Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

36 reviews

bessadams's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Gun violence, Classism, Trafficking, Cancer, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual assault, Vomit, Death, Child abuse, Rape, Colonisation, Racism, and Child death

cursed10fold's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Cancer

Minor: Rape and Pedophilia

magnetarmadda's review

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Boy howdy this book did not hold back and did not blunt the edges of the Regency era, but it was very well done. I’m genuinely looking forward to more adventures of Gus and Julia

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Torture, Cancer, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Ableism, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Child death, Homophobia, and Miscarriage

edhyndman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Cancer

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

smiti_nathan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Body horror, Blood, Violence, Cancer, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Grief, Classism, Death, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, Child death, Death of parent, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Outing, and Rape

crisania's review

adventurous sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I like how this book focused on the lives of older heroines. All the characters are well developed. My favorite is Gus' character - she's independent, courageous, witty and adventurous.  The book has a strong plot driven by various cases that the twins go to solve along with Lord Evan Belford. The author was able to stay true to the time period while dealing with topics like women's health, sex trafficking, domestic abuse, death, and abuse of power. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Cancer, and Excrement

sugarloaf's review

4.0

I wasn't in the mood for this book when I started reading it, but by page 50 I'd changed my tune. Of course it is a little eccentric and some of the sensibilities and language is on the modern side, but that's the kind of book this is. 

I didn't entirely click with Augusta as the protagonist, who was just a tad too unlikely and stereotypical for me to suspend my disbelief, but I certainly enjoyed the many side characters in this book, particularly Lord Evan, and I liked the relationship between Julia and Augusta. It was a very good portrayal of two people who are quite different to each other, but their bond and willingness to fight for the other strengthens both of them. 

The plot was good fun. I liked that Augusta and Julia were definitely amateurs and went into things with half formed plans or without having accounted for most scenarios; it was very realistic for their station and added to the hijinks and stakes. It also gets into the dark underbelly of regency England with domestic abuse, child sex trafficking and "madhouses" and the torture within them all examined. It did a good job balancing the horror and gravitas with the humour. 

We are clearly set up for another book and I hope Goodman delivers. Also, side note, this is the same author that wrote Eon and Eona? I don't remember much of them except enjoying them a lot, but they're very different books to this. Goodman clearly has range.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Medical content, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Cancer

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gore, Emotional abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Blood, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Cancer, Murder, Child abuse, Classism, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Death, and Eating disorder

Minor: Vomit, Pedophilia, Mental illness, and Deportation

jenabest's review

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

I feel a little duped by the blurb here, and, in all fairness, the Regency Era is not a favorite of mine. 

Despite the cover and blurb, this is rather dark. The topics are dark (cancer, asylums, human trafficking/prostitution, etc.) and disguised by the air of gentry. Do not be fooled - this is not a lighthearted mystery series. Even the romance aspect is rather dark. It's not what I expected, but the writing was good, so I'm not too down-and-out.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Cancer, and Trafficking

rlse's review

dark hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Domestic abuse