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The Color of Time
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Expected 19 May 26“An expansive original parable of sapphic yearning, mistakes and redemption, and—most importantly—the fight for freedom.” — Florence Chien, author of The Revenant of Surolifia
“A tour de force that pulses with political intrigue.” — Jason Denzel, author of The Mystic Trilogy
“A wholly unique and positively delightful read!” — T.A. Chan, author of The Celestial Seas
A science-fantasy retelling of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale “Peau d'Âne,” The Color of Time blends the whimsy of classic fairy tales with the sapphic romance of Fable for the End of the World and the large-scale politics of The Mercy of Gods.
Princess Cyrelle has always been faithful and true to her family, country, and Goddess. But now her brother, King Elias of Cicia, has asked for—no, commanded—her hand in marriage.
Desperate to avoid this incestuous union, Cyrelle requests a series of increasingly impossible gifts and petitions the Goddess for a sign to sway her resolute brother’s proposal. As Elias persists undeterred, Cyrelle must risk everything to escape the only life she’s ever known.
Soon, she becomes Green Scales, hiding and struggling to survive on her own, far across the galaxy. But Phau isn’t the peaceful refuge Cyrelle had hoped for, and when the leader of its burgeoning rebel faction recognizes the runaway princess, she is forced to choose between safety and freedom. With the fate of two kingdoms on the line and nowhere left to run, Cyrelle must decide what it means to be true to herself, to her people, and to her heart.
“A tour de force that pulses with political intrigue.” — Jason Denzel, author of The Mystic Trilogy
“A wholly unique and positively delightful read!” — T.A. Chan, author of The Celestial Seas
A science-fantasy retelling of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale “Peau d'Âne,” The Color of Time blends the whimsy of classic fairy tales with the sapphic romance of Fable for the End of the World and the large-scale politics of The Mercy of Gods.
Princess Cyrelle has always been faithful and true to her family, country, and Goddess. But now her brother, King Elias of Cicia, has asked for—no, commanded—her hand in marriage.
Desperate to avoid this incestuous union, Cyrelle requests a series of increasingly impossible gifts and petitions the Goddess for a sign to sway her resolute brother’s proposal. As Elias persists undeterred, Cyrelle must risk everything to escape the only life she’s ever known.
Soon, she becomes Green Scales, hiding and struggling to survive on her own, far across the galaxy. But Phau isn’t the peaceful refuge Cyrelle had hoped for, and when the leader of its burgeoning rebel faction recognizes the runaway princess, she is forced to choose between safety and freedom. With the fate of two kingdoms on the line and nowhere left to run, Cyrelle must decide what it means to be true to herself, to her people, and to her heart.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 19, 2026
8 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
About the author
Millie Abecassis
7 books55 followersMillie Abecassis is a French-American author of adult speculative fiction born and raised in France. She is the founder and host of #SmallPitch, a pitch event centered on independent presses, and the co-founder of the Small Spec Book Awards. Besides writing, Millie works in the biotech industry, has two cats, and loves playing video games whenever she has the time between two manuscripts.
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books-i-wrote
February 23, 2026This retelling is my love letter to fairytales and science fantasy, and my way to cope with the original fairytale's ending, which left a bitter taste in my mouth due to the antagonist's lack of accountability. If you aren't familiar with Perrault's tale "Peau d'Âne" (Donkeyskin in English), I invite you to read this brief article on my blog or this translation of the original.
March 11, 2026
A heartfelt and thoughtful retelling of the French fairytale Donkeyskin, set in a rich sci-fi/fantasy universe full of political intrigue, magical creatures and ancient gods, with a subplot of genuine and gentle love story.
A heroine Cyrelle is a shy princess with dreams of journeying the stars, but is forced flee her home world after being unable to escape her cruel brother’s, the emperor, desire to take her as his wife in an unnatural union.
Cyrelle is sent a vision that tasks her with the duty to save and free the children of the great snake whose life was taken falsely in the name of her goddess.
In her quest for atonement Cyrelle is swept up in a revaluation on another planet and meets a woman who changes her life.
I love the world building in this story and the religion and culture. The characters were also very well written and interesting in their convictions.
I loved the writing style and it was unique and something I haven’t come across before.Though I think it’s mix of 2nd and 1st person pov will be what makes you continue reading or make you want to put this book down.
The only thing I wish is that this book was a little bit longer.
My Rating: 5/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heroine Cyrelle is a shy princess with dreams of journeying the stars, but is forced flee her home world after being unable to escape her cruel brother’s, the emperor, desire to take her as his wife in an unnatural union.
Cyrelle is sent a vision that tasks her with the duty to save and free the children of the great snake whose life was taken falsely in the name of her goddess.
In her quest for atonement Cyrelle is swept up in a revaluation on another planet and meets a woman who changes her life.
I love the world building in this story and the religion and culture. The characters were also very well written and interesting in their convictions.
I loved the writing style and it was unique and something I haven’t come across before.Though I think it’s mix of 2nd and 1st person pov will be what makes you continue reading or make you want to put this book down.
The only thing I wish is that this book was a little bit longer.
My Rating: 5/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 19, 2026
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this unique story. The blending of science fiction and mythology was very well done. I loved the 2nd person narrator, this made the story feel more immersive and personal. The beginning started off a bit slow and I was worried I wouldn’t like it, but as soon as Cyrelle made her escape I was hooked. I also understand why the beginning of the story later became really important to the plot. This was a short but interesting novel with excellent world building and character development. It was also a beautiful sapphic love story.
I really enjoyed this unique story. The blending of science fiction and mythology was very well done. I loved the 2nd person narrator, this made the story feel more immersive and personal. The beginning started off a bit slow and I was worried I wouldn’t like it, but as soon as Cyrelle made her escape I was hooked. I also understand why the beginning of the story later became really important to the plot. This was a short but interesting novel with excellent world building and character development. It was also a beautiful sapphic love story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much Millie
I loved this so much
it's a brilliant and modern retelling of Donkeyskin
I loved the main character
I loved this so much
it's a brilliant and modern retelling of Donkeyskin
I loved the main character
Read
March 21, 2026A deeply character-driven, science-fantasy retelling of a classic folktale. One of my favorite pieces I've read in years.
In preparation for this, I re-read Charles Perrault's "Donkeyskin". I recall reading or at least hearing this tale throughout my youth, and retold in other media such as in the video game "The Wolf Among Us", but my recollection was like an outline of the full story. It makes sense for an old tale to have conventions that don't always make sense or have odd values since a lot of folklore relied on oration rather than transcription. The original tale of Donkeyskin was romantic but certainly outdated and at times cruel, focusing on the "duty" of women to get married to a good man.
"The Color of Time" is a phenomenal retelling that revitalizes these conventions in a novel way. Abecassis sets the book in the backdrop of a galactic empire struggling against the will of democracy, accompanied by the struggle of one princess to avoid a marriage to her brother. The princess becomes rebellious rather than obedient and the cruel king doesn't magically become kind and virtuous at the end. A strong, sapphic text with a thoroughly enthralling plot.
In preparation for this, I re-read Charles Perrault's "Donkeyskin". I recall reading or at least hearing this tale throughout my youth, and retold in other media such as in the video game "The Wolf Among Us", but my recollection was like an outline of the full story. It makes sense for an old tale to have conventions that don't always make sense or have odd values since a lot of folklore relied on oration rather than transcription. The original tale of Donkeyskin was romantic but certainly outdated and at times cruel, focusing on the "duty" of women to get married to a good man.
"The Color of Time" is a phenomenal retelling that revitalizes these conventions in a novel way. Abecassis sets the book in the backdrop of a galactic empire struggling against the will of democracy, accompanied by the struggle of one princess to avoid a marriage to her brother. The princess becomes rebellious rather than obedient and the cruel king doesn't magically become kind and virtuous at the end. A strong, sapphic text with a thoroughly enthralling plot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I have mixed feelings about The Color of Time. Most of my negative thoughts are ones that can be addressed before the book comes out or are just symptoms of it being an earlier draft, so take them with a grain of salt as I am reviewing a book set to be released in May in January.
So many aspects of this story add to the fairytale-esque nature of this book; the narration style, the pacing, the length. It’s told retrospectively from the perspective of a character in the story while being in second person. The perspective character is not the protagonist (“You” or Cyrelle) and actually isn’t introduced until about halfway through the novella (I’m not sure if their identity is really a spoiler, but I’ll avoid details nonetheless). They will sometimes introject and add little notes (ex. “I wish you had told me then.” – not an exact example, but in a similar vein) that builds the tension and the world, as well as further develop the relationship between Cyrelle and the narrator, which is difficult to do due to their limited on-page time together. You get a deeper sense of their closeness due to this reflection, but it can come off as disingenuous due to it being telling rather than showing. There are also moments where you would expect the narrator to express knowledge of what’s to come and just doesn’t, even when they have before in similar situations. It’s good, but not consistent.
There is also the issue of the writing itself. This is not a very long book, my ARC copy was 122 pages, but a lot of it felt like fluff in a way. A character would make an action then the narrator would describe exactly why they would be making that action (ex. “Jimmy tripped and spilled soup all over Jules’s suit. Jules’s exasperation was clear when they sighed, Jimmy had just ruined their favorite suit by spilling soup all over it. It was their favorite suit because….” – not a real in-text example). I promise, I understand without it being spelled out. Some of the dialogue feels like placeholder dialogue that should have a note that says: “Rewrite to make it more natural later.” Characters will say exactly what they’re thinking, which can be the case, but often people don’t talk like this.
