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.

In “The Bride of Death” by F.M. Aden, reminiscent of Naomi Novik’s “Uprooted” and Katherine Arden’s “The Bear and the Nightingale,” we follow Zerryn’s perilous journey to save her village from the torment of Erlik Khan, the Lord of Death. Growing up with tales of Erlik’s penchant for stealing wild girls, Zerryn leads a quiet life until her best friend Çelik succumbs to demonic possession and withdraws to a crumbling estate atop Mount Ida. As Erlik Khan’s grip tightens and the threat of him seeking a bride looms, Zerryn realizes she must become his bride to gain the power needed to defeat him. To save her friend and village, she must complete three impossible tasks, risking everything she holds dear. This spellbinding tale of courage and sacrifice will keep readers captivated from beginning to end.

There were many fascinating characters in this thrilling drama. Furthermore, the majority of the incidents caught me off guard because they don’t happen very often. Reading about Zerryn’s struggles was interesting to me. I particularly appreciated how she made friends with Beyza the Ubir and other opponents. The primary romance was pretty dull, in my opinion. I’m over the purportedly wicked person who, while the main character complained about his being a meanie, was blindly fascinated with her.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this! I found the environment to be fantastic to explore, and the language to be rich and captivating. Each destination along the voyage added new life to the tale through magic, folklore, and traditions, which gave distinctiveness to the story and kept me interested until the very end, even though the storyline or themes themselves weren’t very innovative. While I thought this book might have needed a few more rounds of editing, it was still exciting.

This book intertwined myths and folklore within the narrative of a courageous girl determined to vanquish darkness itself. The story fluidly navigates through a spectrum of emotions, capturing each fleeting thought and passing feeling, presenting them to the reader in fragments. There were issues with the pacing and overall setup of the plot. The gothic elements in this were done well and representation was finely diverse. The characters were unique and the development was good however 'I' didn't feel any stark emotions while reading this and at times was quite bored. Overall, not my cup of tea but a good book for others.

thank you Netgalley for the arc!

The Bride of Death is suppose to be about Turkish folklore but there were other religions/history sprinkled in that made it a bit confusing. I didn't hate this story but I didn't love this story either. Zerryn has been touched by Death and when her best friend (that would be more) becomes possessed by...Death, Devil, Erlik, whatever you want to call him, she is off to save him. So much of this is convoluted from her feelings for her friend that she's going to marry, to feeling for Erlik, and then throw in 3 competitions that didn't really feel like competitions as they ended pretty anticlimactically this just wasn't what I was expecting. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.

This book had a really promising premise for me and I was genuinely interested in the characters from the very get go. The story is incredibly interesting and well thought out but at the end of the day, this just wasn't for me. I had to push myself to finish it and I got confused often and bogged down with the details and couldn't remember which character was which and what was going on. It could've been my reading mood or the book itself but it was just a little too much for me to keep my interest.

The 'death and the maiden' motif is bound to intrigue me so the concept was impressive to me. The prose is a strong suit and the characters do leave a mark; the romance is exactly what a in-love-with-the-devil arc would deliver: it appears wonky with respect to healthy dynamics but is enjoyable for a quick read. I expected a fairy tale-esque plot but it wasn't as tightened as it could've been. This book reminded me of Kingdom of the Wicked, in a good way.

Did I devour this book? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Eh. There were a lot of plot holes and just overall confusion for me, and I found it hard to follow at times. But I did tear through it, so you know, take that as you will.

If you liked Uprooted or Bear and the Nightingale then you have to check this out. It starts a bit slow but quickly builds up and leaves the reader wondering what will happen. It was beautifully written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it during a rainy Sunday.

While this book had the most intriguing premise I was severely disappointed by the final few chapters of the book. Reading the first 90% of the book I was on the edge of my seat as the tension between Zerryn and Erlik was just absolute gothic, villain love interest perfection. The yearning, the jealously, the way Zerryn was falling for him despite trying to resist him with every fiber of her being. I won't give spoilers but something happens in the last 10% of the book that I could not rectify, had that one point been handled differently this easily would have been a five star read.

Single POV, Love Triangle, Villain Love Interest, Competition, Female Friendships

DNF'd 67%

This book was good and I think other readers will find a lot to enjoy but in the end just wasn't for me.

Pitched for fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale, F.M. Aden's venture into adult fantasy is full of fairytale magic and underworldly charm. Zerryn is a girl touched by Death and when her betrothed is possessed by a demon, she offers to go into its mansion to try and free him through exorcism. What she doesn't expect is to become part of a trial against three mythical monstresses for the hand of Erlik Kahn, the king of Death himself.
I genuinely cannot tell you what it is about The Bride of Death but it has quickly become my new hyper fixation because I cannot stop thinking about these characters and rereading my favorite passages. F.M. Aden introduces a world inspired by Turkish mythology that follows Zerryn's descent to the Underworld. We get this traditional character arc of the slightly strange girl who is shunned by the village but who has a heart of gold. As Zerryn battles through the trials of the Underworld, her moral compass is constantly challenged and she struggles to decide which path to take - save her people or save herself.

The slow burn between Zerryn and Erlik had me in an absolute chokehold. They balanced the dynamic of "I hate you but..." so well and their characters mirror each other's journey so well as Zerryn get a bit more monster in her and Erlik gains a bit of humanity himself. While certain tropes and cliches are still present in the plot itself, I was absolutely won over by the characters. This truly checked all the boxes for me and encapsulates all the gruesome and vicious vibes of a macabre fairytale that I adore.