Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - A Casa de Eva

It is very clear that Mrs.Johnson does VERY THROUGH research when writing historical fiction and are we not truly thankful for that?

Again, I am stunned. ‘Yellow Wife’ made me a fan but ‘The House of Eve’ has made me a Stan 😩. This story was beautiful, but heartbreaking. I felt for Eleanor but Ruby, I wanted to embrace her in a way her mother couldn’t.

This has been my best read so far this year. Can’t wait for what Mrs.Johnson has in store for us next…

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smkelly1997's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

I was continuously drawn in throughout this book. It was hard to but down, heartbreaking, and yet an amazing read. I loved the intertwining and parallels between Ruby and Eleanor.

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gelslitreviews's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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eleasereads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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chailady's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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 loved Yellow Wife by this author, but this one felt flat. The best part was the author’s notes and acknowledgements. It is there the reader really understands the author’s purpose. I love the character of Ruby; she was real. Eleanor felt more forced and flat. And William and his mother were so annoying.
The story is good, the characters were so-so, but the ending was surprisingly good.
Also, this book had similar feels to The Home for Unwanted Girls, by Joanna Goodman, When I First Held You, by Anstey Harris, and Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. All four books use dual timelines/characters to convey their very similar themes: forced institutionalism, adoption, poverty, sexism, unwed mothers, etc. if you liked The House of Eve, I recommend reading the others.

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rainbowarkin's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-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? No

4.0

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bendercath's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad 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

I loved “The Yellow Wife” and found that I continue to ponder it long after finishing it. For this reason, I was extremely excited to read this book. Like TYW, the author is superb at developing characters that are believable and deeply real. Also, she does an excellent job at researching the time period and places where the story is set. I learned so much! This book made me realize how much we take for granted that women have had choices (or at least they did until recently!) regarding their reproductive freedom.

The only criticism for me was the ending

which felt rushed and too shrouded in deceit. I wanted Ruby to be redeemed through the truth. Eleanor came clean with her mother and mother-in-law … which perhaps is the reality of wealth and privilege … but it made me squirm that Willa was so blatantly lied to (in the epilogue). Ruby did not get her moment of redemption for her sacrifice. She got her degree but was left without her child, boyfriend, and no real love from her own mother.

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fairytalefootnotes's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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