Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

48 reviews

just_one_more_paige's review

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

I've been on the waitlist for this one for a few months now. I had been hoping to get it in time for our relaxy-vacay to Mexico, but no such luck. It would have been the perfect poolside read. But, I enjoyed it even without the pool. And it was a great complementary read to The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, which I had finished just as this hold came through.

Lucy Muchelney just had to sit through the wedding of her former lover, and needs a distraction. With her brother threatening to sell the family's telescope, her only remaining refuge - the study of the stars she learned from her father - looks to be in jeopardy too. So when a letter comes from a correspondent of her father's, looking for someone to translate a definitive astronomy text from the original French, she takes a chance and leaves for London, to present herself as the best choice for the job. Catherine St Day, getting over the recent death of her husband - a well known explorer/scientist - is a bit surprised when Lucy shows up in person, on her doorstep, to answer the letter she'd sent. But the surprise quickly turns to intrigue and interest and she decides to let Lucy stay. As the two women orbit each other, spending more and more time together between embroidery and art (for Catherine) and translation and research (for Lucy), their relationship changes into something more than friendship. And together, they'll have to fight misogyny, social norms, and scars of previous relationships in order to make a future together (one brighter and more promising than they'd ever have imagined without the other).

Apparently, this is the year I get really into queer historical romance. I can't say I'm upset about it. Historical romance is not a sub-genre I've ever been pulled to before, but I think the additional sub-sub-genre of queer historical romance was the missing piece I needed to get me going. Anyways... I really enjoyed this one. It was quieter, on the whole, than the ones I've read recently, like Country Gentlemen, the entire The Last Binding trilogy, or Mortal Follies. To be fair, a number of those had magic, and one had smuggling as a key plot point, so they were predisposed to heightened drama. But it was an interesting contrast to move from that into this world. Lucy and Catherine had sparks of their own, no question, as they pushed the boundaries of what society allowed for women, both privately and publicly. And of course, the sparks that flew between them as they discovered each other emotionally/physically were bright as well. But the overall story felt more controlled and contained. I sort of enjoyed that change. I fell into the two of them together, all the time they were able to spend with each other, supporting and nurturing each other's projects and confidence; it was sweet and comforting and fulfilling in a different sort of way. And I personally have a very intense soft spot for lovers (even if it’s just the nascent feelings and they don’t even really know it yet) getting all worked up and angry in defense of their “person’s” honor and dignity, especially if they don’t feel that way for themselves (yet), but doing that for someone else helps them find their own strength and realize they’re worthy of that same dignity/defense. One of my favorite "tropes" and it was deployed spectacularly here. Yes, please.

I thought the framing story, Lucy's choice to get a bit creative with the translation of the French astronomy work, in order to make it accessible to a wider population, was inspired. Creative nonfiction is the reason I got into nonfiction, and I have learned so much through that entry-point. Similarly, I so appreciated the discourse on widening the definition of who deserves the title of scientist or artist. Who, historically, has been able to "bestow" that honor or create those parameters and who are they keeping out? What types of science and art are refused recognition on similar grounds of "undeserving?" It's a major theme of the novel and I thought it was well done. Important, but not overdone or too heavy in presentation. And then the ending, the low key surprise twist, showing that women (and people of color) have always been there, doing the work, it’s just a matter of getting recognition, added a perfect exclamation mark to the points Waite had been making the whole time. Finally, story/theme-wise, the debates on art and science, that despite how the world insists on seeing them as opposites, the genius of both lies in creativity and pushing boundaries, was everything. I have long tried to make similar points, but have never been able to do so with such clarity. I was so grateful to read it here.

As far as Lucy and Catherine themselves, I really liked reading their overall arc. Catherine's support of Lucy and Lucy helping Catherine to come into her own - stop dempening herself for others' sake - was lovely. The dynamic of Lucy being the one to guide Catherine as a lover, as she had greater experience and awareness despite her younger age, was unique, not something I've read often in romances, and done so sweetly and gently. The worry and jealousy each experienced was very real, and authentic, but also...it leaned a bit too close to miscommunication at times, and that's one of my least favorite tropes. They were each legitimately trying to care or allow space/freedom for the other, and that's genuine and I love the sentiment, but so much of that could have been avoided if they'd just talked and I always struggle with that. The agreement they come to in the end, a way to commit both to each other and to the women and work they want to champion, was such a fantastic wrap-up though. Oh my stars (see what I did there?), hats off to that.

Like I said, this was a lovely read, even without the poolside vibes. Inspiring, scientifically and self-discovery-wise. A couple very nice steamy scenes. And overall, a solid first experience into what felt like, to me, a more earnest/classic style of historical romance than I've read before.

Content Warnings

rafacolog's review

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challenging emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

mishmoshroom's review

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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queenpebbles's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

Excellent narration – clear and precise. Impressive range of voices.
Physics, embroidery, *and* F/F smut? Was this book written with me in mind?
A still relevant topic about women and minorities in science and the constant fight to be treated equally.

I now want to read all of Lucy's translations and/or learn French to read the marquise's works. Short of that, I might actually grab the original physics texts mentioned because of this book.

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the_vegan_bookworm's review

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emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-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? No

3.5

While the premise of this book is really interesting (a sapphic Regency romance focused on a scientist!), the book itself is a little lackluster. The main characters get together fairly early, so this isn't the book for people who love slow burns. The challenges of their relationship are also very easily resolved which is great for healthy communication but a bit boring for a reader since the stakes feel a lot lower as a result.

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nrogers_1030's review

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emotional hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

Content Warnings

jackiepreston's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

4.5

Content Warnings

broccoli_j's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring fast-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? Yes

4.75

„We cannot stand up in a church and make vows. But we can stand up publicly and declare that we are important together.“

This book is a love story.
A love story between two women.
A love story between women and womanhood.
A story about love between artists and their art, scientists and their science and about appreciation for the joy and connection that you can feel in the middle of these two!

The publishing of the book „The Lady‘s guide to celestial mechanics“ leads to a beautiful love between two very unlike women. But only in this relationship do they discover exactly what, except for Lucy’s book, connects the two of them. And even further, which of these things connect them to other women.

If you are looking for a heartwarming book with a young scientist and a strongheaded artist, who had to find herself aber her husbands death, you will absolutely love this book. It has well written spicy scenes but also covers the mundane realities of (forbidden) relationships. It connects friendship and allyship and community in a grander aspect than just in what is written on the page!

Especially the second half of this book will have you crying, laughing, hoping and swearing. Happy reading!

Content Warnings

mossgoblins's review

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

This was a lovely, thoughtful romp of a romance! Perfect for queer artists and scientists who are looking to smile and feel hope for the future. It would be even better to see the author include more people of color as main characters, but as it was, she still did a fairly good job of including diverse characters in her well-written plot.

Content Warnings

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this. Angsty with well-developed characters that felt so authentic. My ONLY gripe is with the plot/time jumps that always caught me off guard, and the way time would be "summarized" in a sentence or two (vs just jumping forward, which would actually have felt less awkward?). I ONLY note this because it pulled me, personally, out of the story a few times. This is an absolute beautiful love story that gave me all of my favorite chest-achey feelings. I can't wait to read more by Olivia Waite.

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