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mementowori's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This broke me. I listened as an audiobook in work, and my colleague had to check in on me several times to make sure I was okay because I was chronically sad! Sadness, anger and frustration were circulating in me throughout. Amanda Dahl as narrator added something for me that I don't think I would have felt in physical format. Her voice coupled with the narrative was poetic and beautiful, so so hopeful, and yet...
I won't spoil the book but just know that while a tale of the past, you definitely can see the similarities to the struggles faced by women still. I was frustrated at the author for piling in so much grief, but at the same time, that's all part of the story. That's what happened, and acknowledge that is my problem, not the author's. It was beautiful.
I won't spoil the book but just know that while a tale of the past, you definitely can see the similarities to the struggles faced by women still. I was frustrated at the author for piling in so much grief, but at the same time, that's all part of the story. That's what happened, and acknowledge that is my problem, not the author's. It was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Grief
Moderate: War, Sexism, Drug use, Torture, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Murder, Miscarriage, and Pandemic/Epidemic
_inge_'s review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book made me feel dejected for all the horrible things humans do to each other. Part of why the book succeeded in making me feel this way is that it was quite realistic and it references real historical figures from the suffragette movement. It also made me reflect at how far we've come in some ways, but also how slow it's going in other ways and other parts of the world.
The story stays engaging from the beginning to the end. Lots of things happen, everything ties together. It is told in a way that propels you forward and that makes it a fast read. Really impressive debut.
Award for most powerful last line:
The story stays engaging from the beginning to the end. Lots of things happen, everything ties together. It is told in a way that propels you forward and that makes it a fast read. Really impressive debut.
Award for most powerful last line:
'Grandpa. Who's Lotta Rae?'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
secre's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
This is one of those books that is both heart breaking and absolutely enthralling and I found myself absolutely caught by it from beginning to end. The writing was vivid and beautifully done, the time period and place were captured perfectly and the events of the novel built up in such a way that I did not see some of the hammers falling until they dropped.
This is a historic tale of the imbalance between the genders and how the power held by men can be used in brutal and unjust manners. It's beautiful, tragic and haunting. One violent act spills over and ruins multiple lives over decades, each one a cascading pin that rebounds to the next. And yet, the actual trial is over and done with very quickly. But that one act and the miscarriage of justice turns into something far wider and deeper.
This is a dark book in many ways, but it doesn't revel in the misery. It explores the misogyny and power imbalances of the time in both a personal and wider societal framework, touching on a number of lives in the process. Amazingly, each and every one of them come to life through the pages. It touches on some important moments in history; the suffragette movement and World War I being the key contenders. These are woven into the fictional narrative with skill and dexterity, highlighting the impact on the characters lives.
It twists and turns, capturing the choices both bad and good that can make or destroy lives. It's thoughtful and contemplative at points, deeply tragic and sad at others. And yet it is a masterpiece of writing that is both compelling and haunting. It is certainly a novel that will stay in my mind for some time to come.
This is a historic tale of the imbalance between the genders and how the power held by men can be used in brutal and unjust manners. It's beautiful, tragic and haunting. One violent act spills over and ruins multiple lives over decades, each one a cascading pin that rebounds to the next. And yet, the actual trial is over and done with very quickly. But that one act and the miscarriage of justice turns into something far wider and deeper.
This is a dark book in many ways, but it doesn't revel in the misery. It explores the misogyny and power imbalances of the time in both a personal and wider societal framework, touching on a number of lives in the process. Amazingly, each and every one of them come to life through the pages. It touches on some important moments in history; the suffragette movement and World War I being the key contenders. These are woven into the fictional narrative with skill and dexterity, highlighting the impact on the characters lives.
It twists and turns, capturing the choices both bad and good that can make or destroy lives. It's thoughtful and contemplative at points, deeply tragic and sad at others. And yet it is a masterpiece of writing that is both compelling and haunting. It is certainly a novel that will stay in my mind for some time to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, Mental illness, and Death of parent
adelheid's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Addiction, Grief, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Self harm, War, and Police brutality
Minor: Alcohol
lozababe's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a book! To say that I enjoyed it wouldn’t quite feel right given the subjects in this book. It was an extremely powerful read and tackled a lot of sad subjects.
The book is written in both first person narrative from the view of Charlotte or Lotta Rae, and the third person for William Linden. It is set in the early 1900s and seems to be pretty well written and researched for that time. Their lives intertwine after William becomes Lotta’s lawyer when she takes a gentleman to court after she is sexually assaulted. With the era that it is set in, it’s not hard to guess the outcome of the case, but from then on it seems that the lives and fates of Lotta and William are tangled together forever.