There is a scene about half-way through the book that feels quite weird consent wise. It’s not sexual but involves Cyrelle probing the perspective character’s mind with magic, exposing their secrets. This is after they find out Cyrelle’s identity as the runaway princess but it’s clear this is a violation, one which causes physical pain. The narration gives it a pass and reasons it away, but it’s stuck with me as being kind of icky, but if they’re cool with it…. I don’t think the justification of them having found out a secret from Cyrelle as well justifies Cyrelle’s actions. Different people are going to have different takes, though, and others might not read it in the same way.
My last note is very subjective. Part 1, which involves Cyrelle escaping her brother, feels wildly disconnected from the rest of the story. It’s entirely backstory and motivation for Cyrelle that shouldn’t be cut, obviously, but does not really tie into the main plot line, especially in Parts 3, 4, and 5. I have my own ideas for tying it in more seamlessly, but I would just be writing fanfiction at this point (which I am known to do in reviews for books with so much potential).
This novella has a lot of potential, but I do hope my issues get addressed in some way before publication. I will definitely try to read more of Abecassis’s backlog because she has such unique ideas.
I have mixed feelings about The Color of Time. Most of my negative thoughts are ones that can be addressed before the book comes out or are just symptoms of it being an earlier draft, so take them with a grain of salt as I am reviewing a book set to be released in May in January.
So many aspects of this story add to the fairytale-esque nature of this book; the narration style, the pacing, the length. It’s told retrospectively from the perspective of a character in the story while being in second person. The perspective character is not the protagonist (“You” or Cyrelle) and actually isn’t introduced until about halfway through the novella (I’m not sure if their identity is really a spoiler, but I’ll avoid details nonetheless). They will sometimes introject and add little notes (ex. “I wish you had told me then.” – not an exact example, but in a similar vein) that builds the tension and the world, as well as further develop the relationship between Cyrelle and the narrator, which is difficult to do due to their limited on-page time together. You get a deeper sense of their closeness due to this reflection, but it can come off as disingenuous due to it being telling rather than showing. There are also moments where you would expect the narrator to express knowledge of what’s to come and just doesn’t, even when they have before in similar situations. It’s good, but not consistent.
There is also the issue of the writing itself. This is not a very long book, my ARC copy was 122 pages, but a lot of it felt like fluff in a way. A character would make an action then the narrator would describe exactly why they would be making that action (ex. “Jimmy tripped and spilled soup all over Jules’s suit. Jules’s exasperation was clear when they sighed, Jimmy had just ruined their favorite suit by spilling soup all over it. It was their favorite suit because….” – not a real in-text example). I promise, I understand without it being spelled out. Some of the dialogue feels like placeholder dialogue that should have a note that says: “Rewrite to make it more natural later.” Characters will say exactly what they’re thinking, which can be the case, but often people don’t talk like this.
There is a scene about half-way through the book that feels quite weird consent wise. It’s not sexual but involves Cyrelle probing the perspective character’s mind with magic, exposing their secrets. This is after they find out Cyrelle’s identity as the runaway princess but it’s clear this is a violation, one which causes physical pain. The narration gives it a pass and reasons it away, but it’s stuck with me as being kind of icky, but if they’re cool with it…. I don’t think the justification of them having found out a secret from Cyrelle as well justifies Cyrelle’s actions. Different people are going to have different takes, though, and others might not read it in the same way.
My last note is very subjective. Part 1, which involves Cyrelle escaping her brother, feels wildly disconnected from the rest of the story. It’s entirely backstory and motivation for Cyrelle that shouldn’t be cut, obviously, but does not really tie into the main plot line, especially in Parts 3, 4, and 5. I have my own ideas for tying it in more seamlessly, but I would just be writing fanfiction at this point (which I am known to do in reviews for books with so much potential).
This novella has a lot of potential, but I do hope my issues get addressed in some way before publication. I will definitely try to read more of Abecassis’s backlog because she has such unique ideas.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, netgalley, for giving me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
The Color of Time is a sort of take on a kind of retelling of fairytale "Peau d'Âne", which I know as the german version of "Allerleirau". A fairytale my mother loves and so I also have a fondness for it and this book intrigued me with the Sci-Fi set up, the Sapphic Lovestory, and the cover to request it as an ARC. I do think the short length and Sci-Fi elements were decisions that asked too much of each other and were not at all followed by. The Sci-Fi elements fall too short and a lot is solved by magical rituals from gods (further down I am breaking it apart a bit more).Personally I could not find a lot of the elements of the Fairytale after the set up with the Three Dresses and a forced marriage to a male family member that is a king. Which makes it not really a retelling but just using the ground tropes that happen to be in that fairytale. That this story is told mainly in Second Person - so in "You thought about" - was surprising and unusual, but might be the root of the issue that made this book difficult and even boring.
I didn't enjoy reading much of it and found myself either bored because the emotional responses were basically non-existing, it came across like a neutral report or summary from a student that read a book they had not once been that much engaged with, or groaning in frustrations about how certain set up rules the characters had set for themselves at the beginning were thrown overboard. For example she promises not to do a certain ritual on anyone who did not consent to it or is undeserving - and she breaks that promise far too often and only once does she take note of that. Especially the emotional impact of a story that claims itself that it is important (Quote: "I do it so your story feels real to you. It needs to be vivid, like a true memory. It is important.") is missing in this. Not once did I come across a vivid description or emotional impact. It did not like the attempt to capture a true memory from someone else. At best it is a recollection of information but it is missing to hit at heavy moments in the story where it should.
The entry feels rushed, as does the reveal of the intention of the King to marry his sister. The reaction of Cyrelle is lacking in my opinion, especially with how we were introduced to her as a character that did not care for rules much with sneaking out with her Sister-in-Law (who is meant to be important for Cyrelle and yet the missing of her as a person is only spoken of once and then never again) The reaction to hearing that her brother had incestuous feelings for her for the very first time is way to neutral and calm. Especially since it is written in the 2 POV form, we should be given information about the shock, the panic reaction and the revulsion about how nice moments of the siblings from the past suddenly twist to something horrible. This is an example of where the emotional impact is absolutely missing when it should be the main goal. The ending is also rushed and moments that could have made an impact are reduced to a subordinate clause.
There is an Info-Dump after the middle that goes on far too long and it only lets us get to know the narrator, something that was necessary but in comparison to the rest of the book it was a break in the writing style.
The characters are very two dimensional and disappointing. Cyrelle is intelligent, yet dumb and naive, she is devout and yet breaks her words as soon as it is convenient without once considering the consequences. She does not plan at all - her Mother is the one to come up with the idea of the "Impossible Demand" before the marriage, someone else has to give her a fake name after she ran away, she trusts strangers due to one positive interaction - but then she can predict her evil brothers plan correctly. This makes her a character of contradictions that have no explanation for me. Her love interest is rather Optimistic and also naive when it comes to trusting the loyalty of other people when she knows the treacherous court of the Empire she grew up in with the betrayals happening there. The side characters vanish after they fulfill their plot points, never to be seen or talked about again. Their personal motivations aren't shared or explained.
Plot wise a lot feels like luck or bad luck when it the plot needs it without the characters thinking and planning again (such as leaving the most important thing you own in a simple cache instead of tucking them - oh i don't know, in a pocket or your bra? Especially when before it was stated that they would never leave said thing carelessly around but it needed to be left for plot reasons in a way that was unsafe). As well as that consequences after certain actions between the characters are glossed over too quickly. Making it feel weird and more like a convenience to make the romance plot possible. If someone crossed a boundary of privacy and then I did the same I am pretty sure our interactions would be strained afterwards, even if there is a way to relate to each other outside of that. It just does not make sense.
I am specifically disappointed by the Sci-Fi elements. They are so far in the background that they become unnecessary for the plot, the characters and the world building. To then also add in Gods that are actually real and send rain or visions or active help with magic rituals completely destroys that genre for me. Sci-Fi is not meant to have magical elements and rituals and real existing gods that meddle with humans, those are found in Fantasy. The planets and space travel are there to just make the world officially bigger but we never get to see it as that big but have two places with a one time cross over space that had no meaning, I can not find any other reason or consequence. This could have just as easily been made by staying on one world with different ruling kingdoms and empires - like our world - and the only thing that would have to change is how she escapes that one time. The "science" gadgets like the space suits are partly scientific but it is hardly relevant to the characters, the world (they are not once used for space travel) or the plot (or it could have been used with the magic that also exists). The one science tool that is very relevant for many plot moments to work out is not very scientific but just a "Deus ex machina", the science behind it is neither explained or even attempted to be explained. It just does that thing that solves the issues perfectly and it happens to be small enough to be convenient while the other same items of that kind are as big as one plant if I remember correctly. Making it again more magical for me than scientific. In the one space travel a wormhole is used and I might not know a lot about physics but I do know that that is not how wormholes work. It feels to me as if the genre was picked for a cool aesthetic and not any other thought of what the consequences would be for the world building.
This could have been a great story, I think. But it falls short on too many key elements - emotions, character and world building, too much plot-power and "luck based" plot, my quarrel with the sci-fi elements.
