Book Review: ‘Kill the Beast’ is a Short, Must Read Addition to Your Fantasy Fall TBR
This may just be the perfect short, dark fantasy read for your fantasy fall TBR. I absolutely devoured Kill the Beast by Serra Swift, and I can’t believe it’s a debut novel! It doesn’t read like one at all, and I’ll definitely be keeping at eye on what Swift publishes next. If you’re looking for a shorter fantasy standalone to hit your reading goal this year, make it this one. I loved the complex characters, the found family, the twists and turns, and grittiness of it all. But it also somehow has a cozy fantasy element to it as well that’s very reminiscent of T. Kingfisher. It’s a tale of revenge and impossible choices, of reconciliation and willing to open yourself up after being betrayed by everyone. There are faerie monsters to curdle your blood, and if you like The Witcher, and characters like Brienne of Tarth, you’ll love the FMC. There’s also some quest elements as a hunt for magical ingredients ensues, in order to craft the perfect weapon to slay the beast. It took me a bit to realize this was also a very loose Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I was so here for it. Also, there’s an adorable dog that you’ll absolutely fall in love with. So what else do you need to know?
Things to Know:
The Witcher meets Beauty and the Beast
Faerie monsters
Found Family
Animal sidekick
Revenge
TW: self harm and suicidal thoughts
We meet Lyssa Cadogan, a super grumpy faerie monster hunter, and she’s on a path of vengeance. Her brother was brutally slain by a faerie beast, and she’s determined to kill it, while ridding the world of any other faerie monsters she comes across. To thwart her at every turn are humans dedicated to helping protect the faeries and their monsters, one of whom betrayed Lyssa, and she holds grudges.
Alderic is hilarious. He definitely drinks too much, bumbles around, and wears the most flamboyant and outrageous outfits. Oh and he’s ridiculously rich. He’s hired Lyssa to hunt down the same monster who killed her brother, and after over a decade in hiding, only he knows where it’s located. To kill the beast, they must go on a quest to hunt down various items with magical properties in order to forge an effective weapon. Throughout a number of mishaps and adventures, they form an unlikely friendship.
They’re essentially opposite in every way. She’s all sharp corners, and pure muscle. He’s soft and quiet spoken. They clash over almost everything. But somehow they can’t seem to stop confiding in each other. Perhaps it’s the shared trauma of losing someone close to them. So will Lyssa’s rage consume her and everyone in her path? You’ll have to read it to find out, and I heartily recommend that you do.
The audiobook was great, and I would definitely recommend it, as the narrator does so many different accents so well, and you get fully immersed in the story. Many thanks to Tor and Macmillan Audio for an Advance Listening Copy to review—all opinions are my own. You can find the audiobook on Audible or Libro.fm (protip, you can get two free audiobooks on Libro.fm with the code SWITCH right now).
Favorite Quotes:
“A sword is only a sword, Rags. I can’t be anything else.”
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“She was tired of revelations, of feeling her black and white world dissolve into gray around her.”
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“Does the fact that you haven’t threatened me with violence mean your considering it, or is it because your mouth is full of taffy?”
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