“The villagers had always called her beautiful but strange. As if her beauty was tainted with something unnamable, twisted and crooked like a broken bone that had been set the wrong way.”


The Bride of Death is F.M. Aden’s fairytale-esque piece built around the Turkish myth of Erlik Khan, the Lord of Death and god of the Underworld. Zerryn Özdemir was encountered death as a young child and it lingered with her as she grew, not only in her two different colored eyes but in her ability to see the ghosts and spirits around her. Her oddities and frailness caused her to withdraw into herself while her family tried their best to sheild and protect her from the cruelity of others. Her only friend, Çelik, was the golden boy of the village and was loyal to Zerryn as they grew up together. Zerryn believed she was finally going to get the normal life she desired, a husband and family, until Erlik Khan himself possed Çelik. Now Zerryn will do everything she can to save him.

“She was afraid of the Underworld, of the barrenness and desolation, but she was not afraid of Death. The man in the billowing cloak with the many eyes.”


Aden has created an authentic feeling, adult, gothic fairytale with The Bride of Death. Her writing is reminiscent of the classics in its word choices, dialogue, and character attitudes. While it may seem a little different at first if you are used to reading mostly contemporary works, the farther you get into it the more accustomed or reaquainted to this traditional style of storytelling you become. Or if you have never indulged in fairytales this is your chance to get a taste of this time-tested and well-loved genre. But, while Aden adheres to many of the constructs of a fairytale she puts an interesting twist on a few of these common elements. Her incorporation of magic, three events, and a conflict that needs to be resolved is all quite standard, but her rags to riches, darkly gothic story blurs the line between good and evil with its grey characters, leaving you to wonder, until the very end, who is actually the hero and who is the villian.


“His head bent, and her palm lay on his ravaged cheek. Her sinner and supplicant. Her terror and madness. Her beautiful monster… An that, perphaps, was the crux of her problems. It was never a fear of changing him, it was a fear of him changing her.”

On the surface, The Bride of Death is about Zerryn’s quest to win the challenge put forth by the Lord of Death as a means to be chosen as his bride, and for her personally the ability to save Çelik and her village. However, it is that and so much more. It’s a layered reflection of life, love, and self-discovery. It’s an acknowledgement that where you start is not where you need to end up and that even if from the outside it looks like you don’t have what it takes to succeed, what you are on the inside is all that really matters. It’s an admonishment to choose people who see your strengths not your weaknesses and not to ever settle for normal. It’s an attestation that you “must never wait for someone to save you” but that you are actually your own greatest hero. It’s all these things, and a beautiful cover, that make The Bride of Death a book you must check out!

F.M. Aden’s The Bride of Death is a unique and intriguing blend of dark romance and suspense. Aden’s writing is atmospheric and rich, creating a compelling backdrop for a story filled with tension and intrigue. The characters are well-crafted, and their journeys offer a mix of mystery and emotional depth. While the novel's intricate plot and gothic elements are engaging, I found that it took a while for the story to fully captivate my attention. Despite this, Aden’s skillful prose and imaginative world-building make The Bride of Death a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Overall, The Bride of Death showcases Aden’s talent for weaving a darkly enchanting tale, offering a satisfying experience for those who enjoy a blend of romance and suspense.

This felt like it was trying to take from too many different stories and lore and it didn’t mesh well together. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood to read this one but it just didn’t work for me.

I really enjoyed all the twists in this book but the love triangle was irking me (hence the four stars) and I think it it was an amazing book with that exception of the love triangle. I would highly recommend reading this book. It is definitely worth the read.

This was an ARC read for Netgalley. Thank you to the Author and Netgalley for allowing me to be a part of this journey. This is my honest review and I was not paid for it.

F.M. Aden's The Bride of Death is a dark and captivating fantasy story that is similar to Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale and Naomi Novik's Uprooted. There are many supernatural obstacles and great risks in Zerryn's attempt to vanquish the formidable monster Erlik Khan. Although the world-building and idea are complex, there were moments when the pacing felt erratic, and several character developments lacked the impact I had hoped for. Zerryn's bravery is commendable, and the stakes are high, yet there were certain aspects of the story that I found tedious. Overall, a good book with a compelling subject, however there is still space for development.

It wasn't until I was immersed in the world, that I realised just how much I was going to adore this book. It is all the things I love, The dark gothic fairytale setting for one, from the very beginning I loved spending time getting lost in the bone forest among the dark creatures and spirits. It's also filled with mentions of folklore, such as the irshi, jinn, ubir and uylak. The main characters are very reminiscent of Hades & Persephone, with their warring magical energies of life and death, light and dark.

I really liked this book, just didn't love it. Think it was more the fact I was in a slump rather than the story. I would still recommend it to friends.

Meh. I found this entire tale a collection of unnecessary scenes. The romance induced eye-rolls. I wanted to enjoy the stylistic choices and writing, however, I found it felt uninspired. I'm sure some new to fantasy, new to retellings new to gothic style lit will find what they enjoy within, I personally found it too bland for enjoyment... sorry...

First of all, thank you NetGalley and F.M. Aden for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had already read another ARC from the same author before, The Bride Of Death. I ate it up and absolutely LOVED it, so I was super curious and super hyped for this one too!

And damn, man, it was SO GOOD. It even pained me a little to give it only 4 stars because it was SO CLOSE to being as perfect as Court, but, alas, it wasn't. We'll get there in a bit, wait a second.

To the good stuff: this is a gothic, enemies-to-lovers story. Don't come here expecting a cutesy little wholesome whatever. There is a romantic triangle, but unlike in Court, it's pretty obvious who is going to win, and it's not going to be the Nice Guy. In fact, Aden spins the nice-guyism BEAUTIFULLY, in a way that reminded me of how I myself write my stories too. I don't think it's necessary to spoil here how it happens, but it suffices to know that if you're looking for a heart-warming, cute, wholesome, Healthy™️representation of relationships, this ain't where you're going to find it. They are ENEMIES. Like, REAL enemies. There are MURDER ATTEMPTS. There's manipulation and humiliation. They HURT each other and do BAD THINGS and BETRAY each other. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. Now if you come here reviewing this book negatively because "toxiiiiiiiiiiiiique problematiiiiiiiiiique 😠" go sit on a cactus, honestly.

There's a lot of hurt but there's also SO MUCH YEARNING AND PINING AND akjsjdhakjdshkajshdkashdkahsdkjashd oh GODS the amount of impactful quotes. The kinds of which will make you so frustrated because real life men don't bother to be 2% as appealing and poetic. This is even a segue to another point: there is a lot of hurt but make no mistake, these two characters would do EVERYTHING for each other, including throwing themselves into oblivion. They love each other deeply and want to make each other happy and it's the sweetest thing.

So you don't need to worry about the author getting all patronizing like "these silly little girls thirsting after the Bad Boy when the Nice Guy is right there". I think it bears mentioning here, as I did in my review of Court, that Aden is a fan of Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries and ships him with Elena. So you can rest assured that you won't find such nonsense here. This book is FOR US, the villainfuckers and the enemies-t0-lovers enjoyers. So rest easy and dive right in, my friend, the water is warm!

The characters are super compelling and interesting, and the prose, dear gods, THE PROSE, it's beautiful and poetic and it sucks you right in. You'll need some self-control in order not to binge read.

Now, to the bad part. There's unfortunately no way to discuss it without spoilers. Without spoilers all I can say is that the ending is imperfect, but not enough to ruin the book. Now I shall discuss a little bit why.

[SPOILER BEGINS]

I need to be very honest, I found it very unsatisfying, maybe even a little bit of bullshit, that the main character loses her powers. The whole book it's shown how SHE has HER OWN powers and abilities, how SHE can SAVE HERSELF, how her gifts are HER OWN, how she doesn't need either of her "knights" to rescue her because in fact SHE is the one doing the rescuing, how neither of them have power over her... Just so that in the end her powers are taken away by Erlik, and never to be recovered?! I found that super anticlimactic, unsatisfying, really antithetic to the story that was being told to us thus far. It wasn't enough to ruin the book like, for example, how The Rise Of Skywalker ruined Star Wars for me, or like how Game Of Thrones was ruined for many by its ending (it sucked since season 5 though but that's a conversation for another time). Ok, the bar may seem low, but what I'm saying is that, although really frustrating, this part of the ending doesn't ruin the whole story - especially because, despite it, our characters still get a happy-ever-after, unlike my two other examples. It's enough, however, for me to remove a star, unfortunately.

[SPOILERS END]

All in all this is an incredible book with an ending that is imperfect, but not enough to ruin the whole ride. It's still worth your time. If you're into gothic romance and enemies-to-lovers pairings, you will be well served with this book, and I will continue to watch F.M. Aden with great interest.

The cover is stunning. Loved the retelling, Although it had my attention in the begging then it was a bit more slow paced for my liking. Overall, decent read.

I really enjoyed this book, the tasks, the world and the relationships. A mix of For The Wolf, Spinning Silver and ACOTAR vibes for me, Interested to see what Aden writes next!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC reading for an honest review.

"The Bride of Death" by F.M. Aden is a gripping dark fantasy novel that weaves together elements of mythology, romance, and adventure. The story follows Zerryn, a determined young woman on a mission to save her best friend, Celik, from the clutches of Erlik Khan, the formidable Lord of Death.

Zerryn’s journey is fraught with danger and challenges as she ventures into the Underworld. To save Celik, she must complete three seemingly impossible tasks set by Erlik. These tasks are not only physically demanding but also test Zerryn's resolve and cunning. The portrayal of the Underworld is vivid and imaginative, adding a rich, immersive layer to the narrative.

Erlik Khan is a compelling antagonist, depicted with a complex blend of power and malevolence. His interactions with Zerryn are charged with tension, creating a dynamic that is both captivating and unsettling. The romance that develops between them is subtle and intricate, providing a nuanced exploration of their evolving relationship.

The novel excels in its character development. Zerryn is a strong, resourceful heroine whose growth throughout the story is both believable and inspiring. Her determination and courage in the face of overwhelming odds make her a character to root for. The side characters, including the charming vampire Beyza, add depth and diversity to the story, enriching the overall narrative.

While the plot occasionally slows, the climactic final chapters are filled with intense action and surprising twists that keep the reader engaged. The mythology woven into the story is fascinating, offering a fresh perspective on traditional themes of death and the afterlife.

In conclusion, "The Bride of Death" is a compelling read for fans of dark fantasy and mythology. F.M. Aden's storytelling is rich and evocative, creating a world that is both darkly enchanting and deeply engaging. The blend of adventure, romance, and myth makes this novel a standout in its genre. If you enjoy stories with strong female leads, complex villains, and richly imagined worlds, this book is a must-read.

I love a hades and Persephone retelling however I just really struggled to get into this one so at this time it was a DNF, however I hope to try again with it in the future.

I am yet to find a Hades and Persephone retelling that blows it out of the water. While I appreciated The Bride of Death for its attempt to revamp and refresh a tale as old as time, I felt more time should have been spent on developing this world so that it wouldn't be overshadowed by the story it was attempting to retell. Zerryn is a compelling character but soooo frustrating. I admired her tenacity as she put herself on the line to save her best friend and love; but her character development felt too sudden and I didn't feel satisfied.

This was a fairly good addition to the world of retellings. I enjoyed the story overall, but it took about 1/3 of the book to really grip me and suck me in to the story. The slower pace may work for some, as I think it was a “me” problem, having just come off of reading some intense thrillers.

The story is atmospheric and the world-building is really great in this one. I really liked the characters and the romance between them. It’s a slow-burn romance, which fit perfectly with the slower pace, and it allowed me as the reader time to get invested in their relationship.

The story gets dark at times, but there’s a whimsical quality that runs throughout the story. I originally was going to rate this one a 3 because of how long it took for me to get sucked in, but I’m rounding up to 4 because of how much I enjoyed the story by the end. Will definitely pick up anything else by this author.

I really wanted to love F.M. Aden’s THE BRIDE OF DEATH because who doesn’t love a Hades and Persephone-esque story, but this is just not it. Based on the premise and character names, I assumed that this novel pulled from Turkish folklore and mythology….and it does, but not well. It feels like a very western sanitized and appropriated version of these stories, which was incredibly disappointing. Additionally, while the story has its moments, the novel felt like it really needed another developmental edit. It was a struggle to get through the first quarter, and if this hadn’t been a NetGalley e-ARC, I would not have finished the novel. The plot development and pacing in proved later on, but it still felt like some parts were rushed, some motivations, etc. didn’t make sense or just didn’t feel true. I mostly felt frustrated as I read.

I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. It did take me a long time to get through. The story had promise, but in the end, fell a little flat. The pace es da bit slow.

I loved these world it was set it but the world building could have been better. I liked the mix of folklore and myths. I’d have to call this “good not great.”

This book was an OK enough read for me. I personally wanted more world building and development to the plot. I did enjoy reading a retelling that was based on Turkic myths as its not something I would usually see.

I think this book suffers from too high of expectations due to comparisons. This book was pitched as comparable to The Bear and the Nightingale trilogy and Uprooted, to well established books/series. That being said, I went into this with way too high of expectations.
This book was... fine.
It didn't feel memorable, or notable.
I was not a fan of the love triangle. Nor was I impressed with the world, it felt under developed.
I feel if I went into this with lower expectations than maybe I would have liked it more.

This book had lots of potential. The cover was gorgeous, I was intrigued by the premise and the first few chapters had me hooked! However as it went on I felt the story and pace slowed down and I found myself forcing myself to pick up the book.