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cj13's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content and Slavery
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed The Conductors, Nicole Glover's debut novel following a married couple, Hetty and Benjy, former Underground Railroad conductors solving a mystery in post-Civil War Philadelphia. I loved the contrasting magical systems in this book, particularly the celestial sigil-based magic utilized by Hetty, Benjy, and several other characters. The inclusion of brief interludes which flash back to Hetty and Benjy's time working in the Underground Railroad were an effective way to include important background to the story, and I love Hetty as a character -- smart, determined, skilled, witty -- and can't wait to read more about her in future books. I did find that the pacing was a bit inconsistent (a little bit of 'info dump' at the beginning explaining who's who before the plot really gets going), and a few of the red herrings along the way to solving the mystery weren't quite convincing; however, this was more than made up for by Glover's incredible character development and, even more specifically, relationship development. Hetty and Benjy's relationship dynamic and their milieu felt very real to me, as the complicated relationships between the various secondary characters was really well established over the course of the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Murder, Slavery, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, and Racial slurs
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Domestic abuse
erinsbookshelves's review
challenging
dark
slow-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Torture, and Medical content
Minor: Abortion and Infertility
emileereadsbooks's review
dark
mysterious
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
3.25
Thank you Libro.fm, HMH Books and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted book.
I am a big fan of Civil War and Reconstruction Era novels, so I was immediately drawn to this one when I heard about it. And although it leans more fantastical than I normally prefer, I enjoyed it while still not completely understanding the magic or how it works. I liked how it wove together the realities of slavery and post Civil War with this magical world. Hetty and her husband are both former enslaved people who were conductors of the underground railroad. Now they live in Philadelphia and have become de facto detectives when they find one of their friends who is a part of Philadelphia's elite society murdered. They have to use their brains, their magic, and their community to figure out what is going on.
I will say that it did take me about 30% of the book before I became really invested in the story. You can tell that the author had a lot she wanted to say through this book, and at times it felt a bit heavy on explanation rather than heavy on plot. That being said, there is a sequel to this one coming and I most likely will check it out to see if that pacing improves.
I am a big fan of Civil War and Reconstruction Era novels, so I was immediately drawn to this one when I heard about it. And although it leans more fantastical than I normally prefer, I enjoyed it while still not completely understanding the magic or how it works. I liked how it wove together the realities of slavery and post Civil War with this magical world. Hetty and her husband are both former enslaved people who were conductors of the underground railroad. Now they live in Philadelphia and have become de facto detectives when they find one of their friends who is a part of Philadelphia's elite society murdered. They have to use their brains, their magic, and their community to figure out what is going on.
I will say that it did take me about 30% of the book before I became really invested in the story. You can tell that the author had a lot she wanted to say through this book, and at times it felt a bit heavy on explanation rather than heavy on plot. That being said, there is a sequel to this one coming and I most likely will check it out to see if that pacing improves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Medical content
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
Okay, first off, I loved this one on audio! The narrator did a fantastic job bringing Hetty’s voice to life and it kept me hooked the whole time.
Secondly, this book has a lot of elements to it, but I think it’s primarily a mystery story. There’s not a ton of world-building or explanation as to how this magic works, and it’s not the main focus. It’s more like Hetty is a detective who happens to do magic also. I would have liked a bit more exploration into the magic side, but I think the story still works as it is. Just don’t go into it expecting a big fantasy story.
The characters are all great but I especially loved Hetty and her relationship with Benjy. We get flashbacks throughout the story of Hetty’s past and their history together, and I loved slowly learning their story at the same time that Hetty is discovering new feelings and truths about herself in the present. I’m a fan of this romance 😍
This book does end neatly (no cliffhanger), so I was excited to learn there will be a sequel out later this year! I will definitely be reading it because I want more Hetty and Benjy 🙌🏼
Thank you to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC!
Read if you like: historical fiction, mysteries, detective duos, Philly.
Secondly, this book has a lot of elements to it, but I think it’s primarily a mystery story. There’s not a ton of world-building or explanation as to how this magic works, and it’s not the main focus. It’s more like Hetty is a detective who happens to do magic also. I would have liked a bit more exploration into the magic side, but I think the story still works as it is. Just don’t go into it expecting a big fantasy story.
The characters are all great but I especially loved Hetty and her relationship with Benjy. We get flashbacks throughout the story of Hetty’s past and their history together, and I loved slowly learning their story at the same time that Hetty is discovering new feelings and truths about herself in the present. I’m a fan of this romance 😍
This book does end neatly (no cliffhanger), so I was excited to learn there will be a sequel out later this year! I will definitely be reading it because I want more Hetty and Benjy 🙌🏼
Thank you to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC!
Read if you like: historical fiction, mysteries, detective duos, Philly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Murder, and Racism
Minor: Blood, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, and Violence
noreadingdegree's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? No
3.25
this was a breath of fresh air after reading a very frustrating and not enjoyable book. what really stood out to me was the characters and their relationships with one another. especially hetty and benjy! i loved the unraveling of their history and the progression of their relationship. i could read a 100 books about them! i also loved the emphasis on community and friendships throughout the novel. i found the atmosphere and magic very cozy and comforting which made for the perfect read during a winter storm. i really enjoyed those aspects, but i found the overall mystery/detective aspects a bit convoluted. with that being said, those aspects didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Medical content
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