Malice: A Novel

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 2,395 ratings

Price: 17.72

Last update: 01-09-2025


About this item

A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this “bewitching and fascinating” (Tamora Pierce) retelling of “Sleeping Beauty”, true love is more than a simple fairy tale.

“Walter’s spellbinding debut is for all the queer girls and women who’ve been told to keep their gifts hidden and for those yearning to defy gravity.” (O: The Oprah Magazine)

Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss.

You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily ever after.

Utter nonsense.

Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either.

Until I met her.

Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she...cares for me. Even though a power like mine was responsible for her curse.

But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating - and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps together we could forge a new world.

Nonsense again. Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I -

I am the villain.

Book one of the Malice Duology


Top reviews from the United States

  • Eldweena
    5.0 out of 5 stars This will be a forever favorite!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021
    This book was perfection on every page. From the very beginning I knew I was going to love it, and by the end I knew it was destined to be an all-time favorite. The wait for the sequel is going to be a torment!

    The world the author created is filled with magic, but it's all so believable that it feels like a place that might really exist. I loved reading about the primary queendom of Briar and its place in the world. I enjoyed learning its history alongside main character Alyce, and trying to discern fact from fiction as she sorted through the lies to find the truth about where she came from.

    The city felt like a living place, where you came to know shopkeepers by name and learned the routes in, out, and around town. You learned your way around the palace, from the gardens to the servants' passageways, and the secret places hidden just outside of the city that led to the seashore.

    All the characters felt real. They each had distinct personalities, their own motivations, and secrets you slowly uncover as you dig deeper into the story. Reading through the book I felt suspicious of everyone and worried for Alyce's heart like she was my own friend.

    The romance takes a realistic time to build, and you find yourself having the same misgivings as Alyce as you read, wondering if Aurora is all that she seems.

    The ending is explosive and really leaves you craving more. If you're looking for an engrossing read that can transport you to another place, this is it.
  • Kam
    4.0 out of 5 stars For fans of sapphic retelling
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
    It’s a good book I really like the writing style. It’s an easy read it’s about what I expected but not in a bad way.
  • CH33ks
    5.0 out of 5 stars Maleficent for Lesbians
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2024
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    Chefs Kiss ???????? this is an amazing book! I will not go into any spoiler details but I will say that this is not your childhoods sleeping beauty, it is 10x better with its own fun twists and perfect for fellow sapphic readers. It’s slow to start but once you hit that half way mark in the book, you fly through to the end without wanting to put it down! If you watched maleficent and thought it would’ve been better if Maleficent and Aurora got together instead of a stupid prince then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
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    CH33ks
    5.0 out of 5 stars Maleficent for Lesbians
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2024
    Chefs Kiss ???????? this is an amazing book! I will not go into any spoiler details but I will say that this is not your childhoods sleeping beauty, it is 10x better with its own fun twists and perfect for fellow sapphic readers. It’s slow to start but once you hit that half way mark in the book, you fly through to the end without wanting to put it down! If you watched maleficent and thought it would’ve been better if Maleficent and Aurora got together instead of a stupid prince then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
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  • BeautyBookCorner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing villain origin story!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2021
    This was so good! I was hooked throughout the entire story. What a fantastic fairytale retelling. It felt like a retelling of Cinderella land Sleeping Beauty, but then also a villain origin story. I love Alyce! Both when she’s kind and honorable, but also when her claws came out. A truly morally gray character that I completely fell in love with and rooted for.

    Also the slow burn romance was chef’s kiss. I’m going to be honest and say I was hoping for some more lemony moments but I still liked it a whole lot. Aurora came off really privileged and selfish in the beginning. She kind of bulldozed over Alyce without considering how certain actions she wanted Alyce to do would be very dangerous for Alyce because she doesn’t have the same privileges as Aurora. But Aurora did grow on me and I’m excited to get to know her more.

    Apparently this is a duology? I read it thinking it was a standalone. I’ll say it does end on kind of a cliffhanger where there’s a lot of action and with an open ending, but I also think it works as a standalone because of the strong fairytale vibes. I would have been fine without having a sequel. I will definitely continue though because I loved the story, characters, and the author’s writing!
    Customer image
    BeautyBookCorner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing villain origin story!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2021
    This was so good! I was hooked throughout the entire story. What a fantastic fairytale retelling. It felt like a retelling of Cinderella land Sleeping Beauty, but then also a villain origin story. I love Alyce! Both when she’s kind and honorable, but also when her claws came out. A truly morally gray character that I completely fell in love with and rooted for.

    Also the slow burn romance was chef’s kiss. I’m going to be honest and say I was hoping for some more lemony moments but I still liked it a whole lot. Aurora came off really privileged and selfish in the beginning. She kind of bulldozed over Alyce without considering how certain actions she wanted Alyce to do would be very dangerous for Alyce because she doesn’t have the same privileges as Aurora. But Aurora did grow on me and I’m excited to get to know her more.

    Apparently this is a duology? I read it thinking it was a standalone. I’ll say it does end on kind of a cliffhanger where there’s a lot of action and with an open ending, but I also think it works as a standalone because of the strong fairytale vibes. I would have been fine without having a sequel. I will definitely continue though because I loved the story, characters, and the author’s writing!
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  • GB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2024
    Very entertaining.
  • E. Purmoar
    4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing take on a fairytale that I wish had stayed at one book
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2023
    I really, really enjoyed this story, right up until the twist ending that sets up the second book. I think this would've been better if it had let the characters keep the happy ending they earned and stayed at one novel.
  • Sarah
    3.0 out of 5 stars Title of the book fits
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2025
    The author was thorough in explanations to the point of a bit too much. It got a bit slow at times with a mix of dark magic. But the overall story was good with a slow, very slow, friendship building to romance edge.
  • Sue'ad Mizher
    5.0 out of 5 stars a brilliant retelling
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024
    What if Maleficent, the fae witch, was not Aurora's curse bringer or even her adopted mother but her lover and curse breaker????

    I love Fairytale What Ifs because you get this whole new storyline with the feels of the old one. And I think this one was very good.

    ⚜ rating: 4.25 ???????????????? ????
    ⚜Genre: High Fantasy
    ⚜Theme: Fairytale Retelling Romantacy
    ⚜Targeted audience: New adults 16+
    ⚜Characters: Alyce, Aurora and others
    ⚜Representation: LGBTQ+
    ⚜Pace: medium
    ⚜TW: abandonment
    ⚜ tropes: villain love interest, unexpected love interest, betrayal
    ⚜ POV: One-sided third person
    ⚜ spice ???????? one scene between Alyce and Aurora
    ⚜standalone: No, first book in a duet
    ⚜Ending: cliffhanger
    ⚜Book read: physical copy

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