where to begin? I spent my entire time reading this book thinking 'can I be bothered finishing this?' because I really wasn't enjoying any aspects of it. all the characters are very samey. Nimrah is very closed off (which kind of works for her, being a golem and all). I never clicked with a single character.

and the religion! oh my goodness! I think there's less region in the bible or Torah than this book! it was never ending! every conversation turned to talking about religion. every aspect of the story, religion.
now maybe I struggled with this because I am not and never have been religious in the slightest. I don't get it. I don't have that faith. but I just wanted to scream 'talk about something else! anything else!'

when I finally reached the end there was just relief it was over. the ending was reasonable and worked well for the book, I'll give it that.

A dark, richly detailed world steeped in religion, politics and blood. The Maiden and her Monster is a fantasy version of Medieval Europe strongly influenced by Jewish history and mysticism.

When her mother is accused of a brutal murder, Malka volunteers to enter the dangerous forest to find the monster that's really responsible. But Malka's monster isn't what she expected, and the forest is just the start of her journey into a world even more complex than she imagined.

The golem, Nimrah, has been banished to the forest by her maker after the death of a boy. Despite finding the magic that created Nimrah and cursed the forest to be abhorrent, it doesn't take long for Malka to start making use of it.

The story is very heavy on religion and faith, whilst the magic seemingly boils down to being the most devoted and praying really hard - which made it seem like more people should have been capable of performing magical acts.

I didn't find Malka a likeable main character, I'm not sure she's supposed to be. Her community faces religious oppression and violence. But Malka is equally guilty of prejudice and believing false stories. She viscerally hates Nimrah, ignoring any evidence to the contrary, so the development of a romantic relationship between them felt really out of place to me. I'm also concerned about the level of control and freewill Nimrah has in the relationship.

I think it's probably a fairly accurate representation of the religious persecution faced by Jewish communities in medieval Europe and the author does a good job of evoking all the emotions - fear, anger, hope and strength in community and faith. The violence is brutal and the gory details are relished in places.

I wish I'd enjoyed this more. It's a really well-written, richly-layered world, I just didn't enjoy the main character and there was too much faith and religion for my personal taste.

I was under the impression going in that this book was a romantasy, and I think it was a bit mismarketed in that regard. While there's definitely a strong romantic subplot, I think the fantasy is the main plot.

This book is about a girl who lives in a rural village that is haunted by monsters in the woods that hunt women who venture out after dark. When the monsters kill one of the religious soldiers from a tax collector group, they blame her death on the MC's mom, and she sets out to hunt the monster in an attempt to clear her mother.

Malka is a main character whose first priority is those she loves. She wants a quiet life, and to keep her family safe, and she will throw herself into danger for her family, but she's less inclined to stand at the forefront of a revolution. She's also of a minority religion that's essentially fantasy Judaism and her people are being oppressed for who they are and characterized by the dominant Ozmini church (essentially fantasy Christians) as people who use children's blood for their rituals. It all clearly parallels antisemitism in European history, and the story is inspired by the Golem of Prague.

The love interest is this golem, a girl created by a powerful rabbi to protect his community from oppression in the kingdom's capital, but she was bound to the forest and left there after her actions led to a child's death. Malka grew up believing the golem was a monster, and that the type of mysticism this rabbi practices is wrong and will always lead to more harm than good.

I loved reading about a MC who actively has her beliefs challenged, and who has to reckon with what it means to be part of this oppressed community and how she should deal with this. She wants to primarily protect her family, but perhaps she can't under these circumstances.

The world building was especially strong in this book. It all very clearly parallels medieval Europe and Jewish people within that time period, but the magic system was clearly thought out, and stories and folklore had an important role in how the MC understands and interacts with the world and I think this was well done.

The plot was a bit slow at times, but I never lost interest, and I liked this for its exploration of the ideas behind these stories and folklore, and Malka and the golem's place within this world. The plot goes a lot of places, so it's not solely about the haunted woods. There's actually much more of a focus on how the deadly forest is not actually the biggest threat her people have to face, and how the golem isn't truly a monster, but the Ozmini leaders are.

The romance is more of a subplot and takes its time, because Malka spends most of the book actively hating the golem, but also has to question what she grew up believing about her, and if she truly is the monster, and this causes the relationship to pivot to romance. This happens quite fast, but it wasn't unbelievable to me.

