But Not Too Bold

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    Sapphic romance, spiders, and a missing memory. Who wouldn't want to read that?
    But Not Too Bold is a fun novella about Dália, the recently promoted keeper of keys, helping the Lady of the Capricious House, 一Anatema, find out who stole her 'memories'.  While also surviving the Lady's growing affections for her. 
    Oh yes, and Anatema is a giant humanoid spider. What fun!
    And I don't mean a centaur situation. Where the bottom half is a spider, and the upper half is a human-looking woman. She has six arms, a spider-like face, and spider-like legs; she's huge and terrifying.  And she eats people. 
    That's how Dália takes on the role after her mentor since childhood, is eaten one night. This is also how the book opens. 
    We find that Anatema weaves memories, like a diorama or dollhouse, mostly of her past brides. Anatema cannot resist beautiful women. She gives them whatever they want as long as they don't look at her or try to leave. She has eaten all her past brides. But someone is stealing the parts of a woven scene of one particular bride, which is odd.
As the pair, mostly Dáila, work to solve the mystery, Dália discovers that she wants. Wants more in this life despite the way she, and almost everyone else in the Capricious House, were raised. She wants sexually, emotionally, and romantically eventually. She realizes she is a person, not just a cog in the machine.
    This was a fantastic read. In only 115 pages, Hache Pueyo weaves a compelling, fun, gothic read that had me wanting a human woman and an enormous humanoid spider to be together. Which is definitely first for me, at least.
    The house and other characters we meet have depth, even if they are only there for a few pages. From the maid who gets high on the poppy flowers to the butler managing the house, to even Dáila's late mentor, whom we never meet alive, everyone is memorable in some way. 
    The Capricious House, the third floor (which is Anatema's domain), and the town are described beautifully. The dark library, to the romantic attic, or the butcher's shop. Hache Pueyo puts her Argentine-Brazilian heritage into the village and house. It's refreshing, honestly. So many of these novellas or settings are set in Victorian England or something similar that having a colorful gothic setting is a tremendous change of pace.
    I read this book in one sitting. It was fast, easy, and fun. I highly recommend.
    Unless you fear spiders, this is NOT for you.  
    Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, lest your heart run cold. 
    Thank you for reading. 
一The Girl on the Slab Writes Back
Overall Rating: ★★★★★



 
        

    


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