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emmirosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It's been a long time since I've rated a book anything lower than a three. If it's going to be below a three I usually DNF it but this was short and was a buddy read with a friend of mine so I pushed through and finished it.
This started rough. It got a little bit better in the middle and by the end I was just so annoyed that anything I did enjoy about the book wasn't worth it. I think I enjoyed the concept of this book and the setting was cool, I suppose, but everything else was poorly executed. This would have benefited from being a bit longer and having more time to delve into the world and characters. This didn't feel like the wonderful Sapphic heist book that I was promised. The stakes never felt super high and the ending was rushed and just kind of bleh. I would have probably enjoyed this way more if we stayed in the mortal world and had some magic elements instead of them going to Fae and having another completely undeveloped land to explore. Especially with being so short.
Though the biggest thing I hated about this book was Sybil and the relationship she had with Esme. I could appreciate Esme, though I could agree she was a little flat, but I didn't mind her. I liked her vibe but Sybil? She pissed me off so much for most of the book. She felt like a whiny and manipulative brat for about 95% of this book and I don't understand how Sybil and Esme are supposed to love each other when they're so opposite and not in a cutesy opposite attracts way. In a this is never going to work out and is so unhealthy way.
One wants to stay home with her cats and read and the other wants to go on grand adventures constantly. Esme just goes along with Sybil because she loves her and wants to protect her only after being coerced into it by Sybil. I feel like Sybil never really respected or cared for Esme which pissed me off so bad. Especially after that comment towards the end of the book after Esme saves her fucking life and Sybil just goes and blames her for leaving her brother in Fae, LIKE WHAT? Even after she apologizes and confesses her love it means nothing to be after her behavior for most of the book. I don't think I would have minded Sybil's character nearly as much if perhaps they were both that *risk everything* archetype of character or at the very least Sybil respected Esme when she so very clearly doesn't want to go on the theifing adventure. I wanted a sweet, in-depth sapphic relationship and all I got was just an annoying, toxic, unhealthy mess.
It also just felt like there was no chemistry with them besides that. It was a lot of showing and not telling because they were already friends pining for each other. It just felt like Insta-love to me, and why I realized I don't like a lot of friends-to-lovers kind of stories.
I probably would have liked this so much more if I didn't hate Sybil so much and the relationship was actually well-written and developed but alas here we are. Sapphic books are so far and in between so it hurts me even more when they're not good.
This started rough. It got a little bit better in the middle and by the end I was just so annoyed that anything I did enjoy about the book wasn't worth it. I think I enjoyed the concept of this book and the setting was cool, I suppose, but everything else was poorly executed. This would have benefited from being a bit longer and having more time to delve into the world and characters. This didn't feel like the wonderful Sapphic heist book that I was promised. The stakes never felt super high and the ending was rushed and just kind of bleh. I would have probably enjoyed this way more if we stayed in the mortal world and had some magic elements instead of them going to Fae and having another completely undeveloped land to explore. Especially with being so short.
Though the biggest thing I hated about this book was Sybil and the relationship she had with Esme. I could appreciate Esme, though I could agree she was a little flat, but I didn't mind her. I liked her vibe but Sybil? She pissed me off so much for most of the book. She felt like a whiny and manipulative brat for about 95% of this book and I don't understand how Sybil and Esme are supposed to love each other when they're so opposite and not in a cutesy opposite attracts way. In a this is never going to work out and is so unhealthy way.
I probably would have liked this so much more if I didn't hate Sybil so much and the relationship was actually well-written and developed but alas here we are. Sapphic books are so far and in between so it hurts me even more when they're not good.
meripm's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you to Peachtree and NetGalley for the ARC!
The Absinthe Underground had the perfect mix of things to attract me: it’s set in the Belle Époque, it features art nouveau for the cover and inside the story, and tells the story of a sapphic young couple in what promises to be an intense and fantastical setting.
Unfortunately, all these things that could have made for an absolutely amazing novel are held back by a narration that has several flaws, the main one of them being that it tells a lot and shows very little.
Sybil and Esme are two characters that the author tries very hard to differentiate. Sybil is meant to be an adventurous and carefree artist, while Esme is more careful, shier, calmer. The contraposition of their characteristics should have made for interesting dialogues and romance, but they had very little chemistry beyond the author telling us over and over how much they were into each other and lusted after one another in their respective trains of thought. They were also terribly naïve in several occasions for people who are barely scraping by and supplementing their income with thievery. Where are those street smarts?!
The worldbuilding and plot felt quite bare-bones for how many promising things there were in the premise. The author set the story in an interesting city with so much to draw from, but it was barely exploited and the predictable plot did not make up for it in twists and mystery. The narration felt clunky at times and the dialogues needed some more polishing. Furthermore, despite the author’s clear attempt at differentiating the main characters, their narrative voices felt so similar it is actually very hard to tell whose chapter it is.
I also could not get past the fact that it makes absinthe look desirable and ‘aesthetic’ when the age of the characters and the simplistic style make it seem clearly aimed at an underage audience.
I really regret needing to write this review because I was ready to absolutely love the book, but it was a letdown. I genuinely think it could have been SO much better if the author had spent some more months polishing it, because there were some really cool ideas in there.
The Absinthe Underground had the perfect mix of things to attract me: it’s set in the Belle Époque, it features art nouveau for the cover and inside the story, and tells the story of a sapphic young couple in what promises to be an intense and fantastical setting.
Unfortunately, all these things that could have made for an absolutely amazing novel are held back by a narration that has several flaws, the main one of them being that it tells a lot and shows very little.
Sybil and Esme are two characters that the author tries very hard to differentiate. Sybil is meant to be an adventurous and carefree artist, while Esme is more careful, shier, calmer. The contraposition of their characteristics should have made for interesting dialogues and romance, but they had very little chemistry beyond the author telling us over and over how much they were into each other and lusted after one another in their respective trains of thought. They were also terribly naïve in several occasions for people who are barely scraping by and supplementing their income with thievery. Where are those street smarts?!
The worldbuilding and plot felt quite bare-bones for how many promising things there were in the premise. The author set the story in an interesting city with so much to draw from, but it was barely exploited and the predictable plot did not make up for it in twists and mystery. The narration felt clunky at times and the dialogues needed some more polishing. Furthermore, despite the author’s clear attempt at differentiating the main characters, their narrative voices felt so similar it is actually very hard to tell whose chapter it is.
I also could not get past the fact that it makes absinthe look desirable and ‘aesthetic’ when the age of the characters and the simplistic style make it seem clearly aimed at an underage audience.
I really regret needing to write this review because I was ready to absolutely love the book, but it was a letdown. I genuinely think it could have been SO much better if the author had spent some more months polishing it, because there were some really cool ideas in there.
syenor's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
orianaber0940's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
sunbearbeam's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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? No
4.25
toffiladyreader's review
3.0
thank you so much to colored pages blog tours and the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!!
well, this was a clear example of "how convenient for the plot"
don't get me wrong, the ambiance and the world was really good. i really felt i was in paris during the belle-epoque era, and the fae world was something that kept me intrigued, since there are so many books about fae and every single one writes them differently. so that felt really refreshing to me. but my main complain is that everything was too convenient for the MCs, that everything was happening too easy right until the end when things started to complicate a bit and i was really intrigued to see how it would develop. also, i feel both MCs didn't change as much or had that many character development, tho i have to give it to Esme for being so brave and step out of her apartment with many cats just because Sybill wanted to steal something.
overall, it was an okey book, more of like a cozy fantasy than anything else, but really enjoyable.
well, this was a clear example of "how convenient for the plot"
don't get me wrong, the ambiance and the world was really good. i really felt i was in paris during the belle-epoque era, and the fae world was something that kept me intrigued, since there are so many books about fae and every single one writes them differently. so that felt really refreshing to me. but my main complain is that everything was too convenient for the MCs, that everything was happening too easy right until the end when things started to complicate a bit and i was really intrigued to see how it would develop. also, i feel both MCs didn't change as much or had that many character development, tho i have to give it to Esme for being so brave and step out of her apartment with many cats just because Sybill wanted to steal something.
overall, it was an okey book, more of like a cozy fantasy than anything else, but really enjoyable.
asmodeous's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
literaryk's review
adventurous
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? No
3.0
311abooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.25
t34addict's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded up
The writing style is rather simple, making the YA book feel solidly YA.
The plot was pretty basic, with me being able to guess the twists and turns (this isn't an inheritantly bad thing) and the world building, especially Faerie, had so much promise and potential but I felt like it lacked slightly. I lve the whole vibe of a Belle Époque Paris themed place, with nightclubs and artist and art nouveau and I can just imagine what it could be.
I would have also preferred to have more time developing the relationshio between Sybil and Ezme, though what we did get was very sweet.
This is an ideal book to get you out of a reading slump- fairly short, sweet and easy to read and I would recommend it if you want a shorter, sweet, sapphic read.
I also adore the cover so much.
The writing style is rather simple, making the YA book feel solidly YA.
The plot was pretty basic, with me being able to guess the twists and turns (this isn't an inheritantly bad thing) and the world building, especially Faerie, had so much promise and potential but I felt like it lacked slightly. I lve the whole vibe of a Belle Époque Paris themed place, with nightclubs and artist and art nouveau and I can just imagine what it could be.
I would have also preferred to have more time developing the relationshio between Sybil and Ezme, though what we did get was very sweet.
This is an ideal book to get you out of a reading slump- fairly short, sweet and easy to read and I would recommend it if you want a shorter, sweet, sapphic read.
I also adore the cover so much.