Would recommend it to people who enjoy explorations of identity and oppression, haunted atmosphere and a side of sapphic romance

I picked this up for two main reasons - I love sapphics and my friend has an infectious interest in golem stories.

I really adored the central relationship between Malka and Nimrah. They both evolved throughout the book alongside their relationship and they make a great couple. During the build-up their denied feelings were palpable as they were just really well written. I loved so much of the dialogue exchanged between them and the depth of the feelings shown through it alongside the trials their relationship faced.

I found all the other characters and relationships a little lacking by comparison. I think Amnon was probably the best-written and most engaging since he had the most page time towards the start - I really felt for him and Malka when he was injured in Mavetéh. Comparatively though, I didn't care as much for the other characters as I would have liked - there were a couple of significant deaths in the book that I feel I should have been sad for, I wanted to be shocked and devastated alongside Malka but that reaction just didn't transfer. I'm other books I feel the emotional connection between the MC and the side characters more, but I just didn't in this one.

I did really love the world building though. I love how it was a real mix of historical inspiration and a fantasy/fictitious world. I thought language was used so wonderfully - there were terms transferred from reality like rabbi, synagogue and the sabbath to refer to cultural/religious practices of the Yahadi, yet alongside that there was a linguistic change in referring to them as Yahadi rather than Jewish which really grounded the story as taking place in another world, rather than it just being historical fiction. Likewise, with the Ozmini Church the mention of a papal schism, Archbishops, Fathers and the function of the church within the state (e.g. tithe collections and influence) made it clear that this is an equivalent of the Catholic church.

Overall, whilst I would have loved to feel like I knew the side characters important to Malka more, I would recommend this book for the world-building, central plot of political rebellion, and the romance.

The forest ate the girls who wandered out after dark.
A folklore retelling of the Jewish golem with tender, raw, monstrous sapphic romance.

After the Ozmini Church comes to collect their tithes, they imprison Malka’s mother if she cannot bring back the monster killing maidens in the forest.

This is predominantly a story about faith. How politics can warp and twist belief to suit their agenda. To control and fear monger.
I read this whilst also listening to the non-fiction ‘A Fever in the Heartland’ which was about the rise of the KKK. Reading a mythical reimagining and a historical narrative we can see echoes of in today’s climate was rough. Scary. Enlightening.

The sapphic romance is enemies to ‘oh no, this was something worse than hate’.
The prose was beautiful, the internal conflict raw.
<b>”You said I was a monster. And you were right. There is nothing holy about the way I think of you. There are only wicked thoughts, which plague me night and day. I think they will plague me until I am dust again.”
</b>
I do think the first half was strongest. I also did struggle with all the lore and words thrown at you which immerses you, but can make for a challenging, frustrating start.

Ultimately, this is about how stories shape narratives which shapes stories…

I would recommend this to fans of The Wolf and the Woodsman, Where the Dark Stands Still, and The Bear and the Nightingale.

Physical arc gifted by Tor.

The Maiden and Her Monster is a compelling story set in a dark fantasy inspired by Jewish folklore.
There are tales in the story, ones that help understand the lore and show how people (in real life and fiction) choose to understand those legends, as a lesson or as an inspiration.

Maddie Martinez's writing is so fluid, her characters so complex and multilayered, you are transported in this book where the world building is rich and interesting.

This is a dark fantasy so it's sad and graphic at times in the violence and harshness of the environment. The romance is secondary, in my opinion, but the relationship between the MMC and the golem is so well structured, you see how people can change inside and in their behaviors.
I loved the characters and their tragic stories.

I'll definitely read future books of this author, set in the same world or not.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

A truly dark almost fairytale imbued with Jewish folklore as well as the history of mistreatment of the Jewish community within Eastern Europe (it was giving Russia but I could be wrong).

The characters were desperate and raw, with emotion just embedded within every sentence and I was truly on the journey with them. The woods, dark, creepy and full of monsters, was so well written that I could picture myself in there which was not it when reading at bedtime in the dark.

I highly recommend for anyone who loves Ava Reid's writing, or Allison Saft's work.

I requested this book on NetGalley immediately after reading the premise. I was so looking forward to an atmospheric mystery steeped in folklore.

I honestly can’t tell you a single thing that happened in this book, I think I spent most of researching words that I had no understanding of. The author seems to have blended Hebrew with a different completely made up language, which in itself isn’t a deal breaker, but not to provide a glossary seems like a huge oversight.

On top of that this whole read just felt a bit too chaotic, there was no rhythm to the story it was simply jarring with too much thrown in at times and then not enough so you’re left wondering how on earth you got to this place?

Disappointing but please make your own decisions, perhaps for someone with a better attention span and thinking skills it might pan out better 🖤

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review

A beautifully rich, dark (ish) fantasy world rooted in Jewish folklore, exploding with political tension, religion, oppression and corruption. A slow start but a strong payoff later.

"The forest ate the girls who wandered out after dark." I was instantly interested in this book from this quote alone, that and it has sapphic romance. Romance is definitely not the focal point of the story; it is a very slow-burn romance with moments of tension and yearning. The relationship between Malka (the protagonist) and Nimrah (Golem) is beautiful to watch unfold. In terms of spice, there's a couple of mild instances but not much detail.

The book was quite a slow start for me; I prefer to have a big interest from the first chapter rather than a lot of instant worldbuilding and scene setting. However, the slower start pays off later on when it comes to emotional moments, twists, and struggles. There is a lot to get your head around in terms of the two main religions, villages and cities, and terminology for people in different positions of power, but if you can power through then it is definitely worth it!

Some of the main things I loved about this book are:
The immersive world building with Yahad customs, Hebrew terms, and detailed creature/location descriptions, the mythical and cultural layers, huge church and state against the Yahad, oppression and resilience themes, several quotes within the book that resonated and hit hard, and finally Nimrah the Golem.
Finally, the time in the forest. I wanted to read more of the story within the forest but I understand the need for the other locations to have that much time spent. I would have been happier with an extra hundred pages in the forest!


What didn't quite land for me:
It took a while to get into for me with the slower start, I didn't feel enough danger or tension in the action scenes, and Malka's earlier more rigid thinking (necessary for her character arc and development, but it made connecting with her slower for me). That is just my perspective and opinion though!

My top 3 ideas from the book that really resonate with me when you think about real life and what happens in the world are: the fact that monsters often wear the faces of ordinary men, that people weild their beliefs like a weapon, and being created to look like a woman because men would underestimate what she could do...

If those points light a fire in your belly and you don’t mind a slower start then you will really appreciate this book!

Whilst it’s a strong 4⭐️ for me, I can see it being a solid 5⭐️ for many.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.

The standout in Maddie Martinez writing is the rich lore she seamlessly weaves. Imagine lush magic, monsters and mythical creatures. I was absolutely dragged into this world and all that it offered. What left me feeling really stumped was the romance, genuinely I feel like it came out of nowhere. From hate to insta lust and I couldn’t decipher the turning point from which it happened. If you are going into this book looking for an epic sapphic love story I would think twice, however if you’re looking for a lore heavy world and magical creatures this is the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Maiden and Her Monster is a good debut novel, very promising as to Maddie Martinez’s future novels. Set in a setting and atmosphere reminiscent of traditional fairy tales, this book took me on a journey through Eastern Europe and Jewish culture, and will be perfect for anyone looking for a sapphic fantasy about oppression and power.


The first thing that I loved about this novel was the worldbuilding. It is vivid from the very first pages, plunging the reader in a setting that isn’t commonly found in mainstream literature, which is to say in a Jewish community in Eastern Europe (the places and names for the community and religion are fictional, but Martinez’s inspiration is clear, and explicitly stated at the end of the novel). I particularly appreciated the magic system, based on prayers and faith. It’s not unique, but I loved the conversation that it enabled surrounding faith and prejudice.

When it comes to the story itself, it is, again, not unique. I’ve read many other novels about oppression and discrimination and rebellion. However, its lack of uniqueness was never an issue to me because the plot and themes were well executed. It was well-written and engaging, and I had a good time from the beginning to the end.

I loved Malka as a character, even thougha I could understand that other readers might be annoyed with her flaws. Personally, I love it when novels feature young adults (she’s twenty-three) who don’t know what they’re doing and aren’t certain that they’re going to succeed in what they set out to do. It makes them far more relatable than young adults who seem to already know everything and are confident they’re going to succeed even in the face of obstacles. Malka was an endearing character to me, whom I loved from the beginning of the novel, and whose growth throughout the story I appreciated and related to.

