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clhtdr's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Colonisation, Blood, Physical abuse, Gore, and Emotional abuse
emily_mh's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I started off LOVING this Jane Eyre retelling. I thought that Blackwood did such a good job at creating Rochester’s desperation in Magnus and the dialogue between Andromeda and Magnus felt as dramatic and devoted as it did in the original. The setting was also really intriguing. However, I liked the book less and less as time went on. There was a lack of context historically and geographically which made it difficult for me to place the book. The romance became the sole focus to the detriment of the more interesting cleansing-the-household plotline. And also the drama in that romance was SO contrived; at some points I didn’t even know what they were disagreeing about. Most importantly, I don’t think it worked well as a Jane Eyre retelling. There was a lack of atmosphere, and also none of the themes of coming-of-age/character development that really makes Jane Eyre stand out to me. Also, the romance in the original is an important part, but not the ONLY part, which is kind of how it ends up in this book. Moreover, I don’t think the toxic relationship between Andromeda and her mentor is given the gravity that it deserved. I also thought that the whole concept of disabilities coming from the attraction of the Evil Eye was super problematic.
I would by no means say this was bad, it just didn’t live up to the expectations it set and instead presented an average, slightly gothic instalove romance. As a side note, I did listen to the audiobook and thought it was okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Gun violence, Racism, Drug use, Mental illness, Slavery, War, Excrement, Rape, Pedophilia, and Suicide
Menstruation, drowning, chronic painhalfbloodprincess_hogwarts's review against another edition
I have a little over 3 hours left of the audio and am taking myself out of misery by throwing down the towel.
The beginning I felt had potential and it constantly nose dived.
Watching paint dry would be more exciting that this book. The only reason I listened so long was due to the narrator's British accent. I like her voice and it's very therapeutic to listen to. Until I realized that I was daydreaming and no longer really following the story.
I like the premise of Andromeda exercising spirits. But her character is DEEPLY dampening my soul.
The only moment the book captured my attention was during the scene where the room Magnus was sleeping in began to fill with blood.
Every character in this story is a tortured soul and all the characters are toxic. I...just... can't.... anymore!!!!
This book makes my soul tired😩
The beginning I felt had potential and it constantly nose dived.
Watching paint dry would be more exciting that this book. The only reason I listened so long was due to the narrator's British accent. I like her voice and it's very therapeutic to listen to. Until I realized that I was daydreaming and no longer really following the story.
I like the premise of Andromeda exercising spirits. But her character is DEEPLY dampening my soul.
The only moment the book captured my attention was during the scene where the room Magnus was sleeping in began to fill with blood.
Every character in this story is a tortured soul and all the characters are toxic. I...just... can't.... anymore!!!!
This book makes my soul tired😩
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Murder, and Emotional abuse
ruthlessreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked this book & thought it was a beautiful take on Jane Eyre. I loved the main character & the love interest felt very Rochester to me.
I did not like the forgiveness of the abusive parent figure. Lost a star for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Bullying, Colonisation, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury
chippyreads's review against another edition
dark
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I have many feelings about this book and not many of them are nice. Firstly, the MCs relationships with both men in her life is grotty. Actually. That's my whole gripe about this book. I don't enjoy reading toxic relationships. So this book was a massive boooo for me.
The dude that raised her is abusive, both physically and mentally. The guy that hires her is the love interest. He is a flake. His only redeeming quality is that he can draw.
The love interest is cursed and people who live in his castle 'go missing' but apparently it's ok to just keep using them as servants? Apparently if they look into his eyes they're doomed, so he walks around with bells on in order to warn them to look away. If it was such an issues, why doesn't he cover his eyes or lock himself away? Stop prancing around your cold castle putting your staff in danger. He has a rule that demands people socialise with him after dinner. How about no. You're a danger to EVERYONE, stop forcing people into your company when your gaze kills them. Also the dude is her BOSS, she's literally starving when he hires her and he falls in love with her asap.
Dont get me started on the father figure. He saved her from being sold to a brothel as a child and in order to protect her, he abuses her...... Wot. Also he has this thing where his skin hurts if people touch him, so naturally he hates people. What is this shit? I woul have minded if at the end Andy told him he was a horrible man and he deserves to die. But no, she calls him daddy and loves him. Yuck. No thank you. No wonder she fell for the first man who was half way nice to her.....
The whole cleansing the cadtle/boss thing can't even save this story. If I wasn't listening to this book via audio book I would have DNFd it.
The dude that raised her is abusive, both physically and mentally. The guy that hires her is the love interest. He is a flake. His only redeeming quality is that he can draw.
The love interest is cursed and people who live in his castle 'go missing' but apparently it's ok to just keep using them as servants? Apparently if they look into his eyes they're doomed, so he walks around with bells on in order to warn them to look away. If it was such an issues, why doesn't he cover his eyes or lock himself away? Stop prancing around your cold castle putting your staff in danger. He has a rule that demands people socialise with him after dinner. How about no. You're a danger to EVERYONE, stop forcing people into your company when your gaze kills them. Also the dude is her BOSS, she's literally starving when he hires her and he falls in love with her asap.
Dont get me started on the father figure. He saved her from being sold to a brothel as a child and in order to protect her, he abuses her...... Wot. Also he has this thing where his skin hurts if people touch him, so naturally he hates people. What is this shit? I woul have minded if at the end
The whole cleansing the cadtle/boss thing can't even save this story. If I wasn't listening to this book via audio book I would have DNFd it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
buttermellow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Classism, Drug abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
earlgreyandhoney's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
Loosely based on Jane Eyre, this is a YA horror that is packed with action and spookiness. All of the descriptions of the curse that was happened in Rochester's house were rightfully creepy, and the tone was immediately set from the beginning. As more of the story unfolds and we learn more about the curse, it just gets more and more creepy.
There was also great chemistry between Andi and Magnus, as all of these manifestations are happening around them. It almost brings them closer together, the danger making their relationship all the more exciting. The changing relationship between Andi and Jember, her guardian/caretaker/trainer/master, also added dimension to the story. All of these details worked well together to create a story that was difficult to put down once you got started.
I feel like YA horror has been upping it's game a bit in the last year, and this is a great addition to a genre that desperately needs more diversity.
There was also great chemistry between Andi and Magnus, as all of these manifestations are happening around them. It almost brings them closer together, the danger making their relationship all the more exciting. The changing relationship between Andi and Jember, her guardian/caretaker/trainer/master, also added dimension to the story. All of these details worked well together to create a story that was difficult to put down once you got started.
I feel like YA horror has been upping it's game a bit in the last year, and this is a great addition to a genre that desperately needs more diversity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, and Physical abuse
Minor: Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Trafficking
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
3.5
More inspired by Jane Eyre than a Jane Eyre retelling, this book grabbed me from the beginning and made it hard to put down!
Our main character, Andromeda, was an excellent lead. I loved her determination and drive, her survival skills, her optimism, and how she searched for love still even though she’d been denied it most of her life. That being said, I do think the romance was too much insta-love for me, but after I got over that and accepted that they were in love, it was a cute romance. I don’t think the romantic interest got enough development (his obliviousness to what was going on is never really addressed), but I did appreciate the complexity in Andromeda’s relationship with her father-figure, and the development that Jember was given.
The spookiness was just the right amount for me—I could read this book at night but it still made me want to keep the lights on. However, I think the world and magic needed a bit more explanation. I kept thinking certain things would get explained later but then they never were, and I was left thinking it was a plot hole.
Overall, a good story with a few great characters, but I would’ve appreciated some more world-building and less insta-love.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my eARC!
Our main character, Andromeda, was an excellent lead. I loved her determination and drive, her survival skills, her optimism, and how she searched for love still even though she’d been denied it most of her life. That being said, I do think the romance was too much insta-love for me, but after I got over that and accepted that they were in love, it was a cute romance. I don’t think the romantic interest got enough development (his obliviousness to what was going on is never really addressed), but I did appreciate the complexity in Andromeda’s relationship with her father-figure, and the development that Jember was given.
The spookiness was just the right amount for me—I could read this book at night but it still made me want to keep the lights on. However, I think the world and magic needed a bit more explanation. I kept thinking certain things would get explained later but then they never were, and I was left thinking it was a plot hole.
Overall, a good story with a few great characters, but I would’ve appreciated some more world-building and less insta-love.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my eARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
internationalreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence