Spoiler-Free Review

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis feels like a wonderful blend of The Princess Bride humor with an evil villain main character (with minions) who struggles with his change of heart like Gru from Despicable Me, all tied together with an amnesia plot.

Thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What’s Dreadful about?

Gav wakes up with no eyebrows and no memories, and soon realizes he is actually the Dark Wizard who owns this castle, complete with moat squid, goblin servants, and a kidnapped princess in the dungeon. Now he has to bluff his way through his supposed evil plans without anyone catching on…while he also experiments with being good.

This one was so charming and funny.

Dreadful manages to be both a fun romp and a deep dive into if (and how) a person can change. It was an expert blend of humor and deep thought, and neither felt like too much.

While I got to laugh at scenes where Gav is beleaguered by air-headed heroes attempting to rescue the princess or navigate conversations with fellow Dark Wizards he no longer remembers, I was also able to feel the real existential questions underpinning the whole story. If we don’t have memories, how do we determine the kind of person we are? If we’re no longer bogged down by who we thought we were supposed to be, who do we become? And how much do others’ perceptions of us impact how we think of ourselves? These were the kinds of questions Dreadful attempts to dissect.

Plus, this story was chock-full of little details and characterizations that really went a long way. A goblin chef who can’t cook, a talking rooster, overconfident heroes, a town garlic festival, and a sharply intelligent princess? Honestly, what’s not to love?

The only reason this wasn’t a full five stars is that I felt it went on a bit long, with the second half feeling a little slower than the first half. But I loved the ending, it was both fitting and satisfying, without feeling too much like a fairytale conclusion.

Should you read Dreadful?

If you like low-stakes fantasies that use a fairytale premise with tongue-in-cheek humor, and is full of loveable side characters, this one is for you.

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis releases May 28th!