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silly_little_clown'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? It's complicated
4.75
I don’t think I’ve ever read any historical fiction written in the modern times that felt so much like I was reading about people that were actually living in that era. Even the parts that were set in Japan, I felt totally immersed into the world. The author has such a way of building up atmosphere and creating dialogues that just makes everything feel so realistic despite the fact that there are some magical realism aspects to it. I also love the work that has gone into researching all the politics at the time. It’s very interesting to have a glimpse of the international power struggles in the past.
One weird thing that I really appreciate about this book is the casual racism that were expressed by multiple characters. As a POC, while I do not condone and tolerate racism, I think it’s important to acknowledge that those were the norm in those days and they usually went on unchallenged. We are growing to evolve out of it, can’t say the same about everyone, but racism is definitely not cool now. It’s not to say that the POC characters just silently takes it, I loved it when Mori casually refuted the police’s own logic when he was confronted at the end. But I’m glad that the author decided to include those things in the story, even though it might be difficult to read for some people. It made the story all the more real, and I think as readers with critical minds, we should be well equipped to understand that depiction of a horrible thing does not mean condoning of said thing.
I love Thaniel and Mori’s dynamic so much!! They’re not the kind of couple that has a lot of tension going on, but I think that made them even more lovable. The simmering longing that is just bubbling under the surface. That’s how I would describe their pining of each other. It’s especially angsty for Mori because
I must say I’m not a fan of Grace. Her
To end this review with a positive note, I can’t wait to read to spin-off and sequel! :D
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Classism, Death, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Murder and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Suicide attempt, War, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
akgeekgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Racism, Classism, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood
girlwithoutearing's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Minor: Death and Death of parent
tinkeringcheck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
As for the characters, the concepts were fantastic and bursting with not-quite-realized potential. I adored every little bit of information we got about the talented and mysterious Mr. Mori, but I felt that much of Thaniel's character was left between the lines to the point of him becoming quite boring as things went on. (How this was managed despite having unique narration tics with his synesthesia, I've no idea). And while I found the drag-wearing, anti-suffragette physicist Grace quite fun and offbeat in the beginning - especially her banter with Matsumoto, the dandy friend who lets her raid his closet - she had an abrupt change of priorities and comprehensibility halfway through the book that left me disappointed. I was looking forward to seeing
But what soured what had still been an enjoyable read for me was when I figured out where the final act was going. I nearly threw my phone at the wall. I almost DNF'd with just chapters left. I only skimmed through to the end to see if
There's also an honestly uncomfortable amount of casual racism and xenophobia from the white characters' perspectives. It's clearly meant to be period-typical and reflect the society they grew up in because it disappears in the POV chapters set in Japan, but it still felt excessive. Japanese and Japanese-British characters (including Mori) are constantly referred to as small and delicate and juvenile, and they're described by these racialized features exponentially more often than the white characters, even late into the story. For example, Thaniel's grey eyes and other physical descriptors are mentioned offhandedly, meanwhile each time Mori is described physically - like his tanned skin or short height or small hands - it's always tacked on with some remark inexplicably tying it up with him being Japanese. (Matsumoto, being a tall man, is described as being 'English-raised' instead.) At some point I was just desperate for ANY descriptor for these characters that wasn't racialized and was left disappointed.
Overall, I wanted to fully love this book (and nearly did for awhile!) but the overall execution and the plot choices in the climax unfortunately killed a lot of my enjoyment. I did love the premise of a mysterious, talented-beyond-his-time clockwork maker in his wondrous workshop - and I felt the middle portion of the story was the strongest in part because it focused on unveiling Mori's world. But as the book went on and we were moved from his workshop into the strange 3rd act drama with less compelling characters, I wondered if what I loved about it was more about the possibilities I was imagining for myself than what was on the page. Katsu the adorable clockwork octopus, kind and lonely Mori, and dearly underused Matsumoto were the shining stars for me, though I'm not sure I'll be tuning into the next book to see how they fare.
Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Biphobia, Classism, Domestic abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Stalking
Minor: Body horror, Chronic illness, Animal death, and Grief
Animal death: Personally, even though it's not really graphic andzosiablue'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? No
4.25
As a bonus, the author's book from this year (Half Life of Valery K) definitely winks at this novel, so I need to reread it now that I get the references.