The Color of Time is a sort of take on a kind of retelling of fairytale "Peau d'Âne", which I know as the german version of "Allerleirau". A fairytale my mother loves and so I also have a fondness for it and this book intrigued me with the Sci-Fi set up, the Sapphic Lovestory, and the cover to request it as an ARC. I do think the short length and Sci-Fi elements were decisions that asked too much of each other and were not at all followed by. The Sci-Fi elements fall too short and a lot is solved by magical rituals from gods (further down I am breaking it apart a bit more).Personally I could not find a lot of the elements of the Fairytale after the set up with the Three Dresses and a forced marriage to a male family member that is a king. Which makes it not really a retelling but just using the ground tropes that happen to be in that fairytale. That this story is told mainly in Second Person - so in "You thought about" - was surprising and unusual, but might be the root of the issue that made this book difficult and even boring.
I didn't enjoy reading much of it and found myself either bored because the emotional responses were basically non-existing, it came across like a neutral report or summary from a student that read a book they had not once been that much engaged with, or groaning in frustrations about how certain set up rules the characters had set for themselves at the beginning were thrown overboard. For example she promises not to do a certain ritual on anyone who did not consent to it or is undeserving - and she breaks that promise far too often and only once does she take note of that. Especially the emotional impact of a story that claims itself that it is important (Quote: "I do it so your story feels real to you. It needs to be vivid, like a true memory. It is important.") is missing in this. Not once did I come across a vivid description or emotional impact. It did not like the attempt to capture a true memory from someone else. At best it is a recollection of information but it is missing to hit at heavy moments in the story where it should.
The entry feels rushed, as does the reveal of the intention of the King to marry his sister. The reaction of Cyrelle is lacking in my opinion, especially with how we were introduced to her as a character that did not care for rules much with sneaking out with her Sister-in-Law (who is meant to be important for Cyrelle and yet the missing of her as a person is only spoken of once and then never again) The reaction to hearing that her brother had incestuous feelings for her for the very first time is way to neutral and calm. Especially since it is written in the 2 POV form, we should be given information about the shock, the panic reaction and the revulsion about how nice moments of the siblings from the past suddenly twist to something horrible. This is an example of where the emotional impact is absolutely missing when it should be the main goal. The ending is also rushed and moments that could have made an impact are reduced to a subordinate clause.
There is an Info-Dump after the middle that goes on far too long and it only lets us get to know the narrator, something that was necessary but in comparison to the rest of the book it was a break in the writing style.
The characters are very two dimensional and disappointing. Cyrelle is intelligent, yet dumb and naive, she is devout and yet breaks her words as soon as it is convenient without once considering the consequences. She does not plan at all - her Mother is the one to come up with the idea of the "Impossible Demand" before the marriage, someone else has to give her a fake name after she ran away, she trusts strangers due to one positive interaction - but then she can predict her evil brothers plan correctly. This makes her a character of contradictions that have no explanation for me. Her love interest is rather Optimistic and also naive when it comes to trusting the loyalty of other people when she knows the treacherous court of the Empire she grew up in with the betrayals happening there. The side characters vanish after they fulfill their plot points, never to be seen or talked about again. Their personal motivations aren't shared or explained.
Plot wise a lot feels like luck or bad luck when it the plot needs it without the characters thinking and planning again (such as leaving the most important thing you own in a simple cache instead of tucking them - oh i don't know, in a pocket or your bra? Especially when before it was stated that they would never leave said thing carelessly around but it needed to be left for plot reasons in a way that was unsafe). As well as that consequences after certain actions between the characters are glossed over too quickly. Making it feel weird and more like a convenience to make the romance plot possible. If someone crossed a boundary of privacy and then I did the same I am pretty sure our interactions would be strained afterwards, even if there is a way to relate to each other outside of that. It just does not make sense.
I am specifically disappointed by the Sci-Fi elements. They are so far in the background that they become unnecessary for the plot, the characters and the world building. To then also add in Gods that are actually real and send rain or visions or active help with magic rituals completely destroys that genre for me. Sci-Fi is not meant to have magical elements and rituals and real existing gods that meddle with humans, those are found in Fantasy. The planets and space travel are there to just make the world officially bigger but we never get to see it as that big but have two places with a one time cross over space that had no meaning, I can not find any other reason or consequence. This could have just as easily been made by staying on one world with different ruling kingdoms and empires - like our world - and the only thing that would have to change is how she escapes that one time. The "science" gadgets like the space suits are partly scientific but it is hardly relevant to the characters, the world (they are not once used for space travel) or the plot (or it could have been used with the magic that also exists). The one science tool that is very relevant for many plot moments to work out is not very scientific but just a "Deus ex machina", the science behind it is neither explained or even attempted to be explained. It just does that thing that solves the issues perfectly and it happens to be small enough to be convenient while the other same items of that kind are as big as one plant if I remember correctly. Making it again more magical for me than scientific. In the one space travel a wormhole is used and I might not know a lot about physics but I do know that that is not how wormholes work. It feels to me as if the genre was picked for a cool aesthetic and not any other thought of what the consequences would be for the world building.
This could have been a great story, I think. But it falls short on too many key elements - emotions, character and world building, too much plot-power and "luck based" plot, my quarrel with the sci-fi elements.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A brilliantly modern retelling of a classic fairytale in a unique narrative style meant for a discerning adult audience. A short little book packed with lots of things to praise, with only minor and subjective nitpicks. Solid 4.5/5 stars.
WORLDBUILDING: 10/10
To put things into perspective: This a novella. It's only about 170 pages, but its expansive sci-fantasy world is more fleshed out than a lot of 300+ page fantasy tomes out there. It's mindboggling how the author managed to make the world feel so full and lived-in while still keeping the story snappy. Actually, I kinda know how: There's a very established religion/mythology system that threads throughout the narrative because it drives one of the FMC's arcs. There's also a well-rounded galactic economical/political regime that forms the foundation of the other FMC's arc and brings the two MCs together. The worldbuilding is super rich because it's genuinely fleshed out—I never felt like the author is handwaving any details because of insufficient thought—but the pacing never lags because the worldbuilding details are weaved intimately into the story. There are no info dumps in this book because all the on page worldbuilding are there to drive forward the plot. This is a super skillfully executed book where the worldbuilding pulls double duty as decorative elements, and as the core driving forces of the plot.
PLOT: 9/10
The first half of The Color of Time is a retelling of the first half Donkeyskin. I don't actually know much about Donkeyskin (lol), I picked this up because the premise sounded cool, but I did read a translated version of the original Donkeyskin tale after I finished the book, so here are my thoughts on the retelling front:
1. You absolutely don't need to know anything about the original fairytale to enjoy this. But knowing the basic premises of Donkeyskin will give you some understanding why this book has the fable-esque writing style that it does, and context why Cyrelle is faced with a morally shocking incestuous marriage. (Basically, knowing the basic premise of the fairytale will save you from looking like a fool by criticizing the inclusion of incest as a plot device. It's a fundamental part of Donkeyskin, you can't write a legitimate retelling it without addressing the incest problem.)
2. Fun fact: Did you know that Donkeyskin is actually the Cinderella story? I didn't (lol again), not until after. I'm genuinely really glad the author expanded this novella into an original story in its second half instead of sticking to the Cinderella portion of Donkeyskin. The author's original spin on the events following the princess's escape is hands-down the highlight of the book. That is where the rebellion and sapphic romance happen, and it's both exciting and full of heartbreaks.
3. I have a really high standard for retellings. I need them to retain the essence of the source material but also engage to give me a fresh and meaningful reinterpretation. The Color of Time does that beautifully. The essence of Donkeyskin is retained, but the novella goes so much further. The moral in Donkeyskin is really antiquated: If women believe in their virtue and beauty, then happiness will eventually find its way back to them. Something like that. The Color of Time starts out similar to Donkeyskin, but it expands into an original tale with a much more modern set of morals. I won't spoil the details, but it's about the redemption of past mistakes, sacrifice, liberty, and staying true to oneself.
I only have one gripe about the plot: I wish the actual events of the coup were expanded upon a little more. As it stands, it's more about the lead-up (Cyrelle gaining the faction's trust) and the aftermath (Cyrelle dealing with the unexpected things that happened because certain things didn't go as planned). I'm a political intrigue gal so I almost always want more intrigue, but honestly, it's fine as it is. The fact this is a novella means the pacing is inherently faster than a novel, and in any event the specifics of the coup was never the point of the story anyway.
CHARACTERS: 10/10
I liked Cyrelle a lot. She starts out being quite soft and sheltered, but she's never immature or childish. She undergoes quite a bit of character development over the course of the story, and I love seeing characters change as a result of plot events. It makes them feel organic. I felt quite sympathetic toward Cyrelle. She's in a very difficult situation for a long time, with very little resources at her disposal. Some of her decisions aren't morally pristine but it's precisely her moral greyness that endears her to me. Given her circumstances, I felt all her decisions were perfectly rational.
Sianna is so sweet. She shows up quite late in the story (halfway ish?) so Cyrelle's bond with her develops quite fast. It might feel too fast for readers who enjoy really slow burns, but I like my stories snappy, so this was perfect for me (especially because the two undergo certain rituals together that justifies why their connection deepens relatively quickly).
Elias is a certified asshole. He has zero redeemable qualities, and the author makes zero excuses to try to redeem him. It's clear he's a villain, and he's executed as well as a certified villain ought to be. I loved to hate him.
STYLE: 9/10 (but this is really subjective)
There's no beating around the bush on this. The book is written in a unique blend of 2nd and 1st person perspectives. If you can't get used to it, this is simply not the book for you. But if you're a literary explorer, then there's something really cool here. There's an in-narrative reason why the book is written in that 2nd/1st POV blend, saying anything specific about that would be a massive spoiler, but I thought it was clever and really made the book stand out against similar titles.
The writing style (aka "narrative voice") is very fable-esque. It employs a lot of that fairytale way of "telling" where minor events are glossed over with brief mentions, visual details are described only to the extent necessary, and character interiority is given only to the extent of providing context for the immediate events on the page. This is definitely more plot-driven than character-drive. It would've been nice to dive a bit more deeply into Cyrelle and Sianna's heads (aka more interiority), but that would make the story far more literary than is warranted for a whimsical fable. And also: this is a novella; it's only 170 pages; the length is inherently not conductive to deep POVs.
SHOULD YOU READ THIS?
Yes, if you know about Donkeyskin and you're interested in a fresh and modernized retelling set in a fully fleshed-out science-fantasy world.
Yes, if you know nothing about Donkeyskin but a modern but whimsical sapphic fable written specifically for adults sounds like your cup of tea.
Yes, if you want to read a snappy story with brilliant worldbuilding and endearing characters, but you haven't got the time or attention span for a 300-page tome.
No, if any mention of incest triggers you.
No, if you're looking for slow burn.
No, if you're looking for extremely deep POV.
A kind thank you to Shiraki Press and Millie Abecassis for providing me with a copy of the ARC through NetGalley.
WORLDBUILDING: 10/10
To put things into perspective: This a novella. It's only about 170 pages, but its expansive sci-fantasy world is more fleshed out than a lot of 300+ page fantasy tomes out there. It's mindboggling how the author managed to make the world feel so full and lived-in while still keeping the story snappy. Actually, I kinda know how: There's a very established religion/mythology system that threads throughout the narrative because it drives one of the FMC's arcs. There's also a well-rounded galactic economical/political regime that forms the foundation of the other FMC's arc and brings the two MCs together. The worldbuilding is super rich because it's genuinely fleshed out—I never felt like the author is handwaving any details because of insufficient thought—but the pacing never lags because the worldbuilding details are weaved intimately into the story. There are no info dumps in this book because all the on page worldbuilding are there to drive forward the plot. This is a super skillfully executed book where the worldbuilding pulls double duty as decorative elements, and as the core driving forces of the plot.
PLOT: 9/10
The first half of The Color of Time is a retelling of the first half Donkeyskin. I don't actually know much about Donkeyskin (lol), I picked this up because the premise sounded cool, but I did read a translated version of the original Donkeyskin tale after I finished the book, so here are my thoughts on the retelling front:
1. You absolutely don't need to know anything about the original fairytale to enjoy this. But knowing the basic premises of Donkeyskin will give you some understanding why this book has the fable-esque writing style that it does, and context why Cyrelle is faced with a morally shocking incestuous marriage. (Basically, knowing the basic premise of the fairytale will save you from looking like a fool by criticizing the inclusion of incest as a plot device. It's a fundamental part of Donkeyskin, you can't write a legitimate retelling it without addressing the incest problem.)
2. Fun fact: Did you know that Donkeyskin is actually the Cinderella story? I didn't (lol again), not until after. I'm genuinely really glad the author expanded this novella into an original story in its second half instead of sticking to the Cinderella portion of Donkeyskin. The author's original spin on the events following the princess's escape is hands-down the highlight of the book. That is where the rebellion and sapphic romance happen, and it's both exciting and full of heartbreaks.
3. I have a really high standard for retellings. I need them to retain the essence of the source material but also engage to give me a fresh and meaningful reinterpretation. The Color of Time does that beautifully. The essence of Donkeyskin is retained, but the novella goes so much further. The moral in Donkeyskin is really antiquated: If women believe in their virtue and beauty, then happiness will eventually find its way back to them. Something like that. The Color of Time starts out similar to Donkeyskin, but it expands into an original tale with a much more modern set of morals. I won't spoil the details, but it's about the redemption of past mistakes, sacrifice, liberty, and staying true to oneself.
I only have one gripe about the plot: I wish the actual events of the coup were expanded upon a little more. As it stands, it's more about the lead-up (Cyrelle gaining the faction's trust) and the aftermath (Cyrelle dealing with the unexpected things that happened because certain things didn't go as planned). I'm a political intrigue gal so I almost always want more intrigue, but honestly, it's fine as it is. The fact this is a novella means the pacing is inherently faster than a novel, and in any event the specifics of the coup was never the point of the story anyway.
CHARACTERS: 10/10
I liked Cyrelle a lot. She starts out being quite soft and sheltered, but she's never immature or childish. She undergoes quite a bit of character development over the course of the story, and I love seeing characters change as a result of plot events. It makes them feel organic. I felt quite sympathetic toward Cyrelle. She's in a very difficult situation for a long time, with very little resources at her disposal. Some of her decisions aren't morally pristine but it's precisely her moral greyness that endears her to me. Given her circumstances, I felt all her decisions were perfectly rational.
Sianna is so sweet. She shows up quite late in the story (halfway ish?) so Cyrelle's bond with her develops quite fast. It might feel too fast for readers who enjoy really slow burns, but I like my stories snappy, so this was perfect for me (especially because the two undergo certain rituals together that justifies why their connection deepens relatively quickly).
Elias is a certified asshole. He has zero redeemable qualities, and the author makes zero excuses to try to redeem him. It's clear he's a villain, and he's executed as well as a certified villain ought to be. I loved to hate him.
STYLE: 9/10 (but this is really subjective)
There's no beating around the bush on this. The book is written in a unique blend of 2nd and 1st person perspectives. If you can't get used to it, this is simply not the book for you. But if you're a literary explorer, then there's something really cool here. There's an in-narrative reason why the book is written in that 2nd/1st POV blend, saying anything specific about that would be a massive spoiler, but I thought it was clever and really made the book stand out against similar titles.
The writing style (aka "narrative voice") is very fable-esque. It employs a lot of that fairytale way of "telling" where minor events are glossed over with brief mentions, visual details are described only to the extent necessary, and character interiority is given only to the extent of providing context for the immediate events on the page. This is definitely more plot-driven than character-drive. It would've been nice to dive a bit more deeply into Cyrelle and Sianna's heads (aka more interiority), but that would make the story far more literary than is warranted for a whimsical fable. And also: this is a novella; it's only 170 pages; the length is inherently not conductive to deep POVs.
SHOULD YOU READ THIS?
Yes, if you know about Donkeyskin and you're interested in a fresh and modernized retelling set in a fully fleshed-out science-fantasy world.
Yes, if you know nothing about Donkeyskin but a modern but whimsical sapphic fable written specifically for adults sounds like your cup of tea.
Yes, if you want to read a snappy story with brilliant worldbuilding and endearing characters, but you haven't got the time or attention span for a 300-page tome.
No, if any mention of incest triggers you.
No, if you're looking for slow burn.
No, if you're looking for extremely deep POV.
A kind thank you to Shiraki Press and Millie Abecassis for providing me with a copy of the ARC through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3/5*
I am, unfortunately, always a sucker for a beautiful cover and a fairytale retelling!
(ARC copy sent in exchange for an honest review ; thank you to Netgalley and Shiraki Press)
I heard "Peau d'Âne" sci-fi retelling in space and requested it immediately because this seemed RIGHT up my alley (and that gorgeous cover, damn), but it ended up not 100% being for me.
I think the cover, especially, is misleading. I expected a high action sci-fi with gritty elements and deep themes, and though I didn't hate what I got - since it's closer to novella length and the writing is simple enough, I read it in a couple of days - it didn't match my expectations at all.
The beginning follows the Peau d'Âne story with a couple of twists: the heroine isn't the daughter of the king, but his sister, and the donkey is replaced by snakes (yay!!!! snakes!!!), while the story takes place in space where emperors and kings rule over planets, and fight for a precious material called diaston. But we still get the incestuous marriage, the three dresses (suits, in this case) and the fleeing while disguised.
Unfortunately, I found that the story lacked tension, because everything was very... convenient.
How convenient that no one tries and stop Cyrelle's escape. How convenient that, when miniaturized, the eggs enter stasis (how convenient that Cyrelle's mother has a miniaturizer in the first place, when we're told this is super rare technology AND it's usually too big to be transported). How convenient that no one recognizes Cyrelle's ship, even though we're told it's a weird color. How convenient that no one recognizes or reports HER when she's leaving such an easy to follow trail while being all over the news (disguise that stands out, made of a highly sought after material + not changing her accent + not constructing a new personality or background for herself (it doesn't even cross her mind to use a fake name) + going in a logical place given what she'd stolen). How convenient that her spirit-binding to the narrator makes her see everything she needs to trust her. How convenient that the power of the leader of the Faction can help her. I could go on and on about it! There are no actual setbacks in the story, and the fast pace makes its lack of tension even more evident.
It's also pretty surface level, be it in its descriptions or its themes. I applaud the choice of second person narration (one of my faves when done well), but we lack any and all description of the environments around, and I don't think it's because of the POV. Likewise, we get very little interiority and so very little development for our main character.
As for the themes of colonization and abuse of resources, I would've liked to see them explored in a deeper way than "emperor bad, revolution good, let's kill (or at least dethrone) the bad guys" ; especially given that Cyrelle's power is about breaking someone's will, it would have been a perfect occasion to have her struggle with said power and what it could do to others, adding nuance to the story (there's a scene . Like, girly just brainwashes/intrudes on someone pscyhe and doesn't flinch? Damn.)
Speaking of Cyrelle - and once again, 2nd person doesn't justify this, since I've seen it used masterfully before - I feel like we're very detached from her. We're told she changes by the narrator, but we don't see that change. Actually, we see her do very little, except escape. Her mother gives her the ideas to stall her brother ; her love interest pushes her into the revolution ; the Faction members use the suits she brought during the raid... etc. She stays mostly passive, and is neither particaluarly smart, or particularly driven.
We're told she wants to but why? The narrator TELLS us she will be a good queen because she doesn't care for power, but I beg to differ: good rulers are the ones who don't care for power /for themselves/, but WANT it so as to use it to help others, preferably poor and marginalised people. Since we haven't seen Cyrelle care about her people even once, this sentiment doesn't ring true at all.
The climax could've been a perfect occasion to make us peek into her thoughts a little bit more, but instead the scene is , sucking all the tension and gravitas away from it. I just sat there like "all this for that?".
I always like a queer romance, but the length and the quick pace made it feel a bit insta-lovy. Likewise, the secondary characters were good fun, even with their little screen time, and would've loved to know more about... pretty much everyone! Also, what happened to ???
Still really liked the lore constructed around this whole story though. Wish we'd seen the snakes earlier/more, especially the babies! But the background ideas seem to be there, even though they aren't fully exploited, just as with the themes.
Writing was simple and fluid. A bit repetitive from time to time, but not to the point of being annoying or anything. As I said, I'm always fond of a second person narration, and think it was a very clever way to deliver the story and arrive to its conclusion ~
Overall, I think this story would actually benefit from being a longer book. Delve deeper in characters, plot, themes, especially the very lacking descriptions. Use the interesting parts of the worldbuilding - the serening, the corrupted elites, the way the journey affects Cyrelle - to its full potential and nuance, and I would have 100% been sold on "The Color of Time".
As it was, this book wasn't for me, but I'm sure it'll find its audience, and wish all the luck to a fellow Frenchie!
I am, unfortunately, always a sucker for a beautiful cover and a fairytale retelling!
(ARC copy sent in exchange for an honest review ; thank you to Netgalley and Shiraki Press)
I heard "Peau d'Âne" sci-fi retelling in space and requested it immediately because this seemed RIGHT up my alley (and that gorgeous cover, damn), but it ended up not 100% being for me.
I think the cover, especially, is misleading. I expected a high action sci-fi with gritty elements and deep themes, and though I didn't hate what I got - since it's closer to novella length and the writing is simple enough, I read it in a couple of days - it didn't match my expectations at all.
The beginning follows the Peau d'Âne story with a couple of twists: the heroine isn't the daughter of the king, but his sister, and the donkey is replaced by snakes (yay!!!! snakes!!!), while the story takes place in space where emperors and kings rule over planets, and fight for a precious material called diaston. But we still get the incestuous marriage, the three dresses (suits, in this case) and the fleeing while disguised.
Unfortunately, I found that the story lacked tension, because everything was very... convenient.
How convenient that no one tries and stop Cyrelle's escape. How convenient that, when miniaturized, the eggs enter stasis (how convenient that Cyrelle's mother has a miniaturizer in the first place, when we're told this is super rare technology AND it's usually too big to be transported). How convenient that no one recognizes Cyrelle's ship, even though we're told it's a weird color. How convenient that no one recognizes or reports HER when she's leaving such an easy to follow trail while being all over the news (disguise that stands out, made of a highly sought after material + not changing her accent + not constructing a new personality or background for herself (it doesn't even cross her mind to use a fake name) + going in a logical place given what she'd stolen). How convenient that her spirit-binding to the narrator makes her see everything she needs to trust her. How convenient that the power of the leader of the Faction can help her. I could go on and on about it! There are no actual setbacks in the story, and the fast pace makes its lack of tension even more evident.
It's also pretty surface level, be it in its descriptions or its themes. I applaud the choice of second person narration (one of my faves when done well), but we lack any and all description of the environments around, and I don't think it's because of the POV. Likewise, we get very little interiority and so very little development for our main character.
As for the themes of colonization and abuse of resources, I would've liked to see them explored in a deeper way than "emperor bad, revolution good, let's kill (or at least dethrone) the bad guys" ; especially given that Cyrelle's power is about breaking someone's will, it would have been a perfect occasion to have her struggle with said power and what it could do to others, adding nuance to the story (there's a scene . Like, girly just brainwashes/intrudes on someone pscyhe and doesn't flinch? Damn.)
Speaking of Cyrelle - and once again, 2nd person doesn't justify this, since I've seen it used masterfully before - I feel like we're very detached from her. We're told she changes by the narrator, but we don't see that change. Actually, we see her do very little, except escape. Her mother gives her the ideas to stall her brother ; her love interest pushes her into the revolution ; the Faction members use the suits she brought during the raid... etc. She stays mostly passive, and is neither particaluarly smart, or particularly driven.
We're told she wants to but why? The narrator TELLS us she will be a good queen because she doesn't care for power, but I beg to differ: good rulers are the ones who don't care for power /for themselves/, but WANT it so as to use it to help others, preferably poor and marginalised people. Since we haven't seen Cyrelle care about her people even once, this sentiment doesn't ring true at all.
The climax could've been a perfect occasion to make us peek into her thoughts a little bit more, but instead the scene is , sucking all the tension and gravitas away from it. I just sat there like "all this for that?".
I always like a queer romance, but the length and the quick pace made it feel a bit insta-lovy. Likewise, the secondary characters were good fun, even with their little screen time, and would've loved to know more about... pretty much everyone! Also, what happened to ???
Still really liked the lore constructed around this whole story though. Wish we'd seen the snakes earlier/more, especially the babies! But the background ideas seem to be there, even though they aren't fully exploited, just as with the themes.
Writing was simple and fluid. A bit repetitive from time to time, but not to the point of being annoying or anything. As I said, I'm always fond of a second person narration, and think it was a very clever way to deliver the story and arrive to its conclusion ~
Overall, I think this story would actually benefit from being a longer book. Delve deeper in characters, plot, themes, especially the very lacking descriptions. Use the interesting parts of the worldbuilding - the serening, the corrupted elites, the way the journey affects Cyrelle - to its full potential and nuance, and I would have 100% been sold on "The Color of Time".
As it was, this book wasn't for me, but I'm sure it'll find its audience, and wish all the luck to a fellow Frenchie!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Disclaimer: Review written from an ARC version received for free.
I’ve read (almost) all of Millie’s work so far, and this one is, so far, my favorite of all.
I was delighted to find a refreshing writing style, bordering on the experimental. The story is told in the second person, which might sound like an odd choice, but I can assure you, it is grounded in storytelling.
Do not expect an easy read out of this one. Not that it will shock you (content warnings on attempted incest, mind-break, animal cruelty, and the harsh lives of the common people). Not that the world-building is extra complex (it is science-fiction, with a few planets, and a bit of politics, but nothing on the scale of Dune). Not that it makes use of obscure and deprecated wording (Millie’s style is once again easily accessible).
But the way the story is told is disconcerting at first. I’ll explain more later as I move to the spoiler part of this review, but for now, potential future reader, know that the tale you’re about to read is worth the effort.
The pacing is excellent, giving you all the keys to understand the universe in which the story happens as you need them. No info-dump at the start, no hidden rules for a cheap plot-twist. You’ll know exactly what you need to know to understand the stakes of each event.
A retelling of the French classic Peau d’Âne, in a futuristic setting, where space travel is as easy as taking a plane to the neighboring country. Sprinkled with a sapphic romance and just enough nobility intrigues to spice it up without feeling overwhelming.
Millie’s style blends all those seamlessly into an epic adventure to escape a sacrilegious union, where a princess discovers the difficulties faced by citizens, far from the comfort that shaped her childhood. More than a runaway, she’s tasked with a divine quest, while she finds love and kinship.
Each of her steps is paved with sacrifices and hardship, but through incredible resilience, she finds her place, becoming who she was fated to be.
It’s been a long time since a book caught me with such a tight grip, and I had a hard time putting it down until I was done with it. And, despite being the longest of Millie’s stories so far, it’s short enough to be read over a few days. If I didn’t have other obligations at the time, I would probably have read it in a single sitting.
An amazing tale about loyalty, found family, truth in the muddy lies, and finding oneself. A modern classic and the warnings old folk tales carry, with an ingenious addition on the shortcomings of today’s society.
SPOILER SECTION (I consider that if you’re reading this, either you don’t mind learning about the ending, or you already read the book).
I’ve read (almost) all of Millie’s work so far, and this one is, so far, my favorite of all.
I was delighted to find a refreshing writing style, bordering on the experimental. The story is told in the second person, which might sound like an odd choice, but I can assure you, it is grounded in storytelling.
Do not expect an easy read out of this one. Not that it will shock you (content warnings on attempted incest, mind-break, animal cruelty, and the harsh lives of the common people). Not that the world-building is extra complex (it is science-fiction, with a few planets, and a bit of politics, but nothing on the scale of Dune). Not that it makes use of obscure and deprecated wording (Millie’s style is once again easily accessible).
But the way the story is told is disconcerting at first. I’ll explain more later as I move to the spoiler part of this review, but for now, potential future reader, know that the tale you’re about to read is worth the effort.
The pacing is excellent, giving you all the keys to understand the universe in which the story happens as you need them. No info-dump at the start, no hidden rules for a cheap plot-twist. You’ll know exactly what you need to know to understand the stakes of each event.
A retelling of the French classic Peau d’Âne, in a futuristic setting, where space travel is as easy as taking a plane to the neighboring country. Sprinkled with a sapphic romance and just enough nobility intrigues to spice it up without feeling overwhelming.
Millie’s style blends all those seamlessly into an epic adventure to escape a sacrilegious union, where a princess discovers the difficulties faced by citizens, far from the comfort that shaped her childhood. More than a runaway, she’s tasked with a divine quest, while she finds love and kinship.
Each of her steps is paved with sacrifices and hardship, but through incredible resilience, she finds her place, becoming who she was fated to be.
It’s been a long time since a book caught me with such a tight grip, and I had a hard time putting it down until I was done with it. And, despite being the longest of Millie’s stories so far, it’s short enough to be read over a few days. If I didn’t have other obligations at the time, I would probably have read it in a single sitting.
An amazing tale about loyalty, found family, truth in the muddy lies, and finding oneself. A modern classic and the warnings old folk tales carry, with an ingenious addition on the shortcomings of today’s society.
SPOILER SECTION (I consider that if you’re reading this, either you don’t mind learning about the ending, or you already read the book).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book did actually shock me so much, I didn’t know much going into it, I just recognized the author and jumped at it, I am SO glad I did. There’s truly nothing you can compare this book to, I know I said The Locked Tomb series but even then it’s nothing like it besides both being sci-fi. It is like an adult version of those space adventure books for kids, but then also there’s a runaway princess. A Runaway Space Princess! I don’t think there is another of those out there.
Cyrelle is such an eventful (?) character, I mean her best friend literally just died, now her brother wants to marry her, he literally is the king and pays for people to do the impossible for her, multiple times, then suddenly she’s a runaway bride to a new planet. (this isn’t spoilers it’s literally basically just the book description, I think)
Cyrelle has a lot going on in very quick succession.
The romance was also SO adorable- with how the story is told, the reader knows that Cyrelle will end up with this character and their love will be beautiful, but also because of how the story is written we get to experience it happen from such a lovely perspective. That was truly my favorite thing about this book, having someone who cares so much about Cyrelle tell her her life story, it is told so beautifully and with so much care, decisions Cyrelle made at one time explained with care, it’s just so nice honestly. Heartwarming if you will. Anyway, the actual romance when it happens on page is so adorable, there is patience, curiosity, respect, but also desperation, there is so much action that there truly isn’t much time to think about romance or feelings, but once that opportunity arises? BEAUTIFUL, Chefs Kiss.
Side characters are also great, well, the majority rude and ignorant but still. I don’t know how to say this without spoiling anything so basically, they were well written, had full stories of their own that were well established in my opinion, I understood them.
I did guess one of the twists at the end, I wouldn’t say it was obvious, but obviously when it happened it was obvious, to the reader and some of the characters. HOWEVER, the Ending Ending? HEARTBREAKING, as much as the perspective makes it obvious what will happen from the beginning, it was SO heartbreaking to read it happen and what led up to it. It is a Hopeful ending though, I would say Slightly Happy? It’s Sad Happy, like everything should get better from that point, but that’s where it ends, so we don’t see the happy better future.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME READ THIS BEAUTIFUL HEARTBREAKING STORY 🤍
Cyrelle is such an eventful (?) character, I mean her best friend literally just died, now her brother wants to marry her, he literally is the king and pays for people to do the impossible for her, multiple times, then suddenly she’s a runaway bride to a new planet. (this isn’t spoilers it’s literally basically just the book description, I think)
Cyrelle has a lot going on in very quick succession.
The romance was also SO adorable- with how the story is told, the reader knows that Cyrelle will end up with this character and their love will be beautiful, but also because of how the story is written we get to experience it happen from such a lovely perspective. That was truly my favorite thing about this book, having someone who cares so much about Cyrelle tell her her life story, it is told so beautifully and with so much care, decisions Cyrelle made at one time explained with care, it’s just so nice honestly. Heartwarming if you will. Anyway, the actual romance when it happens on page is so adorable, there is patience, curiosity, respect, but also desperation, there is so much action that there truly isn’t much time to think about romance or feelings, but once that opportunity arises? BEAUTIFUL, Chefs Kiss.
Side characters are also great, well, the majority rude and ignorant but still. I don’t know how to say this without spoiling anything so basically, they were well written, had full stories of their own that were well established in my opinion, I understood them.
I did guess one of the twists at the end, I wouldn’t say it was obvious, but obviously when it happened it was obvious, to the reader and some of the characters. HOWEVER, the Ending Ending? HEARTBREAKING, as much as the perspective makes it obvious what will happen from the beginning, it was SO heartbreaking to read it happen and what led up to it. It is a Hopeful ending though, I would say Slightly Happy? It’s Sad Happy, like everything should get better from that point, but that’s where it ends, so we don’t see the happy better future.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME READ THIS BEAUTIFUL HEARTBREAKING STORY 🤍
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a difficult one for me to rate, because I ultimately did enjoy reading it, but not for the reasons that made me pick it up. I picked it up for the sapphic romance, which ended up being an incredibly minor part of the story and was frankly quite underdeveloped. The rest of the story, however, I enjoyed a lot more than I expected. This also managed to be one of the very few novellas I’ve read that has a satisfying end and felt like a complete story, despite how short it is.
The Color of Time is based on one of Charles Perrault’s less well known tales, Peau d’Âne, but retold in a sci-fi setting and with a sapphic romance. Most of the book is told in second-person POV, which I initially figured would be difficult to get used to, but it actually ended up elevating the story and making it somehow feel much more personal and by the end I had grown very fond of this narration style and the relationship it represented. I just thought it worked so beautifully in the context of this specific novella.
As I mentioned previously, the thing that made me pick this book up ended up not actually being very important, namely the sapphic romance. There certainly is a sapphic romance in this, but it is given almost no time to develop, even though it is pivotal for the ending. I still enjoyed this story, but if the author had given the relationship between Cyrelle and Sianna a bit more time to develop, this might have been a 4.5 star read, but as is, it is closer to 4 stars - still definitely something I enjoyed reading, but could’ve been even better.
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Do the queer characters get a happy ending?
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Thank you to Shiraki Press for the ARC!
The Color of Time is based on one of Charles Perrault’s less well known tales, Peau d’Âne, but retold in a sci-fi setting and with a sapphic romance. Most of the book is told in second-person POV, which I initially figured would be difficult to get used to, but it actually ended up elevating the story and making it somehow feel much more personal and by the end I had grown very fond of this narration style and the relationship it represented. I just thought it worked so beautifully in the context of this specific novella.
As I mentioned previously, the thing that made me pick this book up ended up not actually being very important, namely the sapphic romance. There certainly is a sapphic romance in this, but it is given almost no time to develop, even though it is pivotal for the ending. I still enjoyed this story, but if the author had given the relationship between Cyrelle and Sianna a bit more time to develop, this might have been a 4.5 star read, but as is, it is closer to 4 stars - still definitely something I enjoyed reading, but could’ve been even better.
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Do the queer characters get a happy ending?
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Thank you to Shiraki Press for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for providing me this eARC in exchange for my honest review ~
So, unpopular opinion, but I love it when an author utilizes the second-person POV in their book because I know, when used correctly, it's going to be a good story. As a writer, I know that it's a daunting POV to use, so I've yet to be let down by it—needless to say, I was delighted to find that The Color of Time was told in this manner, and indeed, it excited my every expectation. Really, I was more distraught by realizing that this is a novella, rather than a full length book, because I was ready to tuck in and get lost for a good while.
But alas, at less than 200 pages, it still packs a good punch. I always want to see a reason behind the choice to use second-person narrative, and this novella delivers. Not going to get into it right now, since I don't like having spoilers in an ARC review, but it strengthens the story being told and the payoff was wonderful. Still, once again, I wish this was longer!
And, of course, the sapphic romance told at the heart of this tale was sweet, if not a little rushed. Not much to be done about that, given the nature of a novella, but I found that it didn't take away from the romance itself.
The science fiction aspect, with space and time travel, was an interesting addition and change from the original fairytale. There isn't much time for the author to delve into the lore that she created for this retelling, but I think it makes it stand out from the original.
Plus, can't go wrong with lesbians in space!
So, unpopular opinion, but I love it when an author utilizes the second-person POV in their book because I know, when used correctly, it's going to be a good story. As a writer, I know that it's a daunting POV to use, so I've yet to be let down by it—needless to say, I was delighted to find that The Color of Time was told in this manner, and indeed, it excited my every expectation. Really, I was more distraught by realizing that this is a novella, rather than a full length book, because I was ready to tuck in and get lost for a good while.
But alas, at less than 200 pages, it still packs a good punch. I always want to see a reason behind the choice to use second-person narrative, and this novella delivers. Not going to get into it right now, since I don't like having spoilers in an ARC review, but it strengthens the story being told and the payoff was wonderful. Still, once again, I wish this was longer!
And, of course, the sapphic romance told at the heart of this tale was sweet, if not a little rushed. Not much to be done about that, given the nature of a novella, but I found that it didn't take away from the romance itself.
The science fiction aspect, with space and time travel, was an interesting addition and change from the original fairytale. There isn't much time for the author to delve into the lore that she created for this retelling, but I think it makes it stand out from the original.
