Crimson Bound

Since I work as a Teen Services Librarian, I always relish the start of a new book because there is always the chance for being captivated. I started "Crimson Bound" with just that expectation and I was truly sad that I couldn't get lost in the fascinating world that Rosamund Hodge created. This is a dark, complicated story. At the start of the story, Rachelle is apprenticed to her aunt to become a woodwife, a person intended to protect her village from dark magic. Rachelle, though, has a strong will and a clever mind and is certain that she can discover another path to save her society from the evil that she knows is coming. But she is too clever for her own good and she makes a choice that turns her into one of the Bloodbound, a creature who will ultimately belong to the Devourer and the Forest beings who will live forever. Rachelle has a conscience so she struggles against her own inclinations to give herself up to the dark forces that are slowly overshadowing her. When the King assigns her the task of protecting one of his sons, Armand (a prince worshipped for his supposed saintliness), she is disgusted at Armand's shallow role-playing. And then there's Erec, a creature like herself, who attracts many beautiful women but seems peculiarly intent on being the sole object of her affection. Rosamund Hodge is a master at laying the foundations of this world. Her world-building is utterly convincing. She blends the fairy tale themes beautifully. I sometimes thought she telegraphed the action a bit too much. It was the romance that was not convincing. I can't talk much about this without spoiling the dramatic conclusion but Rachelle's sudden changes of heart didn't ring true for me at all. I found it difficult to empathize with Rachelle because she was written as a character with certain consistent character attributes but trying to understand Rachelle left me feeling as though I was walking on quicksand. I just couldn't give myself over completely to the story because there were too many disconnects.

What redeemed this book is the writing. Rossamund Hodge is quite elegant in how she uses imagery to flesh out the descriptive scenes of decadence as well as gore, yet this book was not amazing. I finished it merely to finish, and mainly skimmed through the last few chapters simply to be done with it! MILD SPOILERS AHEAD:

The problem lies in the plot, which is, unfortunately, among the most important aspects of great story telling. The whole story felt rushed, explanations for setting background knowledge were shaky and unclear, too overrun with descriptions of how the main character felt and less of what the reader needed to give a care about her. To her credit, the author tried explaining why The Forest was important, but never really went in to why it existed, and what that really meant to the main character. Time was mainly spent on the protagonist whining about how much she disliked the first, "distasteful" love interest, then her running off and sleeping with and confusing the "distatsteful" love interest, while simultaneously somehow falling in love with the saint. The most bothersome part of this book to me was the romance part of the tale: I did not believe that the protagonist actually loved the saint!!! I must have slept through that part. It seemed to me that she was irritated with him, they have one semi-meaningful conversation and half a moment later she's in love? I understand the "distatsteful" love interest was cruel and unworthy of her, but coming from a person who loves stories, I would have more easily believed she had fallen in love with him and not the other. The author stumbles through trying to make this up, when the protagonist whines and complains that she never knew the "distasteful" love interest was like this, even though she mused on that very thought at the beginning of the book.

Do not let this color your interpretation of the author, however. You might like this book; I hated it. But Rosamund Hodge is a wonderful writer, at least concerning her book "Cruel Beauty". That book is worth a slow, enjoying read. I only suggest that, if you're considering reading this book yet have not read "Cruel Beauty" first, go find it. You'll very likely thank me later.

Crimson Bound is Hodge’s second published novel, and is just as captivating and enchanting as the first. She writes poetically and with a command that hooked me immediately. Her characters are well-rounded and fully formed, and they struggle with human conflicts that each of us can identify with.

This book is a modern take on two different fairy tales: Red Riding Hood meets The Girl with No Hands. (Confession: I had never heard of The Girl with No Hands. So I looked it up. And appreciated this book even more.)

I was captivated by the storyline and found myself fully immersed in the world and the creations of Hodge’s story. What makes it truly a book to share, though, is the fact that, while you can just bask in the good story-ness of it, you can also explore deeper themes. There’s no doubt that this story is about redemption, but, like all good storytellers, Hodge pulls you along and invites you in, planting the seeds and ideas and then leaving them to be watered by the action.

This is the kind of book that becomes my knee-jerk answer when I’m asked “Got any good recommendations?” Yes, it’s that good. So go and enjoy it!

This fairy tale retelling craze shows no signs of stopping and I couldn’t be happier. So when I saw that this book was inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, I almost started screaming out of excitement, mostly because it’s a fairy tale that I don’t often see getting any attention.

One of the main things that first drew me in, besides the gorgeous cover and Little Red Riding Hood influences, was the undoubtedly strong heroine. Rachelle was a very realistic character to me, in the way that she treated the whole situation she was in, knowing that she deserved the way she was treated but still hating everyone for it all the same. I found that despite her allowing herself to get mentally messed with and manipulated, she knew how to pick her battles and what things were worth fighting for. However, whenever you have a character who is very angst-ridden, it’s hard to keep it from feeling forced and overly dramatic, which was something I think was a bit of a problem. But I just enjoyed how refreshing to was to have a heroine that viewed herself and others in a very honest, if sometimes harsh sort of way. Besides that, I obviously loved that she was a tough lady and knew how to hold her own, serving up some cold hard butt kicking when needed.

As far as the story went, I found it interesting and engaging. In Crimson Bound, Rachelle is a bloodbound, gifted with certain abilities, and searching for a sword from ancient stories that can destroy the Devourer. She is forced to be a bodyguard to the King’s son Armand while continuing her quest to find a sword, with the deadline for the day the Devourer will return and bring about Endless Night looming over her head. One of my favorite parts of this book was actually the ancient story of the first time the Devourer was defeated by siblings, Zisa and Tyr. I loved the style in which the story was told and the dark undertones. I found it to be really haunting and expertly woven into the actual story. My main problem though was that this book really had a lot going on. The world was so interesting and so many elements and characters were woven in, making it really feel crammed and overwhelming at times. I almost wished the author had cut out some of the less interesting thing and focused on giving more information and time with the more intriguing aspects.

The romance wasn’t an overwhelming part of the story, which I really appreciated, and I found that I did really like this “love triangle”. I’m love triangle in quotation marks because it’s not really a traditional sort of love triangle. Rachelle’s relationships are two very different things with two very different men, but they are both meaningful to her and kind of represent different parts of herself. I found that very refreshing, especially the honest way that she looks at both of them and their relationships.

Crimson Bound was a really refreshing and interesting story, full of unique characters and a creative world and mythology. I was very disappointed to not really notice much that tied in with the story of Little Red Riding Hood, something I was excited to see influencing and directing this book. Despite that, I did really enjoy this story and found the writing really engaging and I was definitely pulled into this world. Although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to fairy tale retelling lovers specifically, I would recommend it to people who enjoy fantasy and strong heroines.

When editor Kelsey Murphy read the opening line of this book at a writing conference I recently attended in Kansas, I had to get my hands on it: I bought a copy before I flew home the next day. This dark, lush, layered retelling of Little Red Riding Hood feels like magic from page one. Author Rosamund Hodge's writing doesn't pull you into her world, it causes that world to spring from the pages, plant itself at your feet, and rise around you to more fully grasp all of your senses. I felt the branches scrape my cheek and the traitors hold my hands. My fingers ached with weaving under pressure and my heart shuddered with hope. I was entranced to the end, as promised.

Phenomenal world-building and in-story mythmaking? Check.
Gripping plot, complete with a few savory twists? Check.
Characters who run the gamut from amusing to tragic, but all fall under the heading "compelling"? Double and triple check.
Highly recommend this novel for anyone who liked Robin McKinley's 'Beauty' or 'Spindle's End' especially. Side note: this is a total stand-alone, as far as I can tell you don't have to have read Cruel Beauty in order to enjoy this one.

I had the most frustrating love/hate relationship with this book imaginable – More so than with any book I’ve read recently. One minute, I wanted to DNF; the next, I felt the book was picking up and getting better. The back-and-forth of those two sentiments was so frequent, I sometimes felt like a ping pong ball! The plot was intriguing, but the pacing was slow and I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters (though some of them had their moments). Yet there was something about this book that kept me reading. I’m not sure what or why or how, but for whatever reason – and despite it taking eight days for me to finish the book – I kept pushing until the very last page.

I received this book as a Goodreads.com giveaway. Bound books rule!

While I can say I enjoyed the read, it still was a little flat. The heroine Rachelle goes from an apprentice to a monster slaying demon. I really liked her. The two men involved in the love triangle were not too well developed.

The dialog did not seem to flow right. I found myself reading conversational lines a couple times before I understood them.

Now for the good part. The ending to this book was great in my opinion. Answers fell into place and Rachelle was able to make peace with herself. Pretty much a happy ending (which I am a sucker for).

This book gets points for having a unique premise. I was interested enough to pick it up, but unfortunately it was a struggle for me to finish. I eventually forced myself to get through it, simply because I do not like to judge a book until I have read the entire thing.

I did not really connect to any of the characters, though they had their rare moments of good development and dialogue. The big bad is just a phantom boogeyman/devil being who is evil because he just is. I couldn't bring myself to feel anything but apathy towards him. This is bad! I want a villain I love to hate, or even better a complex villain that I have mixed feelings about. But I just didn't care about this one at all.

The idea behind the book is creative, but in execution it became so convoluted. I am a fan of books and movies that are fantastically odd and quirky (Alice in Wonderland, The Night Circus, Tim Burton stuff). I feel like this book attempts to be so, but falls flat and is just confusing. I was also put off by the religious references. It's quite heavy on Catholic imagery, ideas, rituals, and prayers.

The love interests seemed bland to me. One developed quickly and I did not get invested in their relationship at all. The other love interest did have potential to develop a complex relationship with the main character, but fell short. Romance is not an essential plot point for me. But if you're going to have it in your story, at least make me feel something with it.

Even the side characters disappointed. There were a few that I had initially found intriguing, but they also fell flat in the end. They felt like plot devices whose personalities did not get fully developed.

I hate to leave such a harsh review. Maybe the author's writing style isn't for me. Just my unpopular but honest opinion.

The inventiveness of the world was the best part, in my opinion. It kind of had a Little Red Riding Hood/19th century French court/horror vibe. I just felt like I never connected to the characters or cared about what they did which is really important for me. Rachelle, the main character, was badass with a tortured past, but she came off as rash and a bit immature sometimes (but is one of the king's best bloodbound, of course). I liked Armand a lot (the prince); his character was refreshingly different from traditional YA guys. But the romance between them felt incredibly forced. The plot was pretty good, but again, I never got invested in it. So, it was an okay book overall.

***spoilers***

So disappointing.
I loved Cruel Beauty and thought Hodge was going to be a "read absolutely everything by" author, but sadly I was wrong. Crimson Bound is boring, with a heroine that I disliked extremely, and an awful romance plot complete with a disgusting love triangle (the kind where the heroine makes out with one guy then makes out with the other one, sleeps with one guy then regrets it because she loves the other one, and so on).
I seriously hated everything about this book and regret buying it immensely.

I started out loving this book. Every page makes you feel a different emotion and I really felt close to the characters, especially Armand. I'll try not to give out spoilers, but one thing totally ruined the rest of the book for me. Seriously, Rachelle and Erec just make me want to gag. That one scene just left me feeling like I had been kicked in the stomach and the rest of the book was tainted. But overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved Amelie and her sweet character and the good side it brings out in Rachelle. Some of the things Rachelle felt towards Erec though, made me want to scream and throw the book across the room. But yeah, all in all I thought the characters were well developed and the story never let up the pace. It was an amazing book, if a little flawed and in some places, even disgusting.

This book really disappointed me. I got to page 330, and then couldn't read any more. Any desire to know the next part of the story was gone. The beginning of the book seemed promising, the concept interesting but not completely original. I've read many books that use the woods as the central plot. Still, I was curious. But then it became stale, the protagonist's self-loathing constantly being voiced and little occurring outside of poor character development. Nothing about the book flowed. It felt like a bunch of separate stories thrown together in one awkward jumble. Long periods of time went on with no action, and then, BAM, a million things happened in the course of 10 pages. That's when I stopped. I had no time to process, or even care what happened. Rachelle's character was inconsistent and hard to like. In fact, not one person in the book was likable. In my opinion, the concept of the story was a good idea, but it was executed poorly. I would avoid this book. There are so many better ones in this genre, enough to keep readers busy for a while.

I loved this book. Crimson Bound is a perfect standalone fantasy novel. While it does take inspiration from the fairy tales "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Girl Without Hands", the novel is still very unique, with engaging world building, interesting characters, and a great plot line. I finished this book feeling supremely pleased with how it all unfolded and wrapped up, and I can only wish there were more standalone fantasy novels as good as this one!

With ‘Crimson Bound,’ author Rosamund Hodge has once again created a beautiful fantasy world, rich with developed characters and scenic descriptions. She has combined elements of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘The Girl Without Hands’ and has woven a dark fairy-tale that is very much her own creation.

Grab this engaging page-turner today!

I wish all YA books were written this well. Inspired by Red Riding Hood but the story is completely original. Rachelle is my kind of heroine, fierce with a sword and courageous. Full of action with a little romance. I thought Erec was the most interesting character and loved his interaction with Rachelle.The writing and story pulled me in from the start. I enjoyed this book much more than Cruel Beauty, I would give that book a 3 star, slow and a little confusing at times. But Crimson Bound was beautifully written, dark but also had wit and humor. Wished for a different ending but still a great book.

Hodge's protagonist has already murdered to save herself. In the time she has before the forestborn demon who led her astray reclaims her, she wants to do as much good as she can -- but she doesn't expect that will expunge her wrongs. I love Hodge's reworkings of fairy tales, which are can't-put-down engrossing and retain one of my favorite things about fantastical stories -- they reflect our own world back at us, through a distorted mirror that lets us see things we've missed. Hodge's book gave me a lot to think about in re the limits of forgiveness (and the way that denying it to someone, or even yourself, can also be an act of violence) and about the ways we can wind up despising the virtues of others (if they feel like indictments of our own weaknesses).

All of these ideas play out in the background as I kept turning pages to solve the mysteries of the court machinations, the assassination attempts, and, oh yes, the possible end of the world.

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge: 7.5/10

Did I Like It: Yeah, I did! It had great fantasy elements and an even greater heroine. And the writing? Best thing about the whole book. The characters had such depth to them, even the "bad guys" were interesting. And the conflict that Rosamund Hodge set up was so unique that I loved it even more!

For Fans Of: Fantasy; fantastic re-tellings; beautiful writing.

Age Level: Young Adult

Pages: 448

Contains spoilers!

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge is a fantasy/young adult novel that follows the story of Rachelle Brinon, who is once an apprentice to her woodwife Aunt Léonie; but because of one dreadful meeting with a forestborn in the Great Forest, is then marked as a bloodbound. And bloodbounds are given the choice of killing someone to be able to live or to simply die—with only three days to decide. Rachelle opts for the former choice that will only later follow her around like a shadow she cannot shake off—driving her conscience to experience more guilt and regret. Three years later, she dedicates her life to serving the realm, to being one of the terribly ill King's bloodbounds. She is soon called upon the King to act as a bodyguard for one of his illegitimate sons, Armand Vareilles, who happens to be the man she despises the most. When she learns that the Devourer is rising to swallow the light of the Earth, which can only lead to the apocalypse, she enlists the help of Armand, who claims he can see the Great Forest, to help her hunt for the legendary sword Joyeuse that contains the power to destroy the Devourer.

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I was impressed with the creativity and complexity of this book. How she thought of this tale from Little Red Riding Hood is beyond me, but the twists and turns were quite enjoyable and it kept me engaged. I gave it 4 rather than 5 stars though because there were some significant parts that I felt should have been expanded a bit. I had to go back and reread to figure out what I'd missed. Other than that though, a good read.

Seriously fantastic. I absolutely love this author's style of writing. I am definitely even more impressed with this book than I was her first. It was a beautiful dark thing with raw emotion and bitter redemption. I'm a huge fan of this author and will definitely continue to follow her books.

This is a compelling new spin on an old fairytale that will leave you breathless and wanting more with each page.

This book was definitely unique. I struggled to stay in the book. I liked the character development between Armand and Rachelle but felt like too much happened too fast. Again, I liked it, I just wasn't hooked right away.

I hesitated to read this because I really loved CRUEL BEAUTY and I'm one of those crazy people who always worries that the next one won't be as good. I shouldn't have worried. This book was pretty much flawless. Amazing characters, amazing world building, and such gorgeous prose. I couldn't put it down.

I should mention that calling this a Little Red Riding Hood retelling is a bit of a stretch. But that was totally fine with me because the story she was telling was way better.

A very interesting villain that I still liked, despite all the crazy things he did, and a well-crafted plot. I think this one is going to be quite popular, especially for fans of dark fantasy. Too dark for me, though.