Review: Barefoot On The Wind

Barefoot On The Wind
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

A companion title to Zoë Marriott's critically acclaimed Shadows on the Moon, BAREFOOT ON THE WIND is a darkly magical retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" set in fairytale Japan. 

There is a monster in the forest... 

Everyone in Hana's remote village on the mountain knows that straying too far into the woods is a death sentence. When Hana's father goes missing, she is the only one who dares try to save him. Taking up her hunting gear, she goes in search of the beast, determined to kill it - or be killed herself. 

But the forest contains more secrets, more magic and more darkness than Hana could ever have imagined. And the beast is not at all what she expects...

I love a good fairytale retelling, and I love Japan and it's mythology and I've read Marriott's The Name of the Blade trilogy...or well the first two books so far anyway, and loved it! SO, seeing as how much I love Beauty and the Beast...I couldn't resist reviewing this! Also the cover is totally gorgeous! 

Barefoot on the Wind totally has a feminist twist that I think a lot of you guys are going to love, and the writing is gorgeous, as is the setting! I love how Marriott kept a distinct fairytale feel to the story, as well as giving you a magical atmosphere to the maze. I loved Marriott's world building, the way she created the village and the way you could feel the isolation of the place, and then the sinister woods and the magical and slightly creepy maze. I also really liked the romance and how it blossomed over the course of the story, and I really liked the ending of the book! I kinda want more! 

I fell in to the world completely, I loved Hana,  and I loved the journey she went on within the book both with the whole "taking down the Beast" thing and then personally as well. I rooted for her and I loved that she went of her own accord to fight the Beast. I felt for her, there was a lot of emotion in the book both with Hana and with the other characters, and it really seeps out of the book. I was cheering Hana on when she was shouting down the village and then battling the baddie. Although I did actually really feel for the "bad guy" like sure...she went all evil and vengeancey but at the same time, I could see where she was coming from. 

Barefoot On The Wind is a magical read, full of emotion and atmosphere, with vivid writing and memorable characters, that all combine to suck you in to the world of the book. It's a brilliant original retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and one of my favourites!