I wanted to love Greenteeth especially with the T. Kingfisher comparison. But this was just not for me. I’m not sure even exactly what didn’t jive for me, but it just wasn’t working. Keep reading this book review of Greenteeth for my full thoughts.
Summary
Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce.
Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving. Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor.
Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny’s lake and Temperance’s family, as well as the very soul of Britain.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I think Greenteeth and I were doomed from the start. I’m not sure who exactly told me cozy fantasy, but Greenteeth was not delivering the vibes I was looking for. First of all, there was a very slow start which made it feel a little disjointed – like an engine warming up. It didn’t catch me like I wanted from the beginning. Secondly, when the plot started moving, there wasn’t a character who I really loved. I wanted to love Jenny and Temperance. But I’m not sure if Jenny and I just had too many differences, but it didn’t fully click. I know that Jenny is a whole different being to humans, and maybe that’s where the difference lies, but I had trouble being fully invested.
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Additionally, I was pretty let down with the way Jenny and Temperance relationship developed. I was expecting something just different. In some ways, it reminds me of Someone You Can Build a House In. Except for that, there was this intrigue level that keeps you going. For me, I found it hard to pick up Greenteeth as I kept searching for the cozy to begin. Even the world felt a bit confusing to me at some parts as we are thrown into the Fae world. The threads were here, but it takes a bit too long to get into it and I wouldn’t go into this expecting the cozy fantasy I’ve come to associate with authors like T. Kingfisher. (My favorite element has to be the narrator Catrin Walker-Booth who does a decent job at trying to pull us into Jenny’s character even with what we’re working with).
Find Greenteeth on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.