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mkoehn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
loriley's review against another edition
2.0
I really enjoyed the characters and the plot had a ton of potential. But the whole plague thing got resolved with way too little explanation.
tpatti's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
julianna_schock's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism and Sexism
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
Adorable modern take on a Disneyesque trope (they've been engaged since they were babies, he's the prince of a highly progressive secluded mountain kingdom). Both the hero and heroine are smart, engaging, and the central misunderstanding is motivated and not dragged out. I'd wish for a little more complexity in the ultimate conflict, I figured it out early and it was a complete mystery to everyone until it got solved by the heroine in an instant.
blahlicia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
This is a book about which I have very mixed feelings.
Things I liked:
• Fabulous cover—isn't it just gorgeous?
• Naledi Smith, an African-American scientist heroine!
• Great premise: you know all those fake emails from African princes that ask you for money, or claim you're in line for the throne? Well, what if those emails were actually TRUE!?!
• Feminist and race-conscious depiction of the way workplace colleagues (especially men) can demand more from women and from people of color, and how women and people of color have to decide how much to fight back, and how much to go along in order to keep their jobs, or to avoid the reputation of being "bitchy" or "uncooperative"
• The mindbending way the storyline kept making me check my national and white privilege, especially regarding assumptions about Africa (there are no princes in Africa, right? Oh, I better check the facts... Oh, everybody in Africa is poor, because that's mostly what we hear on the TV about the entire continent, right? Oh, better check my stereotypes...)
• Protest not just of colonialist attitudes towards Africa and Africans, but to the continued exploitation of the natural resources of many African countries by Western companies only out to make a buck
• The first half of the book, set in New York, and the banter between Ledi and "Jamal," who is actually Prince Thabiso of Thesolo
What I didn't like:
• Thabiso's character arc. Is he a spoiled playboy who doesn't understand the needs of his countrymen and women? Or is he a caring leader? The opening scenes seemed to suggest the former, but once the story moved to Thesolo, Thabiso seemed far more involved and caring about politics and decision-making than he was in the first half
• The suspense plot. The bad guy was obvious from the start, and the threats to our heroine seemed pretty tacked on and easily wrapped up
• The mixing of cultural critique and wish-fulfillment royalty fantasy. In interviews, Cole has talked about how while many feminists have dissed princess culture/worship, some young girls (i.e., girls of color) rarely got to identify with princesses in the first place. I have sympathy for this view. But this book doesn't really follow the Cinderella story, "rescue me from my life, you rich royal, you" storyline common to white-protagonist royal romances. So I'm not sure just what the fantasy of being betrothed to a prince is supposed to be all about here?
• Wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about the beliefs presented as part of Theosolo culture. Are we supposed to respect them? Or think the poor Thesoloians ridiculous for their superstitions, for believing things Westerners don't believe? Or just ignore this issue altogether?
• Thesolo wasn't very well-developed as a setting. Cole mentions the real African country of Lesotho, and Thabiso mentions being descended from Moshoeshoe warriors; Mosheshoe I was rule rof Lesotho in the early 19th century. So are we supposed to read Thesolo as a thinly-disguised Lesotho? How many of the cultural details were real, and how many made up to serve the story's plot? It's hard to tell, which made me uncomfortable.
• Thabiso's role as part of the government/decision-making process was confusing, and seemed far greater than would be true in most parliamentary/constitutional monarchies.
So, a mixed bag here for me....
Things I liked:
• Fabulous cover—isn't it just gorgeous?
• Naledi Smith, an African-American scientist heroine!
• Great premise: you know all those fake emails from African princes that ask you for money, or claim you're in line for the throne? Well, what if those emails were actually TRUE!?!
• Feminist and race-conscious depiction of the way workplace colleagues (especially men) can demand more from women and from people of color, and how women and people of color have to decide how much to fight back, and how much to go along in order to keep their jobs, or to avoid the reputation of being "bitchy" or "uncooperative"
• The mindbending way the storyline kept making me check my national and white privilege, especially regarding assumptions about Africa (there are no princes in Africa, right? Oh, I better check the facts... Oh, everybody in Africa is poor, because that's mostly what we hear on the TV about the entire continent, right? Oh, better check my stereotypes...)
• Protest not just of colonialist attitudes towards Africa and Africans, but to the continued exploitation of the natural resources of many African countries by Western companies only out to make a buck
• The first half of the book, set in New York, and the banter between Ledi and "Jamal," who is actually Prince Thabiso of Thesolo
What I didn't like:
• Thabiso's character arc. Is he a spoiled playboy who doesn't understand the needs of his countrymen and women? Or is he a caring leader? The opening scenes seemed to suggest the former, but once the story moved to Thesolo, Thabiso seemed far more involved and caring about politics and decision-making than he was in the first half
• The suspense plot. The bad guy was obvious from the start, and the threats to our heroine seemed pretty tacked on and easily wrapped up
• The mixing of cultural critique and wish-fulfillment royalty fantasy. In interviews, Cole has talked about how while many feminists have dissed princess culture/worship, some young girls (i.e., girls of color) rarely got to identify with princesses in the first place. I have sympathy for this view. But this book doesn't really follow the Cinderella story, "rescue me from my life, you rich royal, you" storyline common to white-protagonist royal romances. So I'm not sure just what the fantasy of being betrothed to a prince is supposed to be all about here?
• Wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about the beliefs presented as part of Theosolo culture. Are we supposed to respect them? Or think the poor Thesoloians ridiculous for their superstitions, for believing things Westerners don't believe? Or just ignore this issue altogether?
• Thesolo wasn't very well-developed as a setting. Cole mentions the real African country of Lesotho, and Thabiso mentions being descended from Moshoeshoe warriors; Mosheshoe I was rule rof Lesotho in the early 19th century. So are we supposed to read Thesolo as a thinly-disguised Lesotho? How many of the cultural details were real, and how many made up to serve the story's plot? It's hard to tell, which made me uncomfortable.
• Thabiso's role as part of the government/decision-making process was confusing, and seemed far greater than would be true in most parliamentary/constitutional monarchies.
So, a mixed bag here for me....
elizatess17's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
laila4343's review against another edition
4.0
Utterly charming. This is the second book by Alyssa Cole that I’ve read and now I know I can rely on her for smart, thoughtful storylines.