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hazel_oat's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Animal death, Medical content, Kidnapping, Violence, Abandonment, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Racism, Transphobia, Lesbophobia, and Slavery
blewballoon's review
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I'm giving this a 3 because I can see how it could work for the right reader, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. The fairy narrator's commentary is mostly what ruined my reading experience. I didn't find it funny or enhancing to the story, and it broke my immersion constantly. I feel like I can understand what it was going for, but it missed the mark in my opinion and as I was reading I wished it had been cut entirely. Due to the narration, I felt very removed from the human characters in the story and it was harder to get invested in them or their plot, which is paced erratically. In addition to the pacing feeling off, I thought the romance did as well. I did not feel the chemistry, and I didn't want these women to be together. It's lamp-shaded in the text that the Duke is a Byronic broody character, but she came off as dry and cold to me rather than mysterious and deep. I don't know if maybe this just needed some more time and editing, or I wasn't in the mood, but I didn't have the good time reading this that I had wanted to. I listened to the audiobook at 1.6 speed, if I had been reading it myself I probably would have taken weeks to finish because I wasn't into it. Still a big fan of Alexis Hall and I'll definitely be reading more of their books, just not more of this series probably.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Murder, Sexual content, Animal death, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Violence, Death of parent, Slavery, and Transphobia
biggshelf's review
The third party narration was initially an interesting concept, but it was not executed well and ended up detracting from the story. The character’s decisions were so flakey that because the perspective wasn’t in their head, and context didn’t explain it, they ended up feeling annoying. Any driving action or engaging scenes were discussed for longer on-page time then they were even shown to the reader. As soon as something cool would happen, the chapter would end.
The alternate history fantasy setting could’ve been so great, but amidst left-field mentions of slave trade and homo/transphobia and off-putting modern references, it was not nearly as fleshed out as it should’ve been to handle the topics well.
The writing style was not for me, I understand repetition for emphasis and humor but “she drank the concoction her mother concocted”?! Like how did that get through editing.
Believe it or not this is the abridged version of my review. This book could’ve been everything I needed in my life. Instead it became my worst enemy.
The alternate history fantasy setting could’ve been so great, but amidst left-field mentions of slave trade and homo/transphobia and off-putting modern references, it was not nearly as fleshed out as it should’ve been to handle the topics well.
The writing style was not for me, I understand repetition for emphasis and humor but “she drank the concoction her mother concocted”?! Like how did that get through editing.
Believe it or not this is the abridged version of my review. This book could’ve been everything I needed in my life. Instead it became my worst enemy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Racism and Slavery
artstitute's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Murder, Animal death, Terminal illness, and Blood
Minor: Rape, Death of parent, Transphobia, Sexual assault, and Slavery
kylieqrada's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Alexis Hall just does it for me. At least his Regency romances, I have yet to try a contemporary from him. This would certainly not work for everyone, but the humor hit for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Transphobia, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Slavery, Death of parent, and Racism
just_one_more_paige's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I believe I'm on a journey to slowly read through all of Alexis Hall's books - or at the very least all the ones that I can get access to through my US-based library system. I'd been looking forward to this one since pre-publication (that cover!, the witchy-fae vibes, the sapphic historical - regency, victorian, idk? - romance...all in all, yes please).
When suspiciously magical and not particularly enviable things start happening to Maelys Mitchelmore, like a dress unravelling as she's wearing it to an evening party and dessert turning to maggots in her mouth, her best friend, Miss Bickle, suggests that perhaps the cause is...supernatural. With very few alternate explanations, and no direct experience dealing with curses themselves, they turn to "less desirable" persons for help. In particular, the Duke of Annadale (the Lady Georgianna), reputed to be a witch because her family all died quickly and conveniently left her heir to a very large fortune. But as the women work together to find out more and break the curse on Miss Mitchelmore, they find out that perhaps the Duke of Annadale is unfairly accused. And in the process of facing down terrible magic and angered deities and all manner of other not-fit-for-ladies situations, Maelys and Georgianna must also face down their own feelings for each other.
If I'm being honest, this was a *little bit* of a mixed bag for me. First, the good stuff. Starting with the Prologue, and rolling all the way through the Acknowledgements and Author Bio, this is absolutely and without a doubt the most uniquely narrated book I’ve ever read. Robin, our disgraced and exiled hobgoblin narrator, was straight up hilarious and observationally sarcastic, but in a fantastically unreal/magical sort of perspective. Hall really took his normal (high quality) smart, sarcastic writing tone and stepped it up to an 11 here. #iykyk If I'm being honest, it was a lot. Like if you start reading this and the narration isn't for you, go ahead and stop. It doesn't let up. Personally, I thought it was great; the perfect type of eccentric. Plus, the combination of Hall's normal phenomenal banter, added to the pomp and properness of the historical language, made for fantastic dialogue all the way through. I also loved the creativity in all the forms the Robin takes while staying on the trail of this unfolding and dramatic story of love and magic and revenge: dust mites, candle flames, smoke wisps, mouse, a bird, etc. That was one of my favorite little details.
My biggest issue, and really the primary (and possibly only) reason for my lukewarm-ish response, is that I just never really bought into the relationship between Maelys and Georgianna. And to head off any misinterpretation, no, it is not because it was more "fade to black" than I would have liked nor because of the more straight-laced-ness of the time period it's set in. Hall met (and exceeded) my expectations on both those fronts with A Lady for a Duke. I just never really got invested in them ending up together. I think there's a chance it was related to the narrator, who (as I've said) was entertaining AF, but that style of story-telling kept the characters themselves at a bit of a distance from the reader, so I never got as emotionally invested in the outcome as I would have wanted. Also, and this is more of a me thing, the vibes from both were not really my style. I was much more here for Miss Bickle, tbh. The whimsicality and flightiness of her character is one of my favorite kinds to read. It's just so light and fun, which is perfect for what this novel was. And I do love that that same trait of loving the magical and fairy tale-based, that was generally just tolerated like one would for a child, ended up being instrumental to the HEA...don’t knock something just because it isn’t immediately important to you!
But anyways, the point I was making is that the adventure and curse-breaking and general entertainment level of this novel were great, but the romance, a fairly central aspect, never grabbed me. I think I would have been happier with a general tale of historical, slightly off-kilter (by societal standards), leading ladies taking on those magical adventures and melodramatic curse-breaking. Take from that what you will. But, just know that I still stan Hall's writing and recommend this one if it sounds like your vibes.
“I have a fondness for scenes of mortal misadventure, especially those that befall preposterously…”
“…I’ve always found strangers rather fascinating. They have such a wonderful habit of turning out to be beautiful, unexpected, deadly things.”
“I suppose that depends on what you think a witch to be. It might be better to say that I have needed, over the years, to learn a number of things about the world that other people seldom need to learn.”
“Gods are, in many ways, like sharks and, in many more ways, like cats. They are drawn to blood, and love to toy with the wounded.”
“…for her own part, was rather less sure. But it was, she was finding, a sweet unsureness. An uncertainty grounded in the hope of better, rather than the fear of worse. And that, she allowed herself to believe, made it worth pursuing.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content and Slavery
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
Not my favorite of Alexis Hall's books, but this was still a fun time! I enjoyed the overall format of the book, and the inclusion of the fantasy/magical elements along with the romance. If you enjoy authors like Freya Marske, you'll definitely enjoy this book!
The romance at the core of this story definitely takes center stage, and I loved how it evolved throughout the book around all of these different curses and such. The pacing of the book does get a little weird by the end, but since we have a narrator telling us this story, she actually acknowledges that. Which I actually found to be fun!
If you like historical fantasy romance, this is definitely the book for you. Plus, it has an absolutely gorgeous cover!
The romance at the core of this story definitely takes center stage, and I loved how it evolved throughout the book around all of these different curses and such. The pacing of the book does get a little weird by the end, but since we have a narrator telling us this story, she actually acknowledges that. Which I actually found to be fun!
If you like historical fantasy romance, this is definitely the book for you. Plus, it has an absolutely gorgeous cover!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Minor: Slavery, Racism, and Death of parent
ladythana's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Classism and Blood
Minor: Racism, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Transphobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, and Body horror
jencolumb0's review
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
This is a bit darker of a tale than I am used to from Hall, and without the more intense periods of emotional struggle/growth endured by the main characters (so more on par with Something Fabulous). Nonetheless, Hall carries it off in their typical hallmarks of deliciously layered tales, classical references, delightful subversion, and deft honesty. It’s also not the typical kissing book with magic, by any stretch of the imagination, but well worth exploring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent and Stalking
Minor: Colonisation, Transphobia, Slavery, Excrement, and Classism
Given that this book is about confronting a lack of agency and aggressively claiming space and happiness that the patriarchy denies, a number of these difficult topics are challenged. There’s also a bit about food turning to maggots in someone’s mouth that is not for the squeamish.onthesamepage's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Steam level: 🌶
This book set out to do too much, and I think it suffered for it.
Rather than being told in first person POV from the main characters, the first person narrator is Puck (although he is referred to by different names) from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The way he tells the story is amusing—at first. After a while, I found that the things he inserted felt like repetitions, and it added nothing new to the story. In fact, it made me feel even more removed from the main characters, which is an interesting choice in a romance, because it led to me not being emotionally invested.
I also think the romance was more of a subplot than the actual focus, and the least interesting part of the book. Instead, the plot surrounding Maelys's curse is much more compelling. I was expecting the focus to be on the romance once that part of the story was resolved, but what happened instead is that the second half dealt with Georgiana's backstory. An interesting plot in its own right, but the book ended up doing too much by including it. I also think it led to a feeling of "same old" in the way it was executed.
Steam level: 🌶
This book set out to do too much, and I think it suffered for it.
Rather than being told in first person POV from the main characters, the first person narrator is Puck (although he is referred to by different names) from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The way he tells the story is amusing—at first. After a while, I found that the things he inserted felt like repetitions, and it added nothing new to the story. In fact, it made me feel even more removed from the main characters, which is an interesting choice in a romance, because it led to me not being emotionally invested.
I also think the romance was more of a subplot than the actual focus, and the least interesting part of the book. Instead, the plot surrounding Maelys's curse is much more compelling. I was expecting the focus to be on the romance once that part of the story was resolved, but what happened instead is that the second half dealt with Georgiana's backstory. An interesting plot in its own right, but the book ended up doing too much by including it. I also think it led to a feeling of "same old" in the way it was executed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Homophobia, Slavery, and Transphobia