When reading this book, I was amazed by how tangible the bond between characters felt (even though some of them seemed to form in the most unlikely of circumstances). The friendships formed in this book are intriguing, powerful, and feature characters who really care about each other. As for myself, upon reading it, I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of these qualities, which I hadn’t realized so plagued YA (young adult) characters until they were missing. They also lack one of my least favorite qualities of young-adult book characters: cluelessness and naïvete. In short, they are dynamic and realistic characters.
They are able to learn from their mistakes, and they have scars and flaws and strengths of their own. The main characters undergo a lot of growth and change. I know that common writing advice for authors is to figure out what the characters want most and then do everything you can to stop them from getting that.
The characters in this book face intense hardships and seem to have every possible wrench thrown in their plans. Things are not easy for the main characters. The villain is real, and it makes the story better. In Stain, the villain has a real story she has ambitions, sorrows, and reasons. This story isn’t your typical evil witch or stepmother story featuring a monster who’s cruel just for the sake of being cruel. Now, what do I think is so good about this book?
It is told in a fairytale format, complete with the classic “once upon” beginning, yet it strays from the outdated and, in my opinion, foolish tropes that many fairytales have (such as, for instance, the helpless princess/damsel in distress trope). Stain is a high-fantasy, young-adult gothic fairytale inspired by the well-known tale, “The Princess and the Pea.” I highly recommend it it’s a story of wiles, strength, and discovering one’s identity, wrapped up in a fantastical world filled with dynamic, realistic characters.
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