Scan barcode
hawkelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book unwinds melancholic through three parts, with the middle at the beginning, the beginning in the middle, and a POV change for the end, but I think it works. If you're fond of the backstory sections of Black Sails, you'll like this too. It takes place at the beginning of the machination of industry in England, though that has little to do with it. It's a love story, and a story about how power can be - and would be, was, and is - abused by the powerful and money hungry. It has a quiet sense of strength and preservation, and hope. It has its heavy moments, and for sure period typical homophobia, though, so check the cw.
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Classism, and Rape
Minor: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
r_gale'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? It's complicated
1.5
Struggeled though the rest of the book but didn't like the change in narrative more to know how it finished and even then I was underwhelmed.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
kaiiyo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Wonderful characters and beautifully evocative writing
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, and Murder
Minor: Classism
franticfreya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Physical abuse, Vomit, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual assault
prettycloud's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Outing, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Animal death
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexism, Kidnapping, Classism, Sexual content, Murder, and Body shaming
There are some really awful and messed-up characters in this book who have a lot of power in their classist, sexist society. The main protags make mistakes and are really angry and traumatized through a lot of this, but aren't doing any of the really awful stuff. They experience homophobia, emotional abuse/gaslighting, and physical abusemaeverose's review against another edition
TL;DR: I love the concept of this book so much, I really liked the romance, the writing style is hit and miss for me, why does everyone have to interrupt each other in every conversati—
The Romance
Writing
Plot Structure
Dislikes
There was also a plot point that was just dropped that I felt needed more explanation.
Alta annoyed me a bit but maybe that’s a me problem…
Graphic: Alcohol, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Homophobia, Murder, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Ableism, Blood, and Incest
Minor: Fatphobia, Slavery, Abandonment, and Cursing
There is one use of the slur for Romani people. Does the dog die:torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Body horror, Abandonment, Death, and Classism
geilie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Kidnapping, Classism, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Religious bigotry, and Violence
saramcaps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
It’s a really sweet against-all-odds love story by the end. However, I think that comes secondary to the moral dilemma of memory removal. It’s very Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but shows how power over memory would be weaponized by the elite and demonized by the masses. It’s ultimately a beautiful take on what stories are at their core.
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Animal death, Rape, and Suicide
Moderate: Violence and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol and Homophobia
geka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty