Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
Wisteria is the highly anticipated final installment of Adalyn Grace’s #1 New York Times bestselling Belladonna trilogy (Little, Brown and Company). I have been waiting for this book to debut the entire year, and I am so thrilled that in no way did Wisteria disappoint. I laughed, I cried, I practically screamed at the insanely brilliant plot twist – it was the most delicious and decadent adventure I have taken with a novel in a long time.
Wisteria is stunning. From the sweeping locales that never fail to fill my soul with wanderlust to the vivid characters, brimming with so much life. I devoured this book and so wish that this wasn’t the end of the road for these characters that I have come to love so dearly (Adalyn, that’s your cue to announce another book).
Blythe and Aris Take the Lead
In Wisteria, we return once more to Grace’s seductive, gothic fantasy world and are this time treated to the story told from the perspectives of Blythe and Aris (Fate) instead of the mostly Signa-focused narration we have grown accustomed to in the past two books. While Signa and Death are still very much a part of the plot (fear not!), Blythe and Aris take the spotlight – and oh, does Blythe fill those shoes perfectly. I loved Signa as a narrator, but I absolutely adore Blythe. Blythe has just foiled Aris’ plan to make a bargain with Signa, and Wisteria kicks off with the repercussions of that bargain, now made to Blythe instead, in all its glory.
Determined to be a thorn in each other’s side, Blythe and Aris must figure out how to move forward in their new situation. They absolutely despise each other, as Aris remains determined to be reunited with his one true love, Life, and as Blythe was determined to never marry. The resulting adventure is at times hilarious and at times heartbreaking, drawing you in from the very first moment until you’re left sobbing at the last (you’ve been warned).
I’ve been a fan of Grace’s since reading Belladonna, and Wisteria is another work of art. Grace’s world is so well written. One of my favorite things about her writing is how vivid and detailed her descriptions are, from places to people and the magic and supernatural moments that fill the pages. After experiencing some of what Aris is capable of in Foxglove, as well as some of his palace (also called Wisteria), Grace really goes above and beyond in this iteration when building out the character of Fate and the world that he inhabits. I loved getting to know the inner workings of his magic and his palace, as we also learned more about him as an individual. Aris is an artist, and the way that Grace describes his home and the way that he weaves the world around him is gorgeous.
The world of Wisteria is rich with color, scent and sound, from the home of Blythe and Aris at the palace of Wisteria, to the manors of Thorn Grove and Foxglove, to the numerous other places that they visit in their journeys. Each scene is as breathtaking as the last, if not more so, and makes you wish you could dive into the pages to experience the world for yourself.
The Evolution of an Unlikely Love
Blythe and Aris’ relationship with each other, and their relationships with themselves, are at the heart of this book. Though they start out as the fiercest of adversaries, throwing scathing remarks and vicious insults at each other every other line, I was not prepared for the enemies to lovers arc to hit me as hard as it did. Their enmity, in part, is due to them wanting to stay true to themselves. Aris loved Life with every fiber of his being, and that is who he has been searching for. Blythe knew that she didn’t want the marriage and life that society expected of her. Yet, both of them now find themselves in a situation that forces them to go against those rules that they’ve been living by for so long. Watching them come to terms with their own emotions and learning to understand where each other is coming from is a beautiful thing.
As they move through their journey, watching Aris come undone through Blythe’s eyes took my breath away. These are two characters so fully realized, so fully human, even in their supernatural states and surroundings, that you can’t help but be mesmerized by their journey. Grace has really outdone herself with these two. I would have thought it impossible to surpass how much I enjoyed reading Signa and Death’s story, but here I am, already planning my Wisteria reread having only just finished my first foray into Blythe and Aris’ story.
To say that I liked this book is the understatement of the century. Truly a five-star read in every sense – from world to characters, relationships to dialogue and beyond. To top it all off, Wisteria features a stunning dust jacket, cover art and endpapers, both in the Indie Exclusive and the Barnes and Noble Exclusive editions. If you love a book with a glorious gothic fantasy world, enemies to lovers and fated romance tropes, feisty female protagonists and powerful, magic-wielding men, then Wisteria (and the entire Belladonna trilogy) is for you. Dance with Death. Flirt with Fate. Long for Life.
About Adalyn Grace:
Adalyn Grace is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, IndieBound, and International bestselling author of the Belladonna series and the All the Stars and Teeth duology.
Prior to becoming an author, Adalyn spent four years working in live theatre and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra.
Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.
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