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The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre
As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.
Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.
Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.
The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone?
As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.
Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.
Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.
The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone?
362 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
366 people are currently reading
23496 people want to read
About the author
Genoveva Dimova
5 books446 followersGenoveva Dimova is a Bulgarian fantasy author and archaeologist based in Scotland. Her debut novel inspired by Bulgarian folklore, Foul Days, came out in June 2024, and the sequel, Monstrous Nights followed in October 2024. When she’s not writing, she likes to explore old ruins, climb even older hills, and listen to practically ancient rock music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,135 reviews
July 1, 2024
we love monsters, magic, and slow-burn romance in this house
thank you to edelweiss for providing the arc
Read my review here
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thank you to edelweiss for providing the arc
Read my review here
Follow me on Instagram
Read
July 18, 2024DNF at 10% (no rating). I can’t deal with unrational and unlogical MCs
July 25, 2024
[4.5/5 stars!] One of my favorite things I’ve picked up this year – Foul Days is worth a second look!
One of those genre-bending novels, I loved this as both a fantasy and urban fantasy reader. Rich in Slavic folklore, it had an abundance of monsters and great cultural infusion. The marketing was pretty accurate when it advertised “Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” with a similar moodiness and feel of Novik’s works (especially Spinning Silver) and an loads of dangerous magical creature encounters. I found it wildly entertaining.
The book had great pacing, with plenty of exciting moments but also enough slow stretches to form connections with the characters. The characters! All fun profiles, and the relationships between them were especially well done and realistic – I actually felt the connections, which doesn’t happen often.
I also thought the staggering of certain reveals was particularly well-paced. There were several times throughout the book where I went, “oooh, okay, one more chapter.” It made the pages fly by, and had enough substance to the plot to make me feel like I was getting something satisfying. The writing was superb.
Foul Days was oozing with fun-factor. This is one of those books that makes it easy to talk about and recommend. I loved it – with so many great elements and a good sense of humor, after only one book I’m already convinced Dimova is going to be an auto-buy author for me.
I had the chance to pick up an early copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio about halfway through the book, and narrator Zura Johnson was an excellent match for the tone and mood of the story. With her accented delivery, she elevated the text even more, making for an immersive experience. I particularly liked how she performed the dry humor between characters - great back and forth exchanges! I definitely recommend the audiobook route. :)
There honestly wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. The second half of this duology, Monstrous Nights, comes out October 22, 2024, and you’d better believe I’m already hounding for a copy!
Recommendations: for a fun-filled, culturally-infused, monster-tastic story, look no further! Foul Days was one of the best debus I’ve read in ages. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3
Find me on Booktube at: The Obsessive Bookseller
I’d like to thank the publicists at TOR for providing me with review and finished copies of Foul Days and Macmillan Audio on Netgalley for the chance to read/listen/review this very exciting new title!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
One of those genre-bending novels, I loved this as both a fantasy and urban fantasy reader. Rich in Slavic folklore, it had an abundance of monsters and great cultural infusion. The marketing was pretty accurate when it advertised “Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” with a similar moodiness and feel of Novik’s works (especially Spinning Silver) and an loads of dangerous magical creature encounters. I found it wildly entertaining.
The book had great pacing, with plenty of exciting moments but also enough slow stretches to form connections with the characters. The characters! All fun profiles, and the relationships between them were especially well done and realistic – I actually felt the connections, which doesn’t happen often.
I also thought the staggering of certain reveals was particularly well-paced. There were several times throughout the book where I went, “oooh, okay, one more chapter.” It made the pages fly by, and had enough substance to the plot to make me feel like I was getting something satisfying. The writing was superb.
Foul Days was oozing with fun-factor. This is one of those books that makes it easy to talk about and recommend. I loved it – with so many great elements and a good sense of humor, after only one book I’m already convinced Dimova is going to be an auto-buy author for me.
I had the chance to pick up an early copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio about halfway through the book, and narrator Zura Johnson was an excellent match for the tone and mood of the story. With her accented delivery, she elevated the text even more, making for an immersive experience. I particularly liked how she performed the dry humor between characters - great back and forth exchanges! I definitely recommend the audiobook route. :)
There honestly wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. The second half of this duology, Monstrous Nights, comes out October 22, 2024, and you’d better believe I’m already hounding for a copy!
Recommendations: for a fun-filled, culturally-infused, monster-tastic story, look no further! Foul Days was one of the best debus I’ve read in ages. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!
Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3
Find me on Booktube at: The Obsessive Bookseller
I’d like to thank the publicists at TOR for providing me with review and finished copies of Foul Days and Macmillan Audio on Netgalley for the chance to read/listen/review this very exciting new title!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
June 18, 2024
It should be said that while this is being compared to The Witcher and Naomi Novik, it's really only similar in the fact that it is a fantasy drawing on Eastern European folklore. Foul Days has neither the thematic depth and sharp characterization of the Witcher, nor the lyrical writing and whimsy of Novik. This novel is more urban fantasy with a mystery element and as many folktales and figures of myth as can be crammed into 350 pages.
That's not to say it wasn't entertaining, because it kept my interest reasonably well. But I don't know that the lofty comparisons are doing this book any favors in terms of expectations. There are some fuzzy plot things but it hangs together reasonably well. The characters are decent for a debut author even if I didn't find them particularly memorable. And the folklore is cool, although the sheer number of things pushed into a single book makes it feel like the author doesn't think she'll have another chance to write about them. (which hopefully isn't the case!) So nothing is fully fleshed out and everything is kind of glossed over.
The one monster we do spend more time on ends up reading as a rather on the nose stand in for talking about grooming and domestic violence. I appreciate the topic and the concept of addressing it with this monstrous figure, but the way it's executed is a lot of telling, almost lecturing. And I just think that's less impactful and also disrupts from the flow of the story. It feels like a - "now let's stop and talk about the red flags of grooming and abusive relationships and why they're bad!" sort of after school special moment. Again, I appreciate the intent and I do think these are topics that can be effectively explored through fiction, I just don't know that this is how you go about doing that.
All that to say, it's not a bad book. In fact I look forward to seeing more from this author as she progresses in her writing. But I think there could have been better comp titles that would set up expectations more appropriately. It's closer to a Slavic Dresden Files than it is to the Witcher. The audio narration is well done. I received an audio copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
That's not to say it wasn't entertaining, because it kept my interest reasonably well. But I don't know that the lofty comparisons are doing this book any favors in terms of expectations. There are some fuzzy plot things but it hangs together reasonably well. The characters are decent for a debut author even if I didn't find them particularly memorable. And the folklore is cool, although the sheer number of things pushed into a single book makes it feel like the author doesn't think she'll have another chance to write about them. (which hopefully isn't the case!) So nothing is fully fleshed out and everything is kind of glossed over.
The one monster we do spend more time on ends up reading as a rather on the nose stand in for talking about grooming and domestic violence. I appreciate the topic and the concept of addressing it with this monstrous figure, but the way it's executed is a lot of telling, almost lecturing. And I just think that's less impactful and also disrupts from the flow of the story. It feels like a - "now let's stop and talk about the red flags of grooming and abusive relationships and why they're bad!" sort of after school special moment. Again, I appreciate the intent and I do think these are topics that can be effectively explored through fiction, I just don't know that this is how you go about doing that.
All that to say, it's not a bad book. In fact I look forward to seeing more from this author as she progresses in her writing. But I think there could have been better comp titles that would set up expectations more appropriately. It's closer to a Slavic Dresden Files than it is to the Witcher. The audio narration is well done. I received an audio copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
August 22, 2024
4.5
book with romance subplot so good and a witchy balkan monster mystery so good u gotta put off folding laundry and every other chore u got
book with romance subplot so good and a witchy balkan monster mystery so good u gotta put off folding laundry and every other chore u got
October 27, 2024
Actual rating: 4.89587989648 stars.
Also, I need the second installment NOW.
P.S. “I don’t eat people I’ve spoken to” is a rule all of us should live by if you ask me.
· Book 1.5: Ace Up Her Sleeve ★★★★
· Book 2: Monstrous Nights ★★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Super cute and fluffy monsters FTW!
➽ Review to come and stuff.
“It’s New Year’s Eve, in case you haven’t noticed.” “What does that have to do with it?” “The Foul Days have begun.”Deliciously creative world + intriguing plot + Slavic, Eastern European, Anatolian, and Greek mythology/folklore + most scrumptious cast of characters + super fluffy pets galore (karakonjuls and varkolaks and samodivas and rusalkas and kikimoras and upirs and yudas and lamias, OH MY!) + HAHAHAHAHAHA + tentacled walls that scream (don't ask) + great character interactions + “He had the spine of a snake and the moral compass of a vulture” (now that's my kind of guy!) + teleport brogues, dusty gramophones and other modern pieces of technology + the best assortment of house spirits ever + everything exciting and funny and spooky =
Also, I need the second installment NOW.
P.S. “I don’t eat people I’ve spoken to” is a rule all of us should live by if you ask me.
· Book 1.5: Ace Up Her Sleeve ★★★★
· Book 2: Monstrous Nights ★★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Super cute and fluffy monsters FTW!
➽ Review to come and stuff.
Read
May 27, 2024Foul Days is the first installment in a new fast-paced urban fantasy duology inspired by Bulgarian folklore, and marketed for fans of Naomi Novik.
I generally enjoyed this book, its premise, and world-building, but unfortunately wasn’t able to get over some glaring structural issues with the writing and the cop love interest.
Let’s break it down a bit.
The things I enjoyed:
The world-building. Slavic folklore is always a hit for me in fantasy stories and I loved the dark urban twist. The world feels lived in, and each magical element and each structural choice wonderfully impacts the characters’ experiences and perspectives. Besides the main monsters of the world, there are wonderful small sprinklings of folklore and superstition utilized throughout the story that really flesh out the world. (I love the superstitious folkloric history of immurement! And I love it in fantasy stories!)
The commentary. The two contrasting lands and societies is by far the element of the story that gets the most impactful mileage. It offers a stage for this story to discuss a lot of issues between class and privilege in our world, and to do so well. I loved the way we saw–manifested in a literal sense–the way that privileged folks unleash all the world’s horrors and struggles onto marginalized and underprivileged individuals and then shove it behind a wall so that they don’t have to confront the harm caused to those people. The way that marginalized and underprivileged people then have to completely adjust their lives and cultures to coexist with these horrors and demons, while the upper class and privileged then take those cultural touchstones and turn them into commodifications and aesthetics to don and discard as they please. In a day and age where we see a lot of rich kids cosplaying as poor, or likenesses and dialects of marginalized communities becoming fashion trends, this was incredibly poignant and was probably the highlight of the book.
The depictions of trauma. There’s a few elements of trauma depicted in this story. Some of it being a survivor’s guilt type of trauma, and another being from an abusive relationship. I thought these arcs were really well done and really loved the extra layer of weight and growth it added to the characters’ arcs.
The things I didn’t like:
The approach to this fast-paced structure. In a fast-paced story, it is crucial to keep your audience on their toes and to keep them invested in the stakes of the story, both large and small. But especially across the first half of this book, nothing is given time to land before its wielded for subversion or plot use. The story sets up a piece of information–and always through telling, never showing–and then within the next two chapters, the payoff of that planted seed is immediately carried out. It caused me as a reader to overly anticipate the subversion of any new element or information. I lost faith and engagement in the story because any newly introduced piece of information, character, object, or backstory element would be incredibly short-lived and immediately utilized for the following plot point, so I had nothing substantial to really hold on to. Especially with everything being told instead of shown, I had a hard time believing or putting weight to any element. This does get a lot better by the end, but this issue permeates the whole first half of the book.
The cop love interest. There is absolutely no reason for him to be a cop. He could just as easily be a spy or a private investigator hired out by the police, or something of the like. And this book… seems to be aware that cops are bad? The main character constantly says she didn’t trust him because he's a cop and that good cops are myths. But no matter how many times you have your main character say cops are bad, having a love interest be a “good guy” cop, whose police experience canonically taught him to see magical beings as real people instead of creatures, and who thinks of his police station as his home, and refuses to be a “corrupt cop” still gives this story a “Not All Cops Are Bad, Actually” stance. And I could not read about him read about him breaking through the “barricade” (yes, the actual word used) of pillows on their tropey-one-bed so that the characters wake in each other’s arms without associating it with the police–that I saw with my own eyes, just DAYS ago–breaking through a barricade made of literal human bodies to brutalize hundreds of students for peacefully protesting. This character being a cop is also incredibly antithetical to this book's messaging about the criminalization and forced poverty of the lower class. There’s some other spoiler-y stuff I won’t mention that makes me extra hate this guy, but I really didn’t understand this choice. There wouldn’t have had to be so much page space wasted railing against the police (to no avail) if he had just NOT BEEN A COP.
Overall, I was hooked enough by the premise, the characters, and world-building to read through the whole book, and I’m glad I did, but I was put off enough by the writing issues and the cop love interest that I’m certain I will not be continuing with this series.
CW: classism, abusive relationship (past), adult/minor relationship, trauma, grief, murder, blood, dead body, gun violence, sibling death (past), gambling, fire, medical content, death of loved one (past), emesis, alcohol, hospitalization, death of parents (past), car accident (past)
Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I generally enjoyed this book, its premise, and world-building, but unfortunately wasn’t able to get over some glaring structural issues with the writing and the cop love interest.
Let’s break it down a bit.
The things I enjoyed:
The world-building. Slavic folklore is always a hit for me in fantasy stories and I loved the dark urban twist. The world feels lived in, and each magical element and each structural choice wonderfully impacts the characters’ experiences and perspectives. Besides the main monsters of the world, there are wonderful small sprinklings of folklore and superstition utilized throughout the story that really flesh out the world. (I love the superstitious folkloric history of immurement! And I love it in fantasy stories!)
The commentary. The two contrasting lands and societies is by far the element of the story that gets the most impactful mileage. It offers a stage for this story to discuss a lot of issues between class and privilege in our world, and to do so well. I loved the way we saw–manifested in a literal sense–the way that privileged folks unleash all the world’s horrors and struggles onto marginalized and underprivileged individuals and then shove it behind a wall so that they don’t have to confront the harm caused to those people. The way that marginalized and underprivileged people then have to completely adjust their lives and cultures to coexist with these horrors and demons, while the upper class and privileged then take those cultural touchstones and turn them into commodifications and aesthetics to don and discard as they please. In a day and age where we see a lot of rich kids cosplaying as poor, or likenesses and dialects of marginalized communities becoming fashion trends, this was incredibly poignant and was probably the highlight of the book.
The depictions of trauma. There’s a few elements of trauma depicted in this story. Some of it being a survivor’s guilt type of trauma, and another being from an abusive relationship. I thought these arcs were really well done and really loved the extra layer of weight and growth it added to the characters’ arcs.
The things I didn’t like:
The approach to this fast-paced structure. In a fast-paced story, it is crucial to keep your audience on their toes and to keep them invested in the stakes of the story, both large and small. But especially across the first half of this book, nothing is given time to land before its wielded for subversion or plot use. The story sets up a piece of information–and always through telling, never showing–and then within the next two chapters, the payoff of that planted seed is immediately carried out. It caused me as a reader to overly anticipate the subversion of any new element or information. I lost faith and engagement in the story because any newly introduced piece of information, character, object, or backstory element would be incredibly short-lived and immediately utilized for the following plot point, so I had nothing substantial to really hold on to. Especially with everything being told instead of shown, I had a hard time believing or putting weight to any element. This does get a lot better by the end, but this issue permeates the whole first half of the book.
The cop love interest. There is absolutely no reason for him to be a cop. He could just as easily be a spy or a private investigator hired out by the police, or something of the like. And this book… seems to be aware that cops are bad? The main character constantly says she didn’t trust him because he's a cop and that good cops are myths. But no matter how many times you have your main character say cops are bad, having a love interest be a “good guy” cop, whose police experience canonically taught him to see magical beings as real people instead of creatures, and who thinks of his police station as his home, and refuses to be a “corrupt cop” still gives this story a “Not All Cops Are Bad, Actually” stance. And I could not read about him read about him breaking through the “barricade” (yes, the actual word used) of pillows on their tropey-one-bed so that the characters wake in each other’s arms without associating it with the police–that I saw with my own eyes, just DAYS ago–breaking through a barricade made of literal human bodies to brutalize hundreds of students for peacefully protesting. This character being a cop is also incredibly antithetical to this book's messaging about the criminalization and forced poverty of the lower class. There’s some other spoiler-y stuff I won’t mention that makes me extra hate this guy, but I really didn’t understand this choice. There wouldn’t have had to be so much page space wasted railing against the police (to no avail) if he had just NOT BEEN A COP.
Overall, I was hooked enough by the premise, the characters, and world-building to read through the whole book, and I’m glad I did, but I was put off enough by the writing issues and the cop love interest that I’m certain I will not be continuing with this series.
