Scan barcode
ali1311's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Racism
sauvageloup'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
3.5
pros:
- the writing flows well, is light and amusing and plows along with all Eddie' eagerness. I liked the banter and the dialogue, the descriptions were visual and conjured up vivid scenes, especially Saint Bede's island in the dark, Rose's appearance, the clothing, the crumbling house, etc.
- I really liked Eddie and Rose as main characters, and all the side characters are fleshed out and real, with all their depths and foibles.
- the characters of Kitty, Valentine, Dayo, Liza, Albert, etc. all had their own motivations and quirks, and their own relationship with the other characters, including Nash. Dayo's campaign to bring about abolition was a good inclusion, and we got to hear about Kitty's passion for painting, Albert's rabbits (a reoccurring joke that I nonetheless thought wholesome). Juno the dog was even a fun character in herself, though I rather expected her to dig up some ominous bone or get stuck or find a ghost in the forest.
- I liked the setting and the Regency time period, with the contrasts of different levels of proprietary and the dropping in of real historical people, like Shelley and Byron.
-
- I liked Eddie and Rose's different journeys and how they found themselves at different times. their friendship/budding romance was so well written, i loved the ebb and flow and the depiction of their tension, quarrels, intimacy, sexual attraction, forgiveness, etc. That was so well done.
cons:
- the start felt slow and a bit shallow. I didnt much like Eddie at all and it was all too Brigerton at that point. it really picked up for me as Eddie got drawn in and the stakes went up, with more dark edges to Nash and debauchery.
- I thought there was a real lack of resolution with Henry and Nash both. I wish Henry could have challenged Nate about the locket, his mother, and the assault. I felt it was glossed over that Nash sexually assaulted Henry, though that threat lingers in the latter half of the book against Eddie. It was left unclear whether anyone got shot with the pistol and I'm not sure Eddie got to see Henry after that. that was a bit of hanging loose end unless we're meant to think that Nash murdered Henry and just cleared him away, which doesn't seem likely, but if it was then....
- it's frustrating that Nash never got any more severe punishment for stealing Eddie's manuscript, lying, cheating on Liza, verbally abusing Eddie, nonconsensually kissing her, and force feeding her drugs... she should have slapped him at least, and then got him denounced in the papers. instead we get a lacklustre end note. guess I'm more vengeful but I definitely didnt feel he got taught any lesson!
but overall, this was a thrilling and gripping ride with great writing and I enjoyed it :)
Graphic: Animal death, Gaslighting, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Vomit, Blood, Classism, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Addiction, Death, and Grief
near drowningbooksandteatime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Drug use, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
emilo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Classism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Racism
internalnonsense's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
Minor: Racism, Murder, and Homophobia
anastasia_raf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Did I enjoy the book? Yes and no. Honestly being described as a queer romance feels a bit misleading?
It is queer and it has a little romance but it's also heavy. It explores women's stance in society, it LIGHTLY refers to colonialism and racism. It also refers to toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and the predatory "nature" of white cis men. Was all of it perfectly executed? No. But the message was delivered.
It felt a bit triggering for me reading a book where I could see myself- a young woman being misled and manipulated by a man. A queer person struggling to accept herself. I have read books that were more triggering and difficult but somehow with this book I felt like I was reliving the most ugly and hurtful moments of my life. Nash reminded me too much of someone dangerous and scary and I felt sickened by his appearance in the book. I didn't know it was going to be heavy (personally speaking always,) going into it but please be careful if you get triggered by such themes as well.
The writing was solid. The protagonists felt real enough. The side characters weren't explored as much as I wish they were. There was such chemistry between Rose and Eddie, I loved it. Would I have given Eddie as many chances as Rose gave her? Probably not, probably yes.
Do I believe Eddie is spoiled, single-minded, selfish and thoughtless towards the feelings of others? Yes. Do I believe she has the potential of growth? Also yes.
I truly liked Rose. I know she has spunk and I wanted to see more of it. Nonetheless she was an absolute delight.
I loved Dayo, Albert and occasionally Valentine, but as I said, they weren't greatly explored and their presence seemed "out of necessity" than actual contribution to the story.
The best way I can describe it, is as a semi-biography of an author. Of Eddie.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Homophobia, and Death
Minor: Slavery, Racism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Cursing, Colonisation, and Classism
jodiexmae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Grief, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Murder
fictionalportal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Massive content warning for multiple instances of non-consensual sexual advances and attempted sexual assault. There's also a very confusing sequence fueled by hallucinogenic mushrooms that really ruined the last part of the book for me. In short, the main character is coerced into doing shrooms, and then it's unclear whether she hallucinates being assaulted or if she's actually assaulted. Then she hallucinates the man who tried to assault her shooting someone who interfered during the incident. Tonally, it didn't fit at all with the rest of the book, and honestly it was a very upsetting turn for an otherwise very lighthearted and fun story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book up until the last 80 or so pages, including the lackluster epilogue. The book is very well written, the dialogue is compelling, and the characters have really strong voices, but it seemed like the author ran out of ideas for plot and needed to contrive a way to raise the stakes at the end. While there was character- and plot-based setup for the events that occurred in those last 80 pages, it didn't feel necessary to go that direction, and it really tarnished an otherwise very enjoyable read for me.
Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Classism, Gun violence, Alcohol, Misogyny, Drug abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Racism
internalized homophobia, hallucinationsheather_freshparchment's review
- 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 had mixed feelings about Lex Croucher's first book, but I am a sucker for Regency historical fiction, so I entered this book with a little bit of trepidation. I actually liked this one better! Eddie is a completely unlikeable main character and yet Croucher lets you feel close to her and care about her welfare - an incredible feat! The bacchanalia felt well-balanced by (mostly) sober daytime adventures, too, and the racial and sexual/gender diversity felt truer to Regency culture and still ring true to modern society. The brief references to real historical figures, like William Wilberforce and Mary Shelley and characters very much modeled on Anne Lister or who were probably influenced by Rousseau and Wollstonecraft kept me grounded in the period. The villain was a believable scoundrel (even if his last appearance was a bit melodramatic), and the heroine got to go on a very Austen-esque journey of self-discovery. A very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to more, if there will be more from this world.
Graphic: Infidelity, Drug use, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Murder
vrhayes08's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Drug use
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Death, Infidelity, and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Colonisation, Racism, and Classism