Plus, can't go wrong with lesbians in space!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Color of Time is a story that blends a fairytale retelling with a science-fantasy setting, unfolding across multiple parts that shift in tone and pace. It opens with a distinctly fairytale feel. Our protagonist, Princess Cyrelle, sets her brother, the King, a series of seemingly impossible quests to put off the incestuous marriage she is being forced into. This part moves quickly, more like a summary than a detailed story. It had a Greek mythology vibe and reminded me of Perseus being set the 'impossible' quest to slay Medusa, although this is a tech-forward space setting! Whilst the story starts with the setup of of a straight marriage, it is in the end a queer, sapphic love story.
The story is mostly written in second-person perspective (you/your), which was quite unusual and took some getting used to. At first, I struggled to fully immerse myself, but it absolutely pays off. Each part was better than the last, changing in feel. It becomes a more detailed, rich science-fantasy world and we learn why it's written in second person, who our narrator is and why the story is told this way. I'm keeping this vague to avoid spoilers!
The Color of Time is also a retelling of Peau d'Âne (Donkey Skin). I was not at all familiar with the original French fairytale, but that didn't impact my enjoyment at all. Perhaps readers who do know it may spot some clever Easter eggs along the way.
Recommended for fantasy fans, especially fans of retellings, genre blending stories, and narratives that reward a bit of patience.
Thanks to Netgalley for the e-copy.
The story is mostly written in second-person perspective (you/your), which was quite unusual and took some getting used to. At first, I struggled to fully immerse myself, but it absolutely pays off. Each part was better than the last, changing in feel. It becomes a more detailed, rich science-fantasy world and we learn why it's written in second person, who our narrator is and why the story is told this way. I'm keeping this vague to avoid spoilers!
The Color of Time is also a retelling of Peau d'Âne (Donkey Skin). I was not at all familiar with the original French fairytale, but that didn't impact my enjoyment at all. Perhaps readers who do know it may spot some clever Easter eggs along the way.
Recommended for fantasy fans, especially fans of retellings, genre blending stories, and narratives that reward a bit of patience.
Thanks to Netgalley for the e-copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed this one. Even though it's under 200 pages, it reads like a full novel rather than a novella. The story is fast paced and packed with ideas, but never feels rushed or underdeveloped. It tells a complete story without feeling like anything is missing.
This is a sci-fi retelling of Donkeyskin. I went into it completely blind since I'm not familiar with the original, so I experienced it as its own story without comparing it to the source and it worked really well that way.
The mix of first and second person POV caught me off guard at first, but I got used to it quickly, and it actually made sense within the story.
The concepts were a big highlight for me, especially the different suits (sun, moon, and the time-manipulating one). They added a lot to both the worldbuilding and the tension, and made the story feel bigger than its page count.
Some elements felt very grounded in real world style political ideas and tactics. One scene in particular even gave me vibes of a certain Mossad operation, which added an extra layer of realism for me.
The ending is a bit open, but I liked that it left me thinking about it after finishing.
Overall, a short but fully satisfying sci-fi story that proves you don't need 400 pages to tell something engaging and complete.
This is a sci-fi retelling of Donkeyskin. I went into it completely blind since I'm not familiar with the original, so I experienced it as its own story without comparing it to the source and it worked really well that way.
The mix of first and second person POV caught me off guard at first, but I got used to it quickly, and it actually made sense within the story.
The concepts were a big highlight for me, especially the different suits (sun, moon, and the time-manipulating one). They added a lot to both the worldbuilding and the tension, and made the story feel bigger than its page count.
Some elements felt very grounded in real world style political ideas and tactics. One scene in particular even gave me vibes of a certain Mossad operation, which added an extra layer of realism for me.
The ending is a bit open, but I liked that it left me thinking about it after finishing.
Overall, a short but fully satisfying sci-fi story that proves you don't need 400 pages to tell something engaging and complete.
Review of advance copy
Political intrigue, interplanetary space travel, technologically advanced societies, involved deities, as well as the timeless desire for power, control, and wealth. People are divided between the haves and have-nots and are ruled by corrupt politicians and villainous monarchies. A princess is on the precipice of being forced into an incestuous marriage to her brother, and she is searching for a way to escape her fate. On her journey, the incognito Princess Cyrelle meets a woman who seeks justice and fairness for her people. They bond over their secrets and ambitions.
The Color of Time by Millie Abecassis has many elements that should make for an exciting and suspenseful story, along with a romantic subplot. However, I did not emotionally connect with the characters, nor did I feel the urgency of their missions. The relationship between Cyrelle and Sianna was not convincing.
It may have been partially due to the second-person POV. It felt like reading the telling of a myth without much showing. I wanted to know how it would turn out, but overall, it was not very engaging. I just needed something more.
The cover is beautiful, though.
#scifi #retelling #sapphic #fairytale #myth #fantasy #spacetravel
I received a review copy from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
The Color of Time by Millie Abecassis has many elements that should make for an exciting and suspenseful story, along with a romantic subplot. However, I did not emotionally connect with the characters, nor did I feel the urgency of their missions. The relationship between Cyrelle and Sianna was not convincing.
It may have been partially due to the second-person POV. It felt like reading the telling of a myth without much showing. I wanted to know how it would turn out, but overall, it was not very engaging. I just needed something more.
The cover is beautiful, though.
#scifi #retelling #sapphic #fairytale #myth #fantasy #spacetravel
I received a review copy from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
March 19, 2026
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
This started off fairly weak — repetitive and choppy. And it really throws you into the world unforgivingly. It’s pretty easy to get a grip on the world a handful of pages in but it was jarring at first.
I have to say, second person is not my favorite means of narration so that really colors my impression of the book. But eventually it did flow so naturally that I kind of forgot it was second person. Which I think speaks to how immersive it ends up being.
On a line level, the writing is gorgeous. It’s dreamlike in quality which I think lends itself properly to the setting.
The word irascible was used one too many times. It was noticeable.
The antagonist was well written. Slimy and ambitious and repulsive. It made the narrative very compelling. I was icked out.
As time went on I became more invested, which goes to show the author knew how to capture attention and keep it.
Overall, this was a short and well-contained read, I read it in a few hours. The book had themes of repentance, piety, and self-preservation/survival. I’d definitely recommend it to people looking for a quick high stakes sci-fi romp.
4 stars.
This started off fairly weak — repetitive and choppy. And it really throws you into the world unforgivingly. It’s pretty easy to get a grip on the world a handful of pages in but it was jarring at first.
I have to say, second person is not my favorite means of narration so that really colors my impression of the book. But eventually it did flow so naturally that I kind of forgot it was second person. Which I think speaks to how immersive it ends up being.
On a line level, the writing is gorgeous. It’s dreamlike in quality which I think lends itself properly to the setting.
The word irascible was used one too many times. It was noticeable.
The antagonist was well written. Slimy and ambitious and repulsive. It made the narrative very compelling. I was icked out.
As time went on I became more invested, which goes to show the author knew how to capture attention and keep it.
Overall, this was a short and well-contained read, I read it in a few hours. The book had themes of repentance, piety, and self-preservation/survival. I’d definitely recommend it to people looking for a quick high stakes sci-fi romp.
4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Colour Of Time is based on/a retelling of the french literary fairy tail Donkeyskin, but of course it has it's differences. For starters TCOT is a sci-fi sapphic novella, while DS is set in the 17th century with only the magic of the Donkey and the Fairy Godmother.
I liked the changes to the atmosphere in this story, I liked all the Gods and Goddesses and the story just in general being darker than Donkeyskin (I wouldn't say it's a dark story, but compared to DS where everyone forgives and forgets, I can only think to call it darker).
The writing annoyed me a little bit while reading. I loved how Millie wrote in A Legacy Of Blood And Bone but for TCOT it switched up a bit. I'm not the biggest fan of second person story telling (which is how this story is written) but I was able to mostly ignore it and enjoy the story anyway. Sometimes there were info dumps which felt a little unnatural but it wasnt extensive and it is a short story so how else am I supposed to understand? So if you also dislike info dumps like me, I was able to forgive it.
If you like sci-fi fantasy with a sapphic romance on the side I'd say you'd probably enjoy this novella.
I liked the changes to the atmosphere in this story, I liked all the Gods and Goddesses and the story just in general being darker than Donkeyskin (I wouldn't say it's a dark story, but compared to DS where everyone forgives and forgets, I can only think to call it darker).
The writing annoyed me a little bit while reading. I loved how Millie wrote in A Legacy Of Blood And Bone but for TCOT it switched up a bit. I'm not the biggest fan of second person story telling (which is how this story is written) but I was able to mostly ignore it and enjoy the story anyway. Sometimes there were info dumps which felt a little unnatural but it wasnt extensive and it is a short story so how else am I supposed to understand? So if you also dislike info dumps like me, I was able to forgive it.
If you like sci-fi fantasy with a sapphic romance on the side I'd say you'd probably enjoy this novella.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Shiraki Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review.
I'd never heard of Donkeyskin before picking up this ARC, so I went ahead and read the original fairy tale before diving into the book based on the recommendations from the author and other reviewers. I don't think it was necessary to read the original fairy tale to fully enjoy the book, but doing so made me appreciate the book more (because The Color of Time was much more enjoyable for me)!
This science fiction retelling was so unique (and not only from the second person perspective)! The way Abecassis uses the "impossible" nuptial gifts within the technology on these planets made everything fit together so well. I've never read a book written in the second person perspective (only short stories online), and I really loved how it was used as a tool for telling the story. I enjoyed the world building and character development of our princess. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves sci-fi, sapphic romance, and unique storytelling!
I'd never heard of Donkeyskin before picking up this ARC, so I went ahead and read the original fairy tale before diving into the book based on the recommendations from the author and other reviewers. I don't think it was necessary to read the original fairy tale to fully enjoy the book, but doing so made me appreciate the book more (because The Color of Time was much more enjoyable for me)!
This science fiction retelling was so unique (and not only from the second person perspective)! The way Abecassis uses the "impossible" nuptial gifts within the technology on these planets made everything fit together so well. I've never read a book written in the second person perspective (only short stories online), and I really loved how it was used as a tool for telling the story. I enjoyed the world building and character development of our princess. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves sci-fi, sapphic romance, and unique storytelling!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Rating: 3.25/5 stars
This was a great concept, and I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy the book! As a relatively short story (200 pages ish), it was a good refresher and quick read for me, and I appreciated the retelling of the French classic, Peau D'ane, which I grew up watching the film for. I think that knowing the traditional version of the story may have skewed my enjoyment of the book, as I kept thinking of the original that is extremely nostalgic for me, but for new discoverers of this tale the author reinterprets the story well. The other main thing that lowered my rating a little was the second person narration (particularly at the start)- I have read other books like this, but still find it slightly strange as a narrative perspective, and very hard to pull off.
Overall, this was a fun quick retelling of Peau D'ane, and my thanks again to the publisher and Netgalley!
Rating: 3.25/5 stars
This was a great concept, and I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy the book! As a relatively short story (200 pages ish), it was a good refresher and quick read for me, and I appreciated the retelling of the French classic, Peau D'ane, which I grew up watching the film for. I think that knowing the traditional version of the story may have skewed my enjoyment of the book, as I kept thinking of the original that is extremely nostalgic for me, but for new discoverers of this tale the author reinterprets the story well. The other main thing that lowered my rating a little was the second person narration (particularly at the start)- I have read other books like this, but still find it slightly strange as a narrative perspective, and very hard to pull off.
Overall, this was a fun quick retelling of Peau D'ane, and my thanks again to the publisher and Netgalley!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this advance reader copies in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a retailing of the fairy tale « Donkeyskin » and I think you should read the fairytale or at least get familiar with it before getting into this book. I personally read the fairytale when I was already at the end of book and it made my reading experience more pleasant.
I’m not used to retailing but it was a great experience to get immerse in this genre. I also love the twist the author put on the fairytale and I wish we spent more time about her own twist than the actual fairytale plotline.
Another point that I love, cause it’s different and not what I’m used to, is the second person singular narrative. You understand this choice as you go through the story but those narrative always make me feel like I’m the protagonist.
Overall, an unique novel that will be even more enjoyable if you read the original fairytale first.
This book is a retailing of the fairy tale « Donkeyskin » and I think you should read the fairytale or at least get familiar with it before getting into this book. I personally read the fairytale when I was already at the end of book and it made my reading experience more pleasant.
I’m not used to retailing but it was a great experience to get immerse in this genre. I also love the twist the author put on the fairytale and I wish we spent more time about her own twist than the actual fairytale plotline.
Another point that I love, cause it’s different and not what I’m used to, is the second person singular narrative. You understand this choice as you go through the story but those narrative always make me feel like I’m the protagonist.
Overall, an unique novel that will be even more enjoyable if you read the original fairytale first.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I had not read the fairytale “Donkeyskin” and only have a faint recollection of what it’s about. This book was a quick and easy read. I thought the science fiction elements incorporated to be an interesting spin on a fairly tale and I think it translated well to a space setting.
The narration and perspective didn’t work fully for me. The pacing seemed off to me. The first section with the brother read like a completely different book and I didn’t start truly enjoying until after that. Having this secondary perspective really made the focus shifts jarring, sections that seemed unimportant had great detail and the moments that I felt should have the most weight were sparse. Some of this can be explained by the perspective but I think the book could have benefited from being longer. The length to me, made it hard to feel a deep connection to the characters.
I had not read the fairytale “Donkeyskin” and only have a faint recollection of what it’s about. This book was a quick and easy read. I thought the science fiction elements incorporated to be an interesting spin on a fairly tale and I think it translated well to a space setting.
The narration and perspective didn’t work fully for me. The pacing seemed off to me. The first section with the brother read like a completely different book and I didn’t start truly enjoying until after that. Having this secondary perspective really made the focus shifts jarring, sections that seemed unimportant had great detail and the moments that I felt should have the most weight were sparse. Some of this can be explained by the perspective but I think the book could have benefited from being longer. The length to me, made it hard to feel a deep connection to the characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was excited for this book, but I think that its length as a novella takes away from some of its potential. The plot could easily fill a full-length novel, and as a result the pace feels too fast for the novella's length. A slower pace, with a few more setbacks and exploration of events, would have been preferable in my opinion, and would have worked better for the story. I really enjoyed the plot, but in some ways it felt like a fairytale that's been stripped down to just its main points without very much to connect them. I think that also contributed to not feeling very invested in the relationship between the two main characters.
I also didn't feel very invested in Cyrelle as a main character. I have seen second person narration done well before, and I understand the intended narrative purpose, but something about it didn't work for this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
I also didn't feel very invested in Cyrelle as a main character. I have seen second person narration done well before, and I understand the intended narrative purpose, but something about it didn't work for this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 4, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t read very many second-person POV books, mostly because I think it’s a difficult perspective to utilize effectively, but Abecassis does this flawlessly. It’s a different reading experience (for me, at least) from first- and third-person POV, since it really puts you in the protagonist’s shoes. I will say that I was a bit confused about what exactly was going on in the beginning, but it’s such a short read that everything gets cleared up fairly quickly. This is a great scifi reimagining of Peau d’Âne, with a more autonomous heroine, an absolutely despicable villain, and a queer twist I very much enjoyed. To put icing on the cake, there’s even a heist! If you’re looking for a book that will only take a few hours but still keep your attention, The Color of Time is the perfect candidate.
I haven’t read very many second-person POV books, mostly because I think it’s a difficult perspective to utilize effectively, but Abecassis does this flawlessly. It’s a different reading experience (for me, at least) from first- and third-person POV, since it really puts you in the protagonist’s shoes. I will say that I was a bit confused about what exactly was going on in the beginning, but it’s such a short read that everything gets cleared up fairly quickly. This is a great scifi reimagining of Peau d’Âne, with a more autonomous heroine, an absolutely despicable villain, and a queer twist I very much enjoyed. To put icing on the cake, there’s even a heist! If you’re looking for a book that will only take a few hours but still keep your attention, The Color of Time is the perfect candidate.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
If you’re retelling Donkeyskin, the moment the father (or brother, in this version) announces he wants to marry his daughter (or sister, here) cannot be flat. It needs to be an atom bomb. Consider Robin Mckinley’s Deerskin, another retelling of the some fairytale: there, that moment is like the aftermath of a bomb going off, you can all but hear your ears ringing from the impact, the shock. The protagonist and reader are both left reeling. In Color of Time, that revelation is almost clinical, and I’m sorry, I’m not committing to finishing a book that so badly fumbles something the entire story hinges on.
If you’re retelling Donkeyskin, the moment the father (or brother, in this version) announces he wants to marry his daughter (or sister, here) cannot be flat. It needs to be an atom bomb. Consider Robin Mckinley’s Deerskin, another retelling of the some fairytale: there, that moment is like the aftermath of a bomb going off, you can all but hear your ears ringing from the impact, the shock. The protagonist and reader are both left reeling. In Color of Time, that revelation is almost clinical, and I’m sorry, I’m not committing to finishing a book that so badly fumbles something the entire story hinges on.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Filled with compelling characters, an intriguing narration, and an interstellar setting that feels both at once innovative and familiar, The Color of Time invites reader into a narrative that dares to explore the difficult—and oftentimes uncomfortable—choices a person might make in order to survive. The plot is tightly structured and the stakes continue to rise throughout, offering a thrilling experience that will have you up all night. Abecassis skillfully preserves a fable-like touch in this sci-fi reimagining of the Donkeyskin fairytale, making this a wholly unique and positively delightful read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
In this refreshingly futuristic retelling, The Color of Time is a revolutionary modernization of the classic fable. The whimsical charm of the original is retained through the unique narrative perspective, then elevated into an expansive original parable of sapphic yearning, mistakes and redemption, and—most importantly—the fight for freedom. This succinct tale is a perfect getaway for anyone looking to reconnect with a sense of wonder without sacrificing the sophistication afforded by a fast-paced political science-fantasy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Very interesting way to tell a story. A quick read, and I loved the 2nd person POV. I like the ending, that for the first time the main character is free to (mostly within the bounds of royal responsibilities) to live her life on her own terms.
Also, I loved the whole Green Scales arc!!
I read this through an Advanced Readers' Copy received through NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
Also, I loved the whole Green Scales arc!!
I read this through an Advanced Readers' Copy received through NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hmm.. the summary sounded very interesting and my type of book. For me though it didn’t quite reach my expectations. I found the writing style a little flat and it did not pull me into the story. I am sure it will have an audience. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher.
April 22, 2026
knowing something bad has happened but still expecting the best. doomed yet hopeful yuri at its finest. truly magnificent
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