Nimrah, the “monster”, was also a very interesting character, although we only ever see her through Malka’s point of view. I especially loved how the novel plants the seeds of a conversation about monsters and how they’re created. I don’t know if this was Martinez’s intent, but she leaves enough space for the reader to have this conversation themself, to think about the unsaid in this novel and link it with other works of literature. This particularly mirrors common themes in Gothic literature, which I loved and found incredibly interesting.

Finally, the romance was really cute. It wasn’t the predominant aspect of the plot compared to Malka trying to save her mother, but it was an important one nonetheless and I really enjoyed reading Malka’s and Nimrah’s interactions, especially given that they hate each other at first.

Thank you to Netgalley and PanMacmillan for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A dark sapphic fantasy with the novel being rooted in mythology, religion, and mysticism. Gorgeously atmospheric and a must-read for gothic and fantasy lovers alike.

I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about the plot other than the synopsis given and when you give me "the forest eats the girls who wander out after dark" and I knew I was going to love it. And I was right. This was one of the only books I've read this year that I've sat and actively thought about how well the atmosphere has been written and it kept me in it's jaws throughout.

Slow burn, sapphic romance has been missing something like this, it was eerie and dark but it just gave it a little light.

I can see why this book has been so anticipated, this is a beautiful debut!

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for this eARC!

The Maiden and Her Monster is a dark and atmospheric fantasy rooted in Jewish folklore, with a beautifully written sapphic romance at its heart. The forest surrounding Malka’s village is cursed, swallowing any girl who wanders out after nightfall. As the healer’s daughter, Malka has seen first hand how this curse has devastated her community.

When the Ozmini Church arrives to collect its tithes, the warnings of a lurking monster go unheeded. Tragedy follows when a clergy girl strays too close to the forest and Malka’s mother is accused of her murder. In a desperate bid to save her, Malka strikes a dangerous bargain with a devout Ozmini priest. If she brings him the monster, her mother will be spared.

Venturing into the blood soaked woods, Malka discovers a creature unlike any she imagined, a disgraced golem with her own tragic past. The golem agrees to take the blame, but only if Malka first helps to free the imprisoned rabbi who created her. What begins as an uneasy alliance grows into something deeper, but their deal soon unravels to reveal a far more sinister threat.

Rich in atmosphere and vivid imagery, this is a story of grief, hope and the courage to love what you were taught to fear. Maddie Martinez crafts a mesmerising world where folklore, danger and tenderness intertwine to create a tale that lingers long after the last page.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐳
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ | 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓-𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕-𝑭𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔

𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲—𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝗔𝘃𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝗼𝗺𝗶 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗸.

The Maiden and Her Monster is masterful, strong and impactful debut novel from Maddie Martinez. I've silently been following Maddie's journey from 2023 and had this book on my TBR ever since and I am so happy to have finally read this book!

Its has everything I look forward for in a fantasy novel — intense politics, religious intrigue, romance, adventure and queer setting. I was so happy to read about the sapphic couple — Nimrah and Malka in the gorgeous canopy of Jewish folklore and tradition.

The prose is just lyrical and heartwrenching, ferocious but extremely real with the narrative. Martinez doesn't sway away from showing the harsh realities of that world at all — which just made this book real to read about.

As a huge fan of dark fantasy, I love how Martinez explored a world which is deeply rooted into culture and interest in religion, mythology and mysticism. It's also inspired by from Jewish Folklore myth of Golem of Prague — but set in this darker world in a sapphic tale.

The world-building was incredibly unique — heavily inspired by Jewish Folklore and a reminiscent of the 16th century Czech lands. Martinez has beautifully fleshed out this world through her vivid descriptions and tales throughout the narrative. The magic system is deep rooted into faith and mysticism. I love how it was beautifully expressed and shown — how the magic tends to become stronger with intent and faith

This is sapphic fantasy novel, with romance playing the subplot in this tale. Despite it being subplot, Martinez doesn't justice to characters and their love story. Their romance is angsty and filled with a lot of yearning — and sacrifice.

The topics of power of stories and resilience that comes with persecution is heavily expressed throughout the book. They are the major themes throughout the book and they written and treated with so much care.

There are so many other themes discussed throughout the book that made me so emotional to read about it. Overall, this is very powerful debut with a strong willed presence and a beautiful tale.

A captivating and immersive reimagined fantasy tale of the golem from Jewish folklore. This debut weaves a rich tapestry of mysticism, sapphic romance and history that is very much relevant today.

Our POV is that of the female protagonist Malka who makes a bargain to slay a monster in order to save her mother from execution.

