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Misery's Wife: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 14 Jul 26A queer and cli-fi reimagining of a Portuguese folktale about a young trans woman who must save her elder sisters from the King of the Air, the King of the Sea, and the King of Misery
Elixane lives in a village ravaged by waves, storms, and the encroaching forest. When she was too young to remember, her elder sisters each picked a flower and were whisked away: Borboleta to marry the King of the Air, Adelina to marry the King of the Sea, and her favorite sister Dores to marry the King of Misery, who promised: No one will ever love you as I will.
So when Elixane receives a mysterious message from a toad, she sets out to rescue Dores from the Kingdom of Misery. She is aided by the jester-like Marquês of Luck and his sister Jinx, the contrary and beautiful Marquesa of Misfortune. On the way, she’ll have to reunite with her sisters and their magical husbands, break several unbreakable curses—and, perhaps, find a magical love of her own.
Elixane lives in a village ravaged by waves, storms, and the encroaching forest. When she was too young to remember, her elder sisters each picked a flower and were whisked away: Borboleta to marry the King of the Air, Adelina to marry the King of the Sea, and her favorite sister Dores to marry the King of Misery, who promised: No one will ever love you as I will.
So when Elixane receives a mysterious message from a toad, she sets out to rescue Dores from the Kingdom of Misery. She is aided by the jester-like Marquês of Luck and his sister Jinx, the contrary and beautiful Marquesa of Misfortune. On the way, she’ll have to reunite with her sisters and their magical husbands, break several unbreakable curses—and, perhaps, find a magical love of her own.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 23, 2026
"Would it be so bad?…To find something in misery worth loving?"
A whimsical, adventurous, queer fable that stretches its wings beyond its foundation as a cli-fi book into something fantastical and dream-tinged. MISERY’S WIFE was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it’s easily a contender for favorite of the year.
MISERY’S WIFE opens on a world that is like our own, “but more; like a sink overflowing,” in which the kingdoms of the earth have reclaimed themselves from man. It tells the tale of three daughters, born under the blessings of different elements, who idly wish to be wed. And in this world where lines are blurred and words hold power, the daughters' wishes come true, taking the women away from the land they know and into the arms of the King of the Sea, the King of the Air, and the King of Misery. But years later, the fourth daughter, a young trans woman born under the blessings of luck and fortune, discovers the truth of her sisters' disappearance and sets off on a quest to the kingdoms beyond with the help of trickster sibling duo Luck and Jinx.
This book is so necessary and exciting and refreshing. It speaks to the difficulties of life and the climate fears humanity faces, honing in specifically on the weight of grief and loneliness—strikingly familiar in our culture of individualism and isolation. And it addresses these darker themes with two things we need so much more of in our world: love and whimsy.
This book is bursting with love—romantic love, familial love, love for one’s community, love for other communities, and unconditional love.
And it is exploding with whimsy! If I had one adjective to describe this book, it would be whimsical!! It has talking animals in little suits! There are elemental palaces! There’s a magical monkey taxi! The love interest is the literal embodiment of bad luck and she’s a gay cat!
The writing has a note of simplicity, yet is so deliberate and contains a timeless voice that feels reminiscent of oral storytelling. And if anyone knows me or is familiar with my reviews, you'll know that any book that has a oral storytelling style is one I'm going to be obsessed with. I kept wanting to read it aloud, to feel the words upon my own tongue and to feel them hover in the air like clouds.
And just to mention it, the queerness and transness of this book is so wonderfully unimpressive. It’s not revolutionary (though that can be a great thing) and it’s not confrontational (though that can be a great thing); it’s just true. And that, here, is a great thing.
Everything about this book is so perfectly balanced, comforting without being avoidant, escapist without being removed, and adventurous without tipping away from its center. It nuzzled itself right into my heart, a warm, fuzzy, hopeful tale that will keep me company on my own quests through misery.
I would highly recommend this for fans of THE RIVER HAS ROOTS (little fable energy, a focus on sisterly love, and a sapphic romance between characters of different worlds), THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER (kinda Studio Ghibli vibes, but in an epic way rather than a cozy way, imaginative world building, quest), and THE GRACEKEEPERS (climate commentary but ambiguous and fabulist, living somewhere between dystopian and dreamlike).
Thank you SO much to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
CW: forced marriage, animal death, kidnapping, domestic abuse, confinement, hallucinations
A whimsical, adventurous, queer fable that stretches its wings beyond its foundation as a cli-fi book into something fantastical and dream-tinged. MISERY’S WIFE was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it’s easily a contender for favorite of the year.
MISERY’S WIFE opens on a world that is like our own, “but more; like a sink overflowing,” in which the kingdoms of the earth have reclaimed themselves from man. It tells the tale of three daughters, born under the blessings of different elements, who idly wish to be wed. And in this world where lines are blurred and words hold power, the daughters' wishes come true, taking the women away from the land they know and into the arms of the King of the Sea, the King of the Air, and the King of Misery. But years later, the fourth daughter, a young trans woman born under the blessings of luck and fortune, discovers the truth of her sisters' disappearance and sets off on a quest to the kingdoms beyond with the help of trickster sibling duo Luck and Jinx.
This book is so necessary and exciting and refreshing. It speaks to the difficulties of life and the climate fears humanity faces, honing in specifically on the weight of grief and loneliness—strikingly familiar in our culture of individualism and isolation. And it addresses these darker themes with two things we need so much more of in our world: love and whimsy.
This book is bursting with love—romantic love, familial love, love for one’s community, love for other communities, and unconditional love.
And it is exploding with whimsy! If I had one adjective to describe this book, it would be whimsical!! It has talking animals in little suits! There are elemental palaces! There’s a magical monkey taxi! The love interest is the literal embodiment of bad luck and she’s a gay cat!
The writing has a note of simplicity, yet is so deliberate and contains a timeless voice that feels reminiscent of oral storytelling. And if anyone knows me or is familiar with my reviews, you'll know that any book that has a oral storytelling style is one I'm going to be obsessed with. I kept wanting to read it aloud, to feel the words upon my own tongue and to feel them hover in the air like clouds.
And just to mention it, the queerness and transness of this book is so wonderfully unimpressive. It’s not revolutionary (though that can be a great thing) and it’s not confrontational (though that can be a great thing); it’s just true. And that, here, is a great thing.
Everything about this book is so perfectly balanced, comforting without being avoidant, escapist without being removed, and adventurous without tipping away from its center. It nuzzled itself right into my heart, a warm, fuzzy, hopeful tale that will keep me company on my own quests through misery.
I would highly recommend this for fans of THE RIVER HAS ROOTS (little fable energy, a focus on sisterly love, and a sapphic romance between characters of different worlds), THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER (kinda Studio Ghibli vibes, but in an epic way rather than a cozy way, imaginative world building, quest), and THE GRACEKEEPERS (climate commentary but ambiguous and fabulist, living somewhere between dystopian and dreamlike).
Thank you SO much to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
CW: forced marriage, animal death, kidnapping, domestic abuse, confinement, hallucinations
Want to Read
November 24, 2025i mean, it had me the second I read the word "portuguese". let's go tugas !
Want to Read
March 22, 2026i'm portuguese and never in my life have i heard of this folktale, but let's go?
April 16, 2026
This is a quick, easy, & magical read. I don’t generally go for fantasy books, but when I read this was a reimagining of a Portuguese folktale I was hooked. I really enjoyed how descriptive the author was and had fun imagining the characters at the bottom of the ocean or way up in the sky.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Misery's Wife is a dark, atmospheric fantasy reimagining of a Portuguese folktale that blends myth, magic, and emotional depth. The story follows Elixane, a young trans woman navigating a world ruled by elemental kings, as she sets out to rescue her sister from the mysterious King of Misery. The worldbuilding is lush and eerie, with a strong sense of mythic storytelling and a unique, almost dreamlike tone.
What stands out most is the book’s emotional core—its focus on sisterhood, identity, and the cost of love and survival in a fractured, magical world. While the plot can feel intentionally winding and symbolic rather than straightforward, that fits the fairy-tale style it’s going for. Overall, it’s a lyrical and immersive read that will appeal most to fans of queer fantasy and folklore-inspired retellings.
What stands out most is the book’s emotional core—its focus on sisterhood, identity, and the cost of love and survival in a fractured, magical world. While the plot can feel intentionally winding and symbolic rather than straightforward, that fits the fairy-tale style it’s going for. Overall, it’s a lyrical and immersive read that will appeal most to fans of queer fantasy and folklore-inspired retellings.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
It was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews