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southerngirlinexile's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
katievaughn's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kateped's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kplight's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While there is no doubt this book is written beautifully I also feel like it is one that I don’t really feel I need to read again. In fact I felt like this book actually made me sad and the dining seemed bittersweet to me. The nearly the entire second half I felt a sick feeling in my stomach thinking of how wrongly matched the two mains were. And while Christians romantic declaration at the end was beautiful I still hesitate to think they can be happy in the future
franb_42's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
kbookish's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma and Forced institutionalization
lemon_'s review
5.0
I have some mixed feelings for this highly recommended book, so let's get to it while trying to stay brief.
The Great:
- The prose is top-notch, really incredible stuff. This is up there with other HR authors like Cecilia Grant.
- The characterization for both Christian and Maddy is very internally consistent and fleshed out.
- The story is complex and doesn't hold your hand or drag at all. Expect to be holding onto your seat and feeling emotions for 100% of this story.
- The attention to historical detail is at such a level that most HR books nowadays just don't bother coming close.
- The portrayal of Christian's sudden, horrifying medical event (a seizure, I think) is handled so well throughout the book and he never has an out-of-nowhere miracle cure. This is probably the most realistic version of hell I can think of, and he came out of it a better man.
- I do have to give Auntie Marly credit for being a truth-speaking bitch in the end. Yeah, doing small charitable works within your comfort zone is good and all. But think of how much more good you could do in the world with the money and resources of a dukedom.
The Neutral:
- As a person who grew up in a very controlling religious environment, I could identify with Maddy's interal struggle between her faith and who she was becoming as a person outside of the church. Figuring out how to live the tenants of your own spirituality outside of how others tell you the "right" way to do it is an important and worthwhile character arc to go portray with this level of detail and care.
The Not-Great:
- I would give this book a perfect 5/5, or even more stars, for the first 80% or so. But by the time the 80% came around, it the endless back and forth arguments with Maddy and Christian started to become exhausting to read. Almost trauma-porny. Yeah, Christian and his friends lied to Maddy and that's awful. I also don't blame him for one bit as he was experiencing such extremely difficult and scary circumstances, circumstances that I think give him some grace in how he handled things.
- I was totally on board with Maddy being a Quaker and getting the Quaker perspective in this story. It's a breath of fresh air, actually. But there were points where it was so overbearingly judgmental. Yeah, it made sense that Maddy wouldn't understand why reputation and spending a lot of money is important in the aristocracy. But did she have to be so condescending and judgmental about it?
- I feel the story had too many "bad" Quakers. I enjoyed Maddy overall and I LOVED her Papa Timms. But every other Quaker, especially Richard Gill, seemed like a judgmental, proud, gossipy busy-body. At some point, the Quakers became villains to me. The story would've benefitted from one third party Quaker acting as a friendly source of reason and support for Maddy.
With all that being said, I do think this book needs to be given props for being such a unique and high quality take on the genre.
The Great:
- The prose is top-notch, really incredible stuff. This is up there with other HR authors like Cecilia Grant.
- The characterization for both Christian and Maddy is very internally consistent and fleshed out.
- The story is complex and doesn't hold your hand or drag at all. Expect to be holding onto your seat and feeling emotions for 100% of this story.
- The attention to historical detail is at such a level that most HR books nowadays just don't bother coming close.
- The portrayal of Christian's sudden, horrifying medical event (a seizure, I think) is handled so well throughout the book and he never has an out-of-nowhere miracle cure. This is probably the most realistic version of hell I can think of, and he came out of it a better man.
- I do have to give Auntie Marly credit for being a truth-speaking bitch in the end. Yeah, doing small charitable works within your comfort zone is good and all. But think of how much more good you could do in the world with the money and resources of a dukedom.
The Neutral:
- As a person who grew up in a very controlling religious environment, I could identify with Maddy's interal struggle between her faith and who she was becoming as a person outside of the church. Figuring out how to live the tenants of your own spirituality outside of how others tell you the "right" way to do it is an important and worthwhile character arc to go portray with this level of detail and care.
The Not-Great:
- I would give this book a perfect 5/5, or even more stars, for the first 80% or so. But by the time the 80% came around, it the endless back and forth arguments with Maddy and Christian started to become exhausting to read. Almost trauma-porny. Yeah, Christian and his friends lied to Maddy and that's awful. I also don't blame him for one bit as he was experiencing such extremely difficult and scary circumstances, circumstances that I think give him some grace in how he handled things.
- I was totally on board with Maddy being a Quaker and getting the Quaker perspective in this story. It's a breath of fresh air, actually. But there were points where it was so overbearingly judgmental. Yeah, it made sense that Maddy wouldn't understand why reputation and spending a lot of money is important in the aristocracy. But did she have to be so condescending and judgmental about it?
- I feel the story had too many "bad" Quakers. I enjoyed Maddy overall and I LOVED her Papa Timms. But every other Quaker, especially Richard Gill, seemed like a judgmental, proud, gossipy busy-body. At some point, the Quakers became villains to me. The story would've benefitted from one third party Quaker acting as a friendly source of reason and support for Maddy.
With all that being said, I do think this book needs to be given props for being such a unique and high quality take on the genre.
missquiss's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jackiehorne's review
5.0
See an interesting post about another reader's response to the book:
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blogspot.com/2013/11/challenge-romance-doubter.html
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blogspot.com/2013/11/challenge-romance-doubter.html