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bbtea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I also LOVEEEEEEEEE the characters so much. Hetty and Benjy have my entire heart and I care about them so much. Their dynamic was so easy and sweet and realistic and endearing. I wanted them to succeed at all times, cheering them on from my seat in reality.
My main gripes really come in two things—
1. I think the book is a little too long? I think it could 100 or more pages shorter, especially since the beginning is kind of…slow.
2. The solution to the overarching mystery fell kind of…flat for me? Which was disappointing to me personally, but didn’t ruin the overall finale. I felt satisfied and also looking forward to experiencing the sequel.
Overall, I highly recommend it!
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Violence
cj13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content and Slavery
y3shua's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism
saemiligr's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Racism
sadgirlsidney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I think Bahni Turpin might be my favorite audiobook narrator. They do such a good job at voicing individual characters, it's just so good to listen to.
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Domestic abuse
rachelreadsrelentlessly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Murder and Racism
lashette's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Rape
rorikae's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Hetty and her husband Benjy were once Underground Railroad conductors but they have traded that life for solving mysteries in Philadelphia. When one of their acquaintances turns up dead and with a cursed sigil on his body, they are pulled into a murder mystery that has them questioning their own friends.
'The Conductors' is an engaging murder mystery that suffers from some pacing issues. The mystery at the heart of the story is intriguing, especially as it is used as a vehicle to learn more about Hetty, Benjy, and their friends. Many of the chapters feel a bit disjointed as some are very long and cover Hetty moving from place to place, while others are much shorter and encompass only one scene. The stakes were there for the mystery but they never felt particularly high. Even so, it was a relatively engaging read that kept me reading. The two best parts of this story are the characters and the magic. Hetty and Benjy, along with their relationship, are what cement this story and it works well. Peeks into Hetty's past and her search for her sister do a great job of fleshing her out and making the reader care for her. The Celestial magic in this story is also really intriguing and something that I hope to learn more about in book two. Mostly, I think where this book suffers it only suffers from being a debut and with her character and worldbuilding work, I have faith that Glover's books will only get better. I will be picking up book two as I am interested in seeing where Hetty and Benjy go next and how their relationship continues to blossom.
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Racism, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Slavery and Domestic abuse
karcitis's review
- 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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: War, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Blood, Addiction, Bullying, and Gore
Minor: Sexism, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Infidelity, Infertility, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
owlstory's review
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Murder and Death
Minor: Blood, Death, Murder, Rape, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, and Miscarriage
As the book's main character is a former slave and was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, any historical context, including the horrible ways enslaved people were treated, is included in this book. Generational trauma related to slavery is a theme from the book.