I must admit, and I’ve discovered that I’m certainly not the only one, that I was perplexed when the story abruptly left the woods. Don’t get me wrong, I found the transition to the city filled with intriguing political machinations very interesting. Perhaps a few lifelines offered to Malka felt a little too convenient at times but I still revelled in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor, Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this title.

Tender and devastating; a rich, dark blend of Jewish history and mysticism woven into a beautiful queer fantasy. I loved this book. Malka has to come to terms with her whole world unravelling in the face of political and religious upheaval, antisemitism, loss, and sexuality, and magic turning everything she thought she knew on its head.

It was slow at times but I didn’t mind the pacing, I thought the writing was gorgeous and I really enjoyed being given the time for the characters to process big emotions. I also appreciated the attention to detail to the time period including the traditional Czech folk clothing, and important discussions like the persecution of Jewish people through blood libel. It has the potential to open up a lot of rabbit holes for readers who might not be so well versed in these part of history and also how these harmful stereotypes continue to be perpetuated today.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the ARC!

I received this book free from Netgalley.
This was a book of two halves for me. I found it very hard to get into. I dont know what I was expecting from this but it wasn't what I got. This story follows Malka who caught up in rescuing her mother by proving there is a monster in the woods that is killing women in her village. The story follows her journey into the woods and into a rebellion and exploration of her religion.
The first half of this book I found a real struggle. I didnt really like any of the characters and I got very lost in the characters and what was actually happening, I dont know if it was a book problem or a me problem. I have seen some other reviews where people have criticised the language in the book. I didnt mind the 'made up' words for magic and other such things, but these probably did hamper the flow of the book in the beginning.
I did however like the end of the book much more. I thought it all tied up well. I thought the balance between the politics and the romance in the book was good. I dont think that the romance over took the story, but I also wasn't very invested in it. I would read more by the author but this isn't a book that will stay with me.

The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez is a stunning reimagining of the Golem of Prague legend, blending Jewish folklore, memory, and faith into a richly layered fantasy debut. I’d been looking forward to this one since it was first announced, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

At its heart, this is a sapphic love story between a Yahadi healer and a fearsome golem—an unlikely pair who form a powerful bond as they fight to protect their people. The romance is tender and full of yearning, but it’s also deeply intertwined with themes of resistance, community, and identity.

Martinez uses storytelling itself as a tool—folktales are scattered throughout the book, reflecting both the beauty of cultural tradition and the darker ways stories can be twisted to justify harm. The result is a narrative that feels both timeless and urgent.

Set against the backdrop of a haunting, overgrown forest, this book is immersive, emotionally rich, and thought-provoking. If you’re drawn to lyrical fantasy with depth, heart, and a strong folkloric core, The Maiden and Her Monster is not to be missed.

This book is so much more than the synopsis makes it out to be. Yes, there is a forest that eats the girls who wander into it and yes Malka must enter the forest to find the monster in order to save her mother. However, this is just the beginning.

From this point, the story goes on to deal with much bigger things, including corrupt religious power, antisemitism and the cruelty that Malka's people are subjected to. It is heavily influenced by the treatment of Jewish people in Medieval Prague, and I think this is the most important part of the story. The forest with its evil is simply the gateway to something more important.

While the book does deal with very heavy themes, at its core, it is a story of hope and the magic of faith. Even through all the atrocities that Malka's people are subjected to, there is a hope for things to be better. The magic system is really interesting as it is based on faith and the earth, with it rooted in Malka's religious teachings.

While I enjoyed the switch to the larger story, I think there was a break in the pacing. Once they leave the forest, things slow down and it takes a while to work out where things are going. I also got lost slightly with all the names and places but once I got into things, I was once again enjoying the lyrical beauty of the writing.

It is worth noting that this book is not as big a fantasy as it is being marketed at. While there are fantasy elements, it is far more focused on the very human atrocities being committed by the church. However, once I got to grips with the change in focus, I still very much ennjoyed the book.

adored this. so captivating, so well paced. nimrah felt so special to me throughout. the way everything kept coming back together satisfied me SO much, each character had such a place and i felt for them all. gritty and heartbreaking and lush and hopeful. i wanted for malka to jump on the kefesh and nimrah train so much faster but i wholly appreciate the way this all came together. poetic writing honestly just so beaaautiful!! thank you for this arc <3