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thefloralbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Outing, Hate crime, and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide
pkc's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s interesting to read a book like this that’s effectively a slice of history from the perspective of those who were unlucky enough to live through and be directly affected by it. In this instance, the gross indecency act of 1885 is almost a tertiary watchman. It casts a pall across any happiness and opportunity that the characters in the book might hope to one day enjoy. The result is egregious bigotry, secrecy, and lies. The story follows Marion who meets her eponymous policeman - Tom, the brother of her best friend and falls instantly for him. Their relationship is complicated by the policeman’s relationship with Patrick - a museum curator. Their arrangement is uneasy and rocky and in the end can only lead to tragedy.
The story vacillates between Marion’s and Patrick’s perspective: the former reflecting on the events of her tumultuous marriage from the relative safety of 1999, while the latter’s perspective is told in the form of extensive diaries. The perspectives are beautifully woven together as events start to derail. I loved how Tom’s story was never told from his own perspective. It gives him the same air of unknowability that each narrator would experience as he retreated into his respective “other life.” Bethan Roberts’ writing is so skilled though that he is no less formed or sympathetic by the omission of his direct perspective
I found myself throughout abhorring the decisions made by the characters and felt anger throughout but ultimately, pity. The bulk of the story takes place in the late 1950s in Brighton, and while Brighton now proudly owns its title as the queer capital of Britain, at the time, it was as backwards as the rest of the country in its attitudes towards queer people, or “inverts”. The characters are placed in impossible decisions and face untenable quandaries in their pursuit of a happy and authentic life, wrestling between the ideal and the expected path.
This was an easy 5⭐️ and I’d recommend it to anyone. Some caution though, by its very nature it’s super bleak and infuriating from a 2024 vantage point.
The story vacillates between Marion’s and Patrick’s perspective: the former reflecting on the events of her tumultuous marriage from the relative safety of 1999, while the latter’s perspective is told in the form of extensive diaries. The perspectives are beautifully woven together as events start to derail. I loved how Tom’s story was never told from his own perspective. It gives him the same air of unknowability that each narrator would experience as he retreated into his respective “other life.” Bethan Roberts’ writing is so skilled though that he is no less formed or sympathetic by the omission of his direct perspective
I found myself throughout abhorring the decisions made by the characters and felt anger throughout but ultimately, pity. The bulk of the story takes place in the late 1950s in Brighton, and while Brighton now proudly owns its title as the queer capital of Britain, at the time, it was as backwards as the rest of the country in its attitudes towards queer people, or “inverts”. The characters are placed in impossible decisions and face untenable quandaries in their pursuit of a happy and authentic life, wrestling between the ideal and the expected path.
This was an easy 5⭐️ and I’d recommend it to anyone. Some caution though, by its very nature it’s super bleak and infuriating from a 2024 vantage point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Violence
whatnovareads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A truly heartbreaking and gripping read. I couldn’t put this down even though from the very beginning we know that the story does not end well.
The 1950s Brighton seaside is depicted really well with the pier, the Grand Hotel and the scenes with holidaymakers all vivid and wholesome. The dangers of the relationship between Patrick and Tom captures the ultra conservative social conventions of the era - it’s easy to forget that so many were denied the basic freedoms and human rights that we now take for granted.
I enjoyed the dual narratives of Marion and Patrick although I can’t say I really warmed to Marion at all. I sympathised with her initial naivety but this was lost after Sylvie’s warning that Tom was different. Marion nevertheless continued to wilfully ignore this warning and the lack of romantic affection between her and Tom and eagerly pursued him until she became his prefect cover up. In the end, I couldn’t understand why, after all this time, she felt the need to confess and found this purely selfish and for her own redemption. I would have preferred a different ending, more fitting to Tom and Patrick’s story.
It was very interesting that Tom’s perspective is not given a voice in the book, especially as he is the main character. I am excited to watch the film now and see if Tom’s narrative is given any agency on the screen.
Overall, a beautifully written heartbreaking read.
The 1950s Brighton seaside is depicted really well with the pier, the Grand Hotel and the scenes with holidaymakers all vivid and wholesome. The dangers of the relationship between Patrick and Tom captures the ultra conservative social conventions of the era - it’s easy to forget that so many were denied the basic freedoms and human rights that we now take for granted.
I enjoyed the dual narratives of Marion and Patrick although I can’t say I really warmed to Marion at all. I sympathised with her initial naivety but this was lost after Sylvie’s warning that Tom was different. Marion nevertheless continued to wilfully ignore this warning and the lack of romantic affection between her and Tom and eagerly pursued him until she became his prefect cover up. In the end, I couldn’t understand why, after all this time, she felt the need to confess and found this purely selfish and for her own redemption. I would have preferred a different ending, more fitting to Tom and Patrick’s story.
It was very interesting that Tom’s perspective is not given a voice in the book, especially as he is the main character. I am excited to watch the film now and see if Tom’s narrative is given any agency on the screen.
Overall, a beautifully written heartbreaking read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content
temi1008's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Hate crime
tegzy95's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Grief, Sexism, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide
xo_jesslilly_xo's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Hate crime and Homophobia
sophie14nm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this as part of my 12 books recommended by 12 friends challenge!
Started off slow and a bit overly descriptive for my taste but it picked up around page 60
I preferred Patrick’s POV chapters more because of the writing style! Marion’s chapters, especially in the beginning, were a bit overly descriptive. It slowed down the pacing making it harder for me to want to read the book.
We get chapters in both Marion’s POV and Patrick’s but we never hear from Tom. I thought this was an interesting way to tell the story but I kind of would have liked to hear how Tom felt and thought through all of this.
Overall a fantastically tragic story with complex characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Violence, and Outing
Moderate: Suicide, Gaslighting, Confinement, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Lesbophobia and Infertility
laurataylor's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Outing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, and Sexual content
swiftlyjo's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ow :(
this really isn't a happy book and i'm mad at every single character except julia (❤️) but i also understand all of them in a way. i get why some people have called this too sad but hey who doesn't like a sad book every now and then and at least this is a Good Sad Book™️
this really isn't a happy book and i'm mad at every single character except julia (❤️) but i also understand all of them in a way. i get why some people have called this too sad but hey who doesn't like a sad book every now and then and at least this is a Good Sad Book™️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual content