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thecolouryes's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I wanted this book to be better than it was. Also, this is super picky of me, but split drawers are a thing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Blood, Classism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Body horror, Death of parent, and Misogyny
pedanther's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
I found the prose style easy to read - aside from an irritating tendency to change its mind several times a scene about who the viewpoint character was - but for me the story never entirely came alive. The plot is serviceable, but unsurprising, the characters underdeveloped, and while the worldbuilding has some interesting elements, it also has a tendency to rely on unexamined tropes that often left me wishing that certain aspects had been thought through more. I suspect that someone who's already more into urban fantasy and/or regency romance than me would find it more enjoyable. (I don't know if someone who's more into regency romance than me would be more or less annoyed by the use of regency romance tropes in a story that's explicitly set in the late Victorian era.) I wasn't surprised to find PG Wodehouse listed as one of the author's inspirations; I'm going to say that she doesn't have Wodehouse's knack for funny character names and leave it at that.
It says something that I've gone on so long about the book: I don't usually have this much to say about books I really dislike (or books I really like). This one's in that middle ground where it was good enough that I want to be just to it, but not good enough that I really liked it. Not sorry I gave it a shot, not likely to read any of the sequels.
It says something that I've gone on so long about the book: I don't usually have this much to say about books I really dislike (or books I really like). This one's in that middle ground where it was good enough that I want to be just to it, but not good enough that I really liked it. Not sorry I gave it a shot, not likely to read any of the sequels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Classism, Torture, Medical trauma, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexism, Blood, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Racism, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Confinement
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Genocide, Gore, Police brutality, War, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, and Cursing
ellementary's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
At times amusing but often repetitive. Great audiobook narration. Points for the author's take on the supernatural and the steampunk/scientific elements that were blended in. I was less enthusiastic about the recurrent xenophobia, gay stereotyping, and the main character's incessant self-loathing as a character flaw.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster in her mid-twenties, mostly content to spend her time at home, in libraries, or with her friend Ivy who has unfortunate taste in hats. She’s also soulless, a preternatural whose touch can temporarily revert any supernatural persons to their formerly mortal state.
Alexia and the London werewolf Alpha, Conall, have chemistry built on mutual annoyance. He enjoys someone who will surprise and stand up to him (a limited commodity when one is the Alpha of a pack of werewolves), and she seems surprised when annoying him for fun turns into something more. Professor Lyall is his Beta, a competent and unassuming older werewolf who is a quiet, steady presence. Ivy, Alexia’s hat-obsessed friend, is one of my favorite characters but this isn’t yet the book where she shines. Lord Akeldama is a flamboyant and well-informed vampire who is utterly delightful.
The worldbuilding is cohesive and worked naturally into the story. Alexia and Conall both have to think in order to stay in step with social expectations (or notice whenever they flout them), which provides opportunities for many details about the setting without distracting from the story. I read this series so many times in high school that I’m having trouble distilling my thoughts about the series generally into what just applies to this book. It sets up the cephalopod-obsessed organization which will continue to have a presence in the series, as well as establishing (at least by mention) many of the characters who will matter as the series continues.
I love this series and it’s so nice to dive into it again.
Alexia and the London werewolf Alpha, Conall, have chemistry built on mutual annoyance. He enjoys someone who will surprise and stand up to him (a limited commodity when one is the Alpha of a pack of werewolves), and she seems surprised when annoying him for fun turns into something more. Professor Lyall is his Beta, a competent and unassuming older werewolf who is a quiet, steady presence. Ivy, Alexia’s hat-obsessed friend, is one of my favorite characters but this isn’t yet the book where she shines. Lord Akeldama is a flamboyant and well-informed vampire who is utterly delightful.
The worldbuilding is cohesive and worked naturally into the story. Alexia and Conall both have to think in order to stay in step with social expectations (or notice whenever they flout them), which provides opportunities for many details about the setting without distracting from the story. I read this series so many times in high school that I’m having trouble distilling my thoughts about the series generally into what just applies to this book. It sets up the cephalopod-obsessed organization which will continue to have a presence in the series, as well as establishing (at least by mention) many of the characters who will matter as the series continues.
I love this series and it’s so nice to dive into it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Confinement, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Torture, Death, Racism, Gore, Genocide, Xenophobia, and Murder
Minor: Religious bigotry, War, Animal death, Death of parent, Dementia, and Domestic abuse
saffire_sky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Misogyny, and Sexism
bluejayreads's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I thought this was more steampunk than paranormal romance going in, since I read Gail Carriger's Finishing School series set in the same world and it was very steampunk and very enjoyable. This book had very few steampunk elements and leaned much heavier on the paranormal aspects of the world and Alexia's romance with Lord Maccon.
But, surprisingly, I didn't hate it. I actually rather enjoyed it.
Despite a bunch of dark trigger warnings, the book overall was very lighthearted. Alexia is just a little too brown to be considered attractive and a little too outspoken to be considered marriageable, so she and her family have resigned her to spinsterhood. The only reason she keeps getting invited to society parties is because she's an absolute nerd and can keep the intellectual gentlemen engaged in intellectual conversation while the high society types busy themselves with gossip and fashion and being pretty, things which Alexia doesn't care about one bit. Personally, Alexia would rather join the supernatural police agency that Lord Maccon heads, but being a woman she isn't allowed. That doesn't stop her from doing her own investigative work. She is unflinchingly polite and proper even while doing far more poking around and getting into a fair bit more trouble than a proper lady should be in, and she was delightful.
And despite the skinny model on the cover of the book, it is stressed many times on page that Alexia is actually pretty chubby.
There is also a marvelous cast of supporting characters: Alexia's best friend, who has absolutely atrocious taste in hats; a flamingly gay vampire gentleman who prides himself on knowing everything; Lord Maccon's werewolf pack beta, who despite being a werewolf is also a professor and a huge nerd; and more. I especially enjoyed every minute the gay vampire gentleman was on the page.
The romance part is also quite enjoyable. There's a lot of sexual tension between Alexia and Lord Maccon (often resolving to very risky heavy petting), but it takes them both a while to realize they're into each other romantically too. There's miscommunication drama, mainly stemming from the fact that Lord Maccon has no idea how to romance a woman who isn't also a werewolf. And there's the delightful contrast of Lord Maccon, who is a passable gentleman but isn't always up on the finer details of politeness, and Alexia, who is perfectly aware of the finer details of politeness and decorum but simply does not care.
This book does fall into the common tropes of fashion of Victorian-set books written by modern writers - mainly, women's fashion of the times (especially corsets and voluminous skirts) being restrictive to common activities. Many historical sewing youtubers have also posted rants about this very thing, and at least regarding corsets I can say from experience, that if you put them on properly and know how to wear them they won't impede you a bit (and as a sufferer of back pain, I've found properly-fitted corsets to be actually helpful and supportive). That is, overall, a minor quibble, though.
Great characters both protagonist and supporting, a fascinating world, a solid plot, and an actually enjoyable romance combine to make this book a remarkably entertaining romp through a vaguely-steampunk supernatural-filled Victorian London. I'm definitely going to read book two, which I'm sure if nothing else will be entertaining.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Moderate: Medical content and Torture
Minor: Sexism, Body shaming, and Racism
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