Lotta’s life seems to be filled with more and more tragedies while William seems to have a lot of luck in his life and career and although he thinks of Lotta, she doesn’t have much of an impact on his life… until she meets his son, Raff. While William doesn’t approve, Raff and Lotta become closer and closer making William uneasy about Lotta being back in his life.
It was interesting to read this book and I sometimes forgot when it was set. But it was interesting to learn about the suffragette movement as if I was taking part in it, the horrors of World War I and even touching upon the Spanish Flu pandemic. This was a really good historical book, and it showed just how much a woman was made to endure throughout her life. Thank you to Siobhan MacGowan and Pigeonhole for allowing me to read this wonderfully written but extremely sad book.
The book is written in both first person narrative from the view of Charlotte or Lotta Rae, and the third person for William Linden. It is set in the early 1900s and seems to be pretty well written and researched for that time. Their lives intertwine after William becomes Lotta’s lawyer when she takes a gentleman to court after she is sexually assaulted. With the era that it is set in, it’s not hard to guess the outcome of the case, but from then on it seems that the lives and fates of Lotta and William are tangled together forever.
Lotta’s life seems to be filled with more and more tragedies while William seems to have a lot of luck in his life and career and although he thinks of Lotta, she doesn’t have much of an impact on his life… until she meets his son, Raff. While William doesn’t approve, Raff and Lotta become closer and closer making William uneasy about Lotta being back in his life.
It was interesting to read this book and I sometimes forgot when it was set. But it was interesting to learn about the suffragette movement as if I was taking part in it, the horrors of World War I and even touching upon the Spanish Flu pandemic. This was a really good historical book, and it showed just how much a woman was made to endure throughout her life. Thank you to Siobhan MacGowan and Pigeonhole for allowing me to read this wonderfully written but extremely sad book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Police brutality, Rape, and Sexual assault
anapthine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Gore, Gaslighting, Death, Suicide, Rape, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexism, Drug use, Confinement, Torture, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
bookswithruby's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Sexual violence, War, Suicide, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization
the_prickly_reader's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Police brutality, Death, Murder, Addiction, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Rape
Minor: Miscarriage, Police brutality, and War
bookphenomena_micky's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Headlines:
Tragedy on tragedy
Compelling feminist era of history
Miscarriages of justice
I am all wrung out on finishing The Trial of Lotta Rae. This historical read was compelling from front to back, it made me feel so many things and most of my emotions at the events in this book centred on anger, frustration and sadness. The story is incredibly tragic but it is also important. Content warnings below.
I thought the trial from the title would be the centre of the book, but actually it was early in the story but a crucial catalyst for the events that came after. Essentially, this book was about men and women, men's power over women in the era before and during suffrage and ultimately a personal tale of that experience. Lotta was such a complex character to unravel. She was abused, bereaved, a fighter, manipulative and a feminist. There were very few good men in her life but Pap and Raff were such amazing advocated for her and women in her situation, I lived for their words and support in this.
William. What can I say but that this man's story unfurled slowly and insiduously. It took the whole book to find out the depth of what he had done and I found myself ultimately shocked. It was initally strange to me that William became worse than 'The Man'. Talking of which, I wanted a bit more wrap up on what happened to that particular piece of disgusting human.
This story gave me all the feels, many of which were uncomfortable. From suffrage to the personal stories, I experienced it as a bystander and raged. This debut was excellent and I highly recommend this book to all feminists and historical fiction fans.
Thank you Welbeck Publishing for the review copy.
Tragedy on tragedy
Compelling feminist era of history
Miscarriages of justice
I am all wrung out on finishing The Trial of Lotta Rae. This historical read was compelling from front to back, it made me feel so many things and most of my emotions at the events in this book centred on anger, frustration and sadness. The story is incredibly tragic but it is also important. Content warnings below.
I thought the trial from the title would be the centre of the book, but actually it was early in the story but a crucial catalyst for the events that came after. Essentially, this book was about men and women, men's power over women in the era before and during suffrage and ultimately a personal tale of that experience. Lotta was such a complex character to unravel. She was abused, bereaved, a fighter, manipulative and a feminist. There were very few good men in her life but Pap and Raff were such amazing advocated for her and women in her situation, I lived for their words and support in this.
William. What can I say but that this man's story unfurled slowly and insiduously. It took the whole book to find out the depth of what he had done and I found myself ultimately shocked. It was initally strange to me that William became worse than 'The Man'. Talking of which, I wanted a bit more wrap up on what happened to that particular piece of disgusting human.
This story gave me all the feels, many of which were uncomfortable. From suffrage to the personal stories, I experienced it as a bystander and raged. This debut was excellent and I highly recommend this book to all feminists and historical fiction fans.
Thank you Welbeck Publishing for the review copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Misogyny
Moderate: War
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