Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

128 reviews

jei_reads_sometimes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Grief, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Kidnapping, Ableism, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

lilac_rose's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book made me happy and I'm not going to expand on that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Ableism

Moderate: Transphobia and Deadnaming

Minor: Sexual assault

mobymaize's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It was really nice to read a regency era romance novel, a genre I don’t typically consume, with a trans woman protagonist, a person just like me :) 

ALSO HOLY FUCK THERE IS SOMETHING INCREDIBLE & HOT ABOUT FALLING IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHERS WORDS. also HOLY SHIT THE SEX SCENE!!!!!!!!!! absolutely magnificent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, War, Classism, Death of parent, Outing, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Body shaming, Alcohol, Addiction, Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Gun violence

bluejay21's review

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Ableism and Drug use

annacs's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Ableism

Moderate: War and Kidnapping

Minor: Child abuse

maggies's review against another edition

emotional hopeful slow-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? No

2.0

Oh dear. I really really wanted to like this book. It ticks so many boxes for me and all other Alexis Hall books I've read have been real winners. But it was just so slow and long. Easily could have been 25% shorter. I honestly thought, at the part where

Viola's "secret" was revealed to Gracewood

, that was the primary conflict, and I was shocked to find that was only about 30% through the book. Everything prior had felt much much longer, likely because nothing happened. Viola and Gracewood's internal monologues became tiresome after repeating the same thoughts and feelings over and over again. And finally, by some combination of the written dialogue and the audiobook narration, most of the women ended up sounding whiny and pathetic to me, and it was very off-putting. Perhaps my experience would have been different if I'd read instead of listened, but I don't believe substantially. Ultimately I pushed through because, like I said, Hall has been reliable for me in the past, but this one didn't work for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief

Moderate: Transphobia, Violence, Classism, Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, War, and Ableism

robin_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

1.0

This is the first book by Alexis Hall I truly neither liked nor enjoyed, which hurts my heart. 
It was very long, the pacing was odd and soooo much was happening. The connection between Viola and Gracewood just wasn’t there for me. 
I did like the queerness and the historical aspect but that’s about it, unfortunately. 
However, the narration of the audiobook wasn’t for me either. 

Additional TW/CW: PTSD and flashbacks 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Drug use, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Ableism, Gaslighting, Sexism, and War

Minor: Vomit

kingcrookback's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I enjoyed this! I appreciate how Hall decided not to make Viola being trans the central conflict and instead focused on gender and gendered expectations. (Although, being the anxious person I am, I spent a lot of time worried that that would happen to Viola. That's entirely on me, though.) The yearning and tension were so good, and I enjoyed both Viola and Gracewood as characters both grappling with the internalized prejudices that they've been steeped in.

This isn't a critique of the book so much as me working out my preferences and how the book aligned with them. I'm still at the beginning of my foray into romance, and while I think some combination of LGBTQ+ and "not contemporary" are more my speed, I don't think I really hit my stride with this one. While I enjoyed the characters' introspection, I think I personally need more plot to keep me fully engaged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Ableism, War, and Deadnaming

Minor: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Transphobia

lisacanteven's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is really more of a 3.5 read without rounding up, but I think because of the wonderful representation in a genre like this it deserves rounding up to a 4.

Here's where it didn't work for me: Almost 400 pages were telling a beautiful story with lovely writing and great character development. Then it took a hard left turn somewhere just south of page 400, and we were taken on a totally different ride on a trip I did not sign up for. It wasn't a bad trip, but it wasn't the one I wanted to be on. Maybe another time I would have enjoyed the trip, but I was ready for the trip I already had to be finished. Ya getting me?

Then for a few pages just north of page 400 the story got a little patriarchal outta nowhere. I didn't really expect that one person to just excuse the other person's behavior like they used the wrong fork at fancy dinner. If you read it, think about it. How did they just get away with it, but that is kinda how it usually happens because patriarchy.

Just as I was building my case against the villain's terrible redemption arc, the ending came together in a way that did satisfy me. I mean no one took down patriarchy in this book, but maybe that wasn't the point.

Here's what did work for me: The trans representation was really nice and sweet. I thought it was the perfect blend of trans joy and trans realness. You do have to suspend your disbelief and let yourself enjoy the relationship, but experiencing the trans joy through the story is worth it. For that alone this book was worth the read despite its flaws.

TL;DR- The first 400 pages will seem very laborious, but the last 50 pages will flash before your eyes like you're fast forwarding a movie. Both these parts of the story are enjoyable in their own right, but when put together they make a confusing tale. The queer, specifically trans, representation only gave the story more depth and attachment. For that achievement this story has earned its place among must-read romance books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Ableism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Minor: Body shaming, Abandonment, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and War

reniareads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Vomit and Transphobia

Minor: Biphobia