CW: classism, abusive relationship (past), adult/minor relationship, trauma, grief, murder, blood, dead body, gun violence, sibling death (past), gambling, fire, medical content, death of loved one (past), emesis, alcohol, hospitalization, death of parents (past), car accident (past)
Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Read
February 27, 2024It still feels surreal, seeing my book here. Foul Days is crammed full of all my favourite myths, stories, and creatures from Bulgarian folklore, and it means so much to me that I get to share them with readers. When I was growing up, most of the fantasy I read was set in that ubiquitous pseudo-Western-European, pseudo-Medieval setting we all know. I made my own attempts to write that sort of story—except it never rang true. Something was missing.
Until one day, as fantasy as a whole was moving more and more towards diverse and underrepresented cultures, it clicked. I didn’t need to write about dragons and vampires when I could write about zmeys and upirs. Instead of stories about knights and lords, I could have clever witches tricking cruel men.
I’ve always been fascinated by the monsters from Bulgarian folklore, each representing some deep-set fear that existed in traditional society. Upirs, for example, are the restless spirits of the dead who haven’t been buried properly, rising from their graves to torment their relatives. Halas and lamias are vengeful creatures who, when scorned, cause floods, storms, and hurricanes. The zmey, the Slavic dragon who disguises himself as a handsome man in order to seduce young women, is often believed to be an allegory for depression, which in my eyes made him the perfect villain. Then, I stumbled upon the myth of the Foul Days—the twelve days between Christmas and Saint John the Baptist’s Day, after the new year has been born but before it has been baptised, when monsters and ghosts roam the streets—and I knew I’d found the perfect setting for my story.
I hope you enjoy reading my very Bulgarian book as much as I enjoyed writing it! Here are some content warnings:
Until one day, as fantasy as a whole was moving more and more towards diverse and underrepresented cultures, it clicked. I didn’t need to write about dragons and vampires when I could write about zmeys and upirs. Instead of stories about knights and lords, I could have clever witches tricking cruel men.
I’ve always been fascinated by the monsters from Bulgarian folklore, each representing some deep-set fear that existed in traditional society. Upirs, for example, are the restless spirits of the dead who haven’t been buried properly, rising from their graves to torment their relatives. Halas and lamias are vengeful creatures who, when scorned, cause floods, storms, and hurricanes. The zmey, the Slavic dragon who disguises himself as a handsome man in order to seduce young women, is often believed to be an allegory for depression, which in my eyes made him the perfect villain. Then, I stumbled upon the myth of the Foul Days—the twelve days between Christmas and Saint John the Baptist’s Day, after the new year has been born but before it has been baptised, when monsters and ghosts roam the streets—and I knew I’d found the perfect setting for my story.
I hope you enjoy reading my very Bulgarian book as much as I enjoyed writing it! Here are some content warnings:
September 18, 2024
"It's the way their magic works. Vila told me all about it. It's nothing to do with you as a person, it's to do with their pharaoh's moans."
"Their what?"
"The way they smell or something."
As you can see, there's plenty of humor in this fantasy tale of one woman's attempt to wend her way through a gauntlet of nasty monsters to get to the creature she fears most so that she can regain her shadow which gives her her witchy powers, all while denying her growing interest in her traveling companion when she'd really rather just be at home with her dead sister's ghost.
Whew!
Yeah, there's a lot going on here, and at times it seems like one of those quest games I used to watch my kids play where you need to retrieve an item for so-and-so, then he'll give you what you need to get to the next part of your journey. In other words, this was sometimes exhausting, but also pretty darned entertaining.
I'm guessing it will appeal to fans of T. Kingfisher and Travis Baldree.
Glad I've got the sequel in my queue.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the read.
"Their what?"
"The way they smell or something."
As you can see, there's plenty of humor in this fantasy tale of one woman's attempt to wend her way through a gauntlet of nasty monsters to get to the creature she fears most so that she can regain her shadow which gives her her witchy powers, all while denying her growing interest in her traveling companion when she'd really rather just be at home with her dead sister's ghost.
Whew!
Yeah, there's a lot going on here, and at times it seems like one of those quest games I used to watch my kids play where you need to retrieve an item for so-and-so, then he'll give you what you need to get to the next part of your journey. In other words, this was sometimes exhausting, but also pretty darned entertaining.
I'm guessing it will appeal to fans of T. Kingfisher and Travis Baldree.
Glad I've got the sequel in my queue.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the read.
July 2, 2024
I kept waiting for this book to hook me, but it never did. This is mostly due to weak characterization. This book gets so wrapped up in the worldbuilding (admittedly, cool) and the slow mystery of our protagonist's dark backstory (admittedly, interesting) that it forgets to give our protagonist emotions. Even when our protagonist has lost everything dear to her, the typical reaction is one line of, "She sighed," and then the story moves briskly along. We never stop for reactions, or anticipation, or planning, or emotions of any kind.
Oh, and don't even get me started on this romance. No chemistry. No emotions. Just the very occasional, "Wow, he's hot isn't he? But, I'm not here to make friends so I'm not going to think about it." The book is just expecting you to fill in the romance yourself based on the bare minimum tropes it hints at.
The audiobook is well performed. The narrator includes a Bulgarian accent for some of the characters, making the setting and people in the book come alive.
DNF at 59%
Thanks to Netgalley, Tor Books, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Oh, and don't even get me started on this romance. No chemistry. No emotions. Just the very occasional, "Wow, he's hot isn't he? But, I'm not here to make friends so I'm not going to think about it." The book is just expecting you to fill in the romance yourself based on the bare minimum tropes it hints at.
The audiobook is well performed. The narrator includes a Bulgarian accent for some of the characters, making the setting and people in the book come alive.
DNF at 59%
Thanks to Netgalley, Tor Books, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 23, 2025
My favorite part of Foul Days is its setting, grounded in Balkan folklore and culture and featuring the starkly/magically divided cities of Chernograd and Belograd. Especially related to the various monsters and life in the different cities, there are a lot of great details and smaller touches that make the world feel very vivid. This also comes across thanks to the narrative voice, which can definitely be quite funny and charming, especially regarding all the things the main character Kosara is constantly exasperated by.
At the same time, the plot is pretty much a constant series of Kosara doing something incredibly stupid and reckless and then having to deal with the consequences. There’s definitely something to the idea of a character constantly living in fight/flight mode and making her external environment match her internal chaos, but to see it happen over and over again with no real change throughout the story definitely got old.
I also disliked the romance, which is incredibly boring except for the scene where Kosara tries to drug Asen and then tries to seduce him to get information about his amulet. She acknowledges later that she crossed a line, but the extent of the fallout here is that she apologizes sulkily, he’s mad for a bit, and then they make up and are perfectly fine for the rest of the book. I always try to be clear that this kind of thing happening isn’t necessarily my problem - it’s how quickly and strangely it gets dealt with in a book that’s otherwise trying to be very aware of its themes regarding unhealthy relationships, violation, and control.
On that point, the story of Kosara being groomed by the Zmey was interesting but I think it was less effective than it could have been because the plot was so chaotic and everything moved so quickly. For example, Kosara and Asen have one conversation about how she is not to blame for killing her sister and the Zmey is responsible instead, and after that Kosara is completely convinced that it was not her fault and the Zmey needs to be destroyed in revenge. Overall it’s definitely a nice change of pace from the trend of fantasy books inspired by Eastern European folklore where the naive young girl truly falls in love with the shadowy monster bad boy, but I wish it had had more room to breathe.
Overall, this was fun but not incredibly memorable - I’ll probably come back to finish up the duology at some point but I’m not in a huge rush to do so.
At the same time, the plot is pretty much a constant series of Kosara doing something incredibly stupid and reckless and then having to deal with the consequences. There’s definitely something to the idea of a character constantly living in fight/flight mode and making her external environment match her internal chaos, but to see it happen over and over again with no real change throughout the story definitely got old.
I also disliked the romance, which is incredibly boring except for the scene where Kosara tries to drug Asen and then tries to seduce him to get information about his amulet. She acknowledges later that she crossed a line, but the extent of the fallout here is that she apologizes sulkily, he’s mad for a bit, and then they make up and are perfectly fine for the rest of the book. I always try to be clear that this kind of thing happening isn’t necessarily my problem - it’s how quickly and strangely it gets dealt with in a book that’s otherwise trying to be very aware of its themes regarding unhealthy relationships, violation, and control.
On that point, the story of Kosara being groomed by the Zmey was interesting but I think it was less effective than it could have been because the plot was so chaotic and everything moved so quickly. For example, Kosara and Asen have one conversation about how she is not to blame for killing her sister and the Zmey is responsible instead, and after that Kosara is completely convinced that it was not her fault and the Zmey needs to be destroyed in revenge. Overall it’s definitely a nice change of pace from the trend of fantasy books inspired by Eastern European folklore where the naive young girl truly falls in love with the shadowy monster bad boy, but I wish it had had more room to breathe.
Overall, this was fun but not incredibly memorable - I’ll probably come back to finish up the duology at some point but I’m not in a huge rush to do so.
December 23, 2024
I loved the Slavic influence. Monsters and Witches?? Count me in!
I think you need a certain type of humor to enjoy this book. The FMC and the MMC are kind of idiots—and I adore that!
Onto the next, because I do love a duology!
I think you need a certain type of humor to enjoy this book. The FMC and the MMC are kind of idiots—and I adore that!
Onto the next, because I do love a duology!
May 2, 2025
Нааай-после я приключих. 20 дни. 20 дни чета тази книга. При условие, че средно ми отнема макс 3. Това говори достатъчно красноречиво само по себе си. Out of sight, out of mind ситуация. Нищо не ми взе, но нищо не ми и даде. Едва ли ще остави трайна следа в съзнанието ми. Може би ако бях на 14 щеше да ме впечатли и да ми хареса много. Но, уви, не съм на толкова.
This book reads as YA no matter how I look at it. Just google 'YA characteristics' and you'll know what I'm talking about right away. The frustrating part was that it wasn't advertised as such. Was it cute? Yes, it was. But it lacked depth and details witch made it forgettable and hardly engaging for me. As for the lore and the world - it depends how you look at it. If you're outside looking in you'll find it fascinating, exotic even. But from the inside looking out it's a commercial reading on a very vast and rich folklore. So if you're in for a chill adventure urban fantasy book you'll have a great time. But if you're looking for something that will blow your mind with insane character development, plot twists and breath taking world building I suggest you go look somewhere else.
This book reads as YA no matter how I look at it. Just google 'YA characteristics' and you'll know what I'm talking about right away. The frustrating part was that it wasn't advertised as such. Was it cute? Yes, it was. But it lacked depth and details witch made it forgettable and hardly engaging for me. As for the lore and the world - it depends how you look at it. If you're outside looking in you'll find it fascinating, exotic even. But from the inside looking out it's a commercial reading on a very vast and rich folklore. So if you're in for a chill adventure urban fantasy book you'll have a great time. But if you're looking for something that will blow your mind with insane character development, plot twists and breath taking world building I suggest you go look somewhere else.
May 16, 2024
I really liked the idea of the book, and it was very fast paced and easy to read, but I feel like uneven characterization, logical inconsistencies and lack of detail held this back from being as good as it could have been.
The story centres around Kosara, a witch from Belograd, a city enclosed by walls to keep the monsters inside. Many years ago Chernograd, the outer city, built those walls around the poorest slums and basically sacrificed the people inside to the monsters. But since the monsters only come out in force 4 days a year—the Foul Days—they have kind of a functional society (although how I still don’t fully understand).
Kosara is playing a card game in the opening of the book, and when her monster ex shows up on the eve of the Foul Days, she gives away her shadow (the source of all her witchy power) to a stranger in order to escape. The giant leap in logic to give away ALL her power in the first 10 pages of the book was hard to understand. The rest of the book is about her trying to get the shadow, and her power, back.
There were some odd logical inconsistencies, like when the characters are taken prisoner by the Zmey and he locks them in a cage, why would he allow them to keep their weapons (knife and gun)? Why did the Zmey allow Kosara to go home and get a good night’s sleep before the final showdown? He really didn’t think she would try anything, given how violent he is supposed to be?
Also the details were lacking. I don’t know what the main character looks like. Somewhere around the 300 page mark they mention Kosara’s “puffy” hair but that was the first description I noticed that wasn’t just about her clothes. I also didn’t have a very clear idea of what most of the monsters looked like, especially the Zmey.
I was also a little underwhelmed by the description of Kosara and the Zmey’s past—it didn’t give enough detail into what had actually happened between them, and she continued to blame herself for what was clearly an abusive situation. The details were given out in bits and pieces, and it didn’t feel like we got enough information about it.
The romantic subplot was basically non-existent, and I’m not even sure what was happening there. There was no chemistry or build-up, and then all of a sudden there was awkward thoughts about kissing and then nothing.
It’s a shame because I liked the concepts, I just feel like they needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to Raincoast for the advanced reader copy.
The story centres around Kosara, a witch from Belograd, a city enclosed by walls to keep the monsters inside. Many years ago Chernograd, the outer city, built those walls around the poorest slums and basically sacrificed the people inside to the monsters. But since the monsters only come out in force 4 days a year—the Foul Days—they have kind of a functional society (although how I still don’t fully understand).
Kosara is playing a card game in the opening of the book, and when her monster ex shows up on the eve of the Foul Days, she gives away her shadow (the source of all her witchy power) to a stranger in order to escape. The giant leap in logic to give away ALL her power in the first 10 pages of the book was hard to understand. The rest of the book is about her trying to get the shadow, and her power, back.
There were some odd logical inconsistencies, like when the characters are taken prisoner by the Zmey and he locks them in a cage, why would he allow them to keep their weapons (knife and gun)? Why did the Zmey allow Kosara to go home and get a good night’s sleep before the final showdown? He really didn’t think she would try anything, given how violent he is supposed to be?
Also the details were lacking. I don’t know what the main character looks like. Somewhere around the 300 page mark they mention Kosara’s “puffy” hair but that was the first description I noticed that wasn’t just about her clothes. I also didn’t have a very clear idea of what most of the monsters looked like, especially the Zmey.
I was also a little underwhelmed by the description of Kosara and the Zmey’s past—it didn’t give enough detail into what had actually happened between them, and she continued to blame herself for what was clearly an abusive situation. The details were given out in bits and pieces, and it didn’t feel like we got enough information about it.
The romantic subplot was basically non-existent, and I’m not even sure what was happening there. There was no chemistry or build-up, and then all of a sudden there was awkward thoughts about kissing and then nothing.
It’s a shame because I liked the concepts, I just feel like they needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to Raincoast for the advanced reader copy.
July 11, 2024
A fun, fast paced urban fantasy with an intriguing romantic subplot and a setting that will delight lovers of Balkan folklore.
I was extremely excited about this Bulgarian-inspired fantasy and I’m glad to say it did not disappoint. Set in a world inspired by Communist Bulgaria, Foul Days follows disgraced witch Kosara as she battles monsters, criminals, and a corrupt political system to protect herself and the city of Chernograd. The book’s main strength is definitely its rich and vivid world building, which includes traditional Slavic creatures and myths as well as references to Eastern European history under Communism (the Wall, for example, is an obvious stand-in for the Iron Curtain).
If you’re familiar with Balkan folks and their dry, cynical sense of humor, you will recognize these traits in Dimova’s characters. Their banter was a joy to read and I appreciated that even minor characters had distinct voices and colorful personalities.
The fast-paced, plot-driven story was both unpredictable and relatively easy to follow. I usually prefer my speculative fiction to be a bit more introspective, but since I started this while being stuck in a reading slump, I ended up really enjoying the tight pacing and exciting plot twists.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the romance. These days, it’s rare to read a fantasy where the main relationship is well developed and not based solely on lust. Even if I wouldn’t call Asen an especially charming love interest, I enjoyed seeing him and Kosera get closer and slowly grow fonder of each other. I still can’t tell if they will end up together at the end of the series, but I know I can’t wait for the sequel to come out.
I was extremely excited about this Bulgarian-inspired fantasy and I’m glad to say it did not disappoint. Set in a world inspired by Communist Bulgaria, Foul Days follows disgraced witch Kosara as she battles monsters, criminals, and a corrupt political system to protect herself and the city of Chernograd. The book’s main strength is definitely its rich and vivid world building, which includes traditional Slavic creatures and myths as well as references to Eastern European history under Communism (the Wall, for example, is an obvious stand-in for the Iron Curtain).
If you’re familiar with Balkan folks and their dry, cynical sense of humor, you will recognize these traits in Dimova’s characters. Their banter was a joy to read and I appreciated that even minor characters had distinct voices and colorful personalities.
The fast-paced, plot-driven story was both unpredictable and relatively easy to follow. I usually prefer my speculative fiction to be a bit more introspective, but since I started this while being stuck in a reading slump, I ended up really enjoying the tight pacing and exciting plot twists.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the romance. These days, it’s rare to read a fantasy where the main relationship is well developed and not based solely on lust. Even if I wouldn’t call Asen an especially charming love interest, I enjoyed seeing him and Kosera get closer and slowly grow fonder of each other. I still can’t tell if they will end up together at the end of the series, but I know I can’t wait for the sequel to come out.
November 3, 2024
Eins meiner Jahreshighlights, obwohl ich ein bisschen Kritik habe. Trotzdem: Volle 5 Sterne.
Wir haben hier eine Secondary-Fantasywelt, die von den 50er/60er-Jahren in Südosteuropa/Balkan inspiriert ist: Was man in Deutschland am Ehesten unter „Raunächte“ kennt, sind hier die „schmutzigen Tage“ zwischen Weihnachten und dem Jordanstag, in denen der Schleier zwischen Monster- und Menschwelt dünn ist: Kikimoren, Upire und vor allem der Zmey, der Zar der Monster, gelangen in die Stadt Chernograd, während die Nachbarstadt Belograd durch eine magische Mauer vor ihnen geschützt ist. Während dieser Zeit folgen wir Kosara, eine Hexe und Monsterjägerin – doch hat sie ihre Kräfte, ihren Hexenschatten, in einem Glücksspiel verloren. Um den Schatten wieder zurückzubekommen, tut sie sich mit einem Polizisten zusammen, der ein ganz eigenes Interesse an diesem Unterfangen hat…
Was mich vor allem gestört hat war das Pacing. Es wirkte manchmal zu sprunghaft und hektisch auf mich, mir fehlten langsamere, intimere Momente um die Figuren richtig kennenzulernen. Man hat außerdem gemerkt, dass ein paar der „Zufälle“ im Plot nur dazu dienten, das Buch abschließen zu können – wie so oft frage ich mich, was wäre, wenn der Geschichte mehr als eine Dilogie zugesprochen worden wäre und sich die Figuren noch mehr entfalten hätten können.
Wer typische Urban-Fantasy-Erzählweisen gar nicht mag, für den ist das Buch vielleicht nichts. Aber lasst mich euch trotzdem davon überzeugen, es zu lesen!
Im Marketing wird, wie bei allen Fantasybüchern, die slawische Folklore beinhalten, von „Witcher meets Naomi Novik“ gesprochen. Aber wer hier was Märchenhaftes erwartet wird enttäuscht. Der Roman spielt eben nicht in so einem typischen Märchen-Wald-Mittelalter-Setting (die Hexer-Reihe ist übrigens auch sehr viel komplexer, aber das ist ein anderes Thema…), sondern bricht, ähnlich wie Juniper & Thorn von Ava Reid, mit Vorannahmen zu slawischer Fantasy und übergreifend, osteuropäischen Settings.
Klar, die Folklore-Elemente sind vorhanden und originell umgesetzt, aber es ist eben auch aufgebaut wie ein „typischer“ Urban-Fantasy-Roman mit Detektiv-Anteil und einem informierten, detailreichen Weltenbau.
Das fängt bei den Essensbeschreibungen (die Beschreibung der Kaffeezubereitung hat mich direkt in mein Auslandssemester in Slowenien und Reisen in Bosnien zurückversetzt) und Namensgebungen an – Belograd heißt übersetzt quasi „weiße“/helle Stadt, Chernograd „schwarze“/dunkle Stadt, aber es geht noch viel tiefer.
In Chernograd lebt Kosara ein von Entbehrungen geprägtes Leben, das von dem abhängt, was die andere, reiche Stadt Belograd ihnen zuspricht. Trotz des Verlangens, Teil von besagtem „Besseren“ zu sein, behalten die Chernograder ihre eigenen Lebensweisen und wollen sie nicht missen. Der trockene Humor ist on point und Kosara zwar anfangs jung und ein bisschen nervig, aber je besser ich sie kennengelernt habe, desto mehr Bewunderung brachte ich für sie auf. Thematisch geht es nämlich auch um Gr00ming von Minderjährigen und D3pressionen. Content Notes hat die Autorin auf Goodreads veröffentlicht.
Für mich ist Tage einer Hexe ein origineller Fantasyroman einer Own-Voice-Autorin – eine richtig tolle Ergänzung für diverse Fantasy, die ins Deutsche übersetzt wurde.
Zu hoffen bleibt nur noch, dass der Verlag diese Dilogie weiterführt, denn für mich ist klar: man kann es nicht als Einzelband lesen, es endet mit einem Cliffhanger. Leider gibt es beim Verlag keinen Hinweis darauf, dass es sich überhaupt um den ersten Teil eine Reihe handelt und im Frühjahrsprogramm findet man bisher keine Ankündigung des zweiten Bandes, also Daumen drücken und Buch lesen!
Von mir gibt es eine ganz klare Leseempfehlung und ganz viel Liebe für “Tage einer Hexe”!
By the way: Auf meinem Instagram-Blog @books.and.sorcery gehe ich noch etwas ausführlicher darauf ein, welche voreingenommenen Bilder es von slawischer Fantasy gibt. Also schaut da doch mal rein!
Wir haben hier eine Secondary-Fantasywelt, die von den 50er/60er-Jahren in Südosteuropa/Balkan inspiriert ist: Was man in Deutschland am Ehesten unter „Raunächte“ kennt, sind hier die „schmutzigen Tage“ zwischen Weihnachten und dem Jordanstag, in denen der Schleier zwischen Monster- und Menschwelt dünn ist: Kikimoren, Upire und vor allem der Zmey, der Zar der Monster, gelangen in die Stadt Chernograd, während die Nachbarstadt Belograd durch eine magische Mauer vor ihnen geschützt ist. Während dieser Zeit folgen wir Kosara, eine Hexe und Monsterjägerin – doch hat sie ihre Kräfte, ihren Hexenschatten, in einem Glücksspiel verloren. Um den Schatten wieder zurückzubekommen, tut sie sich mit einem Polizisten zusammen, der ein ganz eigenes Interesse an diesem Unterfangen hat…
Was mich vor allem gestört hat war das Pacing. Es wirkte manchmal zu sprunghaft und hektisch auf mich, mir fehlten langsamere, intimere Momente um die Figuren richtig kennenzulernen. Man hat außerdem gemerkt, dass ein paar der „Zufälle“ im Plot nur dazu dienten, das Buch abschließen zu können – wie so oft frage ich mich, was wäre, wenn der Geschichte mehr als eine Dilogie zugesprochen worden wäre und sich die Figuren noch mehr entfalten hätten können.
Wer typische Urban-Fantasy-Erzählweisen gar nicht mag, für den ist das Buch vielleicht nichts. Aber lasst mich euch trotzdem davon überzeugen, es zu lesen!
Im Marketing wird, wie bei allen Fantasybüchern, die slawische Folklore beinhalten, von „Witcher meets Naomi Novik“ gesprochen. Aber wer hier was Märchenhaftes erwartet wird enttäuscht. Der Roman spielt eben nicht in so einem typischen Märchen-Wald-Mittelalter-Setting (die Hexer-Reihe ist übrigens auch sehr viel komplexer, aber das ist ein anderes Thema…), sondern bricht, ähnlich wie Juniper & Thorn von Ava Reid, mit Vorannahmen zu slawischer Fantasy und übergreifend, osteuropäischen Settings.
Klar, die Folklore-Elemente sind vorhanden und originell umgesetzt, aber es ist eben auch aufgebaut wie ein „typischer“ Urban-Fantasy-Roman mit Detektiv-Anteil und einem informierten, detailreichen Weltenbau.
Das fängt bei den Essensbeschreibungen (die Beschreibung der Kaffeezubereitung hat mich direkt in mein Auslandssemester in Slowenien und Reisen in Bosnien zurückversetzt) und Namensgebungen an – Belograd heißt übersetzt quasi „weiße“/helle Stadt, Chernograd „schwarze“/dunkle Stadt, aber es geht noch viel tiefer.
In Chernograd lebt Kosara ein von Entbehrungen geprägtes Leben, das von dem abhängt, was die andere, reiche Stadt Belograd ihnen zuspricht. Trotz des Verlangens, Teil von besagtem „Besseren“ zu sein, behalten die Chernograder ihre eigenen Lebensweisen und wollen sie nicht missen. Der trockene Humor ist on point und Kosara zwar anfangs jung und ein bisschen nervig, aber je besser ich sie kennengelernt habe, desto mehr Bewunderung brachte ich für sie auf. Thematisch geht es nämlich auch um Gr00ming von Minderjährigen und D3pressionen. Content Notes hat die Autorin auf Goodreads veröffentlicht.
Für mich ist Tage einer Hexe ein origineller Fantasyroman einer Own-Voice-Autorin – eine richtig tolle Ergänzung für diverse Fantasy, die ins Deutsche übersetzt wurde.
Zu hoffen bleibt nur noch, dass der Verlag diese Dilogie weiterführt, denn für mich ist klar: man kann es nicht als Einzelband lesen, es endet mit einem Cliffhanger. Leider gibt es beim Verlag keinen Hinweis darauf, dass es sich überhaupt um den ersten Teil eine Reihe handelt und im Frühjahrsprogramm findet man bisher keine Ankündigung des zweiten Bandes, also Daumen drücken und Buch lesen!
Von mir gibt es eine ganz klare Leseempfehlung und ganz viel Liebe für “Tage einer Hexe”!
By the way: Auf meinem Instagram-Blog @books.and.sorcery gehe ich noch etwas ausführlicher darauf ein, welche voreingenommenen Bilder es von slawischer Fantasy gibt. Also schaut da doch mal rein!
April 13, 2023
Mystery, Slavic folklore, witches and monsters: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimov is a sure-footed, swift-paced race against time that will leave you swigging rakia to cope with the tension.
When I review books, I don't describe the plot - that's for you to discover when you read it, which you will if you're into fast-paced, mysterious, atmospheric fantasy.
Our protagonist is a wonderful character. Kosara is a flawed, error-making, untrusting, untrustworthy witch who tries too hard and admits too little to herself. Despite her many flaws, she's also vulnerable, lonely, an agent of her own destiny, and has an admirable sense of responsibility. At times selfish, at times selfless, Kosara is a finely portrayed, fully realised creation. She's great, and I look forward to following her around on her next adventure.
Our leading man, Asen, is equally well drawn and I'm going to lean out a little to say that one of the differences for me between Foul Days and some other books I've read that will sit on the same shelf is that it's really enjoyable for me to read a male romantic lead in whom the time has been put to create a character who stands in detail alongside the heroine. Asen isn't just a collection of common, uncomfortable tropes, he's a person in his own right. He isn't obsessed with Kosara, and that made their budding feelings take flight.
In fact, those more common 'toxic fairy/vampire/billionaire romantic interest' tropes are better embodied by the Tsar of Monsters, and that was all to the good. There's some clever themes relating to abusive, toxic relationships (which are in fact the kind that you'll more commonly find in fantasy fiction these days, though portrayed as romantic) and it's carried off very well. The Tsar is a truly frightening character.
Foul Days is well put together. Well paced, with a cast of characters that are both distinctive but limited enough in number not to be forgotten quickly. I'm hoping that in the next installment we get to hear more about Vila in particular - if her house hasn't got up and walked her out of town, that is.
Foul Days is a brilliant modern fantasy. Witty, exciting, clever. Dimova's prose is defy crafted, descriptive without being overbearing, swift without being throwaway.
Many thanks to Tor for the ARC.
When I review books, I don't describe the plot - that's for you to discover when you read it, which you will if you're into fast-paced, mysterious, atmospheric fantasy.
Our protagonist is a wonderful character. Kosara is a flawed, error-making, untrusting, untrustworthy witch who tries too hard and admits too little to herself. Despite her many flaws, she's also vulnerable, lonely, an agent of her own destiny, and has an admirable sense of responsibility. At times selfish, at times selfless, Kosara is a finely portrayed, fully realised creation. She's great, and I look forward to following her around on her next adventure.
Our leading man, Asen, is equally well drawn and I'm going to lean out a little to say that one of the differences for me between Foul Days and some other books I've read that will sit on the same shelf is that it's really enjoyable for me to read a male romantic lead in whom the time has been put to create a character who stands in detail alongside the heroine. Asen isn't just a collection of common, uncomfortable tropes, he's a person in his own right. He isn't obsessed with Kosara, and that made their budding feelings take flight.
In fact, those more common 'toxic fairy/vampire/billionaire romantic interest' tropes are better embodied by the Tsar of Monsters, and that was all to the good. There's some clever themes relating to abusive, toxic relationships (which are in fact the kind that you'll more commonly find in fantasy fiction these days, though portrayed as romantic) and it's carried off very well. The Tsar is a truly frightening character.
Foul Days is well put together. Well paced, with a cast of characters that are both distinctive but limited enough in number not to be forgotten quickly. I'm hoping that in the next installment we get to hear more about Vila in particular - if her house hasn't got up and walked her out of town, that is.
Foul Days is a brilliant modern fantasy. Witty, exciting, clever. Dimova's prose is defy crafted, descriptive without being overbearing, swift without being throwaway.
Many thanks to Tor for the ARC.
September 2, 2024
This had so much potential, but in its current form it felt half baked, like a first draft that needed A LOT of work done on it.
I really enjoyed the Slavic folklore backdrop, but I felt like the actual world building needed a lot more work.
The social commentary was very heavy handed and I found myself rolling my eyes at a lot of it.
Kosara was a very frustrating character - I didn’t particularly like her and she kept doing stupid thing after stupid thing, and hanging a lantern on it doesn’t stop me from being annoyed by her a lot of the time. We kept on being told that Kosara was a good witch and smart and that she protected the people of Chernograd, but we were never shown that.
Asen was, honestly, incredibly boring and bland. He was supposed to be super mysterious, but we knew so little about him until the last 20ish percent that I just didn’t care about him and wasn’t interested in his deal at all.
The hinted at romance was equally dull. They had little chemistry and I didn’t really feel much development of a relationship.
The shadow sickness that Kosara suffered was supposed to be life threatening and she was supposed to be in a race against time to find her shadow before she died. I never felt her desperation or fear. It just got mentioned every now and again so we’d remember it was a thing.
I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this.
I really enjoyed the Slavic folklore backdrop, but I felt like the actual world building needed a lot more work.
The social commentary was very heavy handed and I found myself rolling my eyes at a lot of it.
Kosara was a very frustrating character - I didn’t particularly like her and she kept doing stupid thing after stupid thing, and hanging a lantern on it doesn’t stop me from being annoyed by her a lot of the time. We kept on being told that Kosara was a good witch and smart and that she protected the people of Chernograd, but we were never shown that.
Asen was, honestly, incredibly boring and bland. He was supposed to be super mysterious, but we knew so little about him until the last 20ish percent that I just didn’t care about him and wasn’t interested in his deal at all.
The hinted at romance was equally dull. They had little chemistry and I didn’t really feel much development of a relationship.
The shadow sickness that Kosara suffered was supposed to be life threatening and she was supposed to be in a race against time to find her shadow before she died. I never felt her desperation or fear. It just got mentioned every now and again so we’d remember it was a thing.
I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this.
January 10, 2024
I received an ARC of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to be able to read Foul Days early! The Witcher written by Naomi Novik is 100% spot on as a pitch, and it fully lived up to that lofty promise. An unputdownable, confident debut brimming with character, heart, humor, magic -- and, of course, monsters. So. Many. Monsters.
Dimova's knowledge of Bulgarian/Slavic folklore injects the world with vibrancy and depth, creating a setting that feels both fresh and deeply lived-in. Drawing on historical parallels, the walled cities of Chernograd and Belograd are alive enough to be their own characters here.
And 23-year-old Kosara is a fantastic protagonist who's easy to root for--fiercely independent, pragmatic, and nursing deep hurts behind her prickly, witchy armor--up against a truly chilling villain.
Foul Days is a knockout debut and a hell of a way to start a trilogy, and I can't wait to continue Kosara's story.
I was so excited to be able to read Foul Days early! The Witcher written by Naomi Novik is 100% spot on as a pitch, and it fully lived up to that lofty promise. An unputdownable, confident debut brimming with character, heart, humor, magic -- and, of course, monsters. So. Many. Monsters.
Dimova's knowledge of Bulgarian/Slavic folklore injects the world with vibrancy and depth, creating a setting that feels both fresh and deeply lived-in. Drawing on historical parallels, the walled cities of Chernograd and Belograd are alive enough to be their own characters here.
And 23-year-old Kosara is a fantastic protagonist who's easy to root for--fiercely independent, pragmatic, and nursing deep hurts behind her prickly, witchy armor--up against a truly chilling villain.
Foul Days is a knockout debut and a hell of a way to start a trilogy, and I can't wait to continue Kosara's story.
December 18, 2024
I had so much fun with this story. The characters were vivid. The world building was excellent. The plot was clever and beautifully executed. I can't wait for the next instalment.
However, the author ended this book in such a way that you can treat it as a standalone. I believe this is Young Adult, it reads that way without the over explaining often seen in those stories.
The audio book is also excellent.
Trigger Warning:
Gas lighting is a very strong theme. Proceed with caution if that is a difficult topic for you. The main character is kind of a mess and shows poor decision making because of this.
However, the author ended this book in such a way that you can treat it as a standalone. I believe this is Young Adult, it reads that way without the over explaining often seen in those stories.
