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seashel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Rape, Blood, Murder, and Sexual assault
bookcheshirecat's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
“But fleeing the law is rather easier if you do it before the law knows it is being fled from.”
➽ Mortal Follies is another trademark fun, romantic story by Alexis Hall! It's set in 1814 and follows Miss Maelys Mitchelmore who has been cursed and is trying to desperately avoid a scandal when a ton of bad luck befalls her. It begins with some harmless, but embarrassing incidents, but quickly turns more dangerous. Maelys seeks help from Lady Georgianna Landrake, who has a questionable reputation herself, but might be the only person who can help her! I loved their interactions and her friendship with Lizzie! She was especially funny and entertaining, I'd love to have her as a friend!
➽ The story is told from the POV of Robin, a hobgoblin who loves following along with mortal stories. I loved the unique narrator and Robin's witty commentary on Maelys' story. They are always keen to follow an interesting, dramatic story and are invested in Maelys' personal scandals! I do think that the story felt very drawn out and longer than it had to be. There were quite a few subplots that I felt went nowhere! Robin as a narrator was fun, but I got a bit tired of their detached, omniscient perspective at times!
Graphic: Sexism, Animal death, Violence, Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Homophobia, and Death of parent
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
- 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
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!
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Minor: Slavery, Racism, and Death of parent
emmy_award's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Transphobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault and Racism
ladythana's review against another edition
- 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
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
- 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
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.hrtlss_grl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical trauma, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Misogyny, Blood, Animal death, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Violence, Child abuse, Bullying, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Murder, Racism, and Stalking
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Murder, and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, and Homophobia
atlastheninth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent
wishbea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I initially found Mr. Caesar and Miss Bickle quite irritating, Mr. Caesar is solely there to mistrust the Duke of Annadale and Miss Bickle was mostly very naive, however by the end of the book I cared more for Miss Bickle than Miss Mitchelmore.
The pacing was off, the main plotline is solved halfway through the book and the plot meanders around a bit and we don't get to see enough of the main relationship blossoming or even learn enough about their personalities to get invested in them. I enjoyed how Miss Bickle is so key to solving the final puzzle of the story because of her unique way of thinking, it really endeared me to her character. However the ending of the book does fall flat.
I also got the impression that we were exploring an alternate regency England because of clothing made by fairies and humans openly discussing fairy-made clothes, open worship of pagan gods, naiads, the overt presence of a Goddess, witches and magic. The world was too obviously magical for me to accept this story takes place in regency England.
I will also note, as others have, that Medusa became a monster by Athena's hand and not Apollo's. You'd really think the author, editor or publisher would pick up on something so easy to fact check.
Graphic: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Murder
Moderate: Death and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent