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Book Summary and Reviews of This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

This Fatal Kiss

by Alicia Jasinska

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Published:
  • Sep 2024, 416 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Spirit away with a whimsical fantasy filled with dark magic and flirty, polyamorous romance.

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there's Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela's exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won't tell the other spirits that he's losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela's plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela's troubled past.

Finely crafted with a magical setting, this delectable quest through the spirit world is an enchanting read for fairy tale enthusiasts and YA fans of queer romantasy.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
  1. How did Gisela become a water nymph? What is the difference between a nymph and a goblin? Discuss the relationship between Gisela and Wodnik, a water goblin. Water nymphs are shape-shifters. How does Gisela shape-shift? In what way is she playful and malicious? Cite specific scenes in the book to support your thoughts.
  2. Discuss the hierarchy of the spirit world. Contrast the spirits in the novel. Which spirits are the most dangerous? How are spirits like Gisela looked down upon? Note the names of all the spirits at the beginning of the novel. Chart their activities and role in the novel. Why is Rusalki considered a nuisance, especially during Green Week? How do the citizens of Lesna Woods count on Babcia?
  3. Explain what ...
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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Jasinska employs Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey's alternating perspectives to spin a delightfully queer polyamorous romance teeming with splashes of ethereal magic. As the trio's relationship unfolds via charming banter and self-conscious uncertainty, secrets heighten the tension in this historical fantasy that's inspired by Slavic folklore." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Engaging and immersive—a delight from start to finish." —Kirkus Reviews

"Found family of other rusałka with diverse sexualities and gender identities, their irascible (but hot) immortal water goblin "grandfather," and the small town setting with its witchy cottagecore aesthetic make this an appealing destination for fans of Jasinska's The Dark Tide as well as readers in search of a cozy, flirty, folklore-inflected good time." —The Bulletin

This information about This Fatal Kiss was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Alicia Jasinska

Alicia Jasinska hails from Sydney, Australia and is the author of acclaimed YA novels, The Dark Tide and The Midnight Girls. A library technician by day, she spends her nights writing and hanging upside down from the aerial hoop.

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