enthusiastic about this book due to the darkness alluded to in the description.  While there was a sinister undertone that would have made the Brother's Grimm proud, Kill Me Softly definitely brought more to the table, some great, some not so good.  While the plot was a great aspect of the book, some of the characters provided me with some difficulty while reading.  As a result, the story ran both hot and cold at various points throughout the book.

Mira was, quite possibly, one of the most difficult parts of the story for me.  While I understand that no one is perfect and, thus, Mira is not perfect, her sheer stubbornness and ridiculously bad case of naivete drove me absolutely bonkers.  Her reaction to her surroundings and situation did not always strike me as viable, which made my reading experience very frustrating.  Even though Blue is supposed to be the more obnoxious character, I much preferred him and wish more of the story had been from his point-of-view.  Though it comes down to personal preferences in the end, my reaction to the main character in this story is one of frustration and disappointment.

The plot is where my true appreciation lies.  I love the idea of a world hidden in plain view where fairytale figures walk the streets and destiny is appointed by fairies.  The concept of fairytale curses that each have a distinct characteristic is even more fascinating and I was left with even more appreciation for the ways in which the plot was developed.  The pacing was somewhat choppy, but the progression of the plot was a good one.  Overall, plot is definitely the strongest suit for Kill Me Softly.

In spite of my ambivalence, Kill Me Softly was an intriguing read that does a great job at providing a new way to view traditional fairytales.  A fairytale re-telling that brings something new to the table is something to be sought and given its fair share of attention.  Even though I didn't enjoy the main character as much as I had hoped, the story that makes up the book is an imaginative and entertaining one.  If you appreciate traditional fairytales, you will want to take a look at Kill Me Softly.  Thanks to its incorporation of these tales in such a new and unique way, Kill Me Softly is an entertaining read that will leave you pondering new ways in which you can view fairytales.

Buy Kill Me Softly at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.