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18soft_green's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4/5
I enjoyed this story though not as much as I enjoyed the first book. It was funny, the plot was entertaining enough, the characters were complex for the most part.
I like that the story centers the feminine characters without making it a girlboss situation and actually shows some of the toxicity with that mindset while still supporting women's agency. I also really loved how it showed that women are important and strong even though society doesn't give them the freedom to be independent. I didn't like how Maud and Violet's relationship starts but I think that's just a preference.
Violet is an interesting character but also one of my least favorite types of characters. Her independent woman with no deep feelings performance is exhausting but that's kind of the point. Maud is fun except her innocence felt kind of forced. But then again, this is the 19th century where women legit didn't get to learn about sex and stuff until after they were married. I love Hawthorn and am curious about Ross.
The sex scenes were awesome! I like how realistic they were about the mechanics of sex and dialogue, the jokes and awkwardness. I like how Maud was new to it but excited and interested so we got a whole scene in safety. I like how the scene was hot but not in a fantastical way and descriptive while also being practical. I love Marske's writing style so much! It's so difficult to find a sapphic story that's smutty but not written for men or perfect the act but is also intimate.
I didn't like how the story kind of particularizes Maud and Robin like their individuality and personness is something that runs in the family and they're just saints among humans but it doesn't go too over the top with it. Maybe that's just because that's how people treat my family so I want to smash it instead of observing that it's just art depicting life? Idk, it's weird.
4/5 Like this story, would recommend
I enjoyed this story though not as much as I enjoyed the first book. It was funny, the plot was entertaining enough, the characters were complex for the most part.
I like that the story centers the feminine characters without making it a girlboss situation and actually shows some of the toxicity with that mindset while still supporting women's agency. I also really loved how it showed that women are important and strong even though society doesn't give them the freedom to be independent. I didn't like how Maud and Violet's relationship starts but I think that's just a preference.
Violet is an interesting character but also one of my least favorite types of characters. Her independent woman with no deep feelings performance is exhausting but that's kind of the point. Maud is fun except her innocence felt kind of forced. But then again, this is the 19th century where women legit didn't get to learn about sex and stuff until after they were married. I love Hawthorn and am curious about Ross.
The sex scenes were awesome! I like how realistic they were about the mechanics of sex and dialogue, the jokes and awkwardness. I like how Maud was new to it but excited and interested so we got a whole scene in safety. I like how the scene was hot but not in a fantastical way and descriptive while also being practical. I love Marske's writing style so much! It's so difficult to find a sapphic story that's smutty but not written for men or perfect the act but is also intimate.
I didn't like how the story kind of particularizes Maud and Robin like their individuality and personness is something that runs in the family and they're just saints among humans but it doesn't go too over the top with it. Maybe that's just because that's how people treat my family so I want to smash it instead of observing that it's just art depicting life? Idk, it's weird.
4/5 Like this story, would recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, and Grief
lgoconno's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood
raptorq's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Murder
imds's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent
amyalwaysbooked's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
Another lovely book in The Last Binding series!
Following Robin's younger sister Maud, we find ourselves on an ocean liner, traveling from America to England. Maud is on board to find and secure the second piece of The Contract. She's naïve and a bit sheltered, but she's also stubborn as hell which aids her on her quest. She acquires the help of Violet, a young woman very much ruined, but returning to England to claim a surprise inheritance. Sparks fly as the two get to know one another and the mystery builds.
I enjoyed the character work in this one. Maud is one of my favorite sorts of female protagonists. She's stubborn and immensely kind, and willing to do the hard things if it's what is right. She's the kind of person that convinces the people who have hardened their hearts for one reason or another (I'm looking at you Violet and Hawthorn) to open up again even if only a little. Violet was lovely too. She was brash and bold, taking what she wants while still being incredibly vulnerable on the inside. Her story doesn't yet feel complete, so I hope that we will see more of her in the next installment.
I would say my one complaint is that things wrapped up too quickly. The villains gave up too easily and the heroes win doesn't feel completely earned. It's a nitpicky thing, but one that made me drop my review from five to four stars.
I'm still looking forward to the next book, as I'm incredibly curious about how Hawthorn and Ross's relationship will play out.
Following Robin's younger sister Maud, we find ourselves on an ocean liner, traveling from America to England. Maud is on board to find and secure the second piece of The Contract. She's naïve and a bit sheltered, but she's also stubborn as hell which aids her on her quest. She acquires the help of Violet, a young woman very much ruined, but returning to England to claim a surprise inheritance. Sparks fly as the two get to know one another and the mystery builds.
I enjoyed the character work in this one. Maud is one of my favorite sorts of female protagonists. She's stubborn and immensely kind, and willing to do the hard things if it's what is right. She's the kind of person that convinces the people who have hardened their hearts for one reason or another (I'm looking at you Violet and Hawthorn) to open up again even if only a little. Violet was lovely too. She was brash and bold, taking what she wants while still being incredibly vulnerable on the inside. Her story doesn't yet feel complete, so I hope that we will see more of her in the next installment.
I would say my one complaint is that things wrapped up too quickly. The villains gave up too easily and the heroes win doesn't feel completely earned. It's a nitpicky thing, but one that made me drop my review from five to four stars.
I'm still looking forward to the next book, as I'm incredibly curious about how Hawthorn and Ross's relationship will play out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood
thecourtofreading's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
as usual, i still prefer the first book. that shit slapped. this one also slapped, but considerably less than the first one slapped. violet was definitely my favourite, even from the beginning. she was really amusing and funny and i loved her sort of friendship with hawthorn. also the fact that this took place on a ship as well added a nice dynamic that i liked actually, and it was nice to be back in this world and read about familiar and unfamiliar characters again. it seems like the third book is going to be about hawthorn, which is exciting because i'm now wondering how this whole thing is going to wrap up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Violence and Blood
Minor: Vomit and Sexual harassment
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A witty and enchanting follow-up, A RESTLESS TRUTH follows Maud Blyth as she tries to secure a piece of the Last Contract.
This continues the general mission of collecting the pieces of the Last Contract and securing them to protect the other magicians of Britain, it also follows Maud (Robin's sister) who briefly appeared in A MARVELLOUS LIGHT. It doesn't completely wrap up anything left hanging from the first book, but it does move forward on a variety of plot points in a way that's suitable for the second book in a trilogy. There's an entirely new storyline related to Maud and Violet, as well as the mostly self-contained issue of the murder and Last Contract piece on the cruise ship. The restricted location makes this feel like a bottle episode in a way I wasn't expecting but is pleasant to read. Oftentimes the middle book in a trilogy can feel a bit neglected, existing only to bridge between the beginning and the finale, but partly because it changed narrators and has an entirely new location this feels fresh and can almost entirely stand on its own. Several major things are introduced and resolved, including but not limited to the immediate issue of figuring out who committed the murder and how to keep them from achieving their broader aims.
The plot is a mix of complicated hijinks and social navigation as they try to find a missing item and solve a murder, all while avoiding the attention of the culprits even when they haven't yet figured out who is involved. This would mostly make sense to someone who hadn't read the first book, the relevant backstory is explained as needed and generally avoids feeling like infodumping. The corollary is that it doesn't spend much time explaining what happened in the first book, since at a certain point that isn't crucial to Maud's experience since it happened to her brother instead of her. Maud and Violet are new narrators to the series, and their perspectives feel very distinct. Violet is guarded even in her own head, in a way that means I came away understanding the shape of her reticence more than the details of her history.
Maud and Violet's relationship has a lot of care and deliberate exploration of them as people. Maud wants to know everything about Violet, but Violet is a much more guarded person and isn't ready to show more of herself to someone she just met a few days ago. I appreciate how their levels of physical and emotionally intimacy are treated as two distinct things, both needing attention but not necessarily lining up precisely.
My favorite character is Lord Hawthorn (due mostly to my personal preferences and not implying any fault with the others), I was excited to see him playing more of a role here than he did in the first book, and I'm very hyped for the forthcoming third book which stars him and Alan Ross.
This continues the general mission of collecting the pieces of the Last Contract and securing them to protect the other magicians of Britain, it also follows Maud (Robin's sister) who briefly appeared in A MARVELLOUS LIGHT. It doesn't completely wrap up anything left hanging from the first book, but it does move forward on a variety of plot points in a way that's suitable for the second book in a trilogy. There's an entirely new storyline related to Maud and Violet, as well as the mostly self-contained issue of the murder and Last Contract piece on the cruise ship. The restricted location makes this feel like a bottle episode in a way I wasn't expecting but is pleasant to read. Oftentimes the middle book in a trilogy can feel a bit neglected, existing only to bridge between the beginning and the finale, but partly because it changed narrators and has an entirely new location this feels fresh and can almost entirely stand on its own. Several major things are introduced and resolved, including but not limited to the immediate issue of figuring out who committed the murder and how to keep them from achieving their broader aims.
The plot is a mix of complicated hijinks and social navigation as they try to find a missing item and solve a murder, all while avoiding the attention of the culprits even when they haven't yet figured out who is involved. This would mostly make sense to someone who hadn't read the first book, the relevant backstory is explained as needed and generally avoids feeling like infodumping. The corollary is that it doesn't spend much time explaining what happened in the first book, since at a certain point that isn't crucial to Maud's experience since it happened to her brother instead of her. Maud and Violet are new narrators to the series, and their perspectives feel very distinct. Violet is guarded even in her own head, in a way that means I came away understanding the shape of her reticence more than the details of her history.
Maud and Violet's relationship has a lot of care and deliberate exploration of them as people. Maud wants to know everything about Violet, but Violet is a much more guarded person and isn't ready to show more of herself to someone she just met a few days ago. I appreciate how their levels of physical and emotionally intimacy are treated as two distinct things, both needing attention but not necessarily lining up precisely.
My favorite character is Lord Hawthorn (due mostly to my personal preferences and not implying any fault with the others), I was excited to see him playing more of a role here than he did in the first book, and I'm very hyped for the forthcoming third book which stars him and Alan Ross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Mental illness, Slavery, Suicide, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
wilybooklover's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
While this didn’t quite live up to the first book for me, I still found it gorgeously enchanting. Freya Marske’s prose is as lush and evocative as ever. Sometimes beautiful prose can get in the way of the narrative and leave the reader (at least, this reader) confused about what’s actually going on, but this was eminently readable.
I’ve found that many sapphic romances are lacking in the tension and sexiness that you find in other romances — not so in this book! This book was delightfully horny. Violet and Maud are both deeply flawed and almost mirror images of each other, in a way; where Maud is naive on the surface and unwaveringly strong inside, Violet is confident and sophisticated on the outside but soft and scared on the inside. I especially loved Violet’s characterisation: how she used illusion and artifice as a shield, how she was all defensive sharp edges whenever someone tried to get close to the real Violet, which in turn made it all the sweeter when she dropped those defences and let Maud in. Their story ends on a very satisfactory HFN note that felt right for the characters and their short acquaintance.
While I missed the magical houses and murderous mazes of the first book, I did enjoy the ship setting, and I thought the magical world and its rules were deftly expanded. The reveal at 50%, that Maud is a medium was a really fun addition and took me by genuine surprise. The mystery was fun and engaging, mostly due to the hijinks and banter of Maud’s assembled group of investigators but also in part to some very creepy villains. The comparison to Knives Out was a very apt one.
I think (hope!) that the next book will feature Hawthorn and Ross, because they both made fantastic side characters in this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
patchy_at_best's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Torture
kal1namal1na's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.5
Honestly just TREMENDOUSLY fun and a blast to read. The characters and how they bounced off one another were delightful, and I would honestly read a whole series of just Maud solving mysteries with her resigned retinue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Murder