Graphic: Racism, Infidelity, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Classism, and Cultural appropriation
andrea_95'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
4.25
Thaniel war zu Anfang ein seltsamer Hauptcharakter, bei dem es gedauert hat, bis ich mit ihm warm geworden bin. Wo er mir anfangs recht farblos vorkam, entpuppte er sich dann doch als wundervoller Charakter, der nur ein wenig Zeit brauchte, um sich richtig zu entfalten, was, rückblickend gesehen, auch sehr gut zur Story passte. Als er bei Mori einzieht, fängt die Entwicklung seines Charakters erst richtig an und die Faszination, die Thaniel Mori gegenüber empfindet, springt auf den Leser über. Als Thaniel dann Grace kennen lernt, die sich gezwungen sieht zu heiraten, um weiter der wissenschaftlichen Forschung weiter gehen zu können, wird es dann auch richtig spannend.
Zwar fand ich Grace's Abneigung gegenüber Mori durchaus verständlich, gerade weil sie ihn durchschaut hatte, und verstanden hatte, dass er eifersüchtig auf ihre Beziehung mit Thaniel war, dennoch fand ich ihr Beharren darauf, dass Mori ihr etwas antun würde, obwohl sie ihn nie als gewalttätigen Mann kennen gelernt hatte und auch von Thaniel mehrmals versichert bekam, dass Mori ihr nichts tun würde, extrem anstrengend und sogar nervig. Sie war zwar der festen Meinung, dass Mori Thaniel von vorne bis hinten manipuliert hätte, dennoch konnte sie nicht sehen, dass sie selbst Thaniel gegenüber extrem eigennützig handelt. Sie heiratet ihn des Hauses wegen, sie lässt zuerst ihr Labor einrichten (was Mori ihr gegenüber anmerkt und fragt, warum kein Piano in dem Haus ist), sie merkt, dass er Freude an den Birnenbäumen hat und als er sie mit Mori's Erfindungen schmückt, lässt sie die Bäumen fällen. Als sie Thaniel in der Hochzeitsnacht zurück in die Filigree Street folgt und er ihr versichert, dass er zu ihr zurück kommen wird und nur diese eine Nacht möchte, hat sie meiner Meinung nach, keinen Grund ihm nicht zu glauben. Thaniel ist kein Lügner und war bereit, ein Leben mit ihr zu leben, in dem er sich für immer würde verstecken müssen, war bereit mit ihr Kinder zu bekommen und das alles, um den Kindern seiner Schwester ein gutes Leben zu ermöglichen und Grace ihre Arbeit zu ermöglichen und dennoch geht sie und ruiniert ihm nicht nur die eine Nacht, um die er sie gebeten hat, sondern versucht für immer einen Keil zwischen Mori und Thaniel zu treiben, indem sie ihn nicht nur eine Entführung an ihr anhängen will, sondern sogar eine Bombe legt, um ihm diese auch noch anzuhängen.
Mori war der Meinung, dass er sterben würde und hat sein Leben riskiert, um das Ausmaß der Bombe einzudämmen, und als er Thaniel bittet, sich von Grace nicht klein machen zu lassen, kamen mir tatsächlich die Tränen. Auch der Moment, als Thaniel ihn fragt, warum er seinen Akzent geändert hat und er ihm erklärt, dass er sich ändert, weil Thaniel ihn Zukunft nicht mehr regelmäßig mit ihm sprechen wird, machte mich unendlich traurig.
Alles in allem, kam mir Mori wie ein extrem einsamer Mann vor, der verzweifelt nach einer Verbindung zu einem anderen Menschen gesucht hat und das in Thaniel letztendlich gefunden hat. Alles was er getan hat, tat er um Thaniel glücklich zu machen. Schon allein deswegen, war ich mehr als froh, zu sehen, dass sich Thaniel, der Grace durchschaut hatte, letztendlich dafür entschied, bei Mori zu bleiben. Auch die Tatsache, dass er und Mori Six zu sich nahmen, fand ich wunderschön und selbst Grace habe ich ihr Happy End mit Matsumoto gegönnt, auch wenn sie ein komplizierter Charakter war und schwer zu mögen für mich persönlich.
Trotz Startschwierigkeiten mit dem Buch, würde ich es jederzeit weiterempfehlen, da sich der Plot, ganz gleich einem Uhrwerk, immer perfekt zu fügen schien.
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Classism, Colonisation, and Racial slurs
hexe_19'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Biphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Police brutality
Minor: Classism and Sexism
cookiecat73's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Racism, Gun violence, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny
Minor: Outing, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Stalking, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, and Classism
clarabooksit'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? No
4.25
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Blood
antoniav's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Classism and Violence
Minor: Police brutality and Medical content