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bookish_cam27's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book was slow to start but the plot picked up and became very engaging with time. I found this book to be v e r y YA, but it was entertaining nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Minor: Sexual content
meganmsmart's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I feel like if Jamison had been left out entirely and the story was reworked into a psychological horror/thriller novel, it would have made the book so much more interesting. I didn't feel any chemistry between Luxe and Jamison and he had very little impact on the overall plot.
I thought the magic system was very interesting, with the different ideas and checks and balances. However I felt the book was a letdown on the 1920s prohibition era atmosphere. The prohibition was just a plot device, and other than very occasional slang, the way people spoke didn't sound out of place with modern day. While I love sapphic characters and rep, one of the side characters openly entering a wlw relationship I doubt would just be laughed off and thought of as cute? Inserting 2020s considerably more open acceptance into a novel set a century ago just makes it feel like the time period was picked for aesthetics and as a plot initiator, without any actual care for the ideals and perspectives prevalent at the time.
I kept going and finished because it was vaguely enjoyable, but overall just feel let down by the wasted concept. With Jamison removed and the genre tweaked, I think it could be a much stronger story and cut out at least 100 unneeded pages.
I thought the magic system was very interesting, with the different ideas and checks and balances. However I felt the book was a letdown on the 1920s prohibition era atmosphere. The prohibition was just a plot device, and other than very occasional slang, the way people spoke didn't sound out of place with modern day. While I love sapphic characters and rep, one of the side characters openly entering a wlw relationship I doubt would just be laughed off and thought of as cute? Inserting 2020s considerably more open acceptance into a novel set a century ago just makes it feel like the time period was picked for aesthetics and as a plot initiator, without any actual care for the ideals and perspectives prevalent at the time.
I kept going and finished because it was vaguely enjoyable, but overall just feel let down by the wasted concept. With Jamison removed and the genre tweaked, I think it could be a much stronger story and cut out at least 100 unneeded pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Child abuse, Racism, Child death, and Death of parent
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