Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Longbourn by Jo Baker

8 reviews

berodatheelf's review against another edition

emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Longbourne was an interesting dive into the world of pride and prejudice, I felt that I had learnt a lot about the history of the regency era. The descriptions of Sarah carrying about her daily tasks fascinated me and the author had well researched the topic. 

Jo Baker didn't hesitate to hide away from the darker aspects of the period, and gave the pride and prejudice characters twists which was intriguing. 

I felt the first two parts were strongest and the third fell a little by the wayside. The flashback scenes felt a little out of place and I think would've had a stronger impact if Mrs Hill and James had spoken to Sarah about their pasts, thus creating a stronger emotional bond between the characters. It was nice to read the wrap up of the characters at the end and to know how all the characters turn out.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Blood, and Slavery

megmajor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Gun violence, Blood, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Classism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Miscarriage

atamano's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Child death, Grief, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and War

Minor: Racism, Blood, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Excrement, Alcohol, Slavery, and Sexual harassment

pandorasirens's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Pregnancy, Classism, Gore, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Violence, War, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Cursing, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcohol

below_average_baker's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Animal death, Blood, Slavery, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, and Death

elinorb's review against another edition

hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.25

Enjoyable easy read.
Fun premise but would have been boring without the Austen connection.
Sometimes felt a little on the nose, like the author was trying to fit in as many gritty points as possible.
The pedo stuff was just unnecessary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Sexual violence

grets_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment and War

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Infertility, Animal death, Death, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Pedophilia

jlewis's review

emotional inspiring relaxing medium-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? No

3.0

Life at Longbourn, the home of the Bennett family in Pride and Prejudice, as seen through the eyes and stories of the servants - the housekeeper, butler, 2 housemaids/maids of all work and a recently arrived footman and groom, who is secretive about his past.  All is revealed about this in a lengthy flashback in part 3 of the book, before returning to the starting chronology in book 4. There are some well-drawn characters and some thought-provoking suggestions that consider how both sexual orientation and pregnancy out of wedlock might have been managed. Overall it is a well-written, well-researched and engaging book.  I would agree with the several other reviewers who found the second half of the book less engaging than the first and that the ending was not altogether convincing in terms of either plot or character consistency.   But one of the better P&P spin-offs. 
For those who know Pride and Prejudice, it will surprise no one to be told that Mr Wickham is still a villain. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery, Violence, and War

Minor: Abandonment, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Racism