Mal

by Perla Zul

Once upon a time, Mal was a spinster who could weave magic into his thread. Hired by the royal family, he met the young prince and the two became inseparable. But when the two attempted to save the kingdom, Mal was the only one to pay the price. He wakes up from a hundred year sleep with a body made of thorns and roses, his prince having never returned for him. Now, when that same kingdom he saved doesn't invite him to celebrate the birth of the princess, Mal brings his own gift...

Genres: Fantasy, High Fantasy

169 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2024

Reviews

[Charoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty with so much more to it than the original fairy tale.
I really loved the unique voice this story was told in, the vivid world and the characters were relatable and fascinating. And there are beautiful illustrations as well!
I’m happy to have this little gem of a book in my book dragon hoard and hope more people give it a try.

[blackbirds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very lovely! Given it's a retelling of a fairy tale, it feels very fairy tale and dream-like. Mal was precious, even if he was very thorny and I really felt for him throughout the book and I like how the curse was handled. It was a unique spin on Sleeping Beauty I adored. The illustrations accompanying the text were very well done too and helped complete the whole package!

If you're in the mood for a fairy tale retelling, definitely give this a shot! Very well done.

[Thursday ♡‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way that this made me feel like i was wrapped up in a blanket…there is so much warmth in these hundred or so pages. this was so beautiful and wonderful, and i cannot help the smile on my face now that i’ve finished this!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A blessing and delight to read! I’m not usually a fan of retellings, but this fresh and unique perspective of Sleeping Beauty brought such life to the story. Mal is a character with the perfect amount of moral dilemma and romantic strife that I yearn to see in novels, and the rest of the cast each have witty and impressionable characters. As a Los Angelena, seeing the identities of my neighbors and friends being portrayed in stories where it’s usually forgotten is really special to me as well.

If you prefer a bittersweet tale that guides you through an experiment of the heart and wraps itself nicely in a pretty bow (or sews itself together, in Mal’s case), then you will LOVE this book. Get yourself a lovely cup of tea and stay an afternoon with Perla Zul’s ‘Mal’, you will not regret it!

[Astrophel R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and cozy take on sleeping beauty/briar rose!

To be honest, I kind of thought this book was going to be a bit darker and more gloomy than it was. I was expecting a little more Grimm and a little less Disney, but that's just a matter of personal preference.

Anyways, this was a really sweet and quick read, and I do love seeing queer versions of fairytales.

I think this book would be great for younger audiences, people who love cozy fairytales, and anyone who loved Disney growing up and wants to feel nostalgic.

[Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

Especially the writing and the characters in general. The romance was really sweet to see and I’m glad that Mal too can have a happily ever after with the person he loves even when it seems like it may be someone else. But I did guess who he would end up with correctly though. The background or side characters were done really well, and they felt like their own people separate from the story.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. Sweet, tender and full of heart. Mal is such a sweetheart! The fairies are a delight (would love to read more about them) and little bursts of rhyme were very cute, as were the illustrations and the cover! Loved it!

[Gealach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful.
Review coming soon to my blog.

[Rory Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story about broken hearts, curses and healing!