The audio book is also excellent.
Trigger Warning:
Gas lighting is a very strong theme. Proceed with caution if that is a difficult topic for you. The main character is kind of a mess and shows poor decision making because of this.
August 19, 2024
I had the incredible luck to receive an advanced, translator's copy of this book, and after devouring it in two days (it would have been one if I hadn't forced myself to stop because I needed to work on, you know, the actual translation), it immediately jumped to my all-time-favorites list.
Why? Because it has it all, in spades -- and more.
A vivid, colorful, imaginative world, bathed in mystery and chock-full of Slavic monsters (some of them in human skin). Being Bulgarian, it was so exciting to see the author's spin on folk tales and creatures (and nursery rhymes!) I've known since childhood. I was totally enchanted.
Add to that a realistic, totally relatable main character who is forced to face her greatest fears, and forgive herself for past mistakes. A drool-worthy male character who's almost too good to be true, but still manages to be interesting rather than irritating. An ensemble of morally gray associates who keep passing one another the mantle of the traitor. And a couple of villains that will haunt your nightmares.
Place all those into a fast-paced, dynamic plot with enough twists and turns to keep you glued to the page until the very end -- which is kind of cliff-hangery, promising a very intriguing sequel.
Sprinkle generously with humor and provide a fresh, engaging, no, enticing narrative voice ... and you'll have a read so good you just can't _not_ fall in love with it. I absolutely can't wait for the sequel!
Why? Because it has it all, in spades -- and more.
A vivid, colorful, imaginative world, bathed in mystery and chock-full of Slavic monsters (some of them in human skin). Being Bulgarian, it was so exciting to see the author's spin on folk tales and creatures (and nursery rhymes!) I've known since childhood. I was totally enchanted.
Add to that a realistic, totally relatable main character who is forced to face her greatest fears, and forgive herself for past mistakes. A drool-worthy male character who's almost too good to be true, but still manages to be interesting rather than irritating. An ensemble of morally gray associates who keep passing one another the mantle of the traitor. And a couple of villains that will haunt your nightmares.
Place all those into a fast-paced, dynamic plot with enough twists and turns to keep you glued to the page until the very end -- which is kind of cliff-hangery, promising a very intriguing sequel.
Sprinkle generously with humor and provide a fresh, engaging, no, enticing narrative voice ... and you'll have a read so good you just can't _not_ fall in love with it. I absolutely can't wait for the sequel!
dnf
November 18, 2024I would like to thank Edelweiss and Tor for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
dnf @ 22%
i am very grateful for this ARC but unfortunately this just isn't for me. i'm not connecting to the narrative tone nor the fmc. there's a dissonance between the urban fantasy flex and the slavic folklore and i'm just not feeling it. i'm also not sure that it's fair to compare this to novik or witcher, as the first 6 chapters read fairly YA and is "similar" only because of some lightweight monster action in the opening bits. but i've not read the whole thing so maybe the tone, stakes, dynamism and writing improves later on.
dnf @ 22%
i am very grateful for this ARC but unfortunately this just isn't for me. i'm not connecting to the narrative tone nor the fmc. there's a dissonance between the urban fantasy flex and the slavic folklore and i'm just not feeling it. i'm also not sure that it's fair to compare this to novik or witcher, as the first 6 chapters read fairly YA and is "similar" only because of some lightweight monster action in the opening bits. but i've not read the whole thing so maybe the tone, stakes, dynamism and writing improves later on.
August 22, 2024
4,5 ⭐️
За първи път посягам към фентъзи, вдъхновено от Балканския фолклор. Не че не съм родолюбец, но нашите митове и легенди не ме привличаха в литературно отношение. До тази книга.
Косара е моята нова любима вещица. Забавна, остроумна, огнена и най-вече - ходещо бедствие. Е, изборите, които е правила не са от най-умните, но младостта не прощава на никой. Дори на една вещица. А последствията я следват неотлъчно през годините. Някои дори се помещават в домът ѝ заедно с домашните духове.
Увлекателно градско фентъзи, с което няма да останете равнодушни към герои и сюжет.
За първи път посягам към фентъзи, вдъхновено от Балканския фолклор. Не че не съм родолюбец, но нашите митове и легенди не ме привличаха в литературно отношение. До тази книга.
Косара е моята нова любима вещица. Забавна, остроумна, огнена и най-вече - ходещо бедствие. Е, изборите, които е правила не са от най-умните, но младостта не прощава на никой. Дори на една вещица. А последствията я следват неотлъчно през годините. Някои дори се помещават в домът ѝ заедно с домашните духове.
Увлекателно градско фентъзи, с което няма да останете равнодушни към герои и сюжет.
January 21, 2024
What an absolute witchy delight!!!
Wonderfully vivid, Bulgarian-inspired worldbuilding! A compellingly flawed and interesting heroine! With a tagline like “the Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” I couldn’t pick this e-arc up fast enough, and I will now gladly devour anything by Genoveva Dimova! The sequel can’t come soon enough!!! I can’t wait to bully all my customers into reading this!
Wonderfully vivid, Bulgarian-inspired worldbuilding! A compellingly flawed and interesting heroine! With a tagline like “the Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” I couldn’t pick this e-arc up fast enough, and I will now gladly devour anything by Genoveva Dimova! The sequel can’t come soon enough!!! I can’t wait to bully all my customers into reading this!
August 17, 2024
I had such a fun time with this one. While there are some darker underlying themes that discuss partner emotional abuse (with implied physical) and grief/guilt around lost loved ones, it reads mostly cozy and lighthearted with a lot of funny moments. I'm so excited to read the sequel.
August 12, 2024
DNF @ 45%
I looked at the progress bar, realized I was almost halfway through and yet I didn't care for whatever was happening. It's very action packed, but I felt nothing for the characters nor did I feel there was any room to let plot points breathe and have an emotional impact on both the characters and the reader. Incredibly simplistic prose that didn't read to me as adult. In fact, if you had told me this was YA I would have believed you. The main character is supposedly a very competent witch from a tough city but was extremely trusting and made the dumbest decisions. I read some reviews claiming the world building is good... It's not. Thank you, but I'll pass on this.
I looked at the progress bar, realized I was almost halfway through and yet I didn't care for whatever was happening. It's very action packed, but I felt nothing for the characters nor did I feel there was any room to let plot points breathe and have an emotional impact on both the characters and the reader. Incredibly simplistic prose that didn't read to me as adult. In fact, if you had told me this was YA I would have believed you. The main character is supposedly a very competent witch from a tough city but was extremely trusting and made the dumbest decisions. I read some reviews claiming the world building is good... It's not. Thank you, but I'll pass on this.
September 6, 2024
По-скоро 3.5/5, не точно 3, не точно и 4.
Хареса ми, от голяма част заради стила на авторката и факта, че е българско (нищо че го четох в оригинал на английски). Доста стандартно YA градско фентъзи, самите славянски елементи вече не са чак толкова иновативни, особено след нашумяването на Вещерът на Сапковски и Сянка и Кост на Бардуго. Сюжетът е що-годе предвидим и беззъб, но поне не се влачи, взаимоотношенията между Косара и Асен са приятни и забавни. В моменти Асен се превръща по-скоро в аксесоар на Косара, отколкото в придружител и герой, защото просто изчезва или спира да е фактор в сюжета, което е и част от по-широкия проблем на самия сюжет и светоустройството му. Като за атакуван от чудовища град, Черноград не се различава толкова от Белоград, да, има чудовища, да, убиват хора, но някак си Косара бидейки черноградка е леко кисела от този факт, а не яростна както аз бих си представил че един гражданин на гето пълно с кръвожадни чудовища би бил. Стената е ясна препратка към Берлинската стена, има някакво класово разделение между Черноград и Белоград и както споменах, едните ги убиват чудовища, но това не се усеща, сякаш и от двете страни на стената е едно и също, просто от едната страна са по-богати и продават контрабанда на другата. Ще ми се да имаше толкова фокус върху ефектите на Стената и чудовищата, колкото имаше между романтичната сюжетна линия между Асен и Косара. Вместо това малко се усеща сякаш светът е просто украса, а романтиката е на първо ниво. В края на този роман, като първа част от поредица, не виждам причина да прочета част две, освен ако не искам да чета повече как Косара и Асен флиртуват, няма силна "кука" свързан със света, само такава свръзан с романса, тъй като не се взеха накрая.
Добра идея, добър стил, изпълнението откъм теми и сюжет обаче ми идват слаби, преиграни и типични YA, а някъде четох, че това не се води точно YA, тъй като лека-полека самият термин започва да става дерогативен. Има защо.
Хареса ми, от голяма част заради стила на авторката и факта, че е българско (нищо че го четох в оригинал на английски). Доста стандартно YA градско фентъзи, самите славянски елементи вече не са чак толкова иновативни, особено след нашумяването на Вещерът на Сапковски и Сянка и Кост на Бардуго. Сюжетът е що-годе предвидим и беззъб, но поне не се влачи, взаимоотношенията между Косара и Асен са приятни и забавни. В моменти Асен се превръща по-скоро в аксесоар на Косара, отколкото в придружител и герой, защото просто изчезва или спира да е фактор в сюжета, което е и част от по-широкия проблем на самия сюжет и светоустройството му. Като за атакуван от чудовища град, Черноград не се различава толкова от Белоград, да, има чудовища, да, убиват хора, но някак си Косара бидейки черноградка е леко кисела от този факт, а не яростна както аз бих си представил че един гражданин на гето пълно с кръвожадни чудовища би бил. Стената е ясна препратка към Берлинската стена, има някакво класово разделение между Черноград и Белоград и както споменах, едните ги убиват чудовища, но това не се усеща, сякаш и от двете страни на стената е едно и също, просто от едната страна са по-богати и продават контрабанда на другата. Ще ми се да имаше толкова фокус върху ефектите на Стената и чудовищата, колкото имаше между романтичната сюжетна линия между Асен и Косара. Вместо това малко се усеща сякаш светът е просто украса, а романтиката е на първо ниво. В края на този роман, като първа част от поредица, не виждам причина да прочета част две, освен ако не искам да чета повече как Косара и Асен флиртуват, няма силна "кука" свързан със света, само такава свръзан с романса, тъй като не се взеха накрая.
Добра идея, добър стил, изпълнението откъм теми и сюжет обаче ми идват слаби, преиграни и типични YA, а някъде четох, че това не се води точно YA, тъй като лека-полека самият термин започва да става дерогативен. Има защо.
September 11, 2024
What an adventure filled Urban Fantasy debut!
Do you want to experience some Balkan lore with loads of monsters, magic, eccentric practices and characters?
"Foul Days" by Genoveva Dimova is the answer for all these and more.
If you can let yourself go with the flow and trust the process to be a fun one, then you will have a great taste of Bulgarian folklore (and a touch of Romanian - Master Manole).
Fair warning, the Balkan stories are a little bit extravagant, with a dash of dramatic, a pinch (or a ton) of exaggeration, a good helping of humor, but always a wellcoming atmosphere.
What actually surprised me was the fact that the author also touched on the communist experience, how it impacted Eastern Europe, but also the discussion around abusive relationships and how damaging they can be.
Highly recommended!
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
Do you want to experience some Balkan lore with loads of monsters, magic, eccentric practices and characters?
"Foul Days" by Genoveva Dimova is the answer for all these and more.
If you can let yourself go with the flow and trust the process to be a fun one, then you will have a great taste of Bulgarian folklore (and a touch of Romanian - Master Manole).
Fair warning, the Balkan stories are a little bit extravagant, with a dash of dramatic, a pinch (or a ton) of exaggeration, a good helping of humor, but always a wellcoming atmosphere.
What actually surprised me was the fact that the author also touched on the communist experience, how it impacted Eastern Europe, but also the discussion around abusive relationships and how damaging they can be.
Highly recommended!
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
July 2, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Foul Days is the first book in the dark fantasy duology The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, written by Genoveva Dimova and published by TOR. Drawing heavily from Slavic folklore, we have a dark twisted adventure, with an excellent atmosphere, following Kosara, a witch from the walled city of Chernograd, and her fight for survival against the Zmey, the Tsar of Monsters.
Persecuted by the Zmey, and after being betrayed by a friend, Kosara's only resource to flee is trading her shadow (the source of her powers) in exchange from illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, a safe place for monsters. However, despite Belograd is a safe place, she starts experiencing a fast-acting version of the deadly illness that affects shadowless witches; her only cure is tracking down the smuggler that took her across the Wall.
When she finds the death of the smuggler, with all the hints pointing towards Chernograd, she will have to team up with the Belogradian detective (Asen) that is investigating the assassination; both will have to collaborate if they want to recover Kosara's shadow and survive.
I found Kosara to be a great character, sarcastic at points, but still somebody that wants to use his powers to protect Chernograd's people, her people; with time running down, she will have to swallow her pride and collaborate with Asen, especially as the Zmey seems to be the one holding her shadow. Despite being young, she has seen too much, and that is reflected in the ways she behaves; confidence needs to be gained.
In comparison, Asen may lack that knowledge, but he's guided by a strong sense of duty; even if that means breaking the rules. His relationship with Kosara doesn't start in the best way, but slowly, confidence gets gained as both are struggling with guilt, and share the objective of protecting the people of their respective cities. The slow burn relationship between both (I'm not sure I would call it romantic) is simply sweet.
The rest of the characters are less defined, outside of exceptions such as the own Zmey; it is interesting how the Zmey, apart from being the Tsar of Monsters, is practically the archetype of the toxic love, that partner that covers you in love to, subsequently, show its true face and become the most possessive and abusive individual.
The worldbuilding is simply excellent, drawing from that Slavic folklore, and including many of the creatures; most of them appear in encounters that have an episodic feeling like in The Witcher. I would like to point that the dichotomy between Chernograd/Belograd can also remember to East Berlin/West Berlin, separated by a wall that not only keeps the monsters inside, but the people; Chernograd rooted in tradition and with many inhabitants that drink or smoke to deal with their difficult situation.
The pacing is fast, without a single dull moment, but allowing some times to recover the breath between high-tension moments; and Dimova's writing enhances the reading experience, giving us many memorable passages.
Foul Days is an excellent novel, a great example of modern dark fantasy that uses folklore not only to build the world, but to also include a thoughtful social commentary. Dimova's debut is a candidate to be my book of the year, and I can't wait to read Monstrous Nights, the second book in this Witch's Compendium of Monsters.
Foul Days is the first book in the dark fantasy duology The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, written by Genoveva Dimova and published by TOR. Drawing heavily from Slavic folklore, we have a dark twisted adventure, with an excellent atmosphere, following Kosara, a witch from the walled city of Chernograd, and her fight for survival against the Zmey, the Tsar of Monsters.
Persecuted by the Zmey, and after being betrayed by a friend, Kosara's only resource to flee is trading her shadow (the source of her powers) in exchange from illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, a safe place for monsters. However, despite Belograd is a safe place, she starts experiencing a fast-acting version of the deadly illness that affects shadowless witches; her only cure is tracking down the smuggler that took her across the Wall.
When she finds the death of the smuggler, with all the hints pointing towards Chernograd, she will have to team up with the Belogradian detective (Asen) that is investigating the assassination; both will have to collaborate if they want to recover Kosara's shadow and survive.
I found Kosara to be a great character, sarcastic at points, but still somebody that wants to use his powers to protect Chernograd's people, her people; with time running down, she will have to swallow her pride and collaborate with Asen, especially as the Zmey seems to be the one holding her shadow. Despite being young, she has seen too much, and that is reflected in the ways she behaves; confidence needs to be gained.
In comparison, Asen may lack that knowledge, but he's guided by a strong sense of duty; even if that means breaking the rules. His relationship with Kosara doesn't start in the best way, but slowly, confidence gets gained as both are struggling with guilt, and share the objective of protecting the people of their respective cities. The slow burn relationship between both (I'm not sure I would call it romantic) is simply sweet.
The rest of the characters are less defined, outside of exceptions such as the own Zmey; it is interesting how the Zmey, apart from being the Tsar of Monsters, is practically the archetype of the toxic love, that partner that covers you in love to, subsequently, show its true face and become the most possessive and abusive individual.
The worldbuilding is simply excellent, drawing from that Slavic folklore, and including many of the creatures; most of them appear in encounters that have an episodic feeling like in The Witcher. I would like to point that the dichotomy between Chernograd/Belograd can also remember to East Berlin/West Berlin, separated by a wall that not only keeps the monsters inside, but the people; Chernograd rooted in tradition and with many inhabitants that drink or smoke to deal with their difficult situation.
The pacing is fast, without a single dull moment, but allowing some times to recover the breath between high-tension moments; and Dimova's writing enhances the reading experience, giving us many memorable passages.
Foul Days is an excellent novel, a great example of modern dark fantasy that uses folklore not only to build the world, but to also include a thoughtful social commentary. Dimova's debut is a candidate to be my book of the year, and I can't wait to read Monstrous Nights, the second book in this Witch's Compendium